A03627:93
An exposition upon the .23. psalm of David full of fruitful and comfortable doctrine,…An exposition vpon the .23. psalme of Dauid full of frutefull and comfortable doctrin,…
An exposition upon the .23. psalm of David full of fruitful and comfortable doctrine, written to the city of London by John Hooper, bishop [sic] of Gloucester and Worcester, and holy martyr of God for the testimony of his truth. Whereunto is annexed an apology of his, against such as reported that he cursed Queen Mary, with certain godly and comfortable letters in the end.An exposition vpon the .23. psalme of Dauid full of frutefull and comfortable doctrin, written to the citye of London by Iohn Hooper, bushop [sic] of Gloceter and Worceter, and holye martyr of God for the testimonye of hys truth. Wherunto is annexed an apology of his, agaynst such as reported that he cursed Quene Mary, wyth certaine godlye and comfortable letters in the ende.
London: printed by John Tisdale and Thomas Hacket, 1562
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There be divers psalms, wherein he setteth forth the peril that he was in, as well in his body as in his soul. As when he complaineth of his banishment amongst not only cruel people, but also ungodly, that sought too take both his mortal life from him, and also his religion and trust that he had in God's word. Wherefore he compareth them too the Tartaryans and Arabians,1 men without pity and religion. And the like doeth he afterwards in another psalm, where as giving thanks for his delivery, he sayeth that sinners trod upon hy• ⟨image 59⟩back, and many times warred against him, & he should have been over thrown if god had not holpen him.2 Wherein he speaketh not only of battle with the sword against the body, but also of heresy and false doctrine against the soul. As ye may see how Sennacherib and Julius the apostate, two emperors, fought against the people of god, not only to take from them their lives: but also their religion and true honouring of god. And of all battles that is the cruellest, and of all enemies the principal, that would take the soul of man from gods word and bring it to the word of man. And that persecution & trouble openly against gods word continued many years, until Christ was preached abroad, and princes made christians. Then thought the devil his kingdom to have ben overthrown, and christian men might live in Christs religion without any trouble or war for religion. How be it at length for sin, the devil entered by subtle means, not ⟨image 59⟩only to corrupt true religion, but also persecuted the true professors thereof under the name of true religion, and therein used a marvellous policy and craft by men that walked inordinately amongst the christians them selves. From whose companies, sects and conversation, S. Paul willed us to refrain by these words:3 we command you brethren in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, that ye refrain from every one that is accounted a brother, that useth him self inordinately, and not according too the institution he received of us.