Writings of Dr. John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester ..

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WRITINGS

Dr. JOHN HOOPER

Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester. Martyr, 1555.

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CONTENTS.

Page
A Brief account of Dr. John Hooper '. 1

A DECLARATION OF CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

Chap. I. Introduction 17

II. What Christ is ..: 18

HI. Of the Priesthood of Christ 20

IV. Of the authority of the Word of God 25

V. Of the intercession of Christ 32

VI. The third Office of Christ concerning his Priesthood is to
offer sacrifice unto God, and by the same to purge the
world from sin 47

VII. Of Justification 43

VIII. Of the Lord's supper , 51

IX. Of Christ's Office of sanctifying those that believe in him 62
X. By this verity and truth, that " the gospel teaches we are
only to be sanctified in the blood of Christ," is confuted

the blasphemous pride of the bishop of Rome 63

XI. Of Christ as a King 68

XII. Of what man is 75

XIII. The office (or duty) of a justified man 80

AN OVERSIGHT AND DELIBERATION UPON THE HOLY
PROPHET JONAH.

The Epistle addressed to king Edward VI. and his privy council 85
The first Sermon upon Jonah, made 19th March, 1550, before the

king and his honourable council 93

The second Sermon upon Jonah 105

The third Sermon upon Jonah Ill

The fourth Sermon upon Jonah 130

The fifth Sermon upon Jonah 14C

The sixth Sermon upon Jonah 165

The seventh Sermon upon Jonah 181

A GODLY CONFESSION AND PROTESTATION OF THE
CHRISTIAN FAITH.

Dedication 195

The confession and protestation of .' hn Hooper's faith 199

IV CONTENTS.

Page

Bishop Hooper's articles and monitory letter to his clergy 220

A Homily to be read in the time of pestilence 223

COMFORTABLE EXPOSITIONS UPON THE TWENTY-THIRD,
SIXTY-SECOND, SEVENTY-THIRD, SEVENTY-SEVENTH
PSALMS.

An exposition of the twenty-third psalm 241

An exposition of the sixty-second psalm 290

An exposition of the seventy-third psalm 329

An exposition of the seventy-seventh psalm 354

EXTRACTS FROM A BRIEF AND CLEAR CONFESSION OF
THE CHRISTIAN FAITH i 417

LETTERS.

Letter I. An exhortation to patience, sent to his wife 427

II. To certain godly persons, professors and lovers of the

truth, as to the change of religion 437

HI. To W. P 440

IV. To Farrar, Taylor, Bradford, and Philpot 441

V. To certain godly persons, exhorting them to stick to the

truth .." 443

VI. To Master John Hall 445

' VII. To his relievers and helpers in London 445

VIII. To the christian congregation 448

IX. To the faithful and lively members of Christ iu London . . 454

X. An answer to a friend 456

XI. To Mrs. Ann Warcop 459

XII- To a godly widow 461

XIII. To one fallen from the truth 462

XIV. To Mrs. Wilkinsori ■ 464

XV. To a merchant of London 465

XVI. From Bullinger to Hooper 466

XVII. To Bullinger, written out of prison 470

XVIII. To John Hall and his wife 472

XIX. Respecting a godly company taken while at prayer, and

carried to prison 473

XX. To the prisoners in the counters 474

XXI. To certain of his friends 476

XXII. Concerning vain and false reports 478

XXIII. Extract of a letter to Bullinger, giving an account of his

conversion 480

A

BRIEF ACCOUNT

OF

DR. JOHN HOOPER,

Bishop of Gloucester, and Martyr, 1555.

John Hooper was born in Somersetshire, a. d. 1495, and
entered at Merton college, Oxford, in 1514. It is thought that
he afterwards became a Cistercian monk, but disliking the
monastic life, he returned to Oxford, where, by the study of the
scriptures, and the perusal of the writings of some of the con-
tinental reformers, he was induced to forsake the doctrines of
popery. In a letter written by him to/ Buliinger, an extract from
which has been preserved by Hottinger, he states, that some
works of Zuinglius, and Bullinger's commentaries on the epis-
tles of St. Paul, were principally instrumental to his conver-
sion ; these he studied day and night.

In the year 1539, when the act of the six articles was en-
forced, Hooper withdrew to the continent, and at Zurich was
kindly received by Buliinger. On the accession of king Edward
VI., Hooper, who had married while abroad, returned to
England with a desire to assist in the good work then going
forward. He had a presentiment of the times which followed ;
for on taking leave of Buliinger, when that reformer desired
him to write to his friends in Switzerland, and not to forget
them when raised to wealth and honours, Hooper assured him
of his affectionate remembrance, adding, " I will write to you
how it goeth with me. But the last news of all I shall not be
able to write ; for there (said he, taking Master Buliinger by
the hand) where I shall take most pains, there shall you hear
of my being burned to ashes ; and that shall be the last news,
which I shajl not be able to write unto you, but you shall hear
it of me."

hooper. b

2 Hooper.

He returned to England in 1548, and preached for some time
in London, often twice, and never less than once a day. Fox
says, " In his sermons, according to his accustomed manner,
he corrected sin, and sharply inveighed against the iniquity of
the world, and the corrupt abuses of the church. The people
in great flocks and companies came daily to hear him, insomuch
that oftentimes when he was preaching, the church would be so
full that none could enter further than the doors. In his doc-
trine he was earnest, in tongue eloquent, in the scriptures per-
fect, in pains indefatigable."

In May, 1550, he was nominated to the bishopric of Glou-
cester, but was not consecrated till the following year. This
delay was occasioned by some differences relative to the habits
and oaths then used in the consecration of bishops.* During
his residence on the continent, Hooper had adopted stricter
views on these subjects than his brethren who remained at
home, and he objected to these things as tending to superstition.
Into the particulars of these differences it is unnecessary for us
to enter; it is sufficient to state, that although Ridley and
Cranmer were at variance with Hooper on these points, when
the day of trouble came, we find them united as brethren in
Christ. In justice to Ridley and Cranmer, it should also be
stated, that the laws then in force left them no choice as to the
course they should follow, The letter written by Ridley to
Hooper when they were both imprisoned for the truth, shows
that these things were then forgotten.

The diocese of Worcester was afterwards united to that of
Gloucester, and Hooper conducted himself in his charge in the
most exemplary manner. Fox says, " He employed his time
with such diligence, as to be a spectacle (or pattern) to all
bishops. So careful was he in his cure, that he left no pains
untaken, nor ways unsought, how to train up the flock of
Christ in the true word of salvation, continually labouring in
the same. No father in his household, no gardener in his

* Hooper's objection to the oath was because it required him to
swear by the saints; to this he ohjected, and the expression was
struck out. With respect to the habits, a compromise was effected.
To these oaths and habits he had objected in his sermons on Jonah,
before the king ; and we find that in the second service-book, set
forth in 1551, an alteration for the better in these respects was
effected. See a note upon the Sermons on Jonah. ■

Life. 3

garden, nor husbandman in his vineyard, was more or better
occupied than he in his diocese amongst his flock, going about
his towns and villages, in teaching and preaching to the people
there. Although he bestowed the most part of his care upon
the public flock and congregation of Christ, for which, also, he
spent his blood ; yet there lacked no provision in him to bring
up his own children in learning and good manners ; so that you
could not discern whether he deserved more praise for his
fatherly usage at home, or for his bishoplike doings abroad.
For every where he kept one religion in one uniform doctrine
and integrity ; so that if you entered into the bishop's palace
you would suppose you had entered some church or temple.
In every corner there was some savour of virtue, good example,
honest conversation, and reading of holy scriptures. There
was not to be seen in his house any courtly roystering* or idle-
ness, no pomp at all, no dishonest word, no swearing could
there be heard. As for the revenues of his bishoprics, he
pursed nothing, but bestowed it in hospitality. Twice I was
at his house in Worcester, where in his common hall I saw a
table spread with good store of meat, and set full of beggars
and poor folk ; and I asking the servants what this meant, they
told me, that every day their lord and master's custom was to
have to dinner a certain number of the poor folk of the city by
course, who were served with wholesome meats ; and when they
were served, after having been examined by him or his de-
puties in the Lord's prayer, the articles of their faith, and ten
commandments, he himself sat down to dinner, and not before."
On the accession of queen Mary, bishop Hooper was one of
the first who were called before the council on account of their
religion, being summoned to appear on the 22nd of August,
1553. Bonner and Gardiner were especially violent against
him. As popery was not then restored by law, he was detained
on a false plea of his being indebted to the queen. He has left
the following account of the cruel treatment he experienced in
the Fleet prison :— " The first of September, 1553, 1 was com-
mitted unto the Fleet from Richmond, to have the liberty of
the prison : and within six days after I paid for my liberty five
pounds sterling to the warden's fees ; who, immediately upon
the payment thereof, complained unto Stephen Gardiner, bishop

* Turbulent behaviour.
b2

4 Hooper.

of Winchester, and so was I committed to close prison for one
quarter of a year, in the tower-chamber of the Fleet, and used
very extremely. Then, by the means of a good gentleman, I
had liberty to come down to dinner and supper, yet not suffered
to speak to any of my friends ; but as soon as dinner and sup-
per was done, to repair to my chamber again. Notwithstand-
ing, whilst I came down thus to dinner and supper, the warden
and his wife picked quarrels with me, and they complained un-
truly of me to their great friend, the bishop of Winchester.
After one quarter of a year, and somewhat more, Babington,
the warden, and his wife, fell out with me for the wicked mass,
and thereupon the warden resorted to the bishop of Winchester,
and obtained leave to put me into the wards, where I have con-
tinued a long time, having nothing appointed to me for my bed
but a little pad of straw, and a rotten covering, with a tick and
a few feathers therein, the chamber being vile and stinking,
until, by God's means, good people sent me bedding to lie in. Of
the one side of which prison is the sink and filth of the house ;
and on the other side, the town-ditch ; so that the stench of the
house hath infected me with sundry diseases. During which
time I have been sick, and the doors, bars, hasps, and chains,
being all closed, and made fast upon me, I have mourned,
called, and cried for help. But the warden, when he hath
known me many times ready to die, and when the poor men
of the wards have called to help me, hath commanded the doors
to be kept fast, and charged that none of his men should come
at me, saying, ' Let him alone, it were a good riddance of him.'
And amongst many other times, he did thus the 1 8th of Octo-
ber, 1553, as many can witness. I paid always like a baron to
the said warden, as well in fees, as for my board, which was
twenty shillings a week, besides my man's table, until I was
wrongfully deprived of my bishopric, and since that I have
paid him as the best gentleman doth in his house ; yet hath he
used me worse, and more vilely than the veriest slave that ever
came to the hall commons. The said warden hath also im-
prisoned my man, William Downton, and stripped him of all
his clothes to search for letters, and could find none, but only a
little remembrance of good people's names, that gave me their
alms to relieve me in prison ; and to undo them also the said
warden delivered the same bill unto the said Stephen Gardiner,

Life. b

God's enemy and mine. I have suffered imprisonment
almost eighteen months, my good living, friends, and comforts
taken from me ; the queen owing me, by just account, eighty
pounds or more. She hath put me in prison, and gives nothing
to find me, neither is there suffered any to come to me, whereby
I might have relief. I am with a wicked man and woman, so
that I see no remedy, saving God's help, but that I shall be
cast away in prison* before I come to judgment. But I com-
mit my just cause to God, whose will be done, whether it be
by life or death."

Fox has given the particulars of bishop Hooper's examinations
before Gardiner and other popish bishops, in January, 1555.
He was condemned on three separate grounds : — first, for
maintaining the lawfulness of the marriage of the clergy ; se-
condly, for defending the scriptural doctrine respecting divorce
(Matt, xix.) ; thirdly, for denying the carnal presence of Christ
in the sacrament, and saying that the mass was an idol. After
his condemnation he was taken by night to Newgate, and de-
graded by bishop Bonner, and then ordered for execution.

The particulars of the last days of bishop Hooper's life are
minutely detailed by Fox. The simple and impressive account
must be given in his own words. It is, indeed, one of the most
affecting narratives in English history. He says, " On Monday
at night, being the 4th of February, 1555, bishop Hooper's
keeper gave him an intimation that he should be sent to Glou-
cester to suffer death, whereof he rejoiced very much, lifting
up his eyes and hands unto heaven, and praising God that he
saw it good to send him amongst the people over whom he was
pastor, there to confirm with his death the truth which he had
before taught them ; not doubting but the Lord would give him
strength to perform the same to his glory ; and immediately he
sent to his servant's house for his boots, spurs, and cloak, that
he might be in readiness to ride when he should be called.

" The next day following, about four o'clock in the morning,
before daylight, the keeper with others came to him and
searched him, and Hie bed wherein he lay, to see if he had writ- '
ten any thing, and then he was led by the sheriffs of London
and their officers from Newgate to a place appointed, not far
from St. Dunstan's church in Fleet-street where six of the
* Perish in prison.

6 Hooper.

queen's guard were appointed to receive him, and carry hint to
Gloucester, there to be delivered unto the sheriffs, who with the
lord Shandois, master Wikes. and other commissioners, were
appointed to see execution done. The guard brought him to
the Angel,* where he broke his fast with them, eating his meat
at that time more liberally than he had used to do a good while
before. About the break of day he went to horse, and leapt
cheerfully on horseback without help, having a hood upon his
head under his hat that he should not be known, and so took his
journey joyfully towards Gloucester, and by the way the guard
always learned of him where he was accustomed to bait or
lodge, and ever carried him to another inn.

" Upon the Thursday following, he came to a town in his
diocese called Cirencester, about eleven o'clock, and there dined
at a woman's house who had always hated the truth, and spoken
all the evil she could of Master Hooper. This woman, per-
ceiving the cause of his coming/showed. him all the friendship
she could, and lamented his case with tears, confessing that she
before had often reported, that if he were put to the trial, he
would not stand to his doctrine.

" After dinner he rode forwards, and came to Gloucester
about five o'clock ; and a mile without the town much people
were assembled, who cried and lamented his state ; so that one
of the guard rode hastily into the town, to require aid of the
mayor and sheriffs, fearing lest he should have been taken from
them. The officers and their retinue repaired to the gate with
weapons, and commanded the people to keep their houses, but
there was no man that gave any signification of any such res-
cue and violence. So he was lodged at one Ingram's house in
Gloucester, and that night, as he had done all the way, he ate
his meat quietly, and slept his first sleep soundly. After his
first sleep he continued all that night in prayer until the morn-
ing, and then he desired that he might go into the next cham-
ber, for the guard were also in the chamber where he lay, that
there being alone he might pray and talk with God : so that the
whole day, saving a little at meat, and when he talked at any
time with such as the guard allowed to speak with him, he em-
ployed in prayer.

" Amongst others that spake with him, Sir Anthony Kingston,

* The inn called the Angel, behind St. Clement's church, Strand.

Life. 7

knight, was one, who seeming in times past his very friend, was
then appointed by the queen's letters to be one of the commis-
sioners to see execution done upon him. Master Kingston being
brought into the chamber found him at prayer ; and as soon as
he saw Master Hooper, he burst forth in tears. Hooper at the
first knew him not. Then said Master Kingston, ' Why, m}
lord, do you not know me, an old friend of yours, Anthony
Kingston ?'

" H. Yes, Master Kingston, I do now know you well, and
am glad to see you in health, and do praise God for the same.

" K. But I am sorry to see you in this case ; for, as I under-
stand, you are come hither to die. But, alas ! consider that life
is sweet, and death is bitter. Therefore, seeing life may be had,
desire to live ; for life hereafter may do good.

" H. Indeed it is true, Master Kingston, I am come hither to
end this life, and to suffer death here, because I will not gain-
say the truth that I have taught amongst you in this diocese,
and elsewhere ; and I thank you for your friendly counsel,
although it be not so friendly as I could have wished it. True
it is, Master Kingston, that death is bitter, and life is sweet ;
but, alas ! consider that death to come is more bitter, and the
life to come is more sweet. Therefore, for the desire and love I
have to the one, and the terror and fear of the other, I do not so
much regard this death, nor esteem this life, but have settled
myself, through the strength of God's Holy Spirit, patiently to
pass through the torments and extremities of the fire now pre-
pared for me, rather than to deny the truth of his word, de-
siring you and others, in the mean time, to commend me to
God's mercy in your prayers.

" K. Well, my lord, then I perceive there is no remedy, and,
therefore, I will take my leave of you ; and I thank God that
ever I knew you, for God did appoint you to call me, being a
lost child ; and by your good instructions, whereas before I was
both an adulterer and a fornicator, God hath brought me to for-
sake and detest the same.

" H. If you have had the grace so to do, I do highly praise
God for it ; and if you have not, I pray God you may have it,
and that you may continually live in his fear.

" After these and many other words, the one took leave of
the other ; Master Kingston with bitter tears, Master Hooper

8 Hooper.

with tears also trickling down his cheeks. At which departure
Master Hooper told him, that all the troubles he had sustained
in prison had not caused him to utter so much sorrow.

" The same day in the afternoon, a blind boy, after long in-
tercession made to the guard, obtained license to be brought
unto Master Hooper's speech. The same boy not long before
had suffered imprisonment at Gloucester for confessing the
truth. Master Hooper, after he had examined him of his faith,
and the cause of his imprisonment, beheld him steadfastly, and
with tears in his eyes, said unto him, ' Ah, poor boy, God hath
taken from thee thy outward sight; for what consideration he
best knoweth ; but he hath given thee another sight much more
precious, for he hath endued thy soul with the eye of knowledge
and faith. God give thee grace continually to pray unto him,
that thou lose not that sight, for then shouldest thou be blind
both in body and soul.'*

" After that another came to him, whom he knew to be a
very papist and a wicked man, who appeared to be sorry for
Master Hooper's trouble, saying, ' Sir, I am sorry to see you
thus.'

" ' To see me ? why art thou sorry ?' said he.

" ' To see you,' saith the other, ' in this case. For I hear
say you are come hither to die, for which I am sorry.'

" ' Be sorry for thyself, man,' said Master Hooper, ' and
lament thine own wickedness ; for I am well, I thank God, and
death to me, for Christ's sake, is welcome.'

"The same night he was committed by the guard, their
commission being then expired, unto the custody of the sheriffs
of Gloucester. The -name of the one was Jenkins, the other
Bond, who with the mayor and aldermen repaired to Master
Hooper's lodgings, and at the first meeting sainted him, and
took him by the hand. Unto whom Hooper spake on this
manner :

" ' Master mayor, I give most hearty thanks to you, and to
the rest of your brethren, that you have vouchsafed to take me
a prisoner and a condemned man by the hand ; whereby, to my
rejoicing, it is apparent that your old love and friendship

* The martyr's prayer for this poor blind hoy was heard. His-
name was Drowry, and he was enabled to continue steadfast'in the
trath. In May,, I55G, he was burned.

Life, 9

towards me are not altogether extinguished : and I trust also
that all the things I have taught you in times past are not utterly
forgotten, when I was here, by the good king that is dead, ap-
pointed to be your bishop and pastor. For which true and sin-
cere doctrine, because I will not now account it falsehood and
heresy, as many other men do, I am sent hither, as I am sure
you know, by the queen's commandment, to die, and am come
where I taught it, to confirm it with my blood. And now,
master sheriffs, I understand by these good men, and my very
friends (meaning the guards), — at whose hands I have found as
much favour and gentleness by the way hitherward, as a pri-
soner could reasonably require, for the which I most heartily
thank them,-4hat I am committed to your custody, as unto them
that must see me brought to-morrow to the place of execution.
My request to you shall be only, that there may be a quick fire,
shortly to make an end, and in the mean time I will be as obe-
dient to you, as yourselves would wish. If you think I do
amiss in any thing, hold up your finger, and I have done. For
I am not come hither as one enforced or compelled to die ; "or it
is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain ; but as
one willing to offer and give my life for the truth, rather than to
consent to the wicked papistical religion of the bishop of Rome,
received and set forth by the magistrates in England, to God's
high displeasure and dishonour ; and I trust, by God's grace,
to-morrow to die a faithful servant of God, and a true obedient
subject to the queen.'

" These and such like words in effect used Master Hooper to
the mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen, whereat many of them
mourned and lamented. Notwithstanding, the two sheriffs
went aside to consult, and were determined to have lodged him
in the common jail of the town called Northgate, if the guard
had not made earnest intercession for him ; declaring how
quietly, mildly, and patiently he behaved himself in the way,
adding thereto, that any child might keep him well enough, and
that they themselves would rather take pains to watch with him,
than that he should be sent to the common prison. So it was
determined at length that he should still remain in Robert
Ingram's house ; and the sheriffs and the sergeants and other
officers appointed to watch with him that night themselves.
His desire was, that he might go that night to bed betimes,

1 Hooper.

saying, that he had many things to remember: and did so at
Ave of the clock, and slept one sleep soundly, and bestowed the
rest of the night in prayer. After he got up in the morning, he
desired that no man should be suffered to come into the cham-
ber, that he might be alone till the hour of execution.

" About eight o'clock came sir John Bridges, lord Shandois,
with a great band of men, sir Anthony Kingston, sir Edmund
Bridges, and other commissioners, appointed to see execution
done. At nine o'clock Master Hooper was willed to prepare
himself to be in readiness, for the time was at hand. Immedi-
ately he was brought down from his chamber by the sheriffs,
who were accompanied with bills and other weapons. When
he saw the multitude of weapons, he said, ' Master sheriffs, I
am no traitor, neither need you have made such a business to
bring me to the place where I must suffer ; for if you had willed
me, I would have gone alone to the stake, and have troubled
none cf you all.'

" Afterwards, looking upon the multitude of people that were
assembled, being by estimation to the number of seven thou-
sand, for it was market-day, and many also came to see his
behaviour towards death ; he spake unto those that were about
him, saying, ' Alas ! why are these people assembled and come
together ? Peradventure, they think to hear something of me
now, as they have in times past, but, alas ! speech is prohibited
me.* Notwithstanding, the cause of my death is well known
unto them. When I was appointed to be their pastor, I
preached unto them true and sincere doctrine out of the word
of God. Because I will not now account the same to be heresy
and untruth, this kind of death is prepared for me.

" So he went forward, led between the two sheriffs, as it were
a lamb to the slaughter, in a gown of his host's, his hat upon
his head, and a staff in his hand to stay himself withal. For
the grief of the sciatica, which he had taken in prison, caused
him somewhat to halt. All the way, being strictly charged not
to speak, he could not be perceived once to open his mouth •
but beholding the people, who mourned bitterly for him, he

* The Romish prelates had threatened Hooper and his com-
panions, that their tongues should be cut out, unless they promised
not to address the people at the stake. The queen's letter directing
the manner of his execution expressly ordered that he should not
be suffered to speak.— See Burnet.

Life. 11

would sometimes lift up his eyes toward heaven, and look
very cheerfully upon such as he knew ; and he was never
known, during the time of his being amongst them, to look
with so cheerful and ruddy a countenance as he did at that
present.

" When he came to the place appointed where he should die,
smiling he beheld the stake and preparation made for him,
which was near unto the great elm-tree over against the college
of priests, where he was wont to preach. The place round
about the houses and the boughs of the trees were crowded with
people; and in the chamber over the college-gate stood the
priests of the college. Then kneeled he down to prayer, for-
asmuch as he could not be suffered to speak unto the people,
and beckoned six or seven times unto one whom he knew well,
to hear the said prayer, to make report thereof in time to come,
pouring tears upon his shoulders and in his bosom, who gave
attentive ears unto the same ; which prayer he made upon the
whole creed, wherein he continued the space of half an hour.
Now, after he was somewhat entered into his prayer, a box
was brought and laid before him upon a stool, with his pardon,
or at the least it was feigned to be, his pardon, from the queen,
if he would turn. At the sight whereof he cried, ' If you Jove
my soul, away with it.' The box being taken away, the lord
Shandois said, ' Seeing there is no remedy, despatch him
quickly.' Master Hooper said, ' Good, my lord, I trust your
lordship will give me leave to make an end of my prayers.'

" Then, said the lord Shandois to sir Edmund Bridges's
son, who gave ear to Master Hooper's prayer at his request :
' Edmund, take heed that he do nothing else but pray : if he
do, tell me, and I shall quickly despatch him.' While this talk
was, there stepped forward one or two uncalled, who heard
him speak these words following : —

" ' lord, I am hell, but thou art heaven : I am a swill, and
a sink of sin, but thou art a gracious God and a merciful Re-
deemer. Have mercy, therefore, upon me, most miserable and
wretched offender, after thy great mercy, and according to
thine inestimable goodness. Thou art ascended into heaven ;
receive me to be partaker of thy joys, where thou sittest in
equal glory with thy Father. For well thou knowest, Lord,
wherefore I, am come hither to suffer, and why the wicked do

12 Hooper.

persecute this thy poor servant : not for my sms and trans-
gressions committed against thee, but because I will not allow
their wicked doings, to the contaminating of thy blood, and to
the denial of the knowledge of thy truth, wherewith it did
please thee by thy Holy Spirit to instruct me : the which, with
as much diligence as a poor wretch might, being thereto called,
I have set forth to thy glory. And well seest thou, my Lord and
God, what terrible pains and cruel torments are prepared for
thy creature ; such, Lord, as without thy strength none is able
to bear or patiently to pass. But all things that are impossible
with man, are possible with thee. Therefore, strengthen me of
thy goodness, that in the fire I break not the rule of patience ;
or else assuage the terror of the pains, as shall seem most to
thy glory.'

" When the mayor had espied these men they were com-
manded away, arid were not suffered to hear any more. Prayer
being done, he prepared himself for the stake, and put off his
hosfs gown, and delivered it to the sheriffs, requiring them to see
it restored unto the owner, and put off the rest of his clothing,
unto his doublet and hose, wherein he would have been burned.
But the sheriffs would not permit that, such was their greedi-
ness, unto whose pleasures he very obediently submitted him-
self: and his doublet, hose, and waistcoat were taken off.
Then being in his shirt, he took a point from his hose himself,
and tied his shirt between his legs, where he had a pound of
gunpowder in a bladder, and under each arm the like quantity,
delivered him by the guard. So desiring the people to say the
Lord's prayer with him, and to pray for him, who performed it
with tears during the time of his pains, he went up to the
stake.

" .Now when he was at the stake, three irons, made to bind
him to the stake, were brought ; one for his neck, another for
his middle, and the third for his legs. But he refusing them,
said, ' You have no need thus to trouble yourselves. For I
doubt not but God will give me strength sufficient to abide the
extremity of the fire without bands ; notwithstanding, suspect-
ing the frailty and weakness of the flesh, though I have as-
sured confidence in God's strength, I am content that you do
as you shall think good.'

" So the hoop of iron, prepared for his middle, was brought,

Life. 13

which being made somewhat too short, for his belly was swollen
with imprisonment, he shrank, and put in his belly with. his hand,
until it was fastened : and when they offered to have bound his
neck and legs with the other two hoops of iron, he utterly re-
fused them, and would have none, saying, ' I am well assured
I shall not trouble you.'

" Thus being ready, he looked upon the people, of whom he
might be well seen, for he was both tall, and stood also on a
high stool, and beheld round about him : and in every corner
there was nothing to be seen but weeping and sorrowful people.
Then lifting up his eyes and hands unto heaven, he prayed to
himself. By and by he that was appointed to make the fire
came to him, and did ask him forgiveness. He asked ' why he
should forgive him, saying, that he never knew any offence he
had committed against him.' — ' O ! sir,' said the man, ' I am
appointed to make the fire.' — ' Therein,' said Master Hooper,
' thou dost nothing offend me ; God forgive thee thy sins, and
do thine office, I pray thee.' Then the reeds were cast up, and
he received two bundles of them in his own hands, embraced
them, kissed them, and put under either arm one of them, and
showed with his hand how the rest should be placed.

" Commandment was then given that the fire should be set
to, and so it was : but because there were as many green fagots
as two horses could carry upon their backs,* it kindled not
readily, and was a while also before it took the reeds upon
the fagots. At length it burned about him, but the wind having
strength in that place — it was also a lowering and cold morning,
it blew the flames from him, so that he was in a manner but
touched by the fire. '

" Sometime after, a few dry fagots were brought, and a new
fire was kindled with fagots, for there were no more reeds, and
that burnt his lower parts, but had small power above, because
of the wind, saving that it did burn his hair, and scorched his
skin a little. In the time of this fire, even as at the first flame,
he prayed, saying mildly, and not very loud, but as one with-
out pain, ' Oh Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me, and
receive my soul.' After the second fire was spent, he wiped his
eyes with his hands, and beholding the people, he said with a

* There is reason to believe that the use of green fagots was
ordered on this and some other occasions, to make the sufferings ol
the martvrs more severe and terrifying to the people.

14 Hooper.— Life.

loud voice, ' For God's love, good people, let me have more
fire.' And all this while his lower parts did burn ; but the
fagots were so few that the flames did not burn strongly at his
upper parts.

" A third fire was kindled within a while after, which was
more extreme than the others : and then the bladders of gun-
powder brake, which did him small good, they were so placed,
and the wind had such power. In this fire he prayed with
somewhat a loud voice ; ' Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me :
Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me : Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.' And these were the last words he was heard to utter.
But when he was black in the mouth, and his tongue swollen,
that he could not speak, yet his lips went till they were shrunk
to the gums : and he knocked his breast with his hands until
one of his arms fell off, and then knocked with the other, until,
by renewing of the fire, his strength was gone, and his hand did
cleave fast in knocking, to the iron upon his breast. So imme-
diately, bowing forwards, he yielded up his spirit.

" Thus was he three quarters of an hour or more in the fire.
Even as a lamb, patiently he bore, the extremity thereof, neither
moving forwards nor backwards, nor to any side ; but having
' his lower part burnt, and his vitals destroyed, he died as quietly
as a child in his bed !

"And now he reigns, as a blessed martyr, in the joys of
heaven, prepared for the faithful in Christ, before the found-
ations of the world: for whose constancy all christians are
bound to praise God !"

The works of bishop Hooper are among the most valuable
of the writings of the reformers. They also possess a gene-
ral interest, as they are not so exclusively confined to the
Romish controversies, having mostly been written before his
imprisonment. He had derived much advantage from his in-
fprcourse with the continental reformers, and may be considered
as a connecting bond between them and their brethren in Eng-
land. Fox, Burnet, and Strype bear testimony to the value
of his writings in former times: as he thereby being dead
yetspeaketh; and as his testimony is of Jesus, the same yester-
day, to-day, and for ever, we may trust that they will be as
acceptable and beneficial. to the follower of Christ, now, as they
were in the days of our forefathers.

DECLARATION

OP

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

COMPILED BY

JOHN HOOPER,

a. d. 1547.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.

CONTENTS

Chapter.

I. INTRODUCTION.

II. WHAT CHRIST IS.

III. OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

IV. OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD.

V. OF THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST.

VI. OF THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.

VII. OF JUSTIFICATION.

VIII. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

IX. OF CHRIST'S OFFICE OF SANCTIFYING THOSE THAT

BELIEVE IN HIM.

X. THE PRIDE OF THE BISHOP OF ROME CONFUTED.

XI. OF CHRIST AS A KING.

XII. OF WHAT MAN IS.

XIII. THE OFFICE OF A JUSTIFIED MAN.

A

DECLARATION

OF

CHRIST AND HIS OFFICE.

CHAPTER. I.

Introduction

Fo r a s si u c h as almighty God, of his infinite mercy and
goodness, prepared a mean, whereby Adam and his pos-
terity might be restored again unto their original justice*
and perfectipn, both of body and soul, and live eternally
unto the same end that they were ereated for — to bless
and magnify for ever the immortal and living God — it is
the office of every true christian, before all other studies,
travails, and pains, that he sustains in the time of this brief
and miserable life, to apply himself with all diligent force
and labour to know perfectly this mean, ordained by God
for our salvation; and, the thing once known, diligently
with heart, soul, and mind, to follow the mean, until such
time as the effect and end be obtained, wherefore it was
appointed. The mean was showed unto Adam at his first
and original transgression, the Seed of the woman, which
should break the head of the serpent, destroy the kingdom
of the devil, and restore Adam, and as many as knew
and believed in this Seed, unto life everlasting. And as
the sin of Adam, the only occasion of all man's misery,
was derived unto all his posterity, and they were made
subject unto death and the wrath of God for ever : so was
this Seed from the beginning a very true and sufficient
remedy to as many as believed ; and God, for his promise
sake, acquitted and delivered man from the right and

* Righteousness.

18 Ho<ype.r.^-t>eclaration of Christ.

claim of the devil, and by mercy restored the place, that,
by malice and contempt, was lost.

He that would consider diligently these two things, the
sin of Adam, and the mercy of God, would find himself
far unable to express, or sufficiently think the greatness of
the one, or of the other, when they so far pass the reason
and understanding of man. All the solace and joy of
Adam's posterity consists solely and only in this, (Rom. v.)
" Where sin abounded, grace did more abound :" the bene-
fits and merits of this Seed abound, and are more avail-
able before the judgment of God, than sin, the flesh, the
devil, and the world. This treasure and inestimable riches
must be perfectly known of every person tha. will be saved.
It is only in Christ and in the knowledge of him, that what
he is, and what is his office ean be learned.

CHAPTER II

What Christ is.

He is the Son of the living God and the virgin Mary :
both God and man, the true Messias, promised unto man
from the beginning <Tf his fall. Whom St. John calls the
Word, of eternal essence and divine majesty, saying, " In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God." (John i.) St. Paul (Col. i.)
calleth him " the image of God," &c, and (Heb. i.) " the
brightness of God." The creed of Nice calleth him " light
of light," the natural Son of God, in whom dwelleth the
fountain of all divinity naturally. As St. Paul saith, (Col.
ii.) " In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily ;" meaning, that he is not the Son of God by adop-
tion or acceptation into grace, as Abraham, David, and
other holy saints : but naturally the Son of God, equal
with the Father in all things, as John saith, " We beheld
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father."
So St. John proves him in all his writings to be the very
true and everlasting God, and not, as Ebion and Cerin-
thus said, that he was but man only. He was made mor-
tal man, as St. John saith, " And the Word was made flesh,"
to save the condemned man from immortal death : and to
be a Mediator and Intercessor unto God for man. (Matt.
xi. John iii. Isa. ii.)

cH. n.] JUiat Christ is. 19

This scripture not only teaches us the knowledge of
salvation, but also comforts us against all the assaults,
subtleties, and crafts of the devil — that God would of his
inestimable love rather suffer his only Son to die for the
world, than all the world should perish. Remaining
always, as he was, very* God immortal, he received the
thing he was not, the mortal nature and true flesh of man,
in which he died, as Peter saith, 1 Pet. iv. Irenseus hath
these godly words : " Christ was crucified and died, the"
Word submitting to be crucified and die." The divine
nature of Christ was not rent, or torn, or killed, but it
obeyed the will of the Father. It gave place unto the
displeasure and wrath of God, that the body of Christ
might die. Being always equal with his Father, he could,
if he had executed his divine power, have delivered his
body from the tyranny of the Jews.

These words of Irenaeus wonderfully declare unto us
what Christ is, and agree with Paul, (Phil, ii.) " Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God : but made himself of no reputation, and
took upon himself the form of a servant.'' Seeing he was
sent into the world to suffer this most-cruel death and
passion, he would do nothing that should be contrary to
his vocation, but, with patience praying for his enemies,
submitted himself unto the ignominy and contempt of the
cross ; suffering pains innumerable, without grudge or
murmur against the holy will of his Father : his Godhead
hiding itself, until the third day, when it restored the soul
again unto the body, and caused it to rise with great tri-
umph and glory, (Rom. i. Mat. xxviii. John xx. Luke
xxiv. Mark xvi.) repeating the doctrine, which before his
death he preached unto the world, that he was both king
and lord, high bishop and priest, both of heaven and of
earth. " All power is given unto me both in heaven and
in earth: go, therefore, teach all nations.'-' (Matt, xxviii.)

He that before was most vile and contemptible in the
sight of the world, now by right and just title claims the
dominion and empire of all the world. How mighty a
prince he is, the creation of the world and the preservation
thereof declare. How merciful towards them that repent,
we know by daily experience in ourselves, and by the
example of others, Adam, David, Manasseh, and Peter.
How rigorous for sin, the punishment that we suffer and
* " Very," frequently means " true."

20 Hooper.-^Decl'aration of Christ.

the calamities of this world declare, especially the death
of his most innocent body. How continual his wrath is
against such as repent not, Saul, Pharaoh, Judas, with
others, declare. How mighty and fearful a Lord this, our
Saviour Jesus Christ, is, read his title and style, (Nahum i.)
where the prophet threatens the destruction of Nineveh
and the whole kingdom of the Assyrians. As the princes
of the world use to declare in their letters patent, of what
power, force, and strength they are, and the names of the
realms and dominions that they have under their protec-
tion and governance, to alarm their enemies, that they
should make no resistance, nor move the peace of so mighty
a prince : so the prophet gives such a title unto God, to
alarm the city of Nineveh and kingdom of the Assyrians,
saying, " ^Vhat do ye imagine against the Lord ? he will
make an utter end : affliction shall not rise up the second
time." This is the style of the God omnipotent, our
Saviour Jesus Christ, at whose name all powers bow their
knees in heaven, in earth, and in hell. (Phil, ii.)

CHAPTER III.

Of the Priesthood op Chkist.

Now that the scripture has taught us to know that
Christ is both God and man, I will briefly treat of his
office. First, of his priesthood ; then of his kingdom and
reign over his church till the world's end ; then his being
for ever in solace with his elect, in perpetual mercy and
favour : but with such as contemn in this world his holy
commandment and pleasure, he deals in severe justice and
hatred and wrath for ever. (John iii.)

St. Paul, in the epistle to the Hebrews, proves him to be
the Priest, called by God unto that function and office of
the high Bishop ; " Christ glorified not himself to be made
an high-priest : but He that said unto him, ' Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee.' As he saith also in
anbther place, ' Thou art a priest for ever after the order
of Melchisedec' " (Heb. v.) By whose obedience unto
the cross he gave everlasting health* to as many as
obeyed him. And in all things he executed the very true
* Salvation.

ch. in.] Of the Priesthood of Christ. 21

office of a bishop, to whom it appertained to teach the
people ; which was the ehief part of the bishop's office,
and most diligently and strictly commanded by God. As
all the books of Moses and the prophets teach, and Christ
commanded Peter : (John xx.) and Paul all the bishops
and priests of his time. (Acts x-x.)

Of Christ's authority and preaching, Moses and Stephen
(Acts vii. Deut. xviii.). say thus, " A prophet shall the
Lord your God raise up unto you- of your brethren, like
unto me : him ye shall hear." He that will not hearken
unto his voice shall be as none of the people of God.
This authority to preach, the Father gave unto him in the
hearing of the apostles, (Matt. iii. 17,) and bound his
church to receive his doctrine, saying, " This is my dearly
beloved Son, in whom I delight, hear him." He taught
the will of his Father unto the world, and how they
might be saved from death infernal, (John xvii. 6.)
provided that they repented and believed the gospel.
(Matt. iii. Mark x.) He left nothing untaught, but as
a good doctor,* manifested unto his audience all things
necessary for the health of man. As the woman confessed,
(John iv.) " Messias, when he is come, will tell us all
things.'' He not only preached himself, but sent his apos-
tles and disciples to manifest unto the world, that the
acceptable time of grace was come, and the sacrifice for
sin born into the world. (Matt. x. John x.) And after
his resurrection he gave them commandment to preach,
and likewise what they should preach. " Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel, which I have taught
you, to every creature." (Matt, xxviii. Mark xvi.) The
which doctrine .Luke thus expounds : " That repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name
among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke x-xiv.)
" In his name," that is to say, " in the knowledge and
faith of his merits, they should preach repentance and re-
mission of sin unto all the world : as they did most sin-
cerely and plainly, without any glosses or additions of their
own invention, and were as testimonies of the truth, and
not the authors thereof." (Acts i. John i.)

So Paul teaches with gravity and manifest words, what
is to be judged of himself and all other ministers : " God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting their trespasses unto them : and hath committed
» Teacher.

22 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you
by us : we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God." (2 Cor. v.) Always in their doctrine they taught
the thing, that Christ first taught, and God's Holy Spi-
rit inspired them. (Gal. i. 2 Cor. iii.) Holy apostles
never took upon them to be Christ's vicars in the earth,
nor to be his lieutenants : but said, " Let a man so ac-
count of us as of the ministers of" Christ, and stewards of
the mysteries of God." (1 Cor. iv.) In the same epistle
he binds the Corinthians to follow him in nothing but
where he followed Christ, (chap, xi.) " Be ye followers of
me, even as I also am of Christ." They ministered not
in the church, as though Christ was absent, although his
most glorious body was departed corporeally into the
heavens above ; but as Christ present, who always go-
verned his church with his Spirit of truth, as he promised,
(Matt, xxviii.) " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world."

In the absence of his body, he has commended the pro-
tection and governance of his church unto the Holy Ghost,
the same God, and one God with the Father and his
divine nature. Whose divine puissance and power over-
matches the force of the devil, so that hell itself cannot
take one of Christ's flock out of God's protection. (John
x.) And this defence dureth not for a day, nor year, but
shall demour* for ever, till this church be glorified at the
resurrection of the flesh. (John xv.)

It was no little pain that Christ suffered in washing
away the sins of this church : therefore he will not com-
mit the defence thereof unto man. It is no less glory to
defend and keep the thing won by force, than it is by force
to obtain the victory. Adam, Abel, Abraham, Moses, or
Aaron could not win this church out of the devil's tyranny :
no more can they defend it, when delivered. For although
by imputation of Christ's justicet those men and all other
faithful ones be delivered from the tyranny of the devil
and condemnation of the law, yet the devil had and hath
his very friends dwelling within the corrupt nature of
man, as long as he liveth. The concupiscence and rebel-
lion of man's nature ceases not day nor night to betray
man again to the devil, except with the motion of true
penitence this concupiscence be kept under in fear and
* Remain. t Righteousness.

ch. in.] Of the Priesthood of Christ. 23

faith ; which two virtues are so infirm in man, that be he
ever so perfect, he falls from God sometimes, as Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Aaron. (Isa. xliii. Num. xxi.)
Therefore Christ keeps the defence and governance of the
church only and solely himself, in whom the devil hath not
a jot of right. Though the apostles were instructed in all
truth, and left the same written unto his church ; yet were
they ministers, servants, testimonies, and preachers of this
verity, and not Christ's vicars in earth and lieutenants to
keep the keys of heaven, hell, and purgatory: but only
appointed to approve the thing to be good, that God's
laws commanded ; and that to be ill, which the word of
God condemned.

Seeing that Christ governs his church always by his
Holy Spirit, and binds all the ministers thereof unto the
sole word of God, what abomination is this, that any
bishop of Rome, Jerusalem, Antioch, or elsewhere, should
claim to be Christ's vicar in earth, and take upon him to
make any laws in the church of God, to bind the con-
sciences of man, beside the word of God ; and, in placing
their superstition and idolatry, put the word of God out
of its place ! By what law, by whom, or where, hath any
this title given unto him, to be God's vicar and lieutenant
upon the earth ?

Moses, the best prince that ever was, and most godly
governor of the people ; Aaron, that faithful high-priest
and preacher of God's word, never usurped this title, to be
as a second Christ and master over men's consciences. If
godly Moses and his brother Aaron never claimed this
title in the earth, doubtless, it is a foul and detestable
arrogance, that these ungodly bishops of Rome attribute
unto themselves to be the heads of Christ's church, and the
more it is tp be lamented. He that considers their life,
and compares it with the scripture, will judge by the au-
thority thereof, that they were not, for these many years,
worthy to be accounted any members of God's church,
but the members of the devil, and the first begotten of
antichrist.

This is true, the see of Rome is not only a tyranny and
pestilence of body and soul, but the nest of all abomina-
tion. God give him grace and all his successors, to leave
their abomination, and to come unto the light of God's
word ! This beast is preached unto the people to be a
man, that cannot err ; his authority to be above God and

24 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

his laws ; and to be the prince upon the earth of al.
princes. But God will judge him, as he is a murderer oi
both body and soul, and punish the princes of the world,
that uphold his abomination.

Moses and Aaron, by the testimony of the scripture,
never taught, excepting that which they received of God,
and at the last they both offended (Num. xx.) : insomuch,
that God gave sentence against them, that neither of them
should enter into the land of promise for their arrogance
and pride. The text saith, " Because ye were unfaithful
unto me." This false belief was not of any doubt they
had in the power of God ; for the miracle was done, as
God said : but that they attributed too much unto their
own power, and said : " Hear now, ye rebels, must we
fetch you water out of this rodk ?" For the changing ot
the third person in this sentence into the first, the wrath
of God pronounced sentence of death against these two
very godly ministers of his word. They sinned, because
they said not; " Hear, ye rebellious, cannot Jehovah,
the omnipotent, give you water out of this stone ?" And
is this first begotten of antichrist, the bishop of Rome,
without sin, ,who changes not only the person in a sentence,
but the whole sentence, yea, the whole law of God and of
man ? So that he reigns in the conscience above the law
of God, and will save him, whom God hath damned, and
damn him, whom God hath saved ; yet we are told this
person and man of sin cannot err ! But he that spared
not to kill good Moses and Aaron for the abuse of the
word of God, will not favour this wicked man, nor any of
his holy doctors, at the terrible day of judgment.

Nahum, the prophet, gives to God a wonderful name,
which neither the Latin nor the Greek can properly express
without circumlocution, it is as if he retained a remem-
brance of injuries, and reserved the occasion of vengeance.
He is the God, that writes all blasphemies in his book of
remembrance, and when he has showed his mercy suffi-
ciently, he revenges the eyil that man thinks is forgotten.
It is of his superabundant mercy, that he throws not sud-
denly fire upon the world for sin ; and not that he is
asleep, or cannot do it. Right well judged Valerius Maxi-
mus, and better than now the most part of Christian men :
" The divine wrath proceedeth with slo n pace to its ven-
geance. But it will make up for its. slowness by the
weight of punishment. 1 '

ch. iv.] The Word of God. 25

Because God hath given this light unto my country-
men,* who are all persuaded, or may God send them to
be persuaded, that neither the bishop of Rome nor any
other, is Christ's vicar upon the earth, there is no need
to use any long or copious oration ; it is so plain, that it
needs no probation. The very properties of antichrist, I
mean of Christ's great and principal enemy, are so openly
known to all men, that are not blinded with the smoke of
Rome, that they know him to be the beast, which John
describes in the Apocalypse.

This knowledge of Christ's supremacy and continual
presence in the church admits no lieutenant nor general
vicar. Likewise it admits not the decrees and laws of
men, brought into the church contrary unto the word and
scripture of God, which is sufficient alone to teach all verity
and truth for the salvation of man, as will appear in the
chapter following.

HAPTER IV

Of the Authority of the Word of God.

Christ, the only light of the world, sent from his
Father, and born mortal man, according unto the scrip-
ture, began to teach the word of God purely and sincerely
unto the world, and chose ministers and apostles conve-
nient for the sending forth thereof; and being approved
to be the very Messias by God the Father (Matt. iii. John
v.), he taught his disciples the truth by the only law
written by Moses and the prophets, and not by unwritten
verities. And in all controversies and doubtful questions
he answered his opponents by the word of God. In that
wonderful temptation of the devil (Matt, iv.), by collation
of the places of scripture he overcame the devil, (falsely and
in a wrong sense alleging the word of God,) with his own
sword, by the word of God godly applied.

When his disciples were reprehended by the pharisees,
as breakers of the sabbath (Matt, xii.), he excused their
conduct by the law, " Have ye not read what David did,
and those which were with him ?" So likewise (Matt, xv.)
in all controversies he made the law judge between his
enemies and himself. When he was desired to teach a

* This tract was written in the reign of king Edward Vlth; ' ■

□nnsrD C

26 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

young man the way to heaven, and to come to everlasting
life, he said, " What is written in the law ? How readest
thou ?" (Matt, xxii.)

Likewise to the Sadducees that denied the resurrection of
the dead : "Ye err (said he), not knowing the scriptures
and the word of God." The rich man in hell, who was
so desirous that his brothers living in the earth might have
knowledge and warning to beware that they were not
damned in time to come, would gladly have warned them
himself, for the more surety (Luke xvi.) that the message
should be done. Abraham answered, " They have Moses
and the prophets, let them hear them." The scripture
teaches what heaven, hell, and what man are, and what
Christ is : therefore Christ sendeth us thither. (John v.)
" Search the scriptures," said he.

Again, being asked in a civil matter concerning tribute
and obedience unto the princes of the world, (Matt, xxii.)
he said, " Give unto the emperor that which is due unto
the emperor, and unto God that which is due unto God."
And under the name of the emperor he understands all
superior powers appointed over the people by God, and
, requires us to give due honour unto both, as Paul teaches.
(Rom. xiii. 1 Pet. ii.)

This law teaches man sufficiently, as well what he is
bound to do unto God, as unto the princes of the world.
Nothing can be desired necessary for man, but it is pre-
scribed in this law : of what degree, vocation, or calling
soever he be, his duty is showed unto him in the scripture.
And in this it differs from man's laws, because it is abso-
lute, perfect, and never to be changed ; nothing to be
added unto it, nor taken from it. And the church of
Christ, the more it was and is burdened with man's laws,
the farther it is from the true and sincere verity of God's
word. The more man presumes and takes authority to
interpret the scripture after his own brain and subtle wit,
and not as the verity of the text requires, the more lie
dishonours the scripture, and blasphemes God, the author
thereof.

It is the office of a good man to teach the church, as
Christ taught, to revoke all errors, and bring back such as
err unto the fold of Christ, only by the word of Christ.
For the water at the fountain-head is more wholesome and
pure, than when it is carried abroad in rotten pipes or
stinking ditches. I had rather follow the shadow of Christ,

ch. iv.] The Word of God. 27

than the body of all the general councils or doctors since
the death of Christ. The devil has never slept, but alwayp
by his ministers attempted to destroy the verity of Christ's
religion, and quite to put out the light of truth, which
was perfect in Christ's time and in the time of the apostles.
None since that time so pure. St. Jerome saith, that his
time was darkness compared with the apostles' time.

The antiquity of the world darkens the verity of God's
word ; as Varro saith the truth, " that age corrupteth and
taketh away many things ;" and " the third century doth
not see the same man, which the first saw." The truth
of God's verity, the more it is used, practised, and taught,
after the wisdom of man, the more is the glory and per-
fection thereof darkened. It is the contrary in all human
arts, as Cicero saith : " In human discoveries nothing is
invented and perfected all at once, but is improved by use
and practice ; so that the arts of every kind are more
advanced in excellence, the farther they are removed from
their first origin and inventors."

The church of God must therefore be bound to no other
authority than unto the voice of the gospel and unto the
ministry thereof, as Isaiah saith (chap, viii.), " Seal the
law among my disciples." The prophet speaketh of such
darkness, as should follow his time, concerning the coming
of Messias, the true teacher of the church. Therefore he
prayed to preserve the true heirs of the promise, and that it
would please him to confirm the doctrine of truth in their
hearts, lest the word, and true understanding of the word,
should be put out by the devil. And seeing the church is
bound unto this infallible truth, the only word of God, it
is a false and usurped authority that men attribute unto
the clergy, and bind the word of God and Christ's church
to the succession of bishops, or any college of cardinals,
schools, ministries, or cathedral churches.

Paul would have no man to give faith to any person or
minister in the church of God, but when he preaches the
word of God truly. (Gal. i.) Men may have the gift of
God to understand and interpret the scripture unto others,
but they never have authority to interpret it, otherwise
than it interprets itself; which the godly mind of man by
study, meditation, and comparing one place with the other,
may find ; howbeit some more, some less, as God gives
his grace. For the punishment of our sins God leaves in
all men great imperfection; and such as were endued
r 9

28 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

with excellent wit and learning saw not always the truth.
As it is to be seen in Basilius, Ambrose, Epiphanius, Au-
gustine, Bernard, and others, though they stayed themselves
in the knowledge of Christ, and errednot in any principal
article of the faith : yet they did inordinately and more
than enough extol the doctrine and tradition of men ; and
after the death of the apostles every doctor's time was
subject unto such ceremony and man's* decrees, as were
neither profitable nor necessary. Therefore Paul diligently
exhorted the church of Christ principally to consider and
regard the foundation of all verity ; meaning that doctors
of the church had their imperfection and faults. " Other
foundation, saith he, can no man lay, besides that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ." In these few words is esta-
blished all our faith, and all false religion is reprehended.

Upon this foundation some men build gold, that is to
say, godly and necessary doctrine. As Polycarp, who
confuted the heresy of Marcion, on the being of God — of
the causes of sin — that the devil and man are the cause of
sin, and not God, nor fatal destiny, nor the influence or as-
pects of the planets. He maintained the true religion of
God, and governed the church as the scripture taught,
which he learned of John the evangelist, and defended
this truth with wonderful constancy and martyrdom.

Basil and many others retained the articles of the faith ;
but they instituted the life and rule of monks, and pre-
ferred that kind of life before the life of such as govern in
the commonwealth the people of God ; and persuaded men
that such kind of life was a very divine and acceptable
honouring of God.

After him followed such as augmented this evil, and-
said, it was not only acceptable unto God, but also that
men might deserve therewith remission of sin.

Thus by a little and a little the devil augmented super-
stition, and diminished the truth of God's glory ; so that
we see no where the church of Christ, as it was in the
apostles' time. Though many and godly verities have
been brought unto light in our time by men of divers
graces, yet the truth of necessary verities is not plainly
t-howed by them. Lest man should too much glory in
himself, God has permitted them to err in certain points : as
Luther, of blessed memory, who wrote and preached, the
gospel of justification, no man better;' yet in the cause of
the sacrament he erred concerning the corporeal presence

ch. iv.] The Word of God 29.

of Christ's natural body, so that there is no man can err
more. I shall have occasion to write the truth concerning,
this matter hereafter. It is no reproach of the dead man,,
but mine opinion unto all the world, that the scripture
solely and the apostles' church is to be followed, and no:
man's authority, be he Augustine,' Tertullian, or even
cherubim, or seraphim.

Unto the rules and canons of the scripture must man.
trust, and reform his errors thereby, or else he shall not
reform himself, but rather deform his conscience. The
church of the Romans, Corinthians, and others, the seven
churches that John Writeth of in the Apocalypse, were in
all things reformed unto the rule and form prescribed by
the everlasting God. The image of these churches I al-
ways print in my mind. And wheresoever I come, I look
how near they resemble those before mentioned, and whether
their preachers preach simply without dispensation of any
part of God's most necessary word ; and whether all the
occasions of idolatry be taken away, as images, which
Gregory calls the books of the laymen, though this title
is against the second commandment, and never approved
by the Old Testament nor the New, by word or example.
■ Where the occasion is not removed, the word of God
must needs stand in hazard ; for God will not (say the
wisdom of man what it list) have his church pestered with
any kind of idolatry ; and to make God and the devil
agree in one church, is impossible. St. John hath won-
derful words in the Apocalypse, (chap, iii.) unto the
church of the Laodiceans : " I know thy works, that thou
art neither cold nor hot : I would thou wert cold or hot.
So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." These words
are very necessary to be borne in mind. For he that is
neither hot nor cold, but indifferent to use the knowledge
of God's word and, Christ's church with the word and
gloss of man ; and that teaches the use of images in the
church, before he can prove by the authority of God's
word that they may be suffered in the church, doth not
well. They have been the occasion of great hurt and
idolatry. The church of the Old Testament and the New
never taught the people with images.

Therefore, it shall be the office of every man that loves
God and his word, to follow the scripture only, and to
bewail the ignorance of such as have, before our time, or

39 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

now in our time, by words or writing defended the same ;
and with all humility submit himself to the judgment and
censure of the judge of all judges, the word of God, that
he may wisely and godly discern what is to be believed
and accepted of any doctor's writings, and what is not to
be accepted ; what is to be pardoned, and what is not to
be pardoned ; and by the perils and dangers of others
learn to be wise, that we commit not the same fault.

A fine gloss and free interpretation cannot make an ill
thing good. If I should say, an image provokes devo-
tion, or that holy water teaches that the blood of Christ
-was sprinkled for my sins, and the holy bread teaches that
Christ's body was torn for my sins, what shall these
glosses excuse the deed ? Nay, nay, Christ, who. died for
our sakes, would not have his death preached this way ;
but out of the scripture by the tongue of man, and not
out of the decrees of -bishops by a drop of water or a
painted post. He that took the pains to die and suffer
his passion for the redemption of the world solely and
only, solely and only has taken the pains to teach the
world how and which way they should keep this passion
in mind, and he left it unto the world in writing by the
hands of his holy apostles ; unto which writing only he
has bound and obligated his church, and not to the writ-
ings of men.

In this passage I admonish the christian reader, that I
speak not of fhe laws of magistrates or princes, who daily
ordain new laws for the preservation of their common-
wealth, as they see the necessity of their realms or cities
requires ; but of such laws as men have ordained for the
church of Christ, which should be now and for ever go-
verned by the word of God. In this case, like as Eve
offended, obeying the persuasion of the devil contrary unto
the commandment of God,- so doth every man offend,
by obeying any laws or decrees that command any thing
contrary unto the word of God. This law must prevail,
" We must obey God, rather than man." The example
hereof we have in Daniel, of the three children who
chose rather to burn in the fiery furnace, than to worship
the image that Nebuchadnezzar had made. So did the
apostles. (Acts v.)

Let all the world consider, whether such laws of the
bishops, as the mass, which is a profanation of Christ's
Supper, to bind men's consciences to pray unto dead

ch. iv.] The Word of God. 31

saints ; to say, that images are to be suffered in the tem-
ples ; and to constrain the ministers of the church to live
unmarried, contrary to their vocation, are to be obeyed or
not. They do no less offend God in obeying these laws, than
Eve did in obeying the voice of the serpent. The wisdom
of all the wits in the world cannot comprehend the great-
ness of this ill. Make what laws they will for the body,
so they leave the conscience free, it is to be suffered with
patience ; only I lament the bondage of the conscience.
Cursed be those that make such laws, and cursed be
those that with sophistry defend them. That parasite and
bondman of the bishop of Rome, Pighius, in his writings
is not ashamed to s.ay, " It is less sin for a priest to keep
another man's wife, than to have a wife of his own !"
. Concerning indifferent acts, which of themselves are
neither good nor ill, as, to refrain from eating of flesh on
the Friday, observing of the feasts kept holy in the re-
membrance of such holy martyrs as died for the faith of
Christ, or in keeping holy Easter and Whitsunday ; there
are two respeeis most diligently to be observed, the one
good, and to be suffered; the other ill, and to be es-
chewed.* Such as abstain from flesh, and think they do
better service to God, and would likewise obtain remission
of their sins by those works, declare both themselves and
their works to be ill. But such as abstain that the spirit
may be more ardent, and the mind more given to study
and prayer, do well, and as they are bound to do. And
they who come unto the temple to pray for themselves and
the church of Christ, and to hear the word of God, do
well. For, as God commands his word to be preached
and heard, so he has appointed a certain time, as the
Sabbath, when people should hear it. And not only is
this order to be observed in the church, but, also, in every
family and household, of what degree soever they be.
Each should cause his family and children to read some
part of the Bible for their erudition, to know God. Like-
wise, he should constrain them to pray unto God for the
promotion of his holy word, and for the preservation of
the governors of the commonwealth, so that no day should
pass without prayer and augmentation of knowledge in
the religion of Christ.

But our new evangelists have another opinion ; they
dream of faith that justifieth, which neither repentance
• Avoided, refused.

32 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

precedes, nor honesty of life follows — which shall be to
their double damnation, if they amend not. He that will
conform his knowledge unto the word of God, let him,
likewise, convert his life withal, as the word requires, and
as all the examples of Christ and his gospel teach ; or
else what will he dowith- the doctrine of Christ, which
pnly teaches, and sufficiently teaches, all verity and vir-
tuous life?- Let him tarry still in the doctrine of man,
and live as manly* and as carnally as he list, and not
profess to know God, nor his truth, rather than so slander
them both ! This suffices to prove that the word of
God alone is sufficient to teach the. truth. All other
men's laws are neither necessary nor profitable; and cer-
tain we are, that the church of the apostles had not
those decrees that papistry of late days faithedt the church
withal. >

CHAPTER V.

Op the Intercession of Christ.

The second office of Christ is to pray and to make in-
tercession for his people. This office John writes of in his
first epistle : " If any man sin, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ, that maketh intercession for us."
And as Paul saith, " Christ, who was dead, yea, who is
also raised again, who is even at the right hand of God:
who also intercedeth for us." In his name, and in the
belief and confidence of his merits, we may obtain the
mercies of God and life everlasting, as Paul saith : " Let
us with confidence draw nigh to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help jn time of need."
This intercession of Christ alone suffices. No man should
seek any other mediator of intercession or expiation of
sin, as Paul saith, declaring the sufficiency and ability of
Christ's death and intercession. " Christ remaineth for
ever, having a perpetual priesthood. Wherefore he is
able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by
him ; being alway living to this end, that he may intercede
for them."

Unto this intercession and prayer in Christ's name he
bound his church by express commandment ;." Ask, and
* After the manner of men. f Taught as matters of faith.

ch. v.] Intercession of Christ, 33

it shall be given you." And in the same place he shows
the cause wherefore it shall be given. • " Whatsoever ye
ask the Father in my name, it shall be given unto you."
(John xiv. xv.) St. Paul calls Christ, sitting at the right
hand of God, the minister and servant of the saints ; that
is to say, of such as are here living in this troubled and
persecuted church, to solicit and do all their affairs, as a
faithful ambassador with the Father of heaven, until the
consummation of the world.

This doctrine of Christ's intercession must be always
diligently preached unto the people ; and, likewise, that
in all necessities, calamities, and trouble, the afflicted
person must seek no other means to offer his prayers unto
God, but Christ only, according as the scripture teacheth,
and as we have the example of holy saints in the same. Not
only in the New Testament, where he commands us to
pray in his name ; and Stephen in his martyrdom com-
mended his spirit unto this only Mediator, saying, " Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit." But also in the Old Testament
thus prayed the patriarchs and prophets. Jacob said,
(Gen. xlviii.) " God and the angel who delivered me
from all evil, bless these lads." And David, (Psa. lxxii.)
"And they shall worship him alway." Forasmuch as
Christ is daily in heaven, and prayeth for his church, the
church of Christ must pray, as Christ hath taught it ; as
the patriarchs, prophets, and the apostles have given us
examples, who never prayed unto dead saints ; yea, as
Christ hath given us an example, hanging on the cross,
saying, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

What intolerable ill blasphemy of God and ethnical*
idolatry is this, to admit and teach the invocation of saints
departed out of this world ! It takes from God his true
honour ; it makes him as nothing, who hath ordained
Christ alone to be Mediator between man and him ; it
diminishes the merits of Christ, and takes from the law of
God its perfection and majesty ; whereas God hath opened
his will and pleasure unto the world in all things. It
condemns the old church of the patriarchs and prophets,
likewise the church of the apostles and martyrs, who never
thought of the invocation of saints. It accuses the scrip-
ture of God to be false, which saith, " Thou shalt neither
add, neither diminish any thing :" it makes Christ a liar,
who said, " The Spirit, whom I will send from the Father,.
* Heathen.
c3

34 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

he shall teach you all truth." If the men that teach,
" Holy Mary, pray for us," be more holy than all the pa-
triarchs, or prophets and apostles, let the conscience of the
christian reader judge.

This distinction of mediators, to be one of expiation for
sin, namely, Christ ; and another for intercession, namely,
the saints departed, is naught : it repugneth* the manifest
text of the scripture. It is the office only of Christ to be
the mediator for sin, and likewise to offer the prayers of
the church to his Father. (John i.) " Behold the Lamb
of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." As con-
cerning intercession, he commands us to ask only in his
name, and prescribed the manner how to ask, and what to
ask. (Luke xi.)

As for such' as say, " If the saints that we pray unto,
hear us not, nor profit a deal, yet it hinders not, we lose
but our labour." Thus much it hindereth, it declares him
that prayeth to be an infidel. To pray unto that god or
goddess, who is not able to help him, nor hear his prayers,
is to be no better than he that prayed unto the image of
Jupiter in Crete, which had neither ears nor eyes. It
declares him to contemn both God and his word, who
assures every man, in every time, and in every distress,
not only to hear him, but also to give aid. (Matt, xi.) So
now this worshipper of saints departs from the known
and almighty God to an unknown god, and prefers the
doctrine of man and the devil before the scripture of truth
and the living God. I hope this detestable error is come
to light, and all men taught to pray as the canonical scrip-
ture teaches.

But there is another evil as great as this, to be repre-
hended by all such as know how to pray aright — the
being of images in the temple, which the world saith may
be suffered in the churches, and saith they are good to
put the people of God in remembrance of such godly
saints as died for Christ's sake. But this is always the
subtlety of the devil, when a manifest ill cannot be borne
withal, to seek a gloss and interpretation, that whereas he
cannot walk in the church openly like a devil, and have
candles stuck before a post, and the images kissed, yet he
desires some man to put a fair coat upon his back, that he
may have a place in the church to lurk in, until such time
as occasion be ministered to show himself again as he is.
* Opposes, denies.

ch, v.] Intercession of Christ. 35

The authority of God's word requires me to pronounce
this true judgment in the cause of images, that they be
not worshipped in the church — that their presence in the
church is against God's word, as well as ' to say, " Holy
Mary, pray for us." And as the one is to be eschewed
and banished out of the heart, so is the other out of the
eye, in the temple, where God's word is preached unto the
people, and the sacraments ministered.

This I prove by the authority of both Testaments, the
Old and the New. The Old saith, " Thou shalt make no
image." (Exod. xx. Deut. v.) In the New there is no
mention made of any image ; but Christ concerning the
law and precepts of the commandments said : " I am not
come to destroy, but to fulfil the law." (Matt, v.) Foras-
much as Christ left the commandments of the old law
unto the church, in the which he saith, " Thou shalt not
make any image ;" from whence have these men authority
that say, if images be not honoured, they may be suf-
fered in the church ? It is but their opinion, contrary and
beside the law of God. And this commandment, " Thou
shalt not make" — " thou shalt not worship," forbids as
well the making of the image, as the honouring of it.
Concerning having them in the place of public prayer, and
in the use of the sacraments, such as would have this occa-
sion of idolatry to remain in the church, by divison of the
commandments would pass over the second commandment,
iwhich saith, " Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven
image, thou shalt not worship it ;" and make of the tenth
commandment two commandments.* But the text will not
suffer it. For as the Lord there forbids the inward hist and
concupiscence of his neighbour's house, so he forbids the
lust and concupiscence of his neighbour's wife, servant,
or daughter, and it is all but one commandment (Exod.
xx.) : read the text in the Hebrew, and then it will be
more plain.

The second commandment, which the defenders of
images neglect, forbids not only the outward reverence
and honour, but, also, by the same express commandment
forbids to make any image. They do injury to the mani-
fest text, and their gloss is to be abhorred, and the plain
text to be followed.

The king's majesty that is dead.t willed not only all his

* See the popular Roman catholic catechisms in every country,
t Henry VIIl.

36 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

true subjects to have no familiarity with cardinal Pole, but
also to refrain from his company, and not to have to do
with him in any case; and this not without good and
necessary consideration. He that would, notwithstanding
this command of the king's majesty, have haunted Pole's
company, and at the time of his accusation have said, he
was not with Pole for friendship or familiarity, to do him
any honour, but haunted his company with such other
persons as meant no ill to the king's majesty or his realm ;
doubtless, this law would of right and equity condemn
him ; for neither for friendship, neither other cause, should
any man use his company. , Doubtless, as the king's ,
majesty and every other prince knows it to be- dangerous
to suffer his subjects daily to be in the company of his
traitorous enemies ; so God knew right well what danger
it was to suffer man, his creature, to have company with
those idols, and therefore said, " Thou shalt neither wor-
ship them nor make them." All the princes of the earth
have not had so many subjects betrayed and made traitors
by their enemies, as God has lost souls by the means of
images. I make all the world judge that know the truth.

It is so childish an opinion to say that images may be
•suffered in the church, if they be. not honoured, that it
needs no probation at all.* The gentiles, whom St. Paul
speaketh of (Rom. i.), knew right well that the idol was
not God. And all the idolaters that used images, which
the New Testament speaks of (1 Cor. viii. and x 1 Pet. iv.
1 John v.), knew right well that those images of gold or
silver were not the devil that they worshipped. The
apostles condemned not only their false religion, but also
their ' images. John by express words calleth the image
idolatry, and bids them beware of images, saying, "Keep
yourselves from images." David (Psa. cxv.) saith, "The
idols of the gentiles are silver and gold." He condemns
not only their false religion, but also the images made by «,
the hand of man, which were of gold and silver. Ttieii
false god was neither gold, nor silver, but a wicked
spirit, who, for lack of faith, had entered into their spirits.

It is to be lamented, that God for our sins thus suffers
the world to be deluded by the devil. Of late years, the
images were in the temples, and honoured with pater-
noster.f heart and mind, with leg and knee. This use of
images is taken away in many places, but now they are
• Requires no proof, is beyond doubt. t Prayers offered to them.

en. v.] Intercession of Christ. 37

applied to another use, namely, to teach the people and to
be the laymen's books ! As Damascene and many others
say, Oh ! blasphemous and devilish doctrine* to appoint
the most noble creature of God — man, endued with wit
and reason, resembling the image of the everlasting God,
to be instructed and taught by a mute, dumb, blind, and
dead idol ! The brute beast that goes by the way, and the
ass that serves for the mill, is not taught by the rod of the
carter, but by the prudence of him that uses the rod ; and
should those painted blocks be the books of reasonable
"man? Full well can the devil transform himself into an
angel of light, and deceive the people under the pretence
of true religion. I had rather trust to the shadow of the
church which the scripture teaches, than to all the men's
writings since the death of Polycarp.

Christ saith not, " Go preach unto the people by
images ;" but be said, " Go into all the world, and preach
the gospel." (Matt, xxviii.) They say, thai images adorn
and seemly deck the temple of God ; whereas, the people
resort to hear the word of God, so the more images, the
more dishonoured is the temple. Let them first teach by
the manifest word of God, that the temple should be
decked with such idols as cannot teach nor speak. Some
man's tongue must declare the history of the idol, or else
they know not what the idol is ; peradventure, take St.
Barbara for St. Catherine, and St. Concumbre for the
rood* of Paul ; or Balaam and his ass, that for lucre at-
tempted to curse the church of God, for Christ and his
ass that came to bless and sanctify his church with his
precious blood. It is the abuse and profanation of the
temple to suffer them, and a great occasion for people to
return to their accustomed ill. I would ail men should
indifferently t ponder these reasons, and judge whether
they are to be suffered or not. ■■

The most perfect churches of the prophets, Christ, and
his apostles, used no such means to instruct the people.
We ought to follow them, and the word of God written by
the prophets and apostles. Also, the Greek church never
conseuted willingly to admit the . use of images in the
temples.J The ill that hath happened unto the people by

* Image. t Impartially.

X The Greek church resisted the introduction of the representa-
tions of saints long after image worship had been received by the
Latin or Roman church.

38 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

the means of images is too plain and well known — God
by idolatry is robbed of his glory, and the idolater disin-
herited of God's mercy, except he repent in this life. An
image once brought into the church lives a long time.
Grant, that at the beginning there was a good preacher in
the church, the preacher dies : the idol, the longer it liveth
the younger it waxes, as you may see by the idols of Wal-
singham, Canterbury, and Hales. They nourished most
a little before their desolation in the reign of the king's
majesty that is dead, Henry VIII. of a blessed memory.
At their setting up I suppose the preachers were more
diligent and zealous of God's glory than afterward. But
was not the original damnable against the word of God,
to give the people such a book to learn by, that should
school them to the devil ?

The words of Gregory to Serenus, bishop of the Mas-
silians, should move no man, though he say, " What the
scripture is to those that read, the same does the picture
afford to the eyes of those who cannot ;" and reprehends
Serenus for breaking 1 of images, saying, the like was not
seen done by any other minister. This is but St Gregory's •
opinion. Epiphanius, writing in a certain epistle to John,
bishop of Jerusalem, desires the occasion of ill to be
taken out of the church, as Paul commands. (] Thess. v.)
This doctor, as all men know, was of singular learning
and virtue.

Again, against the authority of Gregory the great, I set
the authority of Athanasius the great, who denies by
express words images to be the books of the lav people.
With great gravity and godly reasons this great clerk*
confutes this fond opinion, that images are to be the books
of the laymen.

The great and excellent clerk Lactantius cries so out
against images, that he saith there can be no true religion
where they are. Tertullian judges the same. The law of
God and these holy doctors not only condemn the use of
them in the church, but also the name of an image de-
clares it to be an abomination.

Read all the scripture, and in every place where thou
findest this word, ezeb, idol or image, it signifies either
affliction, rebellion, sorrow, sadness, travail or pain (1 or
else the wicked muk and mammon of the world, or the
thing that always provokes the ire of God, as rabbi David
* Learned man.

ch. v.] Intercession of Christ, 39

Kymhy well expoundeth Psalm cxv. This Jew saith, that
the idols bring men into hatred of God, expounding these
words of David, " Like unto them are all they that put
their trust in them :" he saith the text must be understood
by the manner of prayer, as though David prayed almighty
God to make these gravers and carvers of images as
dumb, as blind, as mute, and as insensible, as the idol that
can neither speak nor hear. Our Lord amend it !

What should move men to defend in the church' of
Christ so unnecessary an ill, and pestilent treasure, that
has seduced both our fathers and great-grandfathers?
whereas, the church of the patriarchs, prophets, and apos-
tles, never used them, but in all their writings abhorred
them. If we loved God, we should be content with scrip-
ture. Every scholar of Aristotle takes this for a sufficient
verity, " The master saith so :" he will be contented as
soon as he hears his master's name. Cicero (lib. iii. De
Oratore) was thus persuaded of those that were excellent
orators, " and so esteems the suavity of Isocrates, the
subtlety of Lysias, the acumen of Hyperides, the elo-
quence of jEschines, the power of Demosthenes, and the
oratory of Catullus : that whatsoever, saith he, you add,
or change, or take away, it will become thereby worse."
And should not the patriarchs, prophets, Christ, and the
apostles, as well suffice the church of God ?

What, although many learned men have approved of
images, should their wisdom maintain any thing contrary
unto the word of God ? No : a christian man must not
care who speaks, but what is spoken ; the truth is to be
accepted, whosoever speaks it. Balaam was as wise,
learned, and replenished with God's gift, as man could
be ; notwithstanding, his ass telling the truth must be be-
lieved rather than he. The law of God teaches no use of
images, but saith, " Thou shalt not make, thou shalt not
worship it," (Exod. xx.) believe it. Yet the art of graving
and painting is the gift of God. To have the picture or
image of any martyr or others, so they be not put in
the temple of God, nor otherwise abused, may be suffered.
Christ by the picture of Caesar taught his audience obedi-
ence unto the civil prince, saying : " Whose image is this ?
They say to him, Cssar's : therefore render unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's."

But if man will learn to know God by his creatures,
let him not say " Good morrow, master," to an old

40 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

moth-eaten post, but behold the heavens which declare the>
mighty power of God. Consider the earth, how it brings
forth i the fruits thereof, the water with fishes, the air
with birds. Consider the disposition, order, and amity,
that is between the members of man's body, the one al-
ways ready to help the other, and to save the other : the
hand thb head, the head the foot, the stomach to disperse
the meat and drink into the external parts of the body.
Yea, let man consider the hawk and the hound, that obey
in their vocation, and so every other creature of the earth ;
and let him with true heart and unfeigned penitence come
to the knowledge of himself, and say, " All the creatures
that ever the living God made, obey in their vocation,
saving the devil, and I, most wretched man."

Those things were made to be testimonies unto us of
God's mighty power, and to draw. men unto virtue, not
to the idols which the devil caused to be set in the temple
to bring men from God. Thus did Christ teach the peo-
ple his most blessed death and passion, and the fruit of
his passion by the grain of corn cast into the earth. He
hanged not the picture of his body upon the cross, to
teach them his death, as our late learned men have .
done.

The ploughman, be he ever so unlearned, shall better
be instructed of Christ's death and passion by the corn
that he soweth in the field, and likewise of Christ's resur-
rection, than by all the dead posts that hang in the church,
or are pulled out of the sepulchre with, " Christ is risen."
What resemblance hath the taking of the cross out of the
sepulchre and going a procession with it, with the resur-
rection of Christ?* None at all; the dead post is as
dead, when they sing, " Now he is not dead," as it was,
■when they buried it with, " His grave is made in peace."
If any preacher would manifest the resurrection of Christ
unto the senses, why does not he teach them by the grain
of the field that is risen out of the earth, and comes of
the dead corn that he sowed in the winter ? Why doth not
the preacher preach the death and resurrection of Christ
by such figures and metaphors as the scripture teaches ?
Paul wonderfully (1 Cor. xv.) proves with arguments the
death and resurrection of Christ, and ours likewise, so that
nothing may be more plainly taught.

A dead post carried in procession as much resembles
* Part of the Romish service on Easter day.

ch. vi.] Sacrifice of Christ. 41

the resurrection of Christ, as death itself resembles life.
People should not be taught either by images or by relics,
as Erasmus in his third book of Ecclesiastes well declares.
Lactantius uses a wonderful, divine, eloquent, and plain
manner in the declaring of this resurrection, which is sung
yearly in the church concerning Easter-day, with many-
godly and divine verses. The same Lactantius saith, that
there can be no true religion where these images are.
Augustine reprehends them wonderfully in these words of
David, " Mouths have they, and speak not ;" and saith,
Men may be soon deceived by images.

Such as defend them have nothing but sophistical argu-
ments to blind the people with. The scripture and the
apostles' church used none : as for Gregory the great, and
Theodosius, with others that defend them, all the histories
declare, that men of greater learning than they condemn-
ed them by the scripture ; as Leo III., also the emperor
Constantine V., who assembled all the learned men of Asia
and Greece, and condemned the use of images, which
Gregory and Martin the first had established. But it
would have been of no force, had all Asia, Africa, and
Europe, and Gabriel the archangel, descended from hea-
ven, and approved the use of images. Forasmuch as the
apostles neither taught nor wrote of them, their authority
should have no place. The word of God solely and only
is to be preferred (Gal. i.), which forbiddeth images.

CHAPTER VI,

The third Office of Christ concerning his Priest-
hood, is to offer Sacrifice unto God, and by the
same to purge the world from.sln.

Paul saith (Phil, ii.), that Christ humbled himself unto
the death of the cross. (Heb. ii.) He was made par-
taker of a man's mortal nature, that by death he might
destroy him that had the empire and dominion of death,:
that is to say, the devil. John calls him the Lamb that
taketh away the sin of the world. (John i.) All the sa-
crifices of the old law were figures and types of this only
sacrifice, which was appointed by God, to die and to suffer.

42 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

the wrath and displeasure of God for the sin of man, as
though he himself were a sinner, and had merited this
displeasure. The greatness of this wrath, sorrow, confu-
sion, ignominy, and contempt, neither angel nor man can
express ; his pains were so intolerable, and his passion so
dolorous, his Deity so obedient with the Father's will, that
it was not only a sacrifice, but also a just recompense to
satisfy for all the world solely and only, as Christ taught
Nicodemus, John iii. as Paul, Heb. vii. viii. ix. x. Isa.
liii. and so all the. prophets and patriarchs. And such a
sacrifice as once for all sufficeth, Heb. vii.

These two offices of Christ should never be out of re-
membrance. They declare the infinite merey of God, and
likewise his impartial and equal justice unto all creatures
without respect of persons. The token of his mercy may
be known in this, that he would not that all mankind
should be lost, though in Adam all deserved eternal death.
He opened his mercy unto Adam not only by word, but
also by the fire that descended upon his sacrifices and his
son's. So to Abraham. Then to the world by the incar-
nation and death of his only Son, and the promise of
grace, and the promise of everlasting life unto such as re-
pent and believe in him.

The sign of his wrath and displeasure unto man is this,
that he would not accept man again into his favour for any
penance, any sorrow, any trouble, any adversity, any
weeping, any wailing, nor for the death of any person,
until his own Son, most dearly beloved, by death appeased
his displeasure, and became surety to satisfy the justice of
God and the right that the devil had unto all mankind.
This if man remembered as deeply and as earnestly, as the
matter requires, it should make his heart full sorry, and
bring him unto an honest and virtuous manner of life. It
would bring him to consider this example of God's justice
and equity in the appeasing of his own justly conceived
wrath, and likewise that he would do no wrong unto his
mortal enemy the devil. Except the Son of God had
been an equal and just redemption, a price correspondent
to make amends and satisfy the faults and guilt of man's
sin, God would not have taken one soul from the right and
justice of the devil.

Now of this infallible truth, that Christ hath sacrificed
only for sin, and that his death is accounted only sufficient

ch. vii.] Of Justification. 43

for the salvation of man, the church of Christ is aright
instructed by two most necessary articles ; first, of justifi-
cation ; and then of the right use of the sacrament of his
holy body.

CHAPTER VII.

Of Justification.

Concerning justification thus the word of God teaches :

St. Paul, when he saith that we are justified by faith,
(Rom. iii. iv. v.) means that we have remission of sins,
reconciliation, and acceptance into the favour of God. So
doth this word, ' justify,' signify (Deut. xxv.), where God
commandeth the judge to justify, quit, and absolve the in-
nocent, and to condemn and punish the culpable person.

Paul saith, " We are justified by faith, and not by
works."

To be justified by faith in Christ is as much as to say,
we obtain remission of sin, and are accepted into the
favour of God, by the merits of Christ.

To be justified by works is as much as to say, to deserve
remission of sin by works.

Paul declares, that for the death and merits of Christ
we are saved, and not by our own virtues. So that faith
not only shows us Christ that died, and now sitteth at the
right hand of God ; but also applies the merits of this
death unto us, and makes Christ ours. Faith lays nothing
to gage* unto the justice of God but the death of Christ,
and thereupon claims mercy and God's promise, the re-
mission of sin, and desires God to justify and deliver the
soul from the accusation of the law and right of the devil,
which he is bound to do for his promise sake. (Ezek.
xxxiii. Matt, xviii.) And although with this remission of
sin he gives likewise the Holy Ghost to work the will of
God, to love both God and his neighbour, yet notwith-
standing, the conscience, burdened and charged with sin,
first seeks remission thereof. For this thing the con-
science labours and contends in all fears and terrors of sor-
row and contrition. It disputes not what virtues it
hrings (wretched soul) to claim this promise of mercy ;
but forsaking its own justice, offers Christ, dead upon the
cross, and sitting at God's right hand. It makes nothing
* Brings nothing as a pledge to satisfy.

44. Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

lo be the cause, wherefore this mercy should be given,
saving only the death of Christ, which is the only tron,*
the only sufficient price and gage for sin.

And although it is necessary and requisite, that in the
justification of a sinner contrition be present, and that
charity and virtuous life must necessarily follow ; yet tlve
scripture attributes the remission of sin only unto the
mercy of God, which is given only for the merits of Christ,
and received solely by faith. Paul does not exclude those
virtues from being present, but he excludes the merits of
those virtues, and derives the cause of our acceptance into
the grace of God only for Christ.

And mark this manner of speech : "We are justified by
faith ;" that is, " we are just through the confidence of
mercy.'' This word, faith, comprehends as well a persua-
sion and confidence, that the promise of God appertains
unto us for Christ's sake, as the knowledge of God. J!or
faith, though it desires the company of contrition- and
sorrow for sin, yet it contends not in judgment upon the
merits of any works, but only for the merits of Christ's
death. In case it did, it avails nothing; for if a man de-
sire to be delivered from the law, the law must be satisfied;
which saith, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy mind, and all thy heart, and all thy strength," (Deut.
vi.) Now there is not, nor ever was, any man born of the
stock of Adam in original sin, that feared God, as much
as the law requires, nor ever had such constant faith as is
required, or sueh ardent love as it requires : seeing those
virtues that the law required are infirm and weak, for their
merits we can obtain nothing of God. We must there-
fore only trust to the merits of Christ, which satisfied the
extreme jot and uttermost point of the law for us. And
he imputes and communicates this his justice and perfec-
tion to us by faith.

Such as • say that faith alone justifies not, because other
virtues are present, cannot tell what they say. Every
man that will have his conscience appeased, must mark
these two things : how remission of sin is obtained, and
wherefore it is obtained. Faiih is the mean whereby it is
obtained, and the cause wherefore it is received, is, the
merits of Christ. Although faith be the means whereby
it is received, yet neither faith, nor charity, nor contrition, .
nor the word of God, nor all these knit together, have
sufficient merits wherefore we should obtain this remission
» A tron was a public beam for weighing merchandize.

ch. vii.] Of Justification. 45

of sin. But the only cause wherefore sin is forgiven, is
the death of Christ.

Now mark the words of Paul : " Freely," saith he,
" we are justified by his grace." Let the man burst his
heart with contrition, believe that God is good a thousand
times, and burn in charity ; yet all these shall not satisfy
the law, nor deliver man from the wrath of God, until such
time as faith lets fall all hope and confidence in the merits
of such virtues as are in man, and says, " Lord, behold
thy unfruitful servant— only for the merits of Christ's blood
give me. remission of sins; fori know no man can be
justified otherwise before thee, as David saith, " No man
living shall be justified in thy sight." (Psa. cxliii.) And
again, " Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth
not sin." (Psa. xxxii.)

He that would mark Christ's communication with that
nobleman and great clerk Nicodemus (John iii.) would
be satisfied how and wherefore man is justified, so plainly,
that no adversary of the truth should hurt this infallible
verity, " Sole faith to justify."* Nicodemus, having a
good opinion, although not a sufficient knowledge of
Christ, came unto him by night, and confessed him to be
sent from God, and that because of such works and mira-
cles as he had wrought. Christ made answer, " Truly,
Nicodemus, I say unto thee, no man can see the kingdom
of God, except he be born from above." Nicodemus,
not understanding what Christ meant, asked him how an
old man could be born again, and whether he could enter
his mother's womb, and then be born again. Christ
brings him yet nearer unto the light, that he might know
the means, and saith, " I tell thee truly, Nicodemus, that
no man can enter the kingdom of God, except he be born
of water and the Holy Ghost," &c.

Nicodemus confessed yet again his ignorance, and de-
sired to be further instructed, saying, " How may these
things be ?" Christ answered, " Art thou a great master
and rabbi in Israel, and yet ignorant of these things ?"
Meaning, that great and horrible must the ignorance of
the people be, when their doctors know not the truth.
Nicodemus confessing his ignorance, and receiving re-
proach at Christ's hand, because he took upon him to
teach others, and yet was a fool himself in the religion of
God, might for shame have left Christ and his gospel-yoke,
* Faith alone justifies.

46 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

because he rtow was made only a scholar, who before for
his prudence and learning was the chief of the Jews, a pha
risee of most notable estimation. But Christ straightway
comforts him and all others, learned and unlearned, and
saith, " No man ascendeth into heaven, except He that
descended from heaven, the Son of man, which is in hea-
ven." As though Christ had said thus : " Discomfort not
thyself, Nicodemus, that although thou art a great learned
man, yet thou art ignorant of the way unto everlasting
life. For I promise thee, there is no manj learned or
unlearned, that can of his own wit and learning ascend
unto the knowledge of life everlasting, but only He that
descended from heaven, the Son of man, which is in
heaven."

Now Nicodemus, being destitute of all worldly and hu-
man prudence, and finding himself full unable by wit* or
learning to follow the effect of Christ's preaching concern-
ing the means of salvation, depended oply on the mouth
of Christ, and disputed no more the matter. Then Christ
showed him the way, and made a ladder for Nicodemus,
wherewith he might ascend into heaven, and said, " This
way thou mayest understand the thing I speak of. As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son
of man be lifted up." This history of the serpent was
not unknown unto this learned man, albeit he considered
not the mystery and' sacrament that it figured. Now
Christ teaches him in this place to understand the law ;
and because this oration of Christ written by St. John is
obscure, and lacketh a declaration somewhat of the pur-
pose that Christ would prove, and omits the other part of
the comparison, after the manner of the Hebrews, I will
annex the type and figure, with the effect and mystery of
the figure, and make the text plain.'

" As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so
must the Son of man be lifted up." Moses was com-
manded to lift up this serpent in the wilderness for this
cause, that whosoever was stung or venomed with the
poison of the serpents, if he looked on the serpent of brass,
he might be healed. Here is the cause and effect declared,
why the serpent was lifted up. Now to the words of Christ.
" It so behoved the Son of man to be lifted up, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." Here is Nicodemus taught the way to
* His own understanding.

en. vii.] Of Justification. 47

everlasting life ; and because he was a doctor of Moses'
law, Christ by the law made open the matter unto him,
and brought him from the shadow unto the true body, and
from the letter, unto the understanding of the letter : say-
ing, " As those that byfaith beheld the serpent were healed
of the stings of the serpent, so such as behold me in faith
hanging upon the cross, shall be healed from that sickness
and sin, which the devil by the serpent infected mankind
withal."

Now let us repeat the text of Moses again, that we may
truly understand our Saviour's words : " Make thee a
fiery serpent, and put it upon a pole, and raise it on high ;
and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man,
when he looked upon it he did live." (Numb, xxi.)

In these words are declared three things :

First, why the serpent was set up : the cause — the peo-
ple were stung by serpents.

Second, the effect — the health of the people.

Third, the use — that they should look upon him.

So John declares why Christ was made man, the use
and the effect of his humanity,* in these words : " So God
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." The cause of his coming was the sin
and sickness of man, bitten by the serpent in paradise.
The effect of his coming was the healing of this sickness.
The use of his coming was to believe that his death upon
the cross was, and is, sufficient for the remission of sin,
and to obtain eternal life.

Here is the justification of man livelily expressed, and
how many things concur as necessary unto the remission
of sin ; and yet man is only justified by faith. There was
the word of God, the preacher of the word Christ him-
self, the contrition of Nicodemus, the Holy Ghost that
moved Nicodemus to come by night unto Christ, the con-
senting will of Nicodemus unto the words of Christ. Yet
only was he delivered from sin by the faith that he had in
the death of Christ : as Christ saith, " So must the Son
of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but haive everlasting life." This must
be diligently marked. For as the fathers of the old church
used the serpent, so must those of our church use the
precious body of Christ. They looked upon him only
* Human nature.

48 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

with the eyes of faith, they kissed him not, they cast no
water upon him, and so washed their eyes therewithal.
They touched him not with their hands, they ate him not
corporeally, nor really, nor substantially ; yet by their
belief they obtained health.

So Christ himself teaches us the use of his precious
body: to believe and look upon the merits of his passion
suffered upon the cross, and so to use his precious body
against the sting of original and actual sin : not to eat his
body transformed into the form of bread, or in the bread,
with the bread, under the bread, behind the bread, or be-
fore the bread, corporeally or bodily, substantially or
really, invisibly, or any such ways, as many men, to the
great injury of Christ's body, do teach.

But as the children of Israel only by faith did eat the
body spiritually not yet born, so by faith do the christians
eat him now, being ascended into heaven, and no otherwise ;
as Christ saith unto Nicodemus, " Whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish." Grant that we could as well eat
his carnal body as we eat other meat, yet the eating there-
of would nothing avail. And if the apostles had corpo-
really eaten him in his last supper, it had profited nothing ;
for he took not his body of the holy virgin to that use, to
be eaten for the remission of sin, or to sanctify him that
eats him, but to die for sin, and in that way to sanctify his
church. As he saith himself, that only by his death the
fruit of his incarnation should be dispersed into the world.
But of this I will speak farther in the chapter that follows.
This example of Nicodemus declares, that neither the
works that go before justification, neither those that follow
justification, deserve remission of sin. Though sole faith
excludes not other virtues from being present at the con-
version of every sinner, yet sole, and only faith, excludes
the merits of other virtues, and obtains solely remission of
sin for Christ's sake, herself alone ; as Paul saith (Ephes.
ii.), " By grace ye are saved, through faith, and that not
of ourselves : it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any
one should boast." Where he plainly excludes the dignity
of works, and affirms us to be reconciled by faith. So
does John (chap, i.) attribute those two singular gifts
unto Christ, grace and verity, saying, " The law is given by
Moses, and grace and verity is wrought by Jesus Christ."
Here "Grace" signifies free remission of sin for the merits
of Christ. "Verity" is the true knowledge of God, and the

ch. vii.] Of Justification. 49

gifts of the Holy Ghost that follow the remission of sin.
Therefore such as say they are not justified only by faith
in the mercy of God through Christ, extenuate sin and
God's wrath against sin too much, and likewise spoil
Christ of his honour, who is the only sacrifice that taketh
away the sin of the world.

They that will justify themselves any other way than by
faith, doubt always whether their sins are forgiven or not ;
and by reason of this doubt they can never pray unto God
aright. For he that doubteth whether God be his friend
or not, prays but as a heathen, and saith his Paternoster
without faith and godly motion of the heart. He that is
persuaded by the gospel, though his own unworthiness
frighten him from God, yet he beholds the Son of God,
and believes that both he and his prayers are accepted in
Christ: and thus accepted into grace, he will follow the
life of a justified man, as Paul commands (Rom. viii. Col.
iii.), and as all the scripture gives example. For it is no
profit to say sole faith justifies, except godliness of life
follow, as Paul saith, " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die." He that has obtained the remission of sin must di-
ligently pray for the preservation of God's favour, as David
gives example unto the whole church, saying, " Create a
clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me
not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit
from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and
uphold me with thy free Spirit." (Psalm li.)

This prayer contains a wonderful doctrine, necessary to
be daily repeated with great attention and heed. First, he
desires to have a heart pure and clean, judging aright of
God, to fear his justice against sin, and to believe stead-
fastly his promised mercy unto the penitent ; and that this
light and knowledge be not taken from him by the devil or
vanity of the world, as daily we see such as have the
knowledge of God's word live more worldly than he that
knows not what God is. Then he prays to have the help
of God to govern all his counsels, and all the motions of
his heart, that they may be agreeable unto the law of God,
full of faith, fear, and charity, and that for sin he be no
more cast out from the face and favour of God. He
prayeth to have strength in adversity ; and to rejoice under
the cross of affliction; not to murmur or grudge at any
trouble, but to obey willingly the pleasure of God ; not to
leave him or mistrust his mercy, for any punishment, but

50 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

to suffer what God pleases, as much as God pleases, and
when God pleases.

. These virtues man must practise and use, after he is
justified, as well as to obtain remission of his sin, or else
lie is not justified at all : he is but a speaker of justifica-
tion, and hath no justice* within him. As he makes
Christ only his Saviour, so must he follow such as were of
Christ's family ; the patriarchs, prophets, and the apostles,
in the life prescribed by Christ, as they did, or else they
shall be no disciples of the prophets, who were the doers
as well as the speakers of virtue, but rather the disciples
of the poets, that only commended virtue and followed it
not, as Ovid saith : "There is a god within us ! we are
warmed by his influences : he comes from the ethereal
mansions." These holy words availed nothing !

Such as cannot understand the epistle of Paul to the
Romans concerning justification, and what life is required
of him that is justified, let him read diligently the first
epistle of John, and then he shall right well perceive an-
other life is required of the justified man than the gospel-
lers lead now-a-days, who have words without deeds,' who
slander the gospel, and promote it not ; as it is to be seen,
the more pity! in such men and such counties as the
truth hath been preached a long time in. For the receiv-
ing of it unworthily, the Lord will, doubtless, take from
them his word, and leave them unto their own lusts. For
this is certain and too true. But let the whole gospel be
preached unto the world as it ought to be : penitence and
a virtuous life with faith, as God preached the gospel unto
Adam in paradise, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, say-
ing, " Woe to the sinful generation." As John the Bap-
tist, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
As Christ did, " Repent, and believe the gospel ;" (Mark i.)
and then of an hundred that come to the gospel, there
would not come one. When they hear of faith alone, and
the mercy of God to justify, and that they may eat all
meats at all times with thanksgiving, they embrace that
gospel with all joy and willing heart. And what is he
that would not receive this gospel ? The flesh itself, were
there no immortal soul in it, would receive this gospel,
because it promises aid, help, and consolation, without
works ; and when it hears that it may as well eat a pasty
of venison upon the Friday as a herring, who is .he that
* Righteousness.

ch. viii.] Of the Lord's Supper. 51

would not be such a gospeller ? But now speak of the
other part of the gospel, as Paul teaches to the Romans,
(chap, viii.) " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ;" and
as he prescribes the life of a justified man in the same
epistle, (chap. xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi.) As Christ, (Matt, x.)
As Peter. (2 Peter.) He that is justified, let him study
those canons to live by.

St. Paul wrote to a justified church of the Corinthians,
and to such as had received the knowledge of the gospel,
and saith, " If any that is called a brother, be a whore-
monger or covetous, or a worshipper of idols, or a reviler,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one eat
not." (1 Cor. v.) This part of the gospel is not so plea-
sant as the other ; therefore men take the first liberty, and
neglect the fruits that should follow the gospel, and think
themselves to be rich in the gospel, as the church of the
Xiaodiceans judged of themselves, (Rev. iii.) when they
indeed are miserable, and wretched, poor, and naked of all
godliness. Paul declares (Rom. viii.) what it is to be jus-
tified, and to be in Christ, to walk after the Spirit; he
saith, " There is no condemnation to those who are in
Christ Jesus, who walk after the Spirit.''

For a conclusion, justification is a free remission of sin,
and acceptance into the favour of God, for Christ's merits :
which remission of sin must be followed necessarily by
amendment of life, or else we receive the grace of God in
vain. (2 Cor. vi. Rom. viii. 2 Peter i.)

CHAPTER VIII.

Of the Lord's Supper.

From this infallible truth, " Only the death of Christ is
the sacrifice for the expiation of sin," may be necessarily
taught the right and true use of the Lord's Supper, which
men call the mass.

First, it is manifest that it is not a sacrifice for sin, as
men teach, contrary unto the word of God, that saith,
" Christ, by one sacrifice, made perfect all things ;" (Heb.
vii. viii. ix. x,) and, as John saith, " The blood of Jesus i
Christ cleanseth us from sins :" and there remaineth no
more after it, as Paul saith, " Where is remission of sins,
d 2

52 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

there is no more sacrifice for sin ;'' and, to take away all
doubt that remission of sin cannot be obtained for the
merits of the mass, Paul saith plainly, that without blood-
shedding no sacrifice can merit remission of sin.

Although Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God
and prayeth for his church, and likewise offers the prayers
and complaints of us that believe, yet it is only for the
merits of his death that we obtain the mercy of God's pro-
mise ; in which he sustained such pain, that the remem-
brance thereof, and the greatness of God's wrath against
sin, put his precious body and soul into such an agony and
fear, that his passion of sorrow surmounted the passion of
all men, that ever travailed or were burdened with the
weight of God's insufferable wrath against man for sin ;
insomuch that he wept not only tears of blood, but pain
forced them to descend so abundantly, that they trickled
upon the ground. Sore troubled and overcome with sor-
row was David (Psalm vi.) when he washed his bed with
tears for sin, but it was joy and mirth, if his pains be
compared to these dolors of Christ ; they wanted no aug-
mentation. This sacrifice was killed by a little and a
little ; from one place of judgment sent unto another; and
always from the flames into the ardent coals. His death
upon the cross so differed, that although he was very God,
and the dearly beloved Son of the Father, his abjection
was so contemptible and vile, that he cried out as a man
most destitute of God's favour and love, and said, " My
God ! my God ! why hast thou forsaken me?" And until
such time as he offered his most holy soul unto the Father,
and his blessed side was pierced with the spear, his pains
and sorrows increased. Lo ! thus was the manner to offer
Christ for sin ! after this sort and cruel handling of Christ
was the wrath of God appeased.

If they sacrifice Christ in the mass, let them hang him
as tyrants again upon the cross, and thrust a spear into
his blessed heart, that they may shed his blood ; for with-
out shedding of blood is no remission. The scripture
condemneth this abuse of the Lord's Supper, which is the
conculcation* of his precious blood.

As concerning the use of this sacrament and all other

rites and ceremonies that are godly, they should be so

kept and used in the church, as they were delivered unto

us by the high Bishop, Christ, the author of all sacraments.

* Treading under foot.

en. viii.] Of the Lord's Supper. 53

For this is true, that he most godlily, most religiously,
and most perfectly instituted and celebrated the Supper,
and no otherwise than the evangelist records. The best
manner and most godly way to celebrate this Supper, is to
preach the death of Christ unto the church, and the re-
demption of man, as Christ did at his Supper, and there
to have common prayers, as Christ prayed with his dis-
ciples; then to repeat the last words of the Supper, and
with the same to break the bread, and distribute the wine
to the whole church : then, giving thanks to God, depart
in peace.

Those ceremonies that God instituted not, but whfch re-
pugn* God's institution, are not necessary, but rather in any
case ought to be left, because they abrogate the institution
of Christ. It seems sufficient unto me, if the church do
as Christ commanded it to do. St. Paul wrote his epistle to
the Corinthians after the ascension of Christ at least eighteen
years, and said he would deliver them nothing but that
which, he had received of the Lord, and wrote concerning
the use of the Supper, as Matthew, Mark, and Luke
wrote.

This is, therefore, an ungodly disputation that the
papists contend about, the change and alteration of the
bread, and also a false and pernicious doctrine, that
teaches the corporeal presence of Christ, both God and
man, in the bread, for although Christ said of the
bread, " This is my body," it is well known that he
purposed to institute a sacrament, therefore he spoke
of a sacrament sacramentally. To speak sacrament-
ally is to give the name of the thing to the sign ; and
yet so, notwithstanding, that the nature and substance of
the sign remains, and is not turned into the thing that it
verifies. Further the verity of the scripture, and the verity
of christian faith, will not suffer us to judge and believe
that Christ's body, invisible or visible, is upon the earth.
(Acts i. Luke xxiv. Mark xvi. Acts iii.)

If we likewise consider the other places of the scripture,
(John vi. xvi. xvii.) we shall find that Christ would not,
and meant not, to institute any corporeal presence of his
body, but a remembrance of his body slain, resuscitated,
ascended into heaven, and from thence to come unto
judgment. True it is, that the body is eaten, and the blood
drunken, but not corporeally. In faith and spirit it is
* Oppose.

54 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

eaten ; and by that sacrament the promise of God is sealed
and confirmed in us, the corporeal body remaining in
heaven.

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, Christ, giving
his church warning of this heresy to come by the preach-
ing of false prophets, said, " They will say, ' Lo ! here is
Christ, lo ! there is Christ '.' believe them not ; for as the
lightning cometh from the east into the west, so shall the
coming of the Son of man be ;" meaning by these words,
that his body is not a fantastical nor invisible body, as
those teach that say his corporeal body is corporeally
given in the bread, with the bread, and under the bread
invisible. Against this error I will set the word of God,
and declare the truth thereby, that they have but an ima-
gination or idea of Christ's body, and not the natural and
corporeal body.

And the first reason is this : Christ bade his disciples
that they should not believe him that should say, " Lo !
here is Christ !" or, " There is Christ !" He spake of his
body, doubtless, and human nature: for he commandeth
us to believe that his Godhead is everywhere, as David
saith ; and as he saith, " My Father and I are one."
Likewise he told them in plain words, (Matt, the last
chapter) that he would be with them unto the end of the
world. Christ having but two natures, one divine, and
the other human, by these express words now declares
himself to be present with the one and absent with the
other. These things being marked, I put this matter in
short to be judged of every humble and charitably-spirited
man, who judges aright of the body of Christ ; those that
say he is not bodily in the sacrament ; or those that say
he is bodily and corporeally there. If he be there corpo-
really and bodily, as they say, why should I not believe
these words, " Lo, here ! lo, there !" and say, Christ lieth
that said, " Believe them not that say, ' Lo ! here is my
body,' or ' There is my body ?' " Christ having good ex-
perience of the devil's subtlety — that he would intoxicate
the wit of man with more subtle reasons than the simple
heart could eschew, prepared of his mercy a means to pre-
serve the faith of the simple : and against the sophistical
and crafty reason of the devil, God calleth man to the
judgment of his senses, and saith, " Reason what they
will of my body, and say it is here or there substantially,
bodily, corporeally, believe them not. Trust to thine eyes ;

ch. viii.] Of the Lorcts Supper. 55

for as the lightning sensibly cometh from the east into
the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be."
How so ? Turned into fire ? No, not so, visibly and sen-
sibly. God wist right well, when he called man from
reason to the judgment of his senses, what doctors and doc-
trine should follow respecting his sensible body. One to
change a cake into his body,* and another to teach, though
the cake be not his body, yet is his body present corpo-
really, substantially, really, bodily; the same body that
hanged upon the cross, and is given by hand, with the
bread, under the bread, and in the bread, yet insensible.t

Grant that all their glosses and interpretations were
true, as they are most false ; and say, as they would have
it, that the very true humanity, and Christ in the true
shape and form of a man, as he is, with all qualities and
quantities, except sin and mortality, are in the bread, under
the bread, or with the bread, after the bread, or before the
bread ; and say that there is present, in the priest's hand,
as great a body, and as natural a man, as the priest or
miaister is himself, even " the Word of God made man,"
so they would have it ; yet they shall never deceive a
godly christian with their glosses : for he will trust unto
the simplicity of God's word that saith, " Believe them
not, till they show my body unto the senses, like as the
lightning."

The defenders of this doctrine, because they are not
able to answer unto such as write and preach the truth,
challenge and attribute unto themselves the only know-
ledge of truth, and say their adversaries are not learned,
or cannot understand them. Grant there were none
learned that defend this truth, as there are, have been, and
ever, till the world's end, shall be, yet will the truth defend
itself; and because no man should, in this matter, leave
the truth, though many better learned than he judge fan-
tastically of a true body, Christ would have his simple
disciple to judge sensibly of his natural body, and let this
sophistication pass ; and saith his body shall be as sen-
sible as the lightning in the air, and not invisible with a
piece of bread: though that most religious sacrament
ought to be most godly used for the mystery that it con-
tains, and likewise the promise of grace that it confirms.

They say this place makes not against the presence of
Christ's body in the sacrament, but against such as should
* Transubstantiation. t Consubstantiation.

56. Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

preach, in the latter days, false doctrine against Christ's
doctrine, and make another Christ. True it is, he speaks
of such as should preach false doctrine ; but what should
be that false doctrine that could be overcome with these
words, " Believe them not ; for as the lightning cometh
from the east unto the west, so shall the coming of the
Son of man be." What heresy does any man read in the
histories were vanquished by these words ? Not that of
-Paul of Samosata, which was condemned in the council of
Nice; not that of Nestorius, which denied two natures to
be united in Christ ; nor that of Eutyches, which said one
nature was converted into the other ; nor any of the
heresies that the devil moved against the essence and'
divine majesty of God, as Marcion and the Manichees,
who said there were two gods, and both eternal, the one
good and the other evil, the one always repugnant to the
other : neither yet the heresy of Valentinian, who said
there were innumerable gods ; but of this false doctrine
Christ spake, and of such as would, after his corporeal
ascension into heaven, yet preach in the latter days unto
the people, that his body should be in the earth. And,
therefore, he gave them these words, " Believe them not ;
for as the lightning cometh from the east unto the west, so
shall the coming of the Son of man be."

Christ spake of those that should deceive the people in
the time between his ascension and coming to judgment.
For in the end of the world there shall be no need to bid
us beware, for all false preachers shall be damned when
his glorious body shall appear. He that believes that the
natural body of Christ can be here any way corporeally
before that time, neglects the commandment of Christ,
" Believe them not ;" (Matt, xxiv.) and, likewise, he forgets
his creed, " He sitteth at the right hand of the Father,
thence he shall come," &c. And Luke saith plainly, that
as visibly as he ascended, so shall he descend at the latter
day, and not before, as he saith. (Acts iii.) Because they
defend their opinion by the wrong interpretation of the
words in the articles of our faith, I will answer to one or
two objections that they make.

First, they say that this word " heaven," in the article of
our faith, " he ascended into heaven," signifies no certain
and determinate place, but, generally, all the world, hea-
ven, earth, and hell, wheresoever God's power is mani-
fested ; and so say, that the right hand of God betokens

ch. viii.] Of the Lord 's Supper. 57

no place, but the whole power of God. As when I sav,
" He sitteth at the right hand of God," it is as much as
to say,> that he is in his humanity everywhere, as his
divinity is.

Unto the first, this I answer, that heaven in no place of
the scripture is so taken, though it signify sometimes all
the celestial bodies above ; heaven ethereal, and then it
signifies the air, as : (Psa. cxlviii.) " Ye waters, that be
above the heavens, praise the name of the Lord ;" and
sometimes it signifies only the upper place of creatures,
as in the same Psalm, " Praise him, ye heavens of heavens,
praise him in the heights." Into these superior heavens
Christ ascended, as the manner of his ascension declares.
(Luke xxiv. Acts i.) He took his disciples with him into
the mount of Olivet, and bade them there farewell. He
departed bodily from them, as their eyes bore them record ;
and a cloud received his body, that it could no more be
seen : yet, what became of this body after it passed their
sight ? That no question afterward should be, where this
body was gone to, St. Luke saith, " He was taken into
heaven." This mutation of place, to ascend from the
earth, only his human nature suffered ; concerning his
godhead, it is everywhere, and can neither ascend nor
descend.

Such as say that heaven and the right hand of God are
in the articles of our faith taken for God's power and
might, which is everywhere, they do wrong to the scrip-
ture, and unto the articles of our faith. They make a con-
fusion of the scripture, and leave nothing certain. They
darken the simple and plain verity thereof with intolerable
sophisms. They make heaven hell, and hell heaven, turn
upside down and pervert the order of God. If the heaven
and God's right hand, whither our Saviour's body is as-
cended, be everywhere, and note no certain place, as these
uncertain men teach, then I will believe no ascension.
What needs it? seeing Christ's body is everywhere with
his godhead. I will interpret this article of my creed thus :
" Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father ; the
right hand of the Father is everywhere ; therefore, Christ
ascended to everywhere." See what erroneous doctrine
follows their imaginations !

As concerning the right hand of God, it is taken some-
times for God himself and his omnipotent power. (Psa.
cxviii.) " The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The

58 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

right hand of the Lord hath exalted me." Thus his
right hand, being taken for his power, it is everywhere.
But it is not so taken, when we say Christ sitteth at the
right hand of God, as Mark saith, chapter xvi. and as
Stephen said, Acts vii. " I see Jesus standing at the right
hand of God." But it signifies a certain place of joy,
where the souls of the blessed saints rest. Thither hath
God translated the body of Christ, to be in as much joy,
as it was in contempt here in the earth, as Paul saith.
(Phil, ii.) Sitting thus at the right hand of God, his
body is as true man as it was upon the earth, and in
length, breadth, and weight, as physical, mathematical,
and natural a body, as it was when hanging upon the
cross.

In the changing of mortal qualities the humanity of
Christ is neither destroyed nor changed into his deity ;
but as truly as his godhead, concerning his essence, can-
not be seen, so his body, wheresoever it be, is subject unto
the judgment of the senses. And as he that makes a
house first conceives a true form in his imagination, and
yet this imagination or conceit of the mind is not mate-
rially the house ; so, such as dream and imagine a certain
fantasy, and reduce the form and figure of a true body
into their imagination, such is not a true body, but a con-
ceit or imagination of a body, as those men have who say
Christ is in the bread and with the bread, yet it occupies
no place, nor is sensible. This is a wonderful doctrine, to
make that glorious body of Christ to be a true body, and
yet it lacketh all the qualities and quantities of a body. If
Christ could have such a dreaming body as they speak of,
yet may I not believe it is in the sacrament corporeally, •
because Christ saith, " Believe it not."

And where they would better the matter with these
words, that Christ in the time of his being upon the earth
did many things above the nature of a body, and carried
his body sometimes invisibly, and entered the house of
the disciples, the gates being shut; they prove nothing,
only they trouble the simple conscience, and establish such
as are more addicted unto the writing of man than unto
the writing of God, in their error. Peter walked upon
the water, yet was very man nothing the less ; so it pleased
God to use his creatures to his glory. Christ's body was
nothing changed, although sometimes, to avoid being
stoned, he conveyed himself out of the way. Though his

ch. viii.] Of the Lord's Supper. 59

disciples knew not how he entered, the doors being shut,
it is possible enough that he opened the doors, and yet
they perceived it not : men's eyes are obedient unto the
Creator, that they may see one thing, and yet not another.
The scripture so teaches. Those evil men that would
have done villany unto the angels in Lot's house, (Gen.
xix.) were made so blind, they could not find the next door
to them ; yet Lot's house still abode in one place. The
same may you read, (2 Kings vi.) how God made the
Assyrian host blind, so that Elisha led the whole army
into the city of Samaria. Balaam saw to beat his ass,
and yet could not see the angel whom the ass saw, till he
was reprehended by the angel. (Numb, xxii.) Here may
you see that those reasons prove not that Christ's body
is in the sacrament, because sometimes he would not be
seen of his enemies.

This is our belief, that Christ is very man, and like unto
his brothers. (Heb. ii.) Therefore, wheresoever his body
be, it must have the qualities and quantities of a true man.
If his body be corporeally in the sacrament, and yet
without all properties of a true body, this text is false,
" He was found in fashion as a man ;" likewise this, " He
was like unto his brethren in all things." They grant that
only the spirit of man eats the body of Christ in the sacra-
ment ; then either the spirit of man is turned into a cor-
poreal substance, or else the body of Christ loses his
corporeal substance, and is become a spirit. For it is not
possible for the spirit of man to eat corporeally a cor-
poreal body, no more than he that studies the scripture,
and commends the contents of the Bible to his memory,
corporeally eats the book ; but by the help of God's Spirit
and his own diligence he eats the effect, marrow, and doc-
trine of the Bible. And in case it were corporeally and
substantially with paper and ink, in the bottom of the sea,
yet the learned man may comfort himself, and teach the
mariners in the ship the contents thereof, though the cor-
poreal Bible be drowned. So in the sacrament the chris-
tian heart, that is instructed in the law of God, and
knoweth the right use of the sacraments by the Holy
Ghost, and a firm faith that he hath in the merits of
Christ's body and soul, which is ascended corporeally into
heaven, may in spirit receive the effect, marrow, sweetness,
and advantage of Christ's precious body, though it never

60 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

descendeth corporeally. Thus do faith and the scripture
compel the church to believe.

When they say it is in the sacrament, and yet moves
not from the right hand of God, I believe not their saying,
but require a proof thereof. Christ hath not so great a
body to fill heaven and earth corporeally ; he is like unto
his brethren ; he is perfect God and perfect man. They
make him to be there, and yet to occupy no place, then it
is no body ; for a true body, physical and mathematical,
as Christ's body is, cannot be, except it occupy a place.
They say, I must believe, and say with the virgin, " Behold
the Lord's handmaid," I may not seek to know the means
how. Well, let them do as much to me in this matter as
was done unto the virgin Mary, and I am content. She
could not comprehend how Christ was made man in her
womb; yet the effect and corporeal nativity of Christ
ascertained both her reason and senses, that she had borne
a true body. It shall suffice me if they make demonstra-
tion unto my senses, and warrant my reason, that they
have present a corporeal body ; how it cometh, and by
what means, I leave that unto God. But until such time
as they show me that glorious and perfect man's body of
Christ, as it was shown unto the blessed virgin, their say-
ing, " Believe, believe," shall not come into my belief; for
Christ saith, " Believe it not."

Of Christ's words, (Mark xiii.) " The moment of the
last time no man knoweth, neither the Son of God," inas-
much as he is man, I gather this argument. If it be
denied to Christ concerning his manhood to know the
last day, much more to be everywhere, or to be in divers
places at one time, is denied to his humanity. For it is
more impossible and wonderful to be everywhere, than to
know many things. I know the geographer can con-
ceive and comprehend all the world in his head, but to be
in all places, where his thoughts and spirit are occupied,
it is impossible.

Further, Christ's body has not lost its corporeal quali-
ties, but wheresoever he is corporeally, there is he with all
the qualities of a body, and not without qualities, as these
dreamers imagine. I will not judge that my Saviour who
died for the sin of the world has a body in heaven sensibly
with all qualities of a true man, and in the sacrament to be
without all qualities and quantities of a true body ; but I

ch. viii.] Of the Lord's Supper. CI

abhor and detest, with the scripture, this opinion as a heresy
so little differing from Marcion's, that I can scarce put
diversity.

As corporeally the corporeal and substantial hody of all
England is in the head of him who describes by map or
chart the whole realm, in Italy or elsewhere ; so corpo-
really is the body of Christ in the heart of the christian.
The conceit, imagination, or form conceived of England
is not the body, matter, nor substance itself of England ;
no more is the spiritual conceit of Christ's body the cor-
poreal body itself. Though Avicene and Averroes *
would prove such a conclusion, yet the faith of our reli-
gion will not suffer a fantastical imagination to be a true
substance.

To say that Christ's very natural body is in the earth,
and yet invisible, is to destroy the body and not to honour
the body. Aristotle (5 Metaphysicorum, cap. xxii.) de-
fines what ' invisible' is : invisible (saith he) is that which
has no colour at all. To take this from Christ's body,
that it is truly in the sacrament corporeally, and yet in-
visible, is to say, Christ hath lost all the colour, shape, and
form of his humanity. But what should Aristotle do in
this our faith? The scripture teaches what we should
believe ; he ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand
of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to
judge the quick and the dead, (Acts i. Mark xvi. Luke
xxiv.) and he has left us a sacrament of his blessed body,
which we are bound to use religiously and many times, in
order to exercise and establish our faith ; and he, being
absent corporeally, communicates by faith in spirit that
most precious body and the merits of the same ; and
would to God people would use it with more reverence and
more awe, as the scripture teaches, with true amendment
of life and firm faith.

I put out a book in September last past, dedicated to
my lord of Winchester, t wherein I have declared all my
faith concerning this blessed and holy sacrament ; there-
fore, I will pass to the other office of Christ's priesthood.

* Avicenna, who is called the prince of Arabian philosophers and
physicians, lived in the eleventh century. His works were highly
popular, even in the European schools of philosophy. Averroes was
also a celebrated Arabian philosopher, who by many was considered
equal to Aristotle, and wrote commentaries upon his works. He
lived in the twelfth century.

t Bishop Gardiner,

62 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

CHAPTER IX.

Of Christ's Office of Sanctifying those that believe
in Him.

The fourth office of Christ is to consecrate and sanctify
those that believe in him. He is not only holy himself,
but makes others holy also ; as he saith, (John xvii.) " For
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they may also be sancti-
fied by the truth."

This sanctification is none other than a true knowledge
of God in Christ by the gospel, that teaches us how un-
clean we are by the sin of Adam, and how that we are
cleansed by Christ ; for whose sake the Father of heaven
not only remits the sins wrought willingly against the word
of God, but also the imperfection and natural concupi-
scence which remains in every man, as long as the nature
of man is mortal. How the Father sanctifies his people
the prayer of Christ showeth : (John xvii.) " Sanctify
them by thy truth," sanctify them by thy word, cleanse
their heart, teach them, hallow them, make them fit for thy
kingdom. Wherewith? With thy word, which is ever-
lasting verity.

The means to sanctify are the word of God, the Holy
Ghost, and faith that receives the word of our redemption. .
So Peter says, (Acte xv.) " Our hearts are purified by
faith." Here is the cause expressed whereby we accept'
our sanctification ; by faith, saith St. Peter. St. Paul
(1 Cor. vi.) shows for whose sake, and wherefore we are
sanctified. " Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are jus-
tified through the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God." We are sanctified for the merits of
Jesus Christ, by the operation of the Holy Ghost.

This is to be always marked, that when Christ had
prayed his Father to sanctify his church by his word and
by his Holy Spirit, and desired him to preserve it from ill
for his mercy's sake, he added the price — the merits, and
just deserving of God's grace, and said, " I sanctify myself
for them, to the end that they may be sanctified by the
truth." He sanctified himself for the church, when he
died for the detestable uncleanness and filthiness thereof,
more offensive and filthy than ever was the abhorred and
leprous body of Lazarus. (Luke xvi.) As though he had

ch. ix.] Christ's office of Sanctifying, 63

said, " Forasmuch as I offer and submit myself unto the
bitter and cruel pain of the cross for the church, thou must,
most holy Father, sanctify them and accept them as sanc-
tified : nourish them, love them, and defend them, for the
price and satisfaction of my death."

What a consolation is this for every troubled conscience
to understand ! Although it be unworthy of remission of
sin, considering the greatness thereof, yet for the prayer
of Christ he shall not be a castaway, so that he believe, as
Christ said. He prayed not only for his apostles, but also
for as many as should believe his word till the world's
end. As .many as will be gospellers, as they love the
gospel and their own salvation, let them not dally and
play with it, as if God could be trifled with ; but let them
think upon the most vile and tyrannous death of him, who
alone was able to cleanse us from sin, and from hence be-
ware of sin. It suffices, as Paul saith, that " before we
knew the truth, we lived wantonly." (1 Cor. vi.)

CHAPTER X

By this Verity and Truth, that " the Gospel teaches
we are only to be sanctified in the Blood of
Christ," is confuted the blasphemous Pride of the
Bishop of Rome.

The bishop of Rome names himself " the most holy
father," and takes upon him to sanctify all other men of
the earth ; as God's vicar and lieutenant, to absolve from
guilt and punishment, to pull out of hell and send to.
heaven with his pardons, masses, and other abominations ;
whereas Christ only and solely doth sanctify, as it appears
in John xvii. Likewise, by the title that Pilate gave him,
hanging upon the cross, with these words, " Jesus of
Nazareth, king of the Jews." This title declareth him to
be both Messiah, Saviour, and Nazar, the Protector and
Sanctifier of his church, as Matthew saith, (chap, ii.)
" He shall be called a Nazarene."

This office of Christ abrogates all other things that
man's constitutions attribute any holiness unto, as be-
witched water, candles, vows, or any such heathen super-
stition. For only Christ sanctifies, and all holiness we

64 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

must attribute unto him, as John said, (chap, i.) " Be-
hold the Lamb of God, as to say destined and appointed
by God to take away the sin of the world," and to sanctify
his church.

Although baptism is a sacrament to be received and
honourably used of all men, yet it sanctifies no man. And
such as attribute the remission of sins unto the external
sign, do offend. John (Matt, iii.) preached penitence in
the desert and remission of sin in Christ. Such as con-
fessed their faults he marked and declared' them to be of
Christ's church. So that external baptism was but an
inauguration or external consecration of those that first
believed and were cleansed of their sin, as he declares
himself in the same place : " I," saith he, " baptize with
water ;" as though he said, " My baptism makes no man
the better, inwardly it changes no man ; but I call and
preach to the outward ear, I exhort unto repentance. And
such as say they do repent, and would change their old
sinful life, I wash with water. He that inwardly cleanses
is stronger than I. His grace alone purifies the soul. I
baptize into repentance, that is to say, into a new life."

This new life comes not until such time as Christ is
known and received. Now, to put on Christ, is to live a
new life. Such as are baptized must remember that
repentance and faith precede this external sign, and in
Christ the purgation was inwardly obtained before the
external sign was given. So that there are two kinds of
baptism, and both necessary. The one interior, which is
the cleansing of the heart, the drawing of the Father, the
operation of the Holy Ghost : and this baptism is in man,
when he believes and trusts that Christ is the only author
of his salvation.

Thus the infants are examined concerning repentance
and faith, before they are baptized with water ; at the con-
templation of the which faith God cleanses the soul. Then
is the exterior sign added, not to cleanse the heart, but
to confirm, manifest, and open unto the world, that this
child is God's.

And, likewise, baptism with the repetition of the words
is a true sacrament and sign, that the baptized creature
should die from sin all his life, as Paul writes. (Rom. vi.)
Likewise, no man should condemn or neglect this ex-
terior sign, for the commandment's sake ; though it have
no power to cleanse from sin, yet it confirms the cleansing

ch..x.] Tke pride of the bishop of Rome confuted. 65

of sin, and the act of itself pleases God, because the
receivers thereof obey the will of his commandment.

Like, as the king's majesty that now is, immediately
after the death of his father was the true and legitimate
king of England, right heir unto the crown ; and received
his coronation, not to make himself thereby king, but to
manifest that the kingdom appertained unto him before.
He took the crown to confirm his right and title. Had
all England said nay, and by force, contrary unto God's
laws and man's laws with an exterior ceremony and pomp,
crowned any other man, he would have been an adulterous
and wrong king, with all his solemnities and» coronation.
Though this ceremony confirm and manifest a king in his
kingdom, yet it makes not a king, but the laws of God
and of the land that give by succession the right of the
kingdom to the old king's first heir male in England and
other realms. And the babe in the cradle has as good a
right and claim, and is as true a king, in his cradle un-
crowned, as his father was, though he reigned a crowned
king forty years. And this right of the babe should be
defended and manifested, not only by the ceremony of
coronation, but with all obedience and true subjection.

So it is in the church of Christ : man is made the bro-
ther of Christ, and heir of eternal life, by God's sole mercy
received by faith, before he receive any ceremony to con-
firm and manifest openly his right and title. He saith,
he believeth in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,
and believeth (he saith) the remission of sin ; he doth not
only deny the devil, the world, and sin, but saith, he will
forsake him for ever, and serve his master, the Lord of
virtue, King of heaven and earth. Thus assured of God,
and cleansed from sin in Christ, he hath the livery of God
given unto him, baptism, which no christian should
neglect, and yet not attribute his sanctificat'on unto the
external sign. As the king's majesty may not attribute
his right unto the crown, but unto God and unto his father.
God who has not only given him grace to be born into
the world, but also to govern as a king in the world,
whose right and title the crown confirms and shows the
same unto all the world. Whereas, this right by God and
natural succession precedes the coronation — the ceremony
avails nothing. A traitor may receive the crown, and yet
nothing the more be true king. So a hypocrite and
infidel may receive the external sign of baptism, and yet

66 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

be no christian man any the more, as Simon Magus and
others.

Sacraments must be used holily, and yet not to have
the office of Christ added unto them. Solely it is his
office to sanctify and purge from sin k I take nothing
from the sacraments, but honour them, and extol them in
all things, as they are worthy; howbeit, not too much.
I call a sacrament, a ceremony instituted in the law of
God to this end, that it should be a testimony of God's
promise unto all such as believe, and a sign of God's
good will and favour towards us. As Paul saith, that
Abraham received a testimony, by which God testifitd
that he was received into grace. (Rom. iv.) And as the
promise of God, the remission of sin is received by faith,
so must these sacraments, that are signs, tokens, and
testimonies of the promise, be received in faith. Thus by
Christ we are sanctified only, and as Peter saith, " The
chosen people, a princely priesthood, a holy people, and
peculiar nation, to declare the power of him that hath
called us from the darkness of error and sin into his won-
derful light." These words declare the manner how we
are sanctified, and what our office is after we are sanctified j
to preach the power of him that hath called us from the
darkness of sin ; as it is written, (Isa. xliii.) " This people
have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my
praise ;" and likewise in chapter lxvi. The prophets and
apostles do use many times this word, " annunciare," for
" laudare," and " gratias agere."* So Paul, (1 Cor. xi.)
" Ye shall show the death of the Lord until he come ;"
that is, ye shall celebrate the death of Christ with all
praises and giving of thanks.

Such as are sanctified by Christ must live an honest and
holy life, or else their sanctification avails not. As God
forsook the children of Israel for sin, so will he forsake us.
They were elected to be his people with this condition,
" If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people." (Exod. xix.) He that favoured not the Israelites,
but took cruel vengeance , upon them, because they walked
not in their vocation, will do, and doth daily, the same
unto us. (Rom. xi.) Therefore one of these two we must
needs do, that say we are justified and sanctified in Christ ;
either from the bottom of our hearts we must amend, or>
* " Show forth," for " praise and give thanks."

ch, x.J The pride of the bishop of Rome confuted. 67

else be eternally lost, with all our spiritual knowledge.
For the axe is put to the root of the tree. So far has the
malice of man proceeded, that the wrath of God can be no
longer deferred. A great time has the gospel been known
of many men, yet the life of the gospel is as new to seek
as though it were but now begun.

Therefore, we see how God begins again to permit the
darkness of error to overwhelm the world. Such blindness
ever follows the contempt of God's word, and the un-
thankful receiving thereof. Therefore, as we are sanctified
by Christ, so let us bear him and sanctify him in our
breasts, or else we perish. (Rom. vi.) For faith intends
and always makes haste unto this port, as Paul saith,
(Tit. ii.) " that we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly."

Men know not what the gospel is. They read it as
they read " Sir Bevis of Southampton," or " The deeds of
Robin Hood."* If they may know what the scripture
saith, they judge it sufficient ; whereas it is quite the con-
trary. Men should not only read the scripture to be^
wiser, but to be better. We bear the name of Christ, and
confess him. We must, therefore, be those persons in
whose life ; the stamps of Christ must appear, or else we
blaspheme our master, whose name we bear. (Rom. vi.
xiii.) Because after baptism we should live a modest and
temperate life, Christ departed into the desert, and fasted,
making this answer unto the devil : " Man liveth not by
bread alone." Man is not created to the foolish pleasures
of the world, but to regard what the will of God requireth.

They deceive themselves that trust to faith, where
honesty of life follows not. Faith is mistress in the soul
of the christian, and entertains no such servants as are
adulterers, thieves, slanderers, drunkards, covetous per-
sons, swearers, ill and unoccupied raveners of the meat of
the poor ; but charity, peace, temperance, prayer, liberality,
and avoiding all occasion of ill. (2 Pet. i. James ii.
1 Cor xii.)

* Two popular story books

68 Hoopcr.~~- Declaration of Christ.

CHAPTER XI.

Of Christ as a King.

As the scripture teaches that Christ is the -very true
priest and bishop of the church, who prays for the church,
satisfies the wrath of God for the sins of the church, and
who alone sanctifies the church ; so it proves Christ to be
the King, Emperor, and Protector of the church, and that
by the office and property of a king who defends his sub-
jects, not only by his godly laws, but also by force and
civil resistance, as the enemies of his commonwealth
minister occasion. By these two means every common-
wealth is preserved, as the scripture teaches everywhere.

Pharaoh, who desired that the church of God and com-
monwealth of the Israelites should be destroyed, was lost
with all his army in the sea. The idolaters, that would
make the commonwealth of Christ's church one with the
commonwealth of Egypt, were destroyed.

Such as rebelled, as Korah and the Reubenites, against
the governors of God's church, Moses and Aaron, were
destroyed with the artillery of God's wrath. And to set
his commonwealth in due order, God destroyed all the
princes and nations that possessed the land of Canaan.

In the latter days, when the king of this commonwealth
should be born, the angel declared unto the blessed virgin
of what puissance and power this kingdom of Christ
should be ; " He shall reign over the house of Jacob for
ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke i.)
Although now the commonwealth of the church has no
certain place appointed where it shall remain, as was ap-
pointed in the old law, yet we are certain that this king-
dom of Christ remains upon the earth, and shall do so, till
the earth is burned. (Matt. xvi. xxviii. 1 Cor. xv.) Howbeit,
as Christ won and obtained this kingdom in the latter
days wUhout shield or spear, so doth he preserve it with
his Holy Spirit, and not with carnal weapons. As Christ
said unto Pilate, (John xviii.) " My kingdom is not of
this world ;" meaning, that he would not reign in this
world, as a prince of this world, with pomp and pride ; but
defend his people with his Holy Spirit, so that neither the
devil nor the world should break their patience, though
many afflictions and sorrows should fight against them for

ch. xi ] Of Christ as a King. 69

the truth's sake. Christ did not deny himself to be the
King of the world before Pilate, but asserted, that he
meant not to reign in a worldly manner, to the hinderance
and defacing of the emperor's dignity and title, as the Jews
falsely accused him. So Cyril (lib. xii. cap. x.) on John
saith : and so is the mind of St. Augustin on the same
place.

This kingdom is spiritual. Christ sitting at the right
hand of God the Father prays for us, gives us remission
of sin, and the Holy Ghost, to fight and overcome the
world. He has left here in the church, his gospel as the
only weapon to fight with for the time of this mortal life.
See John xvii. where he defines life everlasting to be the.
knowledge of God. So does Paul (Rom. viii.) prove
this kingdom to be spiritual ; but concerning the body, it
appears, that Christ defends not his people, because they
live in such contempt and adversity ; but hereafter it shall
appear, as Paul saith (Col. iii.) ; and John, (1 John iii.)
" Now we are sons of God, but it doth not yet appear,
what we shall be."

This kingdom shall be ever persecuted till the world's
end, (Psalm ii.lxxi. cxviii.) Isaiah the prophet described
the church of this present life, saying, " The Lord shall
give you the bread of adversity, and the water of afflic-
tion ; yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner."
(Is. xxx.) Thus the church shall remain, but always in
affliction. I know such as favour not the truth, will misin-
terpret my words, that I condemn all princes and kings,
as enemies of the gospel, because they peaceably enjoy
their kingdoms. So I wish them always to do, with
hearty prayer to the glory of God. But of this one thing
I will assure every prince of the world : the more sincere
he is in the cause of God, the more shall be his cross.

I would refer unto the king's majesty, that is dead, who
at the first brunt, as soon as he took God's cause in hand,
that leopard and dragon of Rome did not only solicit the
whole foreign world against him, but also he suffered such
an ungodly and detestable insurrection of his popish sub-
jects, and such other crosses also, that never would have
been moved, had he not disquieted the beast of her rest,
that sat above his majesty, and above God also, in his own
realm.

They are flatterers of princes that say every thing mav
be ruled with ease : they consider not what an enemy of

70 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

God's order the devil is, that would not only have the
gospel of truth oppressed, but also every prince who
studies the preferment and setting forth of God's word.
The devil never ceases to molest and disquiet every godly
polity and commonwealth. Were there no scriptural divine
to detect the art of the devil, Aristotle, in the fifth book of
his Politics, sufficiently manifests the devil's enmity against
all commonwealths.

Further, the nature of man is infirm, and very unable
to sustain the office of any vocation, be it political, eccle-
siastical, or domestic, without a singular aid of God. We
see by Saul that noble man, who, in the beginning of his
reign, did many noble acts, yet the devil got the victory in
the end. His successor David was likewise so entangled
in the devices of the devil, that without much pain he
could not extricate himself from the wicked snare, which
the devil once brought him into. Howbeit, God defended
both him and his kingdom, so that not only the preachers,
but also he himself, taught the word of God unto the peo-
ple, as he had promised. (Psalm vi. xl.)

God preserves his ministers above human reason, as he
did Jacob from the hands of Esau, David from Saul,
Daniel from the lions, and Paul in the ship, where was no
human hope of salvation at all, but only the protection of
God. These examples declare, that he defends his people
against all the world by his mighty power.

Likewise he governs his church with his own laws only,
and would his subjects should know him, honour him, and
obey him, as he hath commanded in his law. Paul expresses
this law, (Rom. i.) " The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth." And Mark says,
" Preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark xvi.) The
only law, whereunto this congregation is bound, is the
gospel, as Christ saith, (John xiv.) " The Holy Spirit
shall teach you all things, and bring to your memory all
things which I have said unto you." Here Christ binds
the apostles and all the church unto the things he had
taught them.

This commonwealth, of the true church is known by
these two marks; the pure preaching of the gospel, and
the right use of the sacraments. Thus Paul proves,
(Eph. ii.) that the church is bound unto the word of God :
" Upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets are
ye built." Likewise (Isa. lix.) " My Spirit that is upon

ch. xi.] Of Christ as a King. 71

thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall
not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy
seed for ever."

Of the right use of sacraments it is taught, 1 Cor. xi. Mark
xvi. Luke xxiv. and Matt, xxviii. Those who teach people
to know the church by these signs, the traditions of men,
and the succession of bishops, teach wrong. Those two
false opinions have given unto the succession of bishops
power to interpret the scripture, and power to make such
laws in the church as it pleased them. There is no man
that has power to interpret the scripture. God, for the
preservation of his church, gives unto certain persons the
gift and knowledge to open the scripture : but that gift is
not a power bound to any order, or succession of bishops,
or title of dignity. The princes of the earth give always
such power of civil justice by succession ; as one is chief
justice for the time of his office to do every thing apper-
taining unto the same ; so his successor always has the
like.

God has given the civil magistrates power and autho-
rity to make such laws for the commonwealth, as shall be
agreeable with reason and not against God's law, and
likewise power to interpret the same laws. But this is
not to be admitted in the church, unto whom God hath
given the gospel, and interpreted the same by his only
Son, who taught the meaning and contents thereof himself.
To know God and his wrath against sin ; the greatness
of sin ; the justice* given in Christ; the fear of God;
the faith in his promises ; the persecution of his members ;
the aid and help of God in adversity ; the resurrection of
the dead ; where and what the true church is ; the doctrine
of everlasting life ; of the two natures in Christ ; of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost : these are the con-
tents of the law whereunto God has bound his church ;
and he has commanded her to hear his Son concerning the
interpretation of these points. And at the commandment
of Christ the apostles were sent to preach these verities in
the Spirit of God. It is therefore necessary to retain in
the church the doctrine given unto us by the apostles, and
to be the disciples of their doctrine, and not to feign in-
terpretations of our own heads contrary unto their doc-,
trine.

Such, as will be the members of this church, must be
* Righteousness.

72 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

disciples of the gospel, and learn, in fear and humbleness
of spirit, the articles of our religion, as they are taught
there, and not stand unto the judgment of any man, what-
soever he be, though he say truth. For his truth is
nothing, except the authority of God's word contain the
said truth.

It is a great confirmation of our faith when we see such
as were godly persons before us, interpret the scripture,
and use the sacraments as we do. As when the heresy
of Samosata troubled the christian brethren, by saying
" the Word," in John, " In the beginning was the Word,"
did not signify any person or divine substance, they were
confirmed by the testimony of Irenaus, who had heard
Polycarp, John the evangelist's disciple, interpret " the
Word," in the gospel, for the Son of God, the second per-
son in the Trinity. Though we are bound to hear the
church, that is, the true and faithful preachers of God's
word, as Polycarp and Irenaeus were in this case ; not-
withstanding, our faith is not grounded upon the authority
of the church, but in and upon the voice of the gospel.
We pray and invocate the Son of God, the second person
in the Trinity, because the scripture proves him to be God :
" The Word was God ;" also, " My Father worketh until
Bow, and I also work ;" " Without me ye can do nothing ;"
fikewise, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

The adversaries of truth defend many a false error under
the name of the holy church ; therefore, these treasons and
secret conspiracies must be taken heed of; and when the
church is named, we ought diligently to consider, when
the articles they would defend were accepted of the church,
by whom, and who was the author of them ; and not to
leave till the matter is brought unto the first original and
most perfect church of the apostles. If you find by their
writings that their church used the thing which the
preacher would prove, then accept it, or else not. Be not
amazed, though they speak of ever so many years, or
name ever so many doctors. Christ and his apostles are
grandfathers in age to their doctors and masters in learn-
ing. Repose thyself only on the church which they have
taught thee by the scripture. Fear neither the ordinary
power or succession of bishops, nor that of the greater part.
For if either the authority of bishops, or the greater pa/t,
should have power to interpret the scripture, the sentence
ot the pharisees should have been preferred before the

en. xi.] Of Christ as a King. ■ 73

sentence of Zacharias, Simeon, Elizabeth, or the blessed
virgin.

Consider, that many times the true church is but a small
congregation, as Isaiah saith : " Except God had left us a
seed, we had been as Sodom." Therefore the interpreta-
tion of the Scripture is not obligated* unto an ordinary
power, or "to the greatest number, as Noah, Abraham,
Moses, Samuel, David, and Christ's time testify.

Beware of deceit, when you hear the name of ' the
church.' The verity is then assaulted ; for they call the
church of the devil, the holy church many times. As
Korah and the rest of the people said unto Moses many
times, " Why have ye deceived the people of God, and
brought them out of Egypt ?" They were the church of
God nothing the more, though it was painted with this
holy title ; but the church of the devil and a congregation
of rebellious and seditious persons, as God declared both
by word and deed. Moses called them not the church of
God, but the church of Korah ; not the people of God,
but rebels and God's enemies, as God declared them to be
by his severely punishing them. So, many times, if the
most part had been preferred, then the truth had been
confounded, and Moses and Aaron put to death.

Remember, christian reader, that the gift of interpreta-
tion of the scripture is the light of the Holy Ghost given
unto the humble and penitent person that seeks it only to
honour God with ; and not unto that person who claims
it by title or place, because he is a bishop, or followed by
succession Peter or Paul. Examine their laws by the
scripture, and then shalt thou perceive, that they are the
enemies of Christ's church and the very church of Korah.
Remember, therefore, to examine all kinds of doctrine by
the word of God. For even such as preach it aright have
their infirmities and ignorance : they may depart from
the truth, or else build some superstition and false doctrine
upon the gospel of Christ. Superstition is to be avoided,
and false doctrine to be abhorred, whosoever is the author
thereof, prince, magistrate, or bishop: and the apostles
made answer, (Acts v.) " We must obey God, rather
than men."

The superior powers have authority, and may make
what laws they list for the wealth and preservation of their
subjects, so they repugn not the law of nature, nor the
* Limited, restrained.

HOOPER. E

74 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

law of God. But, as touching 1 the church of Christ which
governs the soul of man, only the law of God must be
obeyed ; the ceremonies ordained for good order to be
observed in the church should not be neglected, as the
assemblies of people on the Sabbath-day, and other feasts
wherein the word of God is preached, and the sacraments
rightly administered. But those ceremonies, that partly
superstition, partly avarice, partly tyranny, have brought
into the church, are to be eschewed ; as the saying of pri-
vate masses, blessing of water, holy bread, bell or candle,
with such-like. As for the praying unto dead saints, or
to have their images in the church, it is not a mere cere-
monial matter, but very plain and manifest idolatry, con-
trary to the express word of God, who forbids to make
any image. And he that prays unto God in the name of
any dead saint is a heathen, and knows not God ; for
he follows his own imagination, and not the word of God;
which teaches and commands that we should both know
and pray unto him in his Son's name. (John xiv.) The
neglect of thjs commandment deserves eternal pains.

Such as have a knowledge of Christ, from henceforth let
them give him his right honour, and leave this idolatry and
superstition, considering that with great pain he has won
the church out of the hands of the devil, defends it with
his Holy Spirit, and governs it with the laws of his only
word. And consider, whether these injuries, blasphemies,
troubles, unquietness, and destruction of God's people by
the laws of the bishops are to be permitted, though they
crj till they be hoarse again, " The holy church, the holy
church !" Were the like trouble in any realm among the
king's subjects, by the occasion and abuse of the king's
majesty's laws, (doubtless they could not show under the
king's seal their law to be of authority ;) they should, as
is right, soon be put to silence, and their adulterous laws
and sophistical glosses removed out of the way. This I
know, that Christ knew best all the histories of the old
law, was himself, when present, the teacher of all truth,
and most wise to provide for the church such laws as
should preserve it in his absence.

Now that we know what Christ and his office is in the
church of God, it is likewise necessary for every man that
is a member of this church to know what man is, and his
office towards Christ. For as God has bound himself by
his promise to be our God and helper for Christ, so hath

ch. xn.] Of what Man is, 75

he bound man by his commandment to be his servant, and
in his word to follow Christ, and in Christ God, for the
commandment's sake ; until such time as the end where-
fore man was made, be obtained ; which is eternal felicity,
and man restored and made like unto the image of God,
as he was at the beginning 1 , full of justice, obedience, and
love towards his Creator and Maker.

Studying brevity, and to be short, I will not write par-
ticularly of every member and the office thereof, wherewith
all the whole mass and substance of man is framed. That
I refer unto the learned physicians who write diligently of
the parts of man, and unto Lactantius. Neither what
man was, at the beginning, before he sinned ; full of godly
knowledge, always lauding the goodness of his Creator,
always obedient unto his will, always following the order
of reason, without any ill and contrary concupiscence or
other carnal resistance. To be short, man's nature had
been in all things like unto the law, and as perfect as the
law of the decalogue, or ten commandments, had not he
sinned : but what man is now, after his transgression, the
christian reader shall be advertised.

CHAPTER XII.

Of what Man is.

Man, fallen from his first dignity and original perfection,
is now the creature that fighteth with the law of God ; is
full of darkness, ignorance, and the contempt of God ;
without obedience, fear, and love of God ; oppressed and
subject unto all calamities, and wilful concupiscence, both
of body and soul.

Man is the enemy of God, (Rom. viii.) the image of
the devil, the library of lies, the friend of the devil, right
heir of eternal death, and the child of damnation. (Eph. ii.)
We are murderers by the means of sin, not only of our-
selves, but also of the Son of God, who never sinned.
And yet, not understanding this our woeful case and con-
dition, we neglect both God and his law, and feel not our
infirmities and sickness — the more is our health to be
despaired of!

He that labours under a dangerous disease, and yet
e 2

76 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

feels not the grief thereof, will never find the remedy, nor
have the ill removed. We see this to be true by natural
reason. Of all diseases frenzy is the most dangerous, yet
the patient feels it not, nor can show where or how this
woeful and miserable disease molests him ; therefore very
seldom or never are such persons cured and made whole.
Seeing the next way unto health is the knowledge of the
disease, and man is in himself sick and infected with more
diseases a thousand fold than I have rehearsed, it is not
without cause that I say, that to know what man is, is
very necessary ; although it seem not so unto such as are
drunk with the pleasures of the world, and never think
from the bottom of their heart to return unto repentance.
If the scripture of God and the writings of learned men
cannot persuade them what the wrath of God is against
sin, I know well my labours will little avail. Yet every
disciple of Christ is bound to seek the glory of God and
salvation of his neighbour, and to commit the success
unto God,

It j s very difficult and hard for man to know himself ; the
only way thereunto is to examine and open himself before
God by the light of the scripture : and he, that beholds
himself well in that mirror and glass, will find such a de-
formity and disgraced physiognomy, that he will abhor his
own proportion so horribly disfigured. Let man seek no
further than the first commandment, (Exod. xx. Deut. vi.)
" Thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thy heart, with
all thy mind, with all thy power, and thy neighbour as
thyself," then shall man perceive his wretchedness; how
that many times he loves nothing less than God or his
neighbour ; and perceive that he is the friend of the devil
and of the world, and a contemner of God.

This way St. James teaches man to know himself:
" Whoso looketh in the law of liberty," &c. St. James
uses this word, " law," which in the Hebrew phrase sig-
nifies a doctrine that teaches, instructs, and leads a man
as well unto the knowledge pf himself as of God.

So St. Paul disputes by admirable enallages* and proso-
popceias.t in the seventh chapter of Romans. " By the
law cometh the knowledge of sin ;" he calls the law the
power and force of sin. (1 Cor. xv,) Only the law declares

* A figure in grammar, whereby some change is made of the com-
mon modes of speech.
t A fiiure, by which things are made persons.

ch. xii.] Of what Man is. 77

how great an ill sin is; and the man that beholds the will
of God in the law, will find himself and all his life guilty
of eternal death. Read the seventh chapter to the Romans
with judgment, and then know what man is, how miserably
spoiled of virtue and oppressed with sin. So Paul learned
to know himself; and knew not what sin was, till the law
had made him afraid, and showed him that he, being a
pharisee, was, with all his holiness, condemned. " Sin,
taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and
by it slew me." (Rom. vii.) And in the same chapter he
:shows plainly what he saw in the glass and contemplation
of the law, that sin was manifested thereby, and the
greatness thereof known. " But sin, that it might appear
sin, working death in me by that which is good ; that sin
by the commandment might become exceeding sinful."
Mark the travice* and play between the law of God and
the conscience of Paul, and see how he gives thanks
.unto his master the law, and proclaims it to be a spiritual
and holy thing, as a light or torch, to show man his filthy
and stinking nature ; saying, " The law is spiritual ; but
I am carnal, sold under sin ;" a bondman of sin and traitor
to God.

Here thou seest, good reader, what a miserable wretch
man is ; and how man may know his misery by the law.
Howbeit, though we read it many times, we are neither
the wiser, nor the better. We are not taught much by
this mistress the law ; she cannot make us good scholars.
We dally and play so with the world, we live in such
security and ease, that, say she what she list, we turn the
deaf ear and will not hear.

Therefore, to make man know himself, God sendeth
another mistress to school him, namely, adversity : then
we begin to understand the law of God, that dissuades
from sin, and we then know our misery. As David cries,
that he is not able to bear the burden of sin, if the Lord
execute justice, as the greatness thereof merits : " If thou,
Lord, shouldest be extreme to mark what we have done
amiss, who may abide . it T (Ps. cxxx.) David, when he
felt the pains of his adultery, the death of his child, the
conspiracy of Absalom, the vitiating of his wives, exile
and banishment, and such other calamities ; in this school
of. misery learned this verse, " Who can sustain the wrath

* Opposition, as hi fencing.

78 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

of God ?" Now, though these temporal pains be more
than man can support, they are but sport and dalliance in
respect of the eternal pains. Howbeit, man may learn by
them how much God is displeased with sin, and know
himself to be, as he is, a vile piece of earth with all his
pride and pomp, and a rebel unto his Maker, as no creature
else is, saving the devil and he.

This inward and secret ill, rebellion of the heart, blind-
ness of the intention, and frowardness of will, is daily
augmented by the malice of the devil, and our own negli-
gence, that regards not what the law teaches that God
requires of man. Because the gospel teaches, that we are
only saved by the mercy of God for the merits of Christ,
our gospellers have set all at liberty, and care not at all
about such a life as should and ought to follow every
justified man and disciple of Christ. It is no marvel, for
there is no discipline and punishment for sin ; and where-
soever the gospel is preached and this correction not used,
as well against the highest as the lowest, there shall never
be a godly church.

As a king's army, though their hearts are ever so good,
cannot resist the force of his enemies without weapons
and artillery necessary for men of war ; no more can the
king's majesty, the magistrates, and preachers, preserve
the church against the devil and sin, without the excom-
munication of such as openly offend the divine majesty of
God and his word. For, by this means, the sinner is
taught by the scripture to know himself: (1 Cor. v.) " In
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered
together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to deliver such an one unto satan for the destruc-
tion of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of
the Lord Jesus." God would not only the faithful, but also
that the unbelievers should be kept in order by the disci-
pline of the law, as Paul saith, " The law is given for the
unrighteous ;" likewise Deut. xix, " Thou shalt put the
evil away from among you. And these which remain
shall hear, and fear ; thine eye shall not pity him."

This political and civil use of the law teaches man to
know his faults : and this discipline of the law, exterior
and civil, is necessary for man for divers causes : first, to
declare our obedience unto God ; then, to avoid the
punishment that always God, or else the magistrate,
punishes the transgression with ; thirdly, because of public

ch. xii. J Of what Man it- 79

peace in every commonwealth, that one man should not do
injuries to another, either in body or in goods.

There is yet another cause why this discipline of the
law is necessary, which few men regard. Paul saith, that
it is a schoolmistress unto Christ ; because such as leave
not off to sin, and to do the thing which is contrary unto
the express word of God, to those Christ is not profitable.
This use teaches Paul : (I Cor. vi.) " Fornicators, idola-
ters, adulterers, &c. shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
And so saith John, " Whosoever sinneth is of the devil."
He that knows himself must refrain from doing of ill ;
hear the gospel, and learn the gospel, that the Spirit of
God may be efficacious in him : which cannot be as long
as he hath a purpose to continue doing of ill. Ezekiel
speaks of this civil and politic use of the law ; and likewise
of the second use thereof, which is, as I said before, to
show man his sin, to accuse man before- God, to alarm
him, and to condemn man plainly : (chap, xxxiii.) " I
will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should
be converted and live." These words declare that as God
would not the death of a sinner, so he requires the sinner
to cease from doing of ill, and to be converted unto
Virtue.

As for the second use of the law, which is to declare
what sin is, I showed before that it manifests the great-
ness and vileness thereof; as Paul writes, it condemns
sin, and delivers not from sin. " By the law (saith he) is
the knowledge of sin. The law worketh wrath ; through
the law sin is made exceedingly sinful.'' (Rom. vii.)
" The sting of death is sin : but the strength of sin is the
law." (1 Cor. xv.) In men that are addicted unto the
pleasures of this world, the law has not this use, say the
preacher what he list. Let the word of God threaten
eternal death for sin, it avails not. He thinks that God is
asleep, and will, at last, be satisfied with some trifle as an
offering for sin. We shall find the contrary to our great
pain, as others have before our time, that would not be-
lieve the word till they felt the vengeance and punish-
ment of God, as Cain, the world drowned with the
flood, the burning of Sodom and others. It is a great
and horrible offence to hide or extenuate the judgments of
God against sin, and the voice of the law that condemns
the same. God willeth his pleasure to be known openly •
(Jer. i.) " Lo ! I have put my words in thy mouth •

80 Hooper, — Declaration of Christ

behold I have set thee over nations, that thou mayest root
out and destroy."

This use and office of the law none. feel nor perceive so
well as such as are God's friends, Adam, Abraham, Jacob;
David, Hezekiah, &c. David said that the fear of God's
displeasure and wrath was no less pain unto him than
though a fierce lion had rent and dismembered his body
in pieces, " as a lion hath broken all my bones." (Ps. xxii.)
So saith Paul, " O wretched man that I am, who shall-
deliver me from the body of this death ?" He before said,
" Once I lived without the law,'' that is, " I was secure,
not feeling the wrath of God ;'' but now, being converted
from a pharisee to be an apostle, and brought to a know-
ledge of himself, he confesses his imbecility and faults,
and says, " I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there
dwelleth no good thing." Yet Paul confesses, that the
law makes us not afraid to be damned because we cannot
satisfy it, but that we should come to Christ with these
comfortable words : " He hath concluded all under sin,
that he might have mercy upon all :" a great consolation
for every troubled conscience !

Thus man may know himself to be, as he is, a very
wretched and damnable creature, were it not for the virtue
of Christ's death.

CHAPTER XIII.
The Office (or Duty) of a justified Man.

What the office of a justified man is Paul declares,
(Tit. ii.) " The grace of God which bringeth salvation,
hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying, un-
godliness and fleshly lusts, we should live soberly, righ-
teously, and godly in this present world." By these words
Paul forbids all impiety and dishonest life, and shows
man that is justified, what he should do : not to live after
the concupiscence of the flesh, but soberly: not unjustly
and doing wrong unto others, but rather to profit and do
well unto all men. It suffices not man justly to keep his
goods ; but he is bound justly to dispense his goods unto
others, whether they are of the body or of the mind, reli-
giously and not superstitiously. A notable word " godly,"

ch. xiii.] The Duty of a justified Man. SI

as the word of God teaches, and not as man's laws, con-
trary unto God's law, teach. " Waiting for the blessed
hope," &c, he stirs up men to live well, and takes his
reason from the profit and advantage that follows a godly-
life, which is immortal life at the coming of Christ to
judgment.

Likewise he proves it with another argument : "The
Son of God gave neither gold nor silver for our purgation,
but his own body and precious blood." It is, therefore,
an unworthy thing, and not becoming a christian man,
who, by faith, hath received this cleansing, to live a vicious
and ungodly life. But we should be a holy people and
followers of good works. It is not sufficient to work well,
except the justified man with a godly zeal and ardent de-
sire follow this good work begun. Therefore Paul saith,
" It is a good thing to be zealously affected in a good
thing," and not only a performer of good works. Whereby
we know, that although we are delivered from the maledic-
tion, curse, and damnation of the law, so that we retain
a true faith, and with confidence in Christ repugn sin and
overcome the terrors thereof; yet are we bound to the
obedience of the law, which is God's will to keep us from
living ill. And the more the justified man beholds the
law, the more the knowledge of sin increases — the more
he beholds the mercy of God in Christ, the more is his
faith increased.

The law is also necessary for the justified man, to teach
him with what works he should exercise his faith and obe-
dience unto God. We may not choose works of our own
wisdom to serve him withal ; but he would have us to be
governed by his word, as David saith, " Thy word is a
light to my feet." Also, " In vain they worship me, fol-
lowing the traditions of men." The wisdom of man, not
governed by the word of God, soon errs ; it is carried for
the most part, with affections, and chooses the works that
are contrary to the law of God : therefore, this is true,
that the ordinance of God still remains immutable in the
justified man, that he must obey the law and serve in his
vocation according to the scripture ; that the exterior facts
may bear testimony to the inward reconciliation.

The scripture is more diligent and more ample in teach-
ing the christian justified man obedience unto God and a
virtuous life, than it is to show us our salvation in Christ;
and that it is for this purpose only — that we should not by

e 3

82 Hooper. — Declaration of Christ.

our licentious liberty, receive the grace of God in vain.
It is more easy for man to know the gospel, than to follow
the life of the gospel. Another may preach Christ, but
the hearer must follow Christ. The science of the scripr
ture is practical and not speculative ; it requires a doer,
and not a speaker only.

There are many who dissemble faith, and have a cer-
tain show of religion, when indeed, in their inward man,
there is no faith at all. Let every man, therefore, search
his own conscience, with what faith he is endued, and
remember that Christ said, " It is a strait way and narrow
that leadeth to life, (Matt, vii.) and but few that walk
therein." Therefore our only remedy isj to pray for grace
and amend,

Printed in Zurich by Augustine Fries.
a.d. 1547.

AN

OVERSIGHT AND DELIBERATION

THE HOLY PROPHET JONAH;

MADE AND UTTERED BEFORE THE KINO'S MAJESTY, AND HIS
MOST HONOURABLE COUNCIL,

BY JOHN HOOPER,

IN LENT LAST PAST :

COMPREHENDED IN SEVEN SERMONS,
A.n. 1550.

Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. Luke xiii.

THE EPISTLE.

To the most puissant prince and our most redoubted
sovereign lord, Edward the Sixth, by the grace of God,
king of England, France and , Ireland, defender of the
Faith, and in earth next and immediately under God, of
the churches of England and Ireland, the supreme head.
And also unto the most wise, godly, and most honourable
lords of his highness' privy council ; his most humble,
loving, and obedient subject John Hooper, elect and sworn
bishop of Gloucester, wishes all grace and peace from
God, with a long, and most godly and prosperous reign
over us, in all honour, health, and perpetual felicity.

Among all other most noble and famous deeds of kings
and princes, none is more godly, commendable, and profit-
able to the commonwealth, than to promote and set
forth unto their subjects the pure and sincere religion of
the eternal God, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords.
Then shall justice, peace, and concord reign, the door of
idolatry be shut up, by which all evil has entered, and
kings and kingdoms have fallen into jeopardy, as the
writings of the prophets do testify. But the more this
noble deed is glorious, godly and princely, the more diffi-
cult and hard it is ; for the devil, the enemy of God
and of all mankind, is wont to deceive the princes of the
world, so that either they utterly neglect the religion of
the true God, as a thing foolish and of no estimation, or
to provoke them cruelly to persecute it. If he can bring
neither the one, nor the other of these to pass ; he will do
the best he can to preserve a mixed and mingled religion,
that shall neither plainly be against, nor wholly with him ;
and so use the matter that partly God's truth shall take
place, and partly the superstitious inventions of man. The
which mingled and mixed religion is so much the more
dangerous as it is accounted for pure and good ; there-
fore it is earnestly forbidden by God, as the examples of
the scripture declare. Jehu the king of the Israelites
when he had removed all gross and open idolatry ; and

86 Hooper. — Sermons on Jonah.

with the sword had taken away all the idolatrous priests,
2 Kings x., is reproved of God nevertheless, because he
walked not in the law of God with all his heart, and left
not the ways of Jeroboam. And against these minglers
and patchers of religion, Elijah the prophet speaks, 1
Kings xviii. " How long will ye halt on both sides. If
the Lord be God follow him, if Baal, go ye after him."
Even so we may justly say: If the priesthood and ministry
of Christ with his notes and marks are true, holy, and
absolutely perfect, receive it — in case it be not, follow the
pope. Christ cannot abide to have the leaven of the pha-
risees mingled with his sweet flour. He would have us
either hot or cold ; the lukewarm he vomiteth up, and not
without a cause.

For he accuses God of ignorance and foolishness, who
intends to adorn his doctrine and decrees with human co-
gitations. What king or prince of the world would suffer
his statutes, laws and testament to be cut off and set on,
at every man's liberty and pleasure ? Should not the same
glory, honour and majesty be given to the laws and testa-
ment of Christ which is sealed with his precious blood ?
The word of God, wherewith he governs and rules his
church is a sceptre of iron, (Psal. ii.) and not a rod of
willow, to be bowed with every man's finger, or a reed to
be broken at man's will ; no, nor yet a piece of lea-
ther to be stretched and reached out with any man's
teeth.

These things are spoken by me, most gracious and vir-
tuous king, to commend your majesty's, and your most
honourable council's doings, who seek the glory of God
and the restitution of his holy and apostolical' church.
The which, as your highness, and your most honourable
and wise council, have graciously begun, may God's
mercy, in the bowels of Christ Jesus, grant you most gra-
ciously to perform. The people of England were oppres-
sed 'with the violence and cruel tyranny of antichrist;
darkness and ignorance occupied the minds of most men,
so that few knew the true way to eternal salvation. And
yet many princes and wise men delight and tarry in this
darkness, and cannot or will not, bear or suffer the radiant
and shining beams of the gospel, more than the night crow
can the beams of the sun ; but the merciful Father of
heaven shall better their sight when his good and merciful
pleasure is. But the Lord be praised, your majesty, your

The Epistle Dedicatory. &t

most honourable and wise council, have not cared what
the greatest part, but what the better part doth, that the
law of the high and mighty God may be known to your
highness's people ; as did David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah,
and Josiah. And in your majesty's so doing, you bind
not only the true and living members of Christ to give
God thanks in this behalf, but also declare yourself to be
the very favourer, nurse, and helper of the word of God,
according to the saying of Isaiah, ch. x. Persevere, gra-
cious, king, in this quarrel and dangerous enterprise. Your
highness shall not need to fear either the strength or cau-
telles* of your enemies, for there is no wit, wisdom, or
counsel against the Lord, as Solomon saith, Proverbs xxi.
No, although they had silver as the gravel of the sea, and
gold as common as the clay of the streets. (Zech. ix.)
For although the horse is prepared for the day of battle,
yet the victory cometh from the Lord. (Proverbs xxi.)
" I am he," saith the Lord, " that comforteth you, what
art thou that fearest mortal man, either the son of man,
that shall be made as hay ; canst thou-forget the Lord thy
Maker, that stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the
foundation of the earth?'' (Isaiah li.) Let not these dia-
bolical sounds and speakings of evil men trouble your high-
ness, nor your wise and godly counsellors, though they
say " As long as the king is in his tender age, his council
should do nothing in matters of religion." For those
men's foolishness, or rather I should say' their malice, is
condemned by the word of God, which teaches how a king
in his young age, with his wise and godly council, should
abolish idolatry, and set forth the true and godly religion of
the living God. Thus declares the notable and godly
deed of Josiah, who followed the religion of his father,
not Amon the idolater, but of David, declining not to the
right hand, neither to the left hand : and destroyed not
only the images of his father, but also those of Jeroboam
and of Solomon. 2 Kings xxii. xxiii. This fruit of Josiah,
his godly counsellors and virtuous priests helped. Even so
Joash, being but a child, was helped by his counsellors in
the like proceedings and reformation of religion. In case
the princes, bishops, and priests, had not known it to be
the commandment of God to have obeyed these two young
and godly kings, they would not have consented unto his
proceedings.

* Deceits.

88 Hooper. — Sermons on Jonah.

But we see how glad they were to do it. The princes
and counsellors moved no sedition ; the bishops and the
priests sought not for the defence of their own doctrine,
nor to mingle theirs with God's, but were content with
the sole and only law of God ; — ye noble princes and coun-
sellors, praise be unto the living God for your great wisdom
and godly assistance in this behalf. And the Lord be
magnified in all the godly and learned bishops and others
of this realm, that have and do put to their helps and stu-
dies to bring the church of Christ to her old, and reverend
perfection again ; and all others that hinder your Majesty's
godly purpose, whether openly or secretly, God will doubt-
less punish at length.

The godly and virtuous beginnings, most noble prince,
of your father the king's majesty, Henry the eighth of
blessed memory, shall by your highness be ended in a godly
manner, in Him that can and will do all things for Christ
his dear Son's sake. And a thousand times the rather
shall your majesty restore again the true ministry of the
church, in case you remove and take away all the monu-
ments, tokens and leavings of papistry ; for as long as
any of them remain, there remains also an occasion of re-
lapse unto the abolished superstition of antichrist. As I
see in the writings of the prophets, that God requires the
observation of his law only, concerning religion ; and
threatens all princes, priests and prophets, with his displea-
sure, who neglect or contaminate it with their own cogita-
tions ; I can do no less, howsoever the world shall take my
doings, than exhort and pray the magistrates to bring the
church to her first perfection ; for if I should study to
please man herein, I were not the servant of God. And
I am afraid lest the disease that infected the pharisees, in-
fect also many, now-a-days, who minister in the chureh,
unto whom Christ spake, John v. " How can ye believe
that seek glory one of another, and the glory of God ye
contemn." God give grace, that I may not say, Hence
will arise consequences much to be deplored. Help there-
fore, O ye bishops and priests, the proceedings of the king's
majesty and his noble council, that all things may be
brought to a perfect and apostolical reformation. It is
not enough to lay the foundation of the temple, but there
must be builded upon it gold, silver, and precious stones.
But in any case we must take heed we lay no straw nor
stubble upon the foundation, if we do, it wili be burned.

The Epistle Dedicatory. 89

(1 Cor. iii.) If we do not build upon the foundation,
then shall we be shent* as the Israelites were. (Haggai i.)

Let no man excuse himself upon account of the king's
majesty's age, for age cannot excuse the king's majesty
himself. If his religion in his youth be according to
God's word, he has the favour and promises of God to
bless, preserve and keep his majesty and his realm, though
the devil and his members would say nay. If in youth his
majesty take a wrong religion, he shall be assured of God's
displeasure, as it is to be seen 2 Kings xxi. Manasseh,
being twelve years old, was crowned king, and in his
youth again established the idolatry that his father Heze-
kiah had abolished, and by his so doing heinously dis-
pleased the majesty of God, and at length was sorely
afflicted and punished for so doing. Behold the dis-
pleasure of God to a young king for a false religion.
Jehoiachin, who was crowned in the eighth year of his age,
for the evil he did in the sight of the Lord, was taken pri-
soner by the king of Babylon, (2 Chron. xxxvi.) with all
the goodly vessels of the Lord.t This king reigned but
three months and ten days, before the Lord punished the
false doctrine he maintained.

These examples I doubt not, most godly king and vir-
tuous counsellors, move you to be careful of the true reli-
gion. The Lord hath strength and power enough, seek
ye him, and give no place to the infirm persuasions of the
flesh, for the Lord shall be with you.

Such as think peace and quietness shall come to the
realm a better way than by the true religion, shall know
the contrary : see the prophet Jeremiah, chap. vi. Which
chapter, if the king's majesty bear in mind and follow, it
is worth a king's revenue : if a lord, the value of his
lands : if a bishop, the estimation . of his bishopric : if a
merchant, the gains of his labour : if a husbandman, his
oxen and plough. And the same God commanded,
" Observe my statutes and my judgments, then shall ye
dwell safely in the earth : and the earth shall bring forth
her fruit ; ye shall eat and be satisfied, and dwell in the
earth without fear." (Levit. xxv.) It is a foolish opinion,
most gracious king, and unfit for a christian man to urge
to the magistrates of God, that in case the doctrine of
Christ and his holy sacraments should not be decked and

* Blamed, disgraced.

t He was probably eighteen years of age. See 2 Kings xxiy. 8.

90 Hooper. — Sermons on Jonah.

set forth with these plausible and well liking ceremonies,
(that is, to speak plainly, with papistical superstition,)
sedition and tumults were to be feared. Doubtless if the
pope's members would not deceive the people, but teach
them God's word, the people would soon see the truth, and
willingly leave as much as God and their king should
command them, as the deeds and acts of Josiah and Joash
declare.

Most gracious king and noble counsellors, as you
Have taken away the mass from the people so take from
them its feathers also, the altar, vestments, and such like
as have apparelled her;* and let the holy communion be
decked with the holy ceremonies with which the high and
wise priest Christ, decked and apparelled it first of all.
And from whence, mighty prince and sovereign lord,
spring war and sedition ? Come they not only from God
being angry for the neglecting of his law ? So we are
taught by Isaiah (chap. 1.) ; and Jeremiah (chap, ix.)
says, " Who is wise and understandeth this, and he unto
whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken and declareth,
wherefore the earth perisheth, and is like unto the burned
wilderness, that no man may pass by it. And the Lord
said, Because th'ey have forsaken my law which I put unto
them, and heard not my ways, and walked not therein,
but followed the desires of their own hearts, and after
Baalim, as they were taught by their fathers." And because
we mingle men's inventions with his law; for he saith
" Men worship him in vain with the precepts of men."
(Matt, xv.) And the Lord declares other causes of war
and sedition in the ninth of Jeremiah'; — the forsaking
of his law, not hearkening unto his voice, nor walking in
his ways, going after the pravity, and evilness of our own
hearts ; and, 1 Cor. xi. in the vitiating and abuse of the
Lord's Supper; also the neglecting of widows' and orphans'
causes, and not judging right judgment to the poor.
(Jerem. v.) These causes must be avoided, or else truly
the saying of Jeremiah will take place, (chap, vii.) " You
trust in yourselves and in lies that profit nothing." The next
way to turn the hand of God's anger and great displeasure
against us, is to follow Jehoshaphat, the king, that appointed
good juages and godly priests in every city. The judges
to judge after the true laws of the realm, and the priests
to do all things in the church according to the word of

* The Romish vestments and ceremonies used at the mass.

The Epistle Dedicatory. 91

God, which teaches such knowledge and fear of God, and
of the magistrates, that all the wisdom, laws, and books
that ever were made, are but counterfeit and foolish in
respect of it. Moreover, no king upon the earth has such
a friend as is the holy Bible ; for it teaches the people and
subjects of the realm the fear of God, obedience to the
king's majesty and his magistrates, and all mutual and
fraternal love. If this example and counsel of Jehosha-
phat be neglected, there can be no godliness among the
people, as the text sailh, " When prophesy wanteth, the
people shall be dissipated and scattered abroad." (Pro-
verbs xxix.)

All men should be exhorted to the doing of these godly
offices, especially such as bear the name of bishops and
priests. If they will not be desirous and glad to have,
and to help the ministry of the church to the primitive and
perfect estate again, the Lord proclaims vengeance to-
wards them, and will not only require the loss of them-
selves, but also of all the people at their hands. (Ezek. iii.
xxxiii.) Let them remember the complaint of God him-
self; (Jerem. 1.) " My people hath been a lost flock,
my shepherds have deceived them, and have made them
go astray upon the hills." If these threateirfngs will not
amend them, then, gracious king, and you, my honourable
lords of his high council, must do with them as the mari-
ners did with Jonah. What that is, seeing it pleased the
king's majesty and you, my lords of his most honourable
council, in the Lent, to hear by me, I have now, at the
request of many godly persons, caused it to come abroad ;
and dedicate the same to your princely majesty and most
prudent council, that your highness may be both judge
and record of my doctrine unto your majesty's true and
loving subjects. The which doctrine is catholic and godly
in all things, nothing differing, but agreeing with the pro-
phets and the apostles, as I am, according to my bounden
duty, ready at all times to make answer, if anything shall
be attempted to the contrary. In case there be now and
then added a word more or less, or, peradventure, some
sentence, yet I know well that the matter is not changed
nor altered, otherwise than I spake it before your majesty ;
for I have memorials wherein I had written the invention,
order, and disposition of all the matters I would treat
upon, as I use, and ever will do, of all things I speak in
God's behalf to the people. I write myself, or cause

92 Hooper. — Sermons on Jonah.

another to write, the path and disposition of all things I
speak upon, that I may as well learn a farther know-
ledge myself thereby, as make answer to mine enemies,
if any should accuse me of false doctrine. The God
of all strength and consolation govern your majesty
and your most honourable council with his Holy Spirit,
and give you the victory over all your enemies. Amen.

Anno MDL., September vi. Since the angel of God
slew, in the army of Sennacherib, God's enemy, a hun-
dred thousand and fourscore and five thousand men.
Anno MMCCLXXXVIII.*

* The Reformers sometimes dated their letters and other publi-
cations from remarkable events and particular eras. — See Melanc-
thon's Letters in particular.

THE

FIRST SERMON,

Made the \§th day of March, 1550, before the king's
majesty and his most honourable council, by John
Hooper, preacher, upon the holy prophet Jonah.

A Preface unto the Prophet.

It is the office and duty of every good child, that stu-
diously labours to obey and follow his father's command-
ments before all things, to know perfectly the nature and
conditions of his father's will. Whereof if he be ignorant,
many times in the same things he judges best of, he
most offends, and the things most pleasant and acceptable
unto his father, he avoids and refuses as things most
displeasant and unacceptable. Even so we, that are sub-
jects and children of God the Father Almighty, can do
nothing gratefully and acceptably unto his Majesty, except
we first know his good will and pleasure towards us. For
else we shall therein most offend him, where we intend
most to please him ; and again, shall perhaps deem, as per-
nicious and heretical, what his wisdom approves to be most
godly and profitable. Wherefore, the first point of a loving
child is to know what pleases and what displeases, what
contents and what discontents his father, lest he should,
by ignorance, displease where his sonlike affection, by
natural zeal, desires to please. And it is the second point
of a good child, his father's will once being truly known,
diligently to observe and keep the same, lest he should, by
negligence or contempt, seem wilfully to contemn the
thing he hath, with diligence and study, obediently sub-
mitted himself unto. And in case (as such cases are most
common and daily) infirmities, or other occasions, lead the
son from the obedience of his father, the third point of his
duty is, speedily to acknowledge his offence, and desire
pardon and mercy for his transgression ; as the prodigal

94 Hooper. — Sermons.

and disobedient son did ; (Luke xv.) and David ;
(2 Samuel xii.) and so, after remission and pardon ob-
tained, let him be more circumspect and wise how he fall
and transgress again. (Psal. li.)

These propositions and sentences are so true that no
reasonable man can doubt of them. But as the devil has
left in the world no truth or verity, which, by argument
and question he has not called into doubt; so in this
case he troubles the minds of men with two questions.
The first is, How and from whence the will of God may
be known ? The second, What the will of God is ? So
has he prevailed among men by sin, that the truth of
these questions is unknown to the greatest part of the
world, as it was in Moses' time, Christ's time, and now in
our time, which is more ignorant and far from God than
they. He persuaded men in those days that the will of
•God was known, not from heaven, nor out of the canonical
scripture, as the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles taught,
but that it was known by the writings, decrees, and sta-
tutes of men, who were in the earth, and that the will of
God was to do what man commands, and not what God
commanded.

But as almighty God left not his church then, without
some that should keep the truth of both these questions
among the people, to preserve them from the danger that
must needs follow when truth is not known ; so has he
done now at this present time : and by the same autho-
rity as the devil, the author and father of all questions
and lies, was confounded then, so is he now. Moses
instructing the people in the truth of the first question,
whence the will of God should be known, commanded
them neither to look for it in Egypt nor elsewhere, but in
the word of God, (Deut. xxx.) and St. Paul does the
same, (Rom. x.) and St. John saith, " No man hath seen
the Father, but the Son, and he unto whom the Son
hath opened the Father. (John i.) God, therefore, and
his blessed will, is known unto us, because he has spoken
unto us by his dearly beloved Son, (Heb. i.) as he spake
beforetime unto the world by his prophets. From Christ,
therefore, and his word comes the knowledge of God's
will ; for the Father bade us hear him. (Matt. iii. xvii.
John x.) Now as to what his will is, the truth also ap-
pears out of the book of God, and out of no other man's
writings. (Mark i.) His will to the world is this, " Do

First Sermon on Jonah. 95

penance,* and believe the gospel ;" that is to say, let
every man bewail and repent him of his sins, and desire
the remission and pardon thereof for Christ's sake, for
whom, as the gospel showeth, our sins shall be forgiven.
(John i. iii. iv. v. vi. Mat. xi. Rom. v. Eph. i.)

This doctrine, since the fall of man, has been always
taught in the catholic church of Christ unto all nations,
as the writings of the prophets and apostles testify: in
which is fully and abundantly contained all truth and
verity, and which are left here for our doctririef and con-
solation. (Rom. xv.) Among which is also contained, as
a most faithful witness of all truth and verity, this holy
prophet Jonah, who was sent by God to the city of Nine-
veh to preach unto them God's pleasure, and amendment
of life, or else within forty days both they and the city
should be destroyed.

This prophet have I undertaken to interpret for two
causes. The one is to declare unto the king's majesty,
and his most honourable council, that the doctrine we
preach unto his majesty's subjects is one and the same
with that of the prophets and apostles ; and that it is as
old as the doctrine of them both, and not as new as these
papists, and new learned men of papistry, would assert
to the people. The second cause is, to declare which
way the sinful world may be reconciled unto God. And
for the better understanding of the prophet, I will divide
him into four parts. The first contains, into what danger
Jonah fell by disobeying God's commandment. The seoond
part contains, how Jonah expressed himself in the fish's
belly. The third part contains, the amendment and con-
version of the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah. The
fourth part contains, an objurgationj and rebuke of God,
because Jonah lamented the salvation of the people and
city.

The First Part.

The first part is divided into three : the one contains
the embassage and mission of Jonah unto Nineveh. The
second contains Jonah's disobedience. The third contains
the pain and punishment of Jonah's disobedience.

The embassage is described with these words : — The

* " Do penance" is often used by the Reformers as meaning
" Repent." It was so translated in the early editions of the English
bible.

t Instruction. t Upbraiding.

96 Hooper. — Sermons.

word of the Lord came unto Jonah, the son of Amittai,
saying; Arise, and get thee to Nineveh, that great city,
and cry out against it ; for their wickedness is come up
before me.

The reader or teacher of any prophet, or other part of the
scripture, shall have much help by knowing of what place,
under what king, and in what state of the commonwealth,
the prophet lived whom he purposes to interpret : all these
things, as touching Jonah, are declared in the second book
of Kings, chap. xiv. He lived in Samaria, under an
idolatrous king, Jeroboam, the son of Joash, a detestable
idolater ; and in Judah, at that time, reigned king Amaziah :
and Jonah laboured in the ministry of God's word at the
same time as Amos, Hosea, and Joel, the true prophets of
God. The state and condition of the commonwealth was
troublous and very unquiet, because the Israelites, for their
idolatry in following the learning invented by man, and
leaving the word of God, had been punished by God with
many great and cruel wars ; yet, according to his accus-
tomed pity and compassion upon those that he punishes,
to remove the occasion that caused his wrath and dis-
pleasure, God sent them, divers times, his holy prophets,
who called them from their idolatry and corrupt living, as
Elijah, Elisha, and this prophet Jonah; but all in vain.
They would be naughty idolaters and vicious livers con-
tinually, in despite of God's power, and would, as we,
now-a-days, for the most part do, rather give faith unto the
prophets of men and liars than unto the prophets of God,
who are true men. But their reward was, as ours shall
be, except we amend, utter destruction and loss, both of
themselves and their commonwealth.

The commonwealth and state of Israel and Judah being
thus troublously afflicted, the commandment of God came
unto Jonah, that he should go to the great city of Nineveh,
as the text saith. In which words note, first, that no man
can or may teach the word of God truly, unless he be
called ordinarily, or extraordinarily — ordinarily, where there
is no corruption of the ministry in the church, neither in
doctrine, nor in the right ministration of the sacraments,
which are as seals and conclusions of God's holy words.
Where this integrity, I say, remains in the church no man
ought, without the appointment of the higher powers, to
intrude or appoint himself to preach or minister, even as it
was in Moses' time find the apostles'. Extraordinarily,

First Sermon on Jonah. 97

is, when any man is called immediately by God, where
the ministry of the church is corrupted as it was in the
time of the prophets and of Christ, when it called to
minister such as were of the common face and greatest
multitude of the world ; and would not admit, no not
the high bishop Christ, and those that then were called the
holy church., as is to be seen by Amos, Jonah, Jeremiah,
Moses, and Paul, with others. They are to be rebuked,
therefore, that intrude and put themselves, without lawful
calling, either with money or entreaty, and by them-
selves, into the ministry of the church ; which, among
papistry, is a common practice, and daily practised.
For if they sought n6t of their bishoprics, riches, and
honour more than the necessary travails and labours that
are annexed unto the vocation, they would not strive so
eagerly who might leap up first into the bishop's and par-
son's vocation. There would not so many princes contend
and labour for the seat of Rome, the nest of abomination,
if there were not in it rather the patrimony of Judas and
Simon Magus, than the labours of Christ and Peter —
more ease than pain, more riches than burden. The tex'
saith, that this prophet being called by God, was sent to
Nineveh. Of this city's original read the tenth chapter of
Genesis. It was the chief city of the Assyrians, to which
Jonah was sent ; and the reason was, if the head city of a
realm be well instructed, there is better hope of all the rest.
Therefore, God has used, from the beginning of common-
wealths, to be merciful unto the greatest cities, and hath
sent most preachers of the truth to them, as is to be seen in
these days what God hath showed to London. And as he
offers them first the tokens of his mercy, so he first punishes
their unkindness with his punishment, if they neglect and
contemn the grace offered.

It is to be noted that this city of Nineveh was idola-
trous, and a Gentile city ; never under the discipline and
doctrine of Moses. Yet unto it the Lord sent his prophet,
to declare unto the Jews, that the ceremonies and works
of the law, whereof they most gloried and extolled them-
selves, were not necessary to salvation, but given for a
time, to exercise their obedience in the commandments of
God ;' and to trust in Christ, of whom their rites and
sacrifices were figures and shadows : further, the Lord
declares by this embassage unto Nineveh, that the ignorant
and superstitious Gentiles are more ready to receive the

HOOPER. F

98 Hooper. — Sermons.

living word of God, than the hard-hearted Jews ; as it is
to be seen at this present day. More easy is it to convert
unto God ten simple and ignorant souls; than one that has
been brought up in, and is wedded to the ungodly doctrine
and traditions of men. Moreover, the Lord, in seeking
the welfare of these Assyrians, declares that he is not only
the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. (Rom. iii.
Acts x.) The text declares to what end Jonah was sent
to the city. What to do ? to bring in the ceremonies of
Moses' law ? Nay, but to cry out against the city. That
is to say, plainly and openly to show God's displeasure
unto them : and not against one or two of the city, but
generally against the whole city, without respect of per*
sons : against the king, the princes, the lawyers, the
priests, and the common people. And this was the duty
and office of all the prophets. (Isa. lviii.) Cry out and
cease not. Also Jerem. ii. vii. The same commandment
was given to all the apostles. (Mark xvi. Matt, xxviii.)
The same is commanded by St. Paul ; (2 Tim. iv.)
" Preach in time and out of time." This is the note and
mark to know the bishops and ministers of God from the
ministers of the devil, by the preaching tongue of the gos-
pel, and not by shaving, clipping, vestments, and out-
ward apparel. The text answers an objection that might
be demanded,, wherefore God would send Jonah, a man of
low rank, to rebuke so great a king and his council, and
commonwealth.

Because their sins are come up before the face of the Lord.

From this answer we learn three things. First, that the
Lord sees, marks, and is displeased with our sins, although
we live in security, and are careless, as though our sins
offended God nothing at all. Secondly, that when God
sends such preachers as without fear show unto the world
God's word and punishment for sin, their sin is full ripe,
and they must either amend at the preaching, or utterly
perish under the plague and scourge of God.

Thus Noah was a preacher before the flood, Jonah
before the destruction of Nineveh, Lot of Sodom, Christ
and his apostles of Jerusalem. Seeing now that God hath
sent his word, his king, his magistrates, and his preachers
unto England, it is (take heed of it) a sure token that the
sins of England are ascended up into his sight, so that
out of hand we must amend, or suddenly look for the most
severe punishment of God. All men confess that sin never

First Sermon on Jonah. 99

so abounded, but no one of us says, " It is I that provoke
the wrath of God, and I will amend." The nobility lay all
the fault on the people, the people on the nobility, on the
bishops, merchants, priests, and others. But will you be
judged, at one word, by the testimony of a noble, wise
man ? Noble Isaiah, the prophet, saith, " The ox knoweth
his lord, and the ass his owner's stable, woe is me, ye
sinful people, people laden with iniquity, a seed malicious,
lost children, ye have forsaken the Lord, and the holy One
of Israel ye have provoked." (Isa. chap, i.) Let every
man look upon himself, acknowledge his sin, and study to
amend it from the highest to the lowest, for the Lord is
ready to smite.

The third instruction out of this place is a description of
God's nature, and long-sufferance towards kingdoms,
realms, public and private persons ; for though he might
most justly punish and take vengeance upon us for sin, he
is yet so merciful that he premonishes and forewarns of
his scourge to come, by his prophets, apostles, and
preachers, and willeth the world to amend. In case they
so do, he will turn his wrath from them ; if they will not,
there is no remedy but utter destruction ; as you may read
Gen. vii. of the flood, Gen. xix. of Sodom, Exod. xiv. of
Pharaoh. But let us rather follow the example of the
Ninevites, and amend, than the example of the Egyptians,
and perish. Thus much is to be taken heed of from the
embassy of Jonah, in the first part of the chapter.

Now follows the second part, containing Jonah's dis-
obedience, after this manner.

Whereupon Jonah rose to fly from the face of the Lord
into Tharsis, and came to Japho, and found a ship pressed
towards Tharsis : paying his passage, he went into her^ to
come with them into Tharsis.

Jonah was commanded to cry and preach against the
Ninevites ; but being afraid, and suspecting the difficulty
of the vocation, he fled another way. Here, first, are two
things to be noted ; whither he fleeth, and from whence
he fleeth : the text saith he fled to Tharsis, which some
men think is the sea called Mediterranean, but the more
true opinion is, Tharsis is the city called Tunis or Car-
thage. Japho is the city called Joppa, a haven town in
Palestine. He fleeth from the face of God ; that is, from
the benevolent and merciful God who appointed him to
the vocation of preaching.

v 2

100 Hooper. — Sermons.

From this text we learn many godly doctrines. First,
how hard and difficult a vocation it is to be a preacher,
that in case he be not comforted and strengthened with
the especial mercy of God, he cannot, nor is it possible
he should, truly preach God's word, as it is to be seen by
Moses, Exod. v. vi. Isa. vi. Jer. i. ii. Matt. x. ; and in
this you may see the diversity between the ministry of God
and of the devil, of Christ and of antichrist. Christ's
ministry is full of labours, pains, slanders, and calamities —
antichrist is full of care, pleasures, advantages, and
honours, as you may see through all the kingdom of the
pope ; for there is not a bishopric or benefice can fall, but
ten are ready to take it before it come to the ground. Yea,
and help away the incumbent with an Italian fig before-
time, as you may read of pope Victor the Third.*

The second instruction is, that whosoever leaves un-
done the office commanded unto him by God, flees from
the favour and goodwill of God, as it is to be seen,
1 Sam. xv. Here all bishops and priests are admonished
to beware how they leave their duties and cures. Many
that bear that name flee from the face of God, and preach
not the word of God, and instruct not the people after the
mouth of God. Miserable and cursed is our time, cursed
of God's own mouth, that there be such dumb bishops,
unpreaching prelates, and such ass-headed ministers in
the church of God. Christ instituted neither singers nor
massers, but preachers and witnesses of his true doctrine.
(Mark xvi. Matt, xxviii. Luke xxiv. Acts i.) He that
leaves this doctrine untaught in the church, or teaches a
contrary doctrine, flees from the face of God, and incurs
the danger and damnation which is written, Ezek. iii. xxxiii.
I will require their loss (saith God to the preacher) at thy
hand. Let no man, therefore, be offended, if the crier
speak against the faults of all degrees without exception,
seeing he is commanded so to do upon the eternal pain of
his soul ; and Paul saith; Woe be unto me if I preach
not. (1 Cor. ix.) Let all men fake heed to do the thing
that appertaineth to their office, lest they depart from the
face of the Lord, as kings do if they make any laws con-
trary to the law of God and the law of nature, or suffer
their subjects to be taught any doctrine for the salvation of
their souls beside and contrary to the express word of God.

* Poison him. According to William of Malmsbury, Victor III.
had poison given to him in the cup at the sacrament.

First Sermon on Jonah. 101

The justice departs from the face of God, when he for
favour, preposterous pity, or for bribes, judges not justly.
The gentlemen, when against charity they seek to advan-
tage themselves with the hurt of their neighbours. The
commons of every realm depart from the favour of God,
when seditiously and disobediently they make tumults and
sedition, lifting up weapons against their king and rulers,
which leads to eternal damnation. (Rom. xiii. Num. xvi.)

But a man might say, Tush ! it is not so great a matter
if a man walk not in his vocation, neither yet is God so
much offended with disobedience. But this fleshly and
perverse opinion may soon be corrected, if men would
consider the dangers that this poor man Jonah fell into for
his disobedience. They are six in number. The first is,
the perilous winds that troubled the ship. The second, his
sin and disobedience is detected and made open by lots.
The third, he is examined what he is. The fourth, be is
constrained to give sentence of death against himself!
The fifth, the shipmen cannot save him. The sixth, he is
cast into the sea.

The first danger has two parts ; the one shows the
danger of the ship ; the other shows how the mariners
behaved themselves in the time of their danger. Of the
first thus saith the prophet :

The Lord hurled a great wind into the sea, and there
arose a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was in
jeopardy of going in pieces.

We may think to escape the danger of God, though we
neglect our duty and vocation ; but, truly, it cannot be so.
" Whither," saith David, " should I go from thy Spirit, and
whither should I flee from thy face." (Psal. cxxxix.) There
is no corner of the world wherein a man can hide himself
from the knowledge and punishment of God, if we neglect
the works of our vocation. He hath all things in his
hand, heaven, earth, the winds, and the waters, with which
he punishes the wickedness of transgressors at his plea-
sure when he will, as it is to be seen. (1 Sam. vii.)

Of this place of the text we learn, that whosoever, con-
trary to God's commandment, studies to avoid one evil,
falls into many. The bishop or the preacher that for
the love or fear of the world neglects to speak the truth,
falls into the burning and damnation of his own con-
science. The people that allege their poverty for acting

102 Hooper. — Sermons.

against God's law, lose body, soul, wife, children, and
all together. The corrupt judge in contriving to serve
his own turn or his friend's in corrupting of justice, brings
both himself and his friend into the danger of eternal
damnation. The text proceeds to show how. the ma-
riners behaved themselves in this danger, which is dili-
.gently to be noted ; for in them is expressed a very lively
image of all men that lack faith, how they fear above
measure, in the time of trouble.

Their doings are expressed four ways : first, their faith ;
second, each of them calls upon his own God ; third,
they lighten the ship ; fourth,, they wake Jonah out of his
sleep.

The fear declares the greatness of the danger they were
in, and their ignorance of God, who alone comforts in the
day and hour of trouble.

From every man calling upon his own God, it appears
there were people of sundry and divers nations. And,
also, what is common to all men under the sun that have
not lost the use of reason ; when we are left destitute of
human help, we call upon God not for love, but for fear ;
as it is said in the proverb, " Fear was the first that made
gods in the world." These mariners are partly to be
followed, partly not ; that in the day of trouble they prayed,
we ought to follow them ; that they pray not to the one
and only God, but every man to a different god, they may
not be followed : for there is but one patron and helper
for all men, and he is never, nor anywhere, known but by
his word. Man's reason knows right well in the time of
trouble that there is a God, but who he is reason cannot
tell ; therefore, reason worships an idol of his own head,
under the name of God ; and then man follows either his
own opinion, or the tradition of his elders. And this is
the fountain of idolatry ; when every man thinks him to
be his god, that he himself, his elders, or custom has
taken to be a god. From hence come such a diversity of
gods among the- Gentiles, and so many patrons among the
superstitious sorts of christians. These gods are altogether
forbidden. (Exod. xx. Deut. vi. xxxii.

They lighten the ship. When they felt' that prayers
availed nothing, they turned to labour, which, also, eased
them nothing ; whereby we learn, that all gods and god-
desses are but vanity, except our God, the Father of Jesus

First Sermon on Jonah. 103

Christ ; and no labour or travail availeth without the
favour of God. The woman had spent all that she had on
physicians, yet was nothing the better ; (Luke viii.) so do
the papists in masses, and yet their consciences are not
more delivered from sin ; and those that pray to saints
attain nothing. If their request be sometimes granted
them, it is a punishment of their idolatry. (2 Thess. ii.)
The fourth thing they do, they wake Jonah.

But Jonah gat him under the hatches, where he laid him
down and slumbered.

The text notes two things ; one, that Jonah slept ; the
other, how the mariners awoke him to call upon his God.
Jonah's sleep signifies two things. First, that when we
think ourselves most at rest, then we are most in danger,
as is to be seen by Belshazzar, in the prophet Daniel, and
in Matt. xxiv. 2 Thess. ii. Luke xii. The second is, to
declare the nature of sin. While it is being committed,
the prick and danger thereof is not felt, but it rather
delights : so Adam and Eve ate the apple without fear.
And because God out of hand punishes not our' sin, the
devil bewitches our minds and wits, and would make us
believe that he will never punish, and that God sees not
our sin, nor is so grievously offended with our sins. So
yet at this day sleeps the sin of them that persecute God
and his holy word : the sins of false or negligent bishops
and priests, the sins of the corrupt judges, and seditious
people ; but it will awake one day, as you may read
Gen. iv. and here by Jonah. At the hour of our death,
sin will awake, and with our own sin the devil will kill us
eternally, except we awake betimes.

That they desire Jonah to pray unto his God, declares
that all idolatrous and superstitious persons think one god
to be stronger than the other. As it is to be seen in
papistry at this present day, when as it is disputed which
lady is best, our lady of Bullayne, or our lady of Rome ;
St. James in Italy, or St. James at Compostella.* Fur-
ther, this text declares that idolaters always seek new gods
when their old god deceives them. So is it among so called
christians ; when the matter is plainly desperate, they
cast a lot between three or four idolatrous pilgrimages
which of them shall be the patron of his health. But

* Images of the same saint in different places, which were wor-
shipped as if they were different beings.

104 Hooper. — Sermotu.

where, the word of God is known, there is no suit but unto
one God by the mediation of Christ, besides whom there
is no health.* This God I commend unto you ; unto this
God make your prayers ; forsake that heretical doctrine
which divides your hearts in prayer, part to God, and part
to saints departed ; for God is sufficient to help, and will
help alone. (Isa. Ixiii.) To him be all honour and glory
now and for ever.

• Salvation.

THE SECOND

SERMON UPON JONAH.

The Preface.

Unto every man is appointed his vocation ; to one this,
to another that ; one to a private, another to a public sta-
tion ; and each of them is either lawful or unlawful. That
is unlawful which fights against and opposes the word of
God, as those that maintain bad life, idolaters, mass-
mongers, common receivers, and maintainers of dicers and
dice-houses, with such like.

In these, or any like them, whosoever continues without
repentance is subject to eternal damnation. Other vocations
are lawful, and stand with the word of God ; of the which
St. Paul speaks. " In what vocation any man is called,
in the same let him abide." But in lawful vocations we
transgress two manner of ways. Either when we bear the
title or name of the vocation, and do nothing appertaining
thereunto, which is condemned by God, who, in Adam,
commanded all men to avoid idleness. " In the sweat of
thy brow thou shalt eat thy bread." (Gen. iii. ; see, also,
1 Thess. and 2 Thess.) Or when we do in the vocation
what we should not do ; as, for example, if a bishop teaches
a false doctrine for a true ; if a judge, who should judge
truly, corrupts judgment for favour or money ; or for a
merchant to wax richer by false con tracts or corrupt wares.
Into what danger each man falls, that any way trans-
gresses his vocation, is to be seen by Jonah, who in avoid-
ing one danger fell into six, as you have heard before ; of
which six we have spoken but of one : and in that one
we noted many and profitable doctrines, declaring man's
infirmity, which cannot help itself from the dangers of the
body ; and, also, the power and goodwill of God, who
can and will save, both from the dangers of body and
soul. All men confess him to be the true God, that can
and will help all diseases, the Jews, the Turks, the
» 3

106 Hooper.— Sermons.

Gentiles, the good, the bad. But therein stands the danger,
lest, instead of the true God, we eall and invocate a false
god, and under the name of god we honour and worship
the devil, as these mariners did when each of them called
to a different god ; and as the Gentiles did, whom David
speaks of, (Psal. cvi.) that they sacrificed their children
io the devil. David saith, that they offered to • the
devil what they thought was offered to God. And Paul
(1 Cor. x.) calls the religion of the heathen the table of
the devil.

So did the Jews before us ; and so do they in these
days now, who for every disease have a different god and
patron ; as forthe pestilence, St. Roche ; for the war, St.
Barbara, &c. In this danger of idolatry are all they that
call upon God, and pray unto him otherwise than he has
appointed by his word. And here we are admonished of
two things. The first, that we offer no other worship and
religion unto God than he himself by word requires. If
we do, we offer an idol of our own head, and honour the
devil under the person and name of God ; as those do,
that erect and build up images, and altars to say mass
upon to the honour of God, which God never commanded.
(Exod. xxii. Deut. v.) The next thing we are here ad-
monished of, is, that we call upon God only in the name of
Christ, for he is the door, the way, and the truth ; (John x.)
and he alone showeth us the Father. (John i. vi.) Here
he condemneth not only the Jews and Gentiles, but also as
many as would know and come to the Father by invoca-
tion of saints departed, by bulls, pardons, peregrinations,
mass, and such other things. Let this error be corrected,
and let us leave calling every man on his own god, and
call only upon the only God that can and will, in Christ,
hear us, as he heard the patriarchs, prophets, and the
apostles. And that this may be done it is the office of the
king's majesty, his council, and all his magistrates, to see
that the true book of God, the holy Bible, be taught and
received of his majesty's subjects, after the example of
Moses, Joshua, David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah,
the noble princes of God's people. There was and
is one more point of instruction, in that the mariners did
not only pray, but, also, lightened the ship. In that they
prayed and were not heard; you learn what a vanity it is
to pray after the opinion of man ; it avails nothing at all —
it never comes before God, nor eases the conscience of

Second Sermon on Jonah. 107

him that prays. Further, they did not only pray, but also
laboured. We see our duty, that as God freely gives help,
so we must travail, and do the best we can with prayer, not
only to receive and obtain the free help of God, but, also,
to keep it. Thus I thought it good to speak before I
spake of the second danger, which is this : Jonah's sin is
detected by lots ; so saith the text.

They said one to another, Come, let us cast lots, that we
may know for whose cause we are thus troubled ." and so
they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

When they perceived the tempest ceased not with praying
and the devotion of every man unto his god, they understood
that such desperate danger could come only from the
wrath and displeasure of God, for some notable and won-
derful crime ; and they feared the more because the
crime was not known, and no man was seen culpable of
it. They thought it good, therefore, to seek the guilty
offender by lots ; and missed not of their purpose, but
found Jonah, the rebel against God, to be the occasion of
their trouble.

From this text we are taught, that the cause of all
trouble, both in public and private persons, is sin, as we
read Deut. xxviii. Levit. xxvi. The mariners understood
that ; and, if we are wise, we shall understand the same,
and amend it, and not attribute our adversities to sun or
moon, star or planet, as fools do.

Of this text we learn again, howsoever sin be hid for
the time, yet at length it will be known ; some by one
means, some by another. By lots, as in Jonah and
Achan, (see Joshua, and 1 Samuel xiv.) ; by their own
confession, as David. (2 Samuel xii.) Let no man, there-
fore, think to keep his sin always hid.

Further, here we learn how every kingdom and com-
monwealth may be appeased when it is troubled. If the
chief captains and principal occasions of the trouble be
known and removed, then shall peace, joy, and quietness
follow in the commonwealth, but never else, except the
scriptures of God be false. Men of the best judgment in
civil matters, many times under the name and similitude
of a ship, understand the commonwealth. In case the
ship, which is the commonwealth, be troubled, the master
of the ship, that is the king with his council, should in-
quire diligently the authors of the trouble, or else the
tempest of trouble shall never cease. At this day, gracious

108 Hooper. — Sermons.

king, the ship of the commonwealth is sorely moved with
winds and tempests. Here your majesty and your most
honourable council may not cease, if you desire the ship
to come to rest, but take the pains to find out the authors
of these troubles.

In case you will, as, indeed, you must, by some means
find out the occasions of these troubles and unquietness
within your majesty's realm, you shall not find, as many
report, the gospel to be the cause thereof; for it is the
word of peace, and the disciples thereof are assured of all
grace, and God's favour (Deut. xxviii.) ; and Christ ap-
peased with his presence the troublous waves of the sea.
(John vi.) Upon whom, then, will the lot of unquietness
and trouble fall ? Upon Jonah ; that is to say, upon every
man that neglects his vocation, and does not as he is bid.
As if he that should direct the rudder in a ship leaves her
to the waves, he that should strike the sails, stretches them
more to the wind, and so, to conclude, none takes heed of
that which he should. My gracious lord and king, and
you, my lords of his most honourable council, how many
Jonahs might there be found in England ? Doubtless, too
many in every condition and sort of people within this realm,
among the nobles, lawyers, bishops, priests, and the common
people. Examine all apart, and prove them : the nobility
make unprofitable expenses more than their ability can
or is able to sustain ; they feed a sort of idle people,
never commended either by God's laws, or by man's
laws : they themselves live idle, and will not labour, neither
with hand, neither with understanding. What must follow
but trouble of the ship, that is to say, oppression of the
poor? (Isa. v.)

The lawyers in all causes have more respeet to lucre
and to vantage than to justice, insomuch that they rejoice,
and other fools are rejoiced at them, when they can over-
come in a false cause, and so their thievery catches up the
labours and sweat of the poor.

The bishops and priests disquiet the ship of this realm
two ways. One by the neglecting of their true duty, the
other by a defence of a false and damnable superstition.
In the primitive and apostolical church, the office of a
bishop and priest was to teach in the congregation of the
faithful the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, accord-
ing to the commandment of Christ. (Matt, xxviii. Maik
xvi. Eph. ii.) Now is this integrity turned into false

Second Sermon on Jonah. 109

idolatry and devilish superstition — to sing and say mass in
the congregation of God. Thus, like thieves and mur-
derers, they do the abominations commanded by man, with
massing, conjuring the holy water bucket, and such like ;
and leave the preaching of God's word as God com-
mandeth, and as the prophets and apostles have left us
examples. And when godly kings and magistrates re-
quire and command a reformation of these evils, the
ministry of the church is contemned with such false slan-
ders, that the ignorant people will do more for the bishops
and priests of Baal than for God, for God's word, or his
anointed magistrate, as appeared this last summer.*

The people and commonalty of this realm trouble the
ship of this- commonwealth. For though the king and
magistrates do what they can, the people will never be
content. Many of them live in idleness, and will not
labour ; and in case they cannot have what they would,
they turn to sedition and treason, and care no more to kill
and oppress their lawful king and magistrates, than the
devil cared to kill Adam in paradise. (Gen. iii.) They
should call unto the Lord for redress of their complaints,
and not redress them themselves. (Psal. 1.)

How is it possible, where every sort in the common-
wealth offends, but that the wrath and vengeance of God
should send winds of adversity unto our ship? I am sure
that Jonah was never better known to be the occasion of
this tempest in the sea, than I know these four sorts of
people to be the trouble, and that they will be the de-
struction, of this commonwealth, if they are not found out
betimes. But a man might ask, what should the king's
majesty do in such a case with these four sorts of Jonahs?
Let his majesty learn of these mariners ; then shall he do
well ; and as they did with Jonah, so the king's majesty
must do with these four sorts of people. As to what they
did, the prophet shall tell his own tale, and declare the
third danger he fell into, which is the examination, in this
form :

They said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, how this
trouble happeneth unto us ? What is thine occupation ?
Whence contest thou ? What countryman art thou ? Oj
what nation art thou ?

* Hooper refers to the rebellions in Cornwall and Norfolk, wliith
were excited by the Romish priests.

110 Hooper. — Sermons.

In these heathen mariners we see a singular discretion,
understanding, and humanity. What, if our christian
mariners had suffered the like danger and detriment for
any man's sake within their ship, doubtless, they would
have sworn, and out of hand, without examination, cast
him into the sea. But these men are wise that they do
not only search to know his fault, but diligently seek to
•know all the circumstances how he fell into this danger,
-lest Jonah should account himself unjustly condemned.
Of this doing of the mariners we learn two things ; one,
■humanity towards afflicted persons ; the other, that all
kings and magistrates ought to condemn as a thing pesti-
ferous and condemned by God's laws, executing the sentence
against, any man, before his cause and matter are heard ;
for it is contrary to the law of God, the law of nature, and
the law of man ; yea, God commandeth that no man
should be condemned with the testimony of one man.
(Deut. xvii.)

Here is for the king's majesty and his council one more
instruction to be learned from these mariners. I said that
four sorts of people were the occasion of the trouble of
his majesty's ship, this realm of England, but I said not
that every man of these four sorts was guilty of the tem-
pest; therefore, there must be lots, or examinations 4 of
every degree, and of each person in his degree, that the
innocent be not punished, neither the transgressor fa-
voured. And these must be examined by the master and
liis shipmen; that is, among us, by the king's majesty and
his council ; so that in case the godly without respect of
persons seek to know, and upon truth and knowledge
punish as they know, the ship of this commonwealth shall
rest in peace and quietness : if it be not searched for and
amended, the ship of the commonwealth will at last be
burst in pieces, which the Lord forbid. Amen.

THE THIRD
SERMON UPON JONAH.

The Preface.

We never read in any writers, whether they are holy or
profane, of any kingdom or commonwealth that continu-
ally endured without tumults, sedition or war, either by
foreign or outward enemies, or among itself by conspiracy,
treason, and disobedience of subjects, but if the same evil
were not in time taken heed of and redressed, it always
brought the kingdom or commonwealth from trouble and
sedition unto utter ruin and confusion. We will omit and
pass over speaking of the kingdoms of the Assyrians, the
Persians, Greeks and Romans, although of their original,
continuance, and destruction, the holy Bible makes much
mention in Daniel the prophet, and other places of the
scripture. We will speak only of the two kingdoms of
Judah and Israel. What troubles, contention, wars, sedi-
tion, and rebellion they suffered, and how at last they came
quite to naught, the books of the Kings, and Chronicles
record, and the prophet Jeremiah. What the causes of
these troubles and destruction were, the godly readers of
the scriptures are not ignorant ; but the men of that time,
the princes, the kings, and the priests, would not under-
stand, but assigned false causes —such as the preaching
of , God's word. (1 Kings xviii.) For thus said Ahab
unto Elijah the prophet : " Art not thou he that troubleth
Israel ?" and so said the people to Jeremiah : " The word
of God that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the
Lord, we will not receive it, but we will do whatsoever
seems unto us good, that we may do sacrifice unto the
queen of heaven, and offer our offering unto her, as we
have done and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the
cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then
had we abundance of all things, and well was it with us,
and we felt no evil. As soon as we left offering to the

112 Hooper. — Sermons.

queen of heaven, and sacrificed no more sacrifice unto
her, we lacked all things, and are consumed with war, and
hunger." (Jerem. xliv.) But the true prophets of God
showed the true causes of these evils to be the contempt
of God's word, as Elijah said unto Ahab : " I trouble not
Israel, but thou and thy father's house trouble it. For ye
have forsaken the commandment of the Lord, and thou
goest after Baalim." Bui the princes and the people con-
tinued to defend the false causes, and accounted the pro-
phets of God, who would have corrected their error, to be
seditious and treacherous persons, and so persecuted and
killed them for their true preaching ; till at the last they
perished, and the realm with them ; as you may read 2 Kings
xvii., and in the last book of the Chronicles, in the last
chapter. Unto the lesson taught in those two chapters, I
exhort the wise and godly hearer to listen ; for you shall
learn from those places, that the contempt of God's word
was the occasion of the loss of these realms.

The same evil vexes us at this present day. The ship
of this commonwealth of England is tossed upside down,
and the occasion thereof is imputed and laid unto Christ,
and his holy word, though falsely ; for Christ's nature is to
appease and quiet all troubles and tempests with his pre-
sence. (John vi.) Therefore this false and preposterous
cause of trouble must be taken heed of, if we wish the
ship of this kingdom to come to rest. We shall never
bring it to pass until such time as we agree and confess
that Jonah is the occasion why the realm is thus disquieted,
that is to say, such as are in this realm, who neglect or
pervert their appointed vocation.

I said, O king, that Jonahs might be found among four
sorts of people within your majesty's realm — among the
priests, noblemen, lawyers, and the common people. But
lest any should think I condemned every man within the
ship of your commonwealth, we will follow the wisdom
and commendable doings of these shipmen, who were not
content to have found out Jonah the cause of their trou-
ble by lots, but also they diligently examined him : the
same, most gracious king, we must do. But before we
take upon us their examination, we will pray unto almighty
God for his Holy Spirit of wisdom, lest in this necessary
and profitable examination we err and are deceived ; and
also that they upon whom the lots do fall, and who cannot
justly excuse their faults, may learn to amend them and

Third Sermon on Jonah. 113

turn unto the Lord, and from henceforth may live in purity
and innocence of truth and virtue, all the days of their
lives. So be it.

You have heard how Jonah for the contempt and dis-
obeying of his vocation, had fallen into six great dangers.
Of two we have spoken, and now we are come to the
third, where he aud his deeds were diligently examined,
which doubtless was a great cross and trouble unto him ;
for there is nothing that displeases man more than to
have his hidden faults brought to light and knowledge.
God, notwithstanding, suffers it many times for our good
and profit ; that we being brought unto acknowledgment
of our sins, might hate the same and pray for the remis-
sion thereof; and so it is better, howsoever the blind flesh
judges, to have our sins, if God will, opened for our salva-
tion, than hid to our loss and damnation. In this exami-
nation we see not only the danger of Jonah, but also the
office of every good magistrate that means to quiet and
rest his commonwealth, being in trouble.

Those should be examined, that by any sign, or proba-
ble suspicion, seem to be the authors of tumults. And
thus using moderation in examining, the innocent and
good shall be free from pain and punishment ; and the cul-
pable and guilty shall be found worthy of correction. First,
therefore, let us examine the bishops and priests, whether
those that know the will of God by his holy word, diligently
teach and preach the same unto others. Then whether
any man of that vocation, teach false doctrine in the
church of Christ. If the one do too little in the first, and
the other too much in the second, or the one neglect the
first, and the other be diligent in the second, both are
Jonahs, and occasion that the ship is troubled. Against
the negligent sort, Ezekiel speaks, (iii. xxxiii.), and also
Haggai with vehement words, and threatens eternal damna-
tion to such as preach not, and build not up the temple of
God's congregation. Likewise St. Paul. (1 Cor. ix.) Christ
speaks against those that teach false doctrine, (John x.),
and Paul. (1 Tim. iv.)

Among the noblemen, Jonahs that trouble the commori-

■ wealth may be found among two sorts. The one hath enough

given him of God, yet is not content therewith ; but for

avarice and love of himself and his insatiable covetousness,

scrapes and gathers together, whether with the law, or

114 Hooper. — Sermons.

against the law, it makes no matter, so he have it. This
Jonah troubles the ship with all injuries and wrongs, and
rather would add somewhat where indeed there is too
much, than depart a little where is nothing 1 at all. And in
vain glory and pride of the mammon of the world, they
will condemn and disdain the very image of God in the
poor. Against them Solomon speaks. " He that calumni-
ateth the poor, upbraideth his Creator." (Proverbs xiv.)
Take example hereof, out of the ixth of John, how the
general council of the pharisees laid to the poor man his
blindness. Their reproach of God's work was repre-
hended. The insatiable and covetous are, also, condemned
by Isaiah the prophet : " Cursed be ye that join house to
house, and field to field." (chap, v.) The experience of this
curse had Ahab, who wickedly took from Naboth his vine-
yard. If the men who have enough are willing not to trouble
the ship of your highness's commonwealth, let them leave
their ravening, and give God thanks for what they have,
and according to their ability help, and not rob the poor.
There is another sort of noble or gentlemen that make
more expense than their revenues and condition are able
to bear, and who live by dice, cards, uncleanness, fraud,
guile, deceit, theft, and such like. Now impartial exami-
nation, not only by God's laws, but also by man's laws,
will prove them not only to be disobedient Jonahs, but
also stark thieves.

The lawyers, if they are examined diligently, there will
be so many found among them who disquiet the ship of
this commonwealth, that few or none will be found clear.
And among the lawyers I put judges and justices, the one
for gain, care not to defend the falsest causes and most
unjust matter that can be brought unto him, and promises
like a thief, the cause is good, till he has emptied his poor
client's purse. Then he washes his hands with as much
foul seeming of honesty as he can, and refers the doubt-
ful cause, which is above his learning, to the ignorant men
of the shire, to be judged at home like a fool ; whereas his
purse can no longer cause his prattler and ignorant lawyer
to keep his cause aloof and out of the shire. And indeed
such a subject as cannot find in his heart to end his con-
tention according to God's laws, without strife, by the ar-
bitrament of those that are his neighbours, deserves to find
such a Jonah as will never leave blowing at his purse, till
he has unladed it even to the bottom, and has caused him

Third Sermon on Jonah. lib

to spend as much in recovery of twenty shillings by lease,
as might have purchased twenty in fee simple. I con-
demn not the law, that is good ; but these thieves that abuse
the law : for their doings are nothing but guile and deceit,
and a noble kind of thievery. Against which spcaketh
Zechariah in his v. chapter ; and God says, " Thou shalt
commit no theft ;" " Thou shalt give no false testi-
mony against thy neighbour." (Exod. xx. Deut. v.) These
Jonahs do not only give false testimony, but also for lucre
defend the same ; and not for a day, but for a year, and
years ; the more shame it is to be suffered. The justices
also are Jonahs, for they receive rewards and bribes, which
blind the eyes (Deut. xvi.), and make them corrupt
justice, to their eternal damnation if they amend not.
Against whom speaketh Solomon, " He that acquitteth the
evil doer, and condemneth the innocent, is both execrable
and damned before God." (Proverbs x. vii.) *

Among the common people you shall also find many
Jonahs ; but that we may the better espy them out, we
will divide them into the rustics, or people of the country ;
and into the citizens. All and every country or husband-
man that lives not by his labour, and gives himself to
idleness, and so moves sedition and treason against
their king and magistrate ; or in their private meetings
and assemblies speak evil, curse or provoke any thing
against their magistrates, and who cannot and will
not learn, either to know God, or to obey their prince ;
these are those among this sort of people that are Jonahs,
and trouble the state of this realm. Among the citizens
are a great number that trouble the ship also, as adulterers
unpunished, fraud and guile of the merchandize, idleness
the mother of all mischief, theft, murder, blasphemous
oaths, conspiracy,, and treason, with open slander and re-
buke of God's most holy word. These things and such
like toss the poor ship, so that she hardly can sail above
the water ; and so displease the majesty of God, that he
will never cease from sending tempests^ till those Jonahs
are amended, or cast into the sea.

But before I come to Jonah's answer upon his exami-
nation, because I know this saying to be true, that*
" flattery obtaineth friendship, and the truth displeasure,"
lest any man should be offended for my truth and liberty,

• Latimer in his sermons before the king also dtew a painful de-
lineation of the maladministration of justice in those days.

116 Hooper. — Sermons.

I will briefly clear myself. Doubtless it were a pleasure co
me to speak nothing at all, in case the necessity of my
vocation, the danger of these Jonahs, and the salvation
of this ship of our commonweath forced me not thereunto.
As touching myself I am called unto this place to cry
aloud ; in case I do not, I know all the blood of these
Jonahs will be required at my hand ; which God forbid:
It were better I should call so hard that heaven and earth
might sound again at my voice.

The salvation of these wicked Jonahs moves me also
to speak in this matter, and with the trump of God's word
to wake them out of their sleep, lest they slumber and
rest so long in their wickedness, that they go sleeping to
eternal damnation. Therefore I call upon them for the
amendment of their knowledge and life.

Further, the love I bear unto the king's majesty and to
this commonwealth of England, compels me to speak; for
I see the angry hand of God already stretched forth to
punish us, if we awake not out of sin. Last of all, be it
known to all men, that I speak for the condemnation of
the evil, and commendation of the good. And that all
men may easily find out and know among these four sorts
of people, the Jonahs, and troublers of this ship and com-
monwealth of England, I give you one most true and
general rule, which is this : whosoever, or of whatsoever
degree he be, that is, or showeth himself to be, offended
with this my free and impartial speaking of God's word,
he or they, be they what they may, are the real Jonahs
and troublers of this commonwealth. And these men
love darkness more than light, more to trouble the ship
than to rest her. But now to the text wherein is contained
Jonah's answer upon his examination.

He answered them : I am an Hebrew and fear the Lord
God of heaven, that made the sea and the dry land.

When Jonah perceived he could no longer cloak and
hide his offence, he not only confessed his fault, but also
informs them and utters his faith and the religion he had
in God, unto them. In that he confesses his fault, we
learn that the first step and proceeding to mercy and re-
mission, is the knowledge of the sin. It is a thing most
difficult and hard to the flesh to say, I have offended the
Lord, and will amend ; for either we deny our sin with,
Cain, or extenuate and excuse it with Saul. Would to
God our Jonahs would acknowledge their faults, and not

rhird Sermon on Jonah. 1 ] 7

excuse or extenuate them. It is but mockery once in a
year to acknowledge and murmur our faults in the priest's
ear; but we should from the heart repent the neglecting
of our bounden duties, and unfeignedly amend them, which
is not only painful to the flesh, but also grateful unto God,
I exhort all men, therefore, that know themselves to be
guilty — as indeed there is none of us who is wholly inno-
cent — to say with David : " We have offended the Lord.'

But it is not enough to confess our faults ; therewith
we must make a confession of our faith, but not such a
confession as most men use, but such as may be most like
unto Jonah's. And let them embrace only Christ and his
doctrine, and worship God in spirit and in truth, as his
word teaches. This I mean, — let the priests teach ac-
cording to the word of God, the noblemen govern and rule
thereby, the lawyers conform their law to God's law, and
such laws as are contrary to God's laws abrogate and
abolish. The people should hear the word of God, give
faith unto it, and follow it. And so let every man of us
say with Jonah, " I am an Hebrew," that is to say, " I
am a christian man, and will, from henceforth, forsake my
sin, which disquiets not only mine own conscience but also
the whole commonwealth." Next follows how the mari-
ners took Jonah's answer.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him.
Why didst thou so ? (for they knew that he was fled from,
the presence of the Lord, because he had told them), and said
moreover unto him. What shall we do unto thee, that the
sea may cease from troubling of us ? for the sea wrought,
and was troublous.

In these mariners we see three things ; fear ; rebuke of
disobedience, and taking of counsel how to save the ship.
This fear, it is most likely, sprang of this : that the
mariners had heard Jonah say, how he was commanded
by God to preach unto the Ninevites their destruction,
and the city's also, for their sin. The mariners knowing
themselves guilty of the same, themselves being both
idolaters, infidels, and of corrupt condition and living,
feared the like punishment. Who will not tremble at the
angry countenance of God's displeasure? But now-a-
days our stony and hard hearts are past all fear, and turn
the threatenings of God to laughter, saying in their hearts,
There is no God.

That these Gentile mariners rebuked Jonah for his

118 Hooper. — Sermons.

disobedience, declares the fault to be so great when any man
leaves his vocation, and especially the vocation of preaching,
that it merits and is worthy to be rebuked of all men. But
such is now the proud mind of bishops and pastors, that
they will suffer no rebuke or christian admonition, but will
be lauded and praised, yea, in evil doing and omission of
their vocations, as it is to be seen in that horrible and
wicked decree : " Si papa."* And not only the pope, but
also every man that sleepeth and delighteth in his sin, or
refuseth all manner of admonitions. If Jonah took well
the reprehension of the heathen, it is more than a shame
for one christian to forsake the admonition of another.

In that they ask counsel of Jonah how to save the ship,
they declare a singular humanity towards a stranger ; that,
although by means of him they stood in danger both
of life and goods, yet would they leave no means they
could to save him, though it were with their own great
loss and danger.

Thus we are bound to do as occasion shall serve ; not
to punish cruelly without discretion, but charitably with
patience to bear with the weak, until such time as the law
requires execution of the evil. Now follows the answer of
Jonah wherewith he condemns himself, as it is plain in
the text, and is the fourth danger he fell into.

Take me and cast me into the sea ; so shall it let you be
in rest : for I wot it is for my sake that this great tempest
is come upon you.

In this answer we learn and know that it is the nature
and condition of every penitent man,' to judge himself
worthy of pain and punishment. And it is so true that
in case we judge not ourselves, and say: " Heretofore I
was accounted and took myself for a christian man, but
indeed I was the contrary ; wherefore I am worthy of
punishment :" we are but hypocrites and dissemblers.
Thus should the nobleman, the lawyer, the priest, and the
common sort of men, say, as David teaches. (2 Sam. xxiv.)
When he saw the commonwealth punished, and in danger
of destruction for his offence, he said unto the Lord as
Jonah did : " I have sinned, I have done evil, what have
these sheep offended ? let thy wrath and displeasure be
against me and my father's house."

* Sexti Decretal, lib. v. tit. vii. cap. x. In this decree it is as-
serted that " all the churches in the world belong to the church of
Rome."

Third Sermon on Jonah. 119

But, O my gracious lord and king, such penitent and
sorrowful Jonahs are far from your realm ; for none will
confess their faults. They will rather say, Let the Bible
in English, and the preacher of God's word, be cast into
the sea, and so quietness shall follow, for it was never well
since preaching began. But, most gracious king and
honourable counsellors, these were Caiaphas fellows that
said, " Ye understand not." (John xiii.) But what followed?
It happened unto the wicked as he feared. They lost their
commonwealth as their fathers did before, and came into
bondage both of body and soul.

Now follows the fifth danger that Jonah fell into. The
mariners cannot save him, as the text saith.

Nevertheless the men assayed with rowing to bring the
ship to land : but it would not be ; because the sea wrought
so, and was so troublous against them.

In these mariners the Holy Ghost teaches us two
things : the one, how they wquld have saved the troubler
of the ship ; the other, that they could not save him. In
the first is noted the nature and condition of every godly
magistrate that would have (if God and the law would)
all men to be saved : as Moses prayed for the people that
rebelled, and for Aaron and Miriam, his brother and sister.
Joshua called disobedient Achan, son. Here the partial
and corrupt judgment of kings, magistrates, judges, and
such as bear office in the commonwealth, is strongly con-
demned, who serve not the law, but master the law ; and
for lucre and affection condemn him whom the law ac-
quitteth, and save him whom the law condemneth, con-
trary to the doctrine of Solomon. (Prov. xvii. Deut. xix
Luke xxii. Rom. xiii. James iv.)

That they could not save Jonah : we learn that no com-
monwealth can be quieted except the transgressors be
punished. God giveth no victory to the children of Israel
till Achan be punished. (Josh, vii.) The plague ceased
not from the Israelites till Phineas had slain the adulterers.
(Num. xxv.) And the Lord saith, in Ezekiel xxxiii.
" Ye lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood : and
think ye, ye shall possess this land? Ye pollute each
another's wife, and should ye inhabit this land ?" Hither-
unto alludeth St. Paul ; (Eph. v.) " Let no man seduce
you with profane words, for these things cometh the wrath
of God upon the children of distrust."

Generally, we learn that there is not a more pestiferous

120 Hooper. — Sermons.

hurt that can come into a commonwealth, than over much
lenity, and preposterous pity, to suffer the laws of a realm
to be broken and neglected, without punishment of the
transgressor : as it shall be more declared hereafter. Now
to the text, which contains the prayer of the shipmen.

Wherefore they criid unto the Lord and said, O Lord,
let us not perish for this man's death, neither lay thou in-
nocent blood to our charge: for thou, Lord, hast done,
even as thy pleasure was.

Of this prayer, first, we learn that the mariners were
converted to God by the preaching of Jonah. Before,
each man called upon a sundry God, now all call upon
one God. They excuse not their old idolatry, for their old
customs' sake, nor yet for the authority of their fore-
fathers, but they simply embrace the truth. The same
should follow, and it is written for our instruction, as saith
St. Paul, in the fifteenth chapter of his epistle to the Ro-
mans : " Whatsoever things are written, are written for
our learning: that we, through patience and comfort of
the scriptures, should have hope." Casting away all ido-
latry and false honourings of God, we should, in Christ,
embrace and receive the everlasting God and his infallible
word ; seeing we are not moved thereunto only by one
Jonah, but by many ; also by kings, by councils, and
many other men of God.

The second thing we learn of this prayer is, how they
desire God not to impute unto them the death of Jonah,
who had not hurt them, but himself by disobeying th.
Lord's commandment : wherein we may see how the Gen-
tiles and Heathen abhorred murder and manslaughter, and
accounted it horrible and condemned by the law of
nature.

They were in the sea, and no man could have accused
them of muider ; yet they well perceived that the eyes of
God could mark them wheresoever they were, and would
punish the fact. And they judged wisely; for so all the
word of God teaches us, as shall now appear ; for I will
touch this horrible crime of murder more at large. Mur-
der is committed two ways, by chance and ignorantly, or
by malice and wittingly. Ignorantly, when meaning no-
thing less than murder, a man against his will killeth.
Such a murderer by the law should not die, for God ab-
solves and acquits him, and prepared sanctuaries and
refuges for them in the commonwealth of the Israelites,

Third Sermon on Jonah. 12 1

whither they might flee for their safeguard, lest their
blood should be shed again. (Exod. xxi. Numb. xxxv.
Josh, xx.) But he that of malice and willingly kills a
man, should nowise be saved, for such the Lord com-
mandeth to be put to death. (Exod. xxi. Levit. xxiv.)

And also in the time of the law of nature this was the
commandment of God for murder ; " He that sheddeth
a man's blood, shall have his blood shed again :" (Gen. ix.)
and so saith Christ: " He that striketh with the sword
shall perish with the sword." (Matt, xxvi.) This sin is so
horrible, that no indulgence or pardon should pity the
offence, nor pardon the fault ; but the murderer, even in
case he fled to the high altar, should be fetched forth :
as you may see in the case of Joab at the command-
ment of Solomon: (1 Kings ii.) and read Numbers xxxv.
If the magistrate dispense, either for fear of him that
should suffer execution, or for any profit or gain, and
punish it not, he provokes the wrath of God against
himself and the whole realm ; ,for the L/ord saith, he will
not dwell in the earth, till it be purged with the blood of
him that shed the blood. (Num. xxxv.) Let all men
in the commonwealth, therefore, know and fear this doc-
trine of Paul : " The magistrate beareth not a sword in
vain." (Rom. xiii.) Let the magistrate take heed of two
things : first, that under the pretext and cloak of the law,
to serve his affection or gain, he punish not the innocent.
In this the kings and magistrates of the Israelites offended,
who, for the maintenance of their superstition, false reli-
gion, and corrupt manners, killed and put to death the
prophets and the apostles. So Jezebel caused Naboth to
be slain. (1 Kings xxi.) Secondly, let the magistrate
take heed he absolve not for gain, affection, good inten-
tion, or for any foolish and preposterous pity, him that
God condemns, and commands to be punished : for so
doing Saul lost his kingdom : (1 Sam. xv.) read the place.
And to Ahab, the king of Israel, for dismissing Benhadad,
God said ; " Thy soul shall be for his soul." (1 Kings xx.)

Even as there is occasion hence to admonish of justice
towards evil-doers, so is there to speak of war, and how it
may be used lawfully by magistrates. The magistrate
offends when he begins or continues any unjust battle, or
for affection punishes any innocent person : so Josiah, al-
though he was a good man, offended in making war with
the- Egyptians, when honest conditions of Deace were

HOOPER. G

122 Hooper. — Sermons.

offered, and he was slain for his labour. The magistrate,
on the other part, may offend, if he, in case he see his sub-
jects oppressed, will not defend them, as Abraham did his
nephew Lot. Again, this battle he is daily bound unto,
— to war against vice, and to punish sin ; and in case he
see any rebellion to resist the just execution of justice, he
is not to fear ; for God will help his proceedings. (Deut.
xiii.) And it may be seen that God will favour the magis-
trate that fighteth against his own brother, if it be to
amend vice and to kill sin; for the whole tribe of Ben-
jamin was nearly destroyed for the defence of adultery.
Further, a magistrate fights justly when he resists unjust
force, whether it be of foreign enemies, or of his own re-
bellious subjects Of such laws as should be kept in the
time of war it is written, (Deut. xx. xxiii. and Luke iii.)
but our warriors have made war a means and way to
all robbery and spoil. The captain, by his faith, is bound
to have as many men as his allowance charges him with
but like a thief he deceives the king both of his number
of men, and robs him of his goods ; and also, for lack ol
true payments to the half number that he is appointed
unto, he wearies out the good will of the poor soldiers, so
that extreme poverty, with sickness, for lack of payment
of their wages, causes them to care neither for the king,
nor the commonwealth.

And as these unjust and already condemned captains,
(unless they repent) with receivers, paymasters, victuallers,
and others, destroy not only the law and majesty of arm?,
but also deceive the king, by pilling and polling* the poor
and needy soldiers, so they decay and undo the whole
commonweal; for they serve the commonwealth to little
or no value at all : in serving of the commonwealth
they enrich themselves unjustly, to the utter impoverishing
and beggary both of the commonwealth and the heads
thereof.

And both magistrate and soldier well merit the same ;
for the one trusts he knows not whom, otherwise than
upon report : the other prepares himself to the war for
defence of his country, with whoredom, theft, and all abo-
mination ; and by false and thievish means brings more
to the war than is his own. No marvel then, though God
set such a thief over him as will give him less than his due.
True men were wont to go to battle, and such as prepared
* Robbing and cheating.

Third Sermon on Jonah. 123

themselves with the fear of God to live and die for their
magistrate and country ; now the greater thief, and blas-
phemer of the God of battle, the better soldier. Well, God
may give the victory to such blasphemers for a time, but
doubtless it will not, and cannot continue. Look upon all
the wars that Moses wrote of in 'his five books, and then
shall you know the same. Wherefore, I humbly require all
magistrates, both in peace and war, to punish chiefly these
two vices, — adultery and blasphemy, in case they would
have either victory in war, or quietness in peace.

As touching swearing and blasphemy, it is known unto
all men of God how the law condemns it in the first table :
" Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain : for
God will not leave unpunished such as abuse his name."
(Exod. xx. Deut. v.) Of an oath, I think it, therefore,
convenient to speak somewhat. There are two manner of
oaths, the one of custom or of sport ; the other serious
and grave, required and taken before the magistrate or
judge. The first is devilish, damnable, and naught in
every part, and forbidden by God to all christian men.
The other, which is taken for the glory of God, the defence
of the truth, or help of a man's neighbour, as necessity
shall require, is lawful and godly. But in this lawful oath
a man may offend two ways. First, if his heart and mind
be not according to his words, but his mouth speaketh one
thing, and his heart thinketh another : the second, if he
that sweareth swear by any creatures. Both these are
blasphemous before God.

And in case it be damnable in a naughty matter to
swear by creatures, is it not the same, think ye, daily and
foolishly, of custom, to swear by a man's hand, his head,
by the mass, and such like ? The more vile the thing is
we swear by, the more is the oath detestable before God.
Wherefore, in things not necessary and lawfully required,
to swear by any thing, is sin. In weighty matters, to
swear by any thing, except by God, is no less an ofTence.

This may we see four ways ; by reason ; by the holy
scripture ; by examples ; and by the canon law. By reason,
thus : To swear is to protest and promise that the thing
we swear to is true before him that knoweth the thoughts
and cogitations of the heart, which God only and solely
knoweth : therefore is it blasphemy to swear or attribute
the same to any creature, as they do that swear by crea-
tures-

124 Hooper. — Sermons.

Again; every oath hath annexed to it an invocation and
execration. An execration, that he by whom we swear
may punish and curse us if we swear falsely. An invoca-
tion, that he by whom we swear would Kelp us if we
swear truly. But only God can save or destroy, reason
would then show that he only is to be sworn by.

Secondly, The authority of scripture. This also is
double: the one teaches by whom we should swear, the
other by whom we should not swear : that is, by God and
by no creatures. " Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and
worship him, and also swear by his name." Deut. vi. x,
" Unto me shall every knee bow, and every tongue swear."
Isaiah xlv. And speaking of the calling of the Gentiles,
Isaiah saith, " He that will swear shall swear by the true
God." Isaiah lxv. And "They shall swear the Lord
liveth." Jer. xii.

That no man should swear by creatures, you have Exod.
xxiii. " Ye shall not think upon the name of strange
gods : neither shall it be heard out of your mouths." In
Joshua xxiii. the people are admonished not to swear by
the names of the gods that the people used, whither they
were going. In Jeremiah v. it is said that the people
offended because they swore by the gods that were not
God. And though people think it is no sin to annex a crea-
ture with God, hear what Zephaniah the prophet saith.
" Iwill, saith the Lord, destroy them that swear by Mal-
chon," (Zeph. i.), that is to say, by their patron. Where
the prophet means, they that swear by God and creatures,
match and set God and the devil in one chair and seat.
Examples out of the scriptures : " Abraham sware by the
most high God." " God sweareth by himself."

Polycarp rather suffered the flames of fire, than swear
by Caesar's fortune. (Euseb. libro iv. chap, xv.)

Also, it is forbidden in the canon law, see Causa xxii.
i. " Clericum per creaturas, and et siquis per creaturas," and
" Si aliqua causa," also, " Movet te iterum." Thus the
laws begin, and the gloss* upon the same places requires
us to swear only by God. I have tarried the longer in
this matter, because I happened to see of late a certain
book for the making of deacons, priests, and bishops,
wherein is . required an oath by saints, whereat I did not
a little wonder. And how it is suffered, or who is the
author of that book, I well know not. I am led to think
* Explanation.

Third Sermon on Jonah. 125

it to be the fault of the corrector in the printing 1 , for two
causes ; one is, because in the oath for the bishop no
mention is made of any saints ; the other cause is, that
in the same book the minister must confess, at the receiv-
ing of his vocation, that the book of God, the holy scrip-
ture, is perfect, and sufficient for the salvation of man.*. .
Before all things beware of an oath by any creatures,
except you would be glad to have God's displeasure. Now
follows the sixth danger of Jonah how he is cast into the sea'.

So they took Jonah, and cast him. into the sea ; and the
sea left raging. And the men feared the Lord exceedingly,
doing sacrifices, and making vows unto the Lord.

Here we see two things : Jonah cast into the sea, and
how the sea thereupon ceased raging. Out of the first
every magistrate and king may learn their duty to cast
out of their commonwealth as many Jonahs as they find
are stubborn, and will not amend their lives. If Jonah in
the sea could not be saved, who offended only in neglect-
ing his duty, and yet confessed his fault, and converted the
mariners, what may we think ? Is it possible for us to sail
or live quietly with so many obstinate Jonahs ? Nay,
doubtless — What remedy then ? Let them be cast all into
the sea. But lest men should be too much offended, with
this severe punishment, as though I would all to be cast
into the sea, I will desire the examination of the matter
by the four sorts of people that I spoke of before ; and so
. appoint of every sort whom the king's majesty must cast
into the sea, or send to the gallies.

First, let us speak of the bishops and priests. Their
office in the primitive and first church was to be preachers
of God's word, and ministers of Christ's sacraments. Not
to sacrifice for the dead nor the living, not to sing or say
mass, or any such like. Unto the first original must all
these men be called ; else they are not shepherds, but

* Hooper also objects to some directions respecting vestments
and ceremonies contained in this first book of ordination. His sug-
gestions met attention. Dr. Gloucester Ridley, in his life of bishop
Ridley, speaking of the second review of the Common Prayer in
1551, says, " The offices of ordination drawn up in 1549 were now
added to the liturgy, and established as a part of it with these few
alterations ; the vestments therein required, and the introits were
laid aside in this as in all other parts of the book ; the shocking ap-
peal to the saints and evangelists at the end of the oath of supremacy
was struck out ; and the ceremonies of delivering the chalice with
the bread at the ordination of a priest, and the laying the Bible on
the neck, and putting the pastoral staff into the hand, at the conse-
cration of a bishop, were omitted."

126 Hooper. — Sermons.

ravening 1 wolves to devour the sheep of God. And that
this may the better be done, your majesty must begin with
your chapel and chaplains ; and appoint souls that labour
for their livings to serve them. If your grace do it not,
you shall put your own self in danger of God. And from'
henceforth make your chaplains men of the church,* and
let the chapelt go. And when your majesty hath done
this yourself, cause all noblemen of your realm to do the
same. Then reform your colleges in the universities, and
see that honest men have the leading and oversight of the
youth. Such as will amend, let them tarry still in their
offices ; such as will not, your majesty must remove, if ever
you would bring the ship to quietness. Unto the clerks|
from henceforth as you will answer for it, give no benefice,
or spiritual promotion, but to such as can and will preach
true doctrine, or else teach unto the youth the catechism,
and help the people with some good counsel ; or else
cast them all into the sea, that is, put them out of their
office, and put better in their places. And beware of the
ungodly pity wherewith all men for the most part are very
much now-a-days cumbered, who will for pity rather let
a fool or an evil man enjoy his benefice, than care that
a thousand souls be brought to knowledge : this is no
pity, but rather cruelty and destroying of the soul. There-
fore if it should please the magistrates to make a law that
no man should have bishopric, benefice, prebend, or other
ecclesiastical vocation longer than he uses himself accord-
ing to his vocation, it were wonderful well.§

The noblemen that buy their offices, and sell again the
justice and the law that is appointed to the office, must be
admonished, and in case they will not amend, into the sea
with them ! Put them out of their offices, and put better
in. Those gentlemen that live upon dicing, carding, idle-
ness, or with other men's goods, must also be admonished ;
if they will not repent altogether, cast them into the sea.
Foolish and preposterous pity has brought both the king,

* Of the church of Christ.

t Romish chaplains. Many ministers were still Romanists in their
hearts.

J Clerici, ecclesiastics.

4 Many ministers who still favoured popery, were allowed to
retain their bene6ces during king' Edward's reign ; the patrons also
frequently gave livings to persons who had been monks, that they
might save the pensions they would otherwise have had to pay.
This rendered the re-establishment of popery by queen Mary much
easier.

Third Sermon on Jonah. 127

and the laws, not only of this realm, but also of God, into
contempt,- and daily will do so more and more, if it be not
foreseen. Now the laws that should be justly executed
upon thieves and murderers are dispensed with, out of fool-
ish pity ; and many judge it were better to save after his
opinion, than to condemn after the commandment of God.
For they say, •" Ob, he is a tall fellow, and can do the king
good service, it were pity he should be hanged. But in
case they knew God's laws, or man's laws, and knew what
best maintains a commonwealth they would say, " Such a
thief or murderer can never do the king's majesty better
service than when he is hanged for his fault, that other
men may fear to offend the law, by his example." Mark
how this preposterous and sinister pity, has brought the
realm to be pestered with more thieves than half Europe
beside ; insomuch that a man cannot travel safely by the
way with twenty pounds in his purse, though twenty men
are together in company : as it was seen by experience of
late days, to the great shame of all the justices of the
country, and to the slander of the whole law and the realm.

The fraud, guile, and covetousness of the lawyers must
either be amended, or they themselves be cast into the
sea. For unto this both their craft and filthy lucre has
brought the law, that whereas, at the beginning of it, it
was a succour and defence of the innocent, now all honest
men are so afraid of it, that they had rather, yea, and it
were better for a man to lose half his right, than to com-
plain and seek a remedy at the law. What may wise
men think of that realm, where the defence and the sinews
thereof are so weakened and corrupted ? — doubtless nothing
but ruin and perdition.

The sloth and idleness, the impatience and rebellion of
the people, must be punished and amended, or else they
will cast the ship, the shipmaster, (that is the king and
his council,) yea, and themselves also, into the sea, and
bring this realm to desolation and utter destruction.

Even thus, as the king's majesty must do in his realm, so
should every man do in his own household. When there
comes poverty, pestilence, war, hunger, and such like, he
must diligently search whether there are any Jonahs within
his house, that is to say, any idle and unoccupied men,
any thieves, adulterers, swearers, and such like ; and the
same are to be amended or cast out of the house. Hereof
your majesty must also take heed, that you know the faith

128 Hooper. — Sermons

and conversation of your family : that whosoever of un-
derstanding and knowledge enters your grace's court, may
see the majesty of a godly house, and percei e by the
order of your family, that God dwells in the court and
realm. But, the more to be pitied, it is so now that who-
soever enters and marks the conditions of many men in the
court, shall find in the most part of the house hangings of
God's wounds, his flesh and his blood, with such blasphe-
mous oaths as the devil himself, if he were incarnate,
would tremble to speak. And great wonder it is there
falleth not fire from heaven to burn them, and the house
they tarry in. Likewise, whereas God's laws, and also the
common statutes of this realm, forbid dice and cards ;
the more shame it is, they are used daily and hourly in the
king's majesty's house ; whereat not only the majesty of
God is offended, but many an honest man is undone in the
year. That dice-house must be cast into the sea. If it be
not, God will cast the maintainors thereof at length into
hell. And if all men follow this godly counsel of Jonah,
what will follow ? This that is in the text :

The sea shall cease his raging.

As long as Jonah was in the ship, there was no quiet ;
now, he being in the sea, all is at peace : so shall it
be with us if we amend, and cease from evil doings, as it
is written, Jeremiah ii. vi. vii. And this is easy to be
proved by example, that no commonwealth can be pacified,
except evil doers be punished. Jehoshaphat, before he
could bring his commonwealth to any good point, restored
good judges to the civil state of his realm, and true
teachers to the ecclesiastical state of his realm. (2 Chron.
chap, xix.) The same may we see in David. (2 Sam. viii.)
So did Artaxerxes who sent Ezra to the Jews. (Ezra viii.)

The sam eorder Cambyses, Cyrus's son, took, though he
was an idle man. He caused the skin of a corrupt judge
to be pulled over his head, and to be nailed in the place
of judgment, to put other men in fear how they corrupted
justice. For the keeping of all men in order, it were well
that men would think upon the law of the Corinthians :
which men may read in the adages of Erasmus. The
adage is " Proterviam fecit."* Whereby every man was

» Erasmus explains " Proterviam fecit" to be a sort of sacrifice
among the Romans, in which whatever was left was consumed by
fire, (as in Exod. xii. 13. xxiii. 18. xxix. 34.) It appears to mean
that what could not be used, was to be destroyed.

Third Sermon on Jonah. 1 29

bound to give account how he lived, and maintained him-
self. And the same law Solon had at Athens.

When the magistrate by negligence or preposterous
pity, will not punish for sin, then God striketli, as you may
see by the universal flood, and by the fire in Sodom and
Gomorrah. Give heed therefore, most gracious lords, to
punish these Jonahs, and to put better in their place ; or
else God will punish either with evil beasts, or with sword,
or with famine, or with pestilenee, as it is written Ezekiel
xiv. But in case you will do it, the sea will cease to rage,
as I pray God it may. Amen.

g3

THE FOURTH

SERMON UPON JONAH.

The Preface.

St. Paul saith, " It is a most true saying, and worthy to
be received of every part, that Christ Jesus came into this
world to save sinners." (1 Tim. i.) Unto which saying the
words of our Saviour Christ (Luke xix.) agree. " The Son
of man came to seek and save that which was lost." Who
is among us all that would not rejoice at the hearing of so
amiable and sweet a saying, seeing we are all miserable
and accursed sinners by nature ; and yet, full of misery
and blindness as we are, we would be saved, and wish ever
to be out of pain ? But in this, all heed is to be taken,
lest we understand these comfortable promises wrongfully,
as the devil trieth to persuade us. When he cannot alto-
gether bereave and rob us of the promises, he would have
us construe and understand the promises amiss. And
whereas these promises appertain to none but repentant
sinners, he s6 dazeth* and deceiveth our affection, and the
love we bear to ourselves, that he would persuade us God's
promise appertains as well to the impenitent sinner, never
minding to amend, as unto the sorrowful afflicted believing
sinner, who will study the amendment of life ; against
which illusion and craft of the devil, Christ speaks ; " 1
came not to call the just, but sinners to repentance."
(Matt. ix. Luke v.) If we are destitute of this repentance,
the promises of God avail us nothing. " Except ye repent,
ye all shall perish." (Luke xiii.) And the former promise's"
were not so sweet, but these threatenings are as bitter :
not unto all men, but unto such as are obstinately evil or
desperate. Against whom John Baptist cried, " Even now
is the axe put unto the root of the tree. Every tree that
bringeth forth no good fruit, is cut down and put into the
* Dazzleth, misleads.

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 131

fire." (Luke iii.) But a man might ask to what purpose
I speak of this thing- ; doubtless, to prosecute and follow
that with which I begun. I said that the authors of this
unquietness in the realm, in the church, and in every
household, were, in reality, Jonahs, and those that troubled
the ship ; and that they ought either to be amended, or
removed out of their office, or else the ship may never
come to rest. But that those who are cast into the sea
should not despair, there must be some remedy found to
solace and comfort such as are fallen into danger of
drowning.

This is the way. — If they take the admonitions and the
admonishers quietly, and rail not against them, neither
wink at their own faults ; but with a true repentance of
the heart follow the prophet Jonah, who confessed his
fault, and humbly asked remission and pardon for the
same ; so shall every sinner be saved as he was, accord-
ing to the oath of God : " As truly as I live, saith the
Lord, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he be con-
verted and live." (Ezek. xviii.) Except our troublesome
Jonahs follow this counsel of the Lord, they shall be
drowned in the water of eternal damnation, with Pharaoh.

But as heretofore you have heard how Jonah was
punished for his disobedience, so now from the text you
shall hear how he, repenting his misbehaviour and of-
fences, was preserved in his dangers; how he prayed;
and, at last, how he was delivered. And that I may the
better and more plainly teach and open the same, I will
divide the text that follows into four parts. The first part
contains the behaviour and doings of the shipmen after
they had cast Jonah into the sea. The second part con-
tains how Jonah, being cast into the sea, was received into
the belly of the whale.* The third contains the behaviour
and doings of Jonah in the whale's belly. The fourth
contains the deliverance and casting out of Jonah from the
belly of the whale.

The first: the text saith, Those men feared the Lord
wonderfully, and sacrificed unto him, and made their
vows. The shipmen did three things, — they feared ; they
sacrificed ; they vowed.

After they perceived the sea left his trouble upon the
execution of Jonah, they neglected not the true religion
which they learned in their trouble, but were better and
* Or great fish.

132 Hooper. — Sermons

more strengthened in the same ; for they feared the Lord,
and honoured him only. Of these shipmen let us learn
constancy and perseverance in the true knowledge of God ;
and when we are delivered out of danger, let us not give
ourselves to liberty and folly of life, as we naturally are
inclined and propense* to do.

Thus Moses diligently admonished the children, that
when they had received the abundant benefits of the Lord,
they should not, in their satiety and abundance, be unmind-
ful of the Lord that brought' them- out of the land of
Egypt, and the penury and scarcity of the desert. (Deut.
vi. and viii.)

The thankfulness of these mariners shall be laid against
us at the day of our examination for our unthank-
fulness. For God has not only quieted the sea for us, but
also abundantly given us the use and advantage both of
sea and land ; and that not only for the rest and quietness
of the body, but, also, he has appeased the sea of great
displeasure and eternal damnation, by casting his only
beloved Son Christ Jesus upon the cross, to cease and
appease the wrath and displeasure between us and him;
and yet we neither fear nor love him, but, with continual
hatred and despite, contemn both him and his holy word.

They do sacrifice.

They thought it not enough inwardly to honour the
Lord, but outwardly did sacrifice, to protest and declare
unto the world the good judgment, faith, and knowledge,
they had in the Lord. So should we do. Not only know
God and fear him inwardly, but, also, outwardly, with
prayer, thanksgiving, and other good works commanded by
God, declare the same, as they did by their sacrifices,
before the coming of Christ into our flesh ; which were
types and significations of Christ to come, but could not
take away the sin of the world, as St. Paul saith : "It is
impossible that the blood of calves should take away sin.
Christ's sacrifice once offered for all, by that once satisfied
for all sins." (Heb. x.) " And where is remission of
sins, there needeth no more sacrifice." (Heb. ix.) It is,
therefore, an ungodly doctrine that, in this time of the New
Testament, teaches any other sacrifice for sin than the
death of Christ only. If a question now be asked, Are
there then no sacrifices now left to be done by christian

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 1 33

people? Yes, truly; but no other than such as ought to
be done withput altars. And they are of three sorts. The
first are the sacrifices of thanksgiving. (Psal. 1. Amos iv.
Heb. xiii. Hosea xiv.) The second is benevolence
and liberality to the poor. (Micah vi. 1 Cor. xvi. 2 Cor.
viii. and ix.) The third kind of sacrifice is the mortifying
of our own bodies, and to die uuto sin. (Rom. vi'. Matt.
xi. Luke xiv.) If we study not daily to offer these sa-
crifices to God, we are not christians.

Seeing christians have no other sacrifices than these,
which may and ought to be done without altars, then
should there be no altars among christians : and, there-
fore, it was not without the great wisdom and knowledge
of God, that Christ, his apostles, and the primitive church,
were without altars ; for they knew that the use of altars
was taken away. It were well then that it might please the
magistrates to turn the altars into tables, according to the
first institution of Christ, to take away the false persuasion
of the people which they have of the sacrifices to be done
upon the altars ; for as long as the altars remain, both
the ignorant people, and the ignorant and evil-persuaded
priest, will always dream of sacrifice. Therefore were it
best that the magistrates removed all the monuments and
tokens of idolatry and superstition ; then should the true
religion of God the sooner take place.

They vow.

Most likely they vowed to go to Jerusalem, there to
manifest the mighty power of God to the people, and to
give thanks unto the Lord, ■ according to the law and
manner of Moses's decrees. Lest we should err in the
nature and condition of a vow, there are three things to be
noted. To whom the vow is made ; what is vowed ; and
who it is that makes, the vow. The vow should be made
unto the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet saith, chapter xix.
" They shall make their vows to the Lord." The thing
vowed may not be contrary to any of the two tables in
Exod. xx. Deut. v. He that vows must be such a one as
is able to pay and satisfy his vow. So St. Paul advised
the younger widows to marry, perceiving how unruly and
vehement the passions of young age were, that they were
not apt to live sole, nor to keep their vow, if they should
vow so to do.

Now follows the second member of the prayer; how

134 Hooper. — Sermons.

Jonah, being cast into the sea, was received of the whale ;
and it begins the second chapter of the prophet thus :

But the Lord prepared a great fish that should devour
Jonah. And Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and
three nights.

The text contains two things : first, that the fish pre--
pared by the Lord swallowed up Jonah. The second, how
long a time Jonah was in the fish's belly. The things to
be noted in the first are, also, two. First is declared the
wonderful pity and mercy of God, that can and will help
the afflicted in the days of their afflictions. Jonah ex-
pected nothing else but to die, and so did the mariners ;
for they besought God not to require the blood of the
innocent at their hands ; but the Lord, who is ready to
help as many as call upon him, (Psal. vii. and xi.) left not
his penitent and afflicted servant Jonah, but preserved his
life, though it were with trouble ; thus will he do with all
those that are the Jonahs of this realm, in case they repent.
Though they should be cast from all the honour and offices
they have, better it were to lose them with the favour of
God, than to keep them with God's displeasure : thus
Zaccheus did, (Luke xix.) and Jacob. (Gen. xxviii.)

The means how God saves the afflicted are unknown to
man, and man should not be curious to search too much
for the knowledge of them, but should commend them to
God ; for many times God uses those for life that man
judges should lead unto death : so was Jonah saved by
the devouring mouth of the whale, which seemed unto
Jonah's reason rather a present means unto death ; so
used he the ark of Moses, and the wonderful passage of
the children of Israel through the Red Sea. If we cleanse
our knowledge, religion, and manners, the Lord will find
means sufficient to save us ; which we may not appoint to
ourselves, but commend them to the providence of God.
For many times, by the same ways that we seek the favour
of God aud our advantage, we find his displeasure and
our own destruction, as Saul did. (1 Samuel xv.) He
sacrificed without the commandment of God, and pur-
chased the severe and just wrath of God. The Israelites
who, of good meaning and. intention fasted, and sought by
that means God's good will, found his displeasure. (Zech.
Tii.) Caiaphas sought by counsel to have oppressed the
proceedings of Christ, and oppressed himself and the
whole state of the commonwealth also. (John xi.) CWro

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 135

at Rome, Demosthenes at Athens, each put their common-
wealth in danger, by their best advised counsel for the
preservation thereof; and so shall all the Jonahs, extor-
tioners, oppressors, deceivers, flatterers, and others of this
realm, come into extreme poverty by the same means they
seek riches ; for the curse of God cannot suffer evil-gotten
goods and possessions long to prosper.
• Now Jonah saith that he was in the belly of the whale
three days and three nights. Of this we learn that God
helps not the afflicted immediately, but exercises them
in their troubles. First, that he may the better humble
them, and bring them to a true knowledge of their faults,
whose greatness is such that it cannot be perceived, whereas
the pain for it is easy and light. But the Lord would have
us the better to judge of the fault by the greatness of the
pain, and, therefore, the Lord is said to explore and try his
people in affliction, as gold is tried by the fire. Further,
his mighty power is the better declared, as he helps such
as are quite in despair of all other remedies and helps.
Last of all, this time of Jonah's being in the whale's body
was a type and figure of Christ's being in the heart of the
earth three days and three nights. (Matt, xii.)

Now follows how this man behaved himself in the time
of his trouble. When he perceived in the fish's belly some
hope and sparkle of life, he fell to prayer. But because
prayer contains in it two things, the knowledge of the
fault, and hope of forgiveness', I admonish all the Jonahs of
this realm, that they acknowledge and leave off their
faults, and beg pardon for them, except they will die eter-
nally. The bishops and the priests that have, either with
false doctrine destroyed the church, or by negligence not
built it with the true word of God, let them acknowledge
their faults, amend them, and ask remission betimes, if
they will not die in their sin. The noblemen and the
lawyers that are secretly touched with the word of God,
and their conscience condemns them of wrongs, frauds,
injuries, and deceits, let them not harden their hearts, but
pray to the Lord to take from them pride, arrogance,
blindness, and covetousness, lest they die in their sin, as
Saul did. The people, let them pray unto God for know-,
ledge and patience, that they may know and suffer all
things, as true subjects ought to do ; and that from
henceforth they may hate discord, dissension, treason,

136 Hooper. — Sermons.

conspiracy, whoredom, adultery, idleness, hatred, envy, dis-
dain, and such like, which provoke God's wrath, and lead
to the destruction of a commonwealth. But this prayer of
Jonah is so acceptable, that some men might suppose,
that the place where Jonah prayed in had bettered it ; as
the foolish opinion of the world is at this time, which judges
the prayer said at the high altar to be better than that
which is said in the choir, that in the choir better than that
which is said in the body of the church, that in the body
of the church better than the prayer said in the field, or in
a man's chamber. But our prophet saith, The Lord hath
no respect to the place, but unto the heart and faith of
him that prayeth : and that appears, for penitent Jonah
prayed out of the whale's belly, and miserable Job upon
the dung-heap, Daniel in the cave of the lions, Jeremiah,
in the clay-pit, the thief upon the cross, St. Stephen under
the stones. Wherefore, the grace of God is to be prayed
for in every place and everywhere, as our necessity shall
need and want solace. Although I say that the prayer
made to' God in the name of Christ is alike in every place,
because our necessity requires help in every place ; yet I
do not condemn the public place of prayer, where God's
word is preached, his holy sacraments used, and common
prayer made to God, but allow the same, and am sorry it
is not more frequented. But this I would wish, that the
magistrates should put both the preacher, minister, and
the people in one place, and shut up the partition called
the chancel, which separates the congregation of Christ one
from the other, as though the veil and partition of the
temple in the old law yet should remain in the church ;
when, indeed, all figures and types ended in Christ. And
in case this were done, it would not only express the dig-
nity and grace of the New Testament, but, also, cause the
people the better to understand the things read there by
the minister; and, also, excite the minister , to more
study of the things that he reads, lest he should be found
by the judgment of the congregation not worthy either to
read or to minister in the church. Further, that such as
would receive the holy communion of the precious body
and blood of Christ, might both hear and see plainly what
is done, as it was used in the primitive church, wher
the abomination done upon altars* was not known, nor

* The popish mass.

Fourth Sermon on Jonah 137

the sacrifice of Christ's precious blood so trodden under
foot and despised.

The third thing to be noted in this prayer is, lest in the
port itself we make shipwreck, and, in praying, offend God,
to whom we pray. Unto him that only seeth the cogi-
tations of our heart, and can and will do all things for us
accordingly — help in need, and punish in due season —
which only God can do. And unto him should we direct
and make our prayer, after the examples of the patriarchs,
prophets, and apostles, who called always upon their God ;
for such as direct their prayers otherwise, they all fall
and err : against whom speaketh Isaiah, (lxv.) Jeremiah,
(ii. xv.) Ezekiel, (xiv.) And the Lord is angry with his
people, as Isaiah saith, (chap, ix.) because they turned not
unto him that struck them, nor unto the God of armour.
And in the prophet Hos.ea, (chap, vii.) " They called not
to me," saith the Lord, " in their hearts." And in the
same place, a little after, the prophet saith, " They are
returned, but not unto the Highest." So likewise are they
no less to be blamed that divide their hearts, part unto
God, and part unto creatures, of whom Hosea speaks,
(chap, x.)

If these three things that Jonah used in the whale's
belly, were used by the people that profess Christ's name,
in our temples, blessed were we. But it is quite the con-
trary ; we know not what prayer is, nor yet will take the
pains to learn it ; the more is the pity, and the more is
God stirred to vengeance and punishment, and the more,
cruel shall the pain be when it is executed by God.

As we know by the text that he prayed, so may we know
by the same how he prayed, and what was the form and
manner of his prayer. That is very requisite to be known,
marked and borne away ; — the effect and sum thereof con-
sists in three points. In two of the first verses he puts
forth briefly the abridgement and epitome of his prayer ;
then he declares the greatness of his danger and jeo-
pardy ; thirdly, he sets forth the pity and mercy of God.
The first part is thus :

From my troubles I have called upon the Lord, and he
heard me : from the depths of the deepest I cried, and thou
heardest my voice.

Out of this first part we learn two doctrines, the one
that we should not despair, nor wholly cast off God in ad-
versity. The other, that in adversity we should not flee, nor

138 Hooper. — Sermons.

seek any forbidden, or unlawful means of help. And
these two things Jonah observed in this his trouble ; and
we should do the same according to the commandment ot
God. " Call upon me in the day of thy troubles, and I
shall hear thee," (Psal. 1.), as he did at all times.
(Psal. xcix.) And this cry of Jonah was rather the cry
of his heart, than the noise or sound of his mouth, as
Moses, Exod. xiv., and the good woman, 1 Sam. i.

The circumstances of true prayer being observed, the
Lord hears this faithful prayer according to his promises.
Whereof all idolatrous bishops and priests may learn, that
if they will forsake their idolatry, and call unto the Lord,
mercy is ready for them. And if the lascivious, avari-
cious, and covetous gentleman or lawyer will acknowledge
his fault, and ask remission for it, it will be forgiven him.
And so shall it be to the common sort of people, if they
acknowledge their disobedience, rebellion, treason, pride,
contempt of the superior powers, and ask mercy for them.

The second part of his prayer contains a description of
dangers that he was in, thus :

Thou hast cast me down deep in the midst of the sea±
and the flood compassed me about : yea, all the waves and
rolls of water went over me : I thought I had been cast
away out of thy sight ; but I will yet again look toward
thy holy temple. The waters compassed me even to my
very life : the deep lay about me, and the weeds were wrapt
about my head. I went down to the bottom of the hills,
and was barred in with the earth for ever.

It is the common lot of all holy men, in the holy scrip-
ture, for the most part to make mention in their prayers of
their dangers, and to amplify them, that their greatness
may be better marked and known. And this is done for
three causes : the one because, with the numbering, and
repeating of their great dangers, they may the more in-
flame themselves to ardent and earnest prayer ; for the
more a man feels his own grief, the more diligent he will
be to seek a remedy. The other is to bring a man the more
to contempt and hatred of himself; for the greatness of
the pain declares the enormity and filthiness of the trans-
gression and sin. The third is to set forth the power and
good will of God, that can and will help in extreme and
desperate evils, and save with superabundant mercy, when
he finds iniquity and sin to abound. (Rom. v.) And so,
many times, the slavery and miserable state of the afflicted,

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 139

sets forth the majesty and richness of God's mercy. (Matt,
viii. ix. John viii. ix.)

This man of God noted and knew the displeasure of
God against sin ; but our Jonahs sleep quietly, and feel
not the pain of sin ; and this security and insensibility
under the wrath of God, comes by the ignorance that
almost the whole world is laid in, touching the danger of
their vocations. If the clergy, bishops and priests would
think upon the pain annexed unto their vocation, if they
do it not truly, faithfully, and as they are commanded of
God : " I will require their blood at thy hand," (Ezek. iii.
xxxiii.) ; they would serve the Lord and use more diligence
in their vocation than they do. If the noblemen would
think upon this text, " The Lord resists the proud ;" and
this text Isaiah v. " Woe be unto you that join house to
house, and field to field ;" and the lawyers and judges
that which is written Proverbs xvii. and Matthew xxiii.,
they would not sleep in great rest, nor use the places they
are in with such partiality and falsehood as they do. If
the common people would think upon the iii. of Genesis,
where labour is commanded, and also 1 Thessalonians iv. 2
Thessalonians iii., they would not forsake labour and seek
weapons, and strength to turn and alter the state and order
which God has appointed upon the earth. But this I say
to every man of each of these degrees mentioned — the
less they feel the danger of eternal damnation, the nearer
they are unto eternal pain, and they have already one foot
in hell, which shall never come again, but the whole b,ody
and soul shall follow, except they repent ; for no man is
farther from heaven, than he that feareth not hell ; and no
man farther from grace than he that feeleth not the danger
of sin : as we see no man is in a more dangerous disease,
than he that knows not himself to be sick, as those men
are that have fallen into frenzy and madness. Let us
learn with Jonah to know in what danger we are.

Yet is there another thing to be noted in Jonah's words,
where he saith : " Thou hast cast me down." By these
words those that are condemned by the magistrates, should
acknowledge that it is not the magistrate that puts them
to execution, but God, whose ministers they are ; and they
ought to save such as God's word saveth, and condemn
those that God's word condemneth. It is God that send-
eth to hell, that hangeth for transgression ; as Jonah

140 Hooper. — Sermons.

knew in this his prayer. He accused not the mariners
that cast him into the sea, but confessed that the execu-
tion of the evil was from God.

Let therefore from henceforth the bishop and parson
that is deprived of their vocation for their misbehaviour,
and false or negligent preaching, say, " The Lord hath
cast me down." So let the noblemen and the lawyers say,
when their covetousness, fraud and deceit cry vengeance
before God until they are displaced : " The Lord hath
cast me down." And the same let the traitorous subject,
the thief, the murderer, and idle man say ; " The Lord
brought me to the gallows ; the Lord would I should
trouble the commonwealth no longer."

And I do here appeal and charge it upon the conscience
of every subject of this realm of England. First, those
that have the doings, receivings, occupyings and custody,
oversight, rule, and office, of the king's majesty's goods or
lands. Then, their conscience to whom the king and
his council have committed the teaching and instruction of
his people, in the knowledge and fear, both of God and
man. Finally, I appeal to the consciences of the subjects
of this realm which merit, some for deceit, falsehood, and
deceiving the king, loss both of body and goods ; some
for preaching erroneous seditions and false doctrine, or for
neglecting the preaching of the true doctrine, deserve most
cruel punishment ; some for false judgment merit the loss of
their lives ; the rest for rebellion, sedition and treason,
deserve the sword and the gallows — whether in suffering
the pain appointed for such transgression, they can from
their hearts say : " This I suffer worthily, and will the
vengeance of God,* because I have sinned against him,
and the law of my commonwealth." No, no, every man
extenuates, yea excuses all things done against God and
his order. But I will suppose thee, thou thief and robber
of the king and of the commonwealth, to be king, and the
king to be thy officer and receiver : wouldest thou thy officer
should deceive thee ? Or thou traitorous and false subject,
if thou wert king and the king thy subject, wouldest thou
be contented that thy subjects should conspire and imagine
how to pluck thee out of thy realm. What if my lord
bishop and master parson were kings, think ye their ma-
jesties would be contented that their bishops and priests
* Am ready to endure his providential correction.

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 141

should whisper a tale of treason and sedition in auricular
confession, or rather privy conventicles, to their subjects ?*
Speak all of you that I have supposed to be kings, and
speak from your consciences ; I dare say you would not be
thus handled. Why then do ye handle another so ? " Do
not to another, that thou wouldest not another should do
unto thee." Amend therefore, every man, and be true and
faithful unto the realm, to the king 1 and laws of him and
his realm. And for the love of God, ye noblemen, gen-
tlemen, justices and lawyers, enforce the wholesome laws
of the realm, the statutes and commissions that have been
made by the king and the council, for the preservation of
the commonwealth, and the help of the poor, both which
are afflicted with your insatiable and never-contented co-
vetousness. Let them be faithfully executed, and up-
rightly interpreted, according to the mind and meaning of
those that made them ; for the evil construing, and
sinister taking of good laws and the godly meaning of
godly magistrates, not only afflict the poor of this realm,
but will, at length, surely cast the whole realm under the
water. Now comes into my mind the practice of wrongly
taking the governor's word and commandment, how peri-
lous and dangerous a thing it is.

I was once in the race of Britain! with a fore wind, and
contrary flood, the seas in that place going hollow,
and that by reason of a multitude of rocks in the same
place. The master of the ship, to conduct it the better, sat
upon the main yard to see the seas aforehand, and cried to
him that steered at the stern, upon which side he should
steer the ship, best to avoid the danger of the sea. The
wind blowing high, when the master cried a-larboard, he
that steered mistook it, and steered a-starboard ; and this
once mistaking of the master's law, had almost cast us
under the water. Then thought I, it is not without cause
that wise men compare a commonwealth to a ship, for the
same thing loses or saves them both ; for in case the
master's officer in the ship obey not his law, the ship will
be lost. So shall this commonwealth and every other, if
when the king and his council make laws to help and save
the poor, he who steers at the hinder part of the ship

* Most of the clergy who still adhered to popery in their hearts
had secretly promoted the rebellions against king Edward the
sixth.

t Of Brittany, probably the race (or rapid stream) of Aldemey.

142 Hooper. — Sermons.

behind the king's back, follows not that which he is bid to do,
but that which he himself listeth, and which is for his own
private advantage to do ; and thus puts both the ship, the
master, and all the mariners, in danger of drowning.
Amend therefore every man betimes; if you do not, the
Lord at length will cast you out from all you have, to the
destruction of you and yours.

But one thing I pray all you that are true and faithful
subjects and friends unto the kingdom, and the king's
majesty — that you will not impute, nor burden the king's
majesty, nor his council with the oppression, extortion, theft,
injuries, deceits, falsehoods, defrauds, cautells,* violences
and other wrongs, that those thieves and destroyers use
towards you and the commonwealth : — if such deeds come
to their knowledge, I doubt not but your wrongs should
be redressed by them. And this I know myself by expe-
rience in weighty matters, that the king's majesty's coun-
cil has not only heard, but also given sentence according
to the truth, and used me rather like fathers, than like
judges in such matters. If they had taken the things
which were spoken by me honestly, as they were evil con-
strued by my accusers, there could have followed no less
than my great undoing, and hinderance to all my labours
and pains in the vineyard of the Lord. Therefore, pray
to him that all good laws may be justly executed, and all
others amended, which God grant.

There is one word more in the text which must not be
neglected, where Jonah saith, he shall see again the holy
temple of the Lord ; in which words note two things. The
one, that in the most obscure and dark troubles of adver-
sity, God suffers some spark of consolation to shine ; the
other, to what end a man being in trouble, should desire
to be delivered — to extol and praise for ever the name of
the Lord. (Isaiah xxxviii.) But how this deliverance is
practised in our days the Lord knoweth. We do not de-
sire the Lord, to deliver us, to glorify and laud his holy
name, as Jonah did and David ; (Psalm li. cxviii.) but
from sickness and adversity we turn ourselves to all un-
godliness and liberty of life ; and where we were evil be-
fore trouble and sickness, we are worse after ; therefore
when God has wasted one rod upon us in punishment, he
begins to make another more sharp than the first. And
even as the fall again into disease, before the first attack
* Crafty proceedings.

Fourth Sermon on Jonah. 143

is quite past and overcome, brings the more danger to the
patient, even so the relapse and fall again into the displea
sure and judgment of God, not only doubles the grief and
pain of the punishment, but also endangers the afflicted
person with the horror and damnation of hell fire ; for
every relapse aggravates the pain for sin. After this fol-
lows the third part of Jonah's prayer, in which is contained
a commendation of God's mercy.

But thou, Lord my God, hast brought my life again
out of corruption. When my soul fainted within me, I
thought upon the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee,
even unto thy holy temple.

In these verses is declared both the power of God and
the truth of God— his power that saved his life, where
there was no likelihood but of death, yea death itself; for
it is he alone that bringeth to hell, and saveth from thence ;
(1 Sam. i.) — his truth is declared, that whereas he saith,
" Call upon me in the days of thy trouble, and I will hear
thee." (Psal. 1.), here he performs it in this afflicted
Jonah ; of whom we should learn both to fear his threaten-
ing justice, and to trust unto his promised mercy; for he
can do both ; can punish the evil that will not repent, and
save the afflicted that fleeth unto his mercy.

They that hold vain vanities will forsake his mercy.

The people of God have a custom in their prayers ; as
they behold the true and saving health of the living God,
so of the contrary part, to consider the false and deceitful
help of the false gods, as David does many times, and
here also Jonah. So do the true christians at this day ;
in beholding the mercy of God in Christ, they behold and
wonder at the fond and false hope, help and trust, that men
put in vanity, error, and forbidden help of the mass,
water, bread, salt, bowing, candles, pardons and such like.
And christian reader, note this, that the prophet calls false
and vain religion, vanity. So judge thou every religion'
that is not contained within the word of God, to be nothing
else than vanity, from whencesoever it cometh ; though the
world would bear thee in hand that it were as true as the
gospel. But ask the true judge, the word of God, and it
will show thee it is superstition, beggary and treachery unto
the soul ; and they lose the benevolence and mercy which
God has promised in Christ to as many as seek him in
truth, and in verity. Out of this text you see the truth of the
doctrine of Christ, which is written, (Matthew vi.) No man

144 Hooper. — Sermons.

can serve two masters, the true religion of God, and the
superstition of man. Nor can he be saved that trusts in
Christ hanged upon the cross, and in Christ offered in the
mass : for the one is plain contrary unto the other ; there-
fore Jonah confesses what he will do — follow the one and
forsake the other, as the text of his prayer saith.

But I will do thee sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving,
and will pay that I have vowed.

Here Jonah tells what he will do when he is delivered
from his trouble. He will extol, magnify, and set forth
the goodness of God. Then he will perform the vow he
made, that is to say, live obediently unto the commandment
of God. This must we do, and not use health and quietness
as an occasion to sin, liberty, and filthiness of life. Jonah
also amends the foolish opinion of the Jews, who trusted
to have obtained remission of their sins, by the offering up
of the calves and other brute beasts ; but Jonah declares
that the Lord delights in no sacrifice that man can do, ex-
cept in the sacrifice of thanksgiving : for Christ only is the
propitiatory sacrifice ; and he alone merits the remission of
sin before God. If then in the time of the shadow,* Jonah
knew that the Lord would accept the sacrifice of the heart
and mouth which was endued with faith, more than the
sacrifice of the calves, how much more now will he do the
same of us, rather than the idolatrous sacrifice of the mass !
Jonah, well trusting God's mercy and promises, shows a
reason wherefore he will laud and praise the Lord, when
he comes out of trouble and saith,

For salvation cotneth of the Lord.

As though he had said, No man can give health of body
or soul except God, as David saith in almost every Psalm,
and Isaiah (xliii. xliv.) If this doctrine were well im-
printed in our minds, we should not go astray to every
strange God, and superstition of man, as the world doth
now-a-days more like heathens than christians. Further,
we should the better sustain and endure adversity, seeing
it can neither go nor come without the permission of God.
Gracious king, and my lords of the council, remember this
doctrine of Jonah, and then you need not fear to reform
this church of England unto the primitive state and apos-
tolical doctrine. Let the devil with all his ministers do
what they will ; if the judges remembered this doctrine,
they would not fear to punish evil doers ; if the people

* The law having a shadow of good things to come, &c. Heb. x.

fourth Sermon on Jonah. 145

knew this doctrine, they would not take armour and
weapons against the magistrates, but seek help from God.
Above all men let the preacher comfort himself with this
word, for he is in danger of the most displeasure, if he
preach not truly. Also let the persecutors of God's word,
take heed of this doctrine ; for in the Lord shall be their
health, let them persecute what and how they will ; though
they burn, the Lord will quench ; if they kill, the Lord
will make alive ; if they curse, the Lord will bless ; if they
damn to hell, the Lord will save in heaven. Blessed then
is the man that trusteth in the Lord.

Now follows the conclusion of the chapter.

And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it east out Jonah
again upon the dry land.

Here we may see the effect of godly and earnest prayer
— that it obtains deliverance from danger. Of this in the
whole we learn that there is no danger so great, but we
may escape, if with penitence* we return unto the Lord,
and ask hint mercy. As many Jonahs, therefore, as are in
this realm, that have or do, either falsely use or negligently
contemn their vocation, let them acknowledge their offence,
and beg pardon ; else doubtless, though penitent Jonah
was cast on dry land, they shall remain for ever in the
pains of hell, as Saul. Let them therefore that are bishops
and priests, see in what danger they are, that neglect or
abuse their vocation : if they amend, health cometh, as
unto this miserable and penitent man. This I speak to
the noblemen and to the lawyers, and also to the common
people. I pray God that all ■ Jonahs of this realm may
thus repent. In case all do not, yet may some follow this
godly man that may be saved, as he is. So be it,

* Repentance.

HOOPER.

THE FIFTH

SERMON UPON JONAH.

The Preface.

There is no man that has any respect or care at all of
his health, who would not be glad that his faith, know-
ledge, and faults should be approved and well taken of by
God : for he knows that all labours and pains are in vain
and lost, which are not commended by him. Yet, in this
respect, men grievously offend and go out of the way, when
the thing that God most esteems is most neglected, on
our parts,, and what God hates, and is displeased with,
we most diligently do and exercise ourselves in. Men are
brought to such ignorance and contempt of God and his
word, that they judge that every thing which is done of a
good intention and well meaning, should please the Lord ;
from whence has sprung this infinite, dangerous, and
superstitious number of sacrifices, and other servings of
God. But what, according to the right judgment of the
scripture, chiefly pleases God ? Obedience- — that is to say,
when every man in his state and his vocation does what he
is commanded to do ; as it is written, (1 Sam. xiii.) " I
desire obedience and not sacrifice." Let no man, there-
fore, think he can do any thing acceptable unto the Lord,
if he neglect the works necessarily appointed unto his
vocation.

Here may princes take heed they go not about with
liberality to make other men good for them, learned for
them, virtuous for them, wise for them, while they them-
selves neglect study, prayer, pains, praise, and labour ; but
to know and do all things themselves, which are required for
a princely office, by the express word of God. Study, wis-
dom, knowledge, and exercise are required in the prince
himself. Let the bishops and priests beware they go not
about to try to please Gpd with masses, diriges, pardons,
rites, and ceremonies invented by men. But let them do the

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 147

works of their vocation, gravely study, diligently and truly
preach the word of God, christianly minister the sacra-
ments, and severely use discipline and correction of hard-
ened men's faults. So let the counsellor see what equity
requires him to do, the honour of God, the obedience due
to his prince, and the love of his country ; and so judge and
counsel for the glory of God, and welfare of the realm,
and not for his own affection or profit ; and think that the
parson, bishop or priest is able to sing or say the remis-
sion or pardon for the neglecting of his duty ; but he must
do the works thereof himself. The common sort of people,
let them learn to know and obey both God and man, and
not trust to the pardon and remission of their ignorance
and disobedient treason and sedition, at the parson's or
vicar's hand; but they must know and fear both God and
God's magistrate themselves.

How fair and religious, good and godly soever the good
intention of man appears and shows itself to man, it is
plain iniquity before God ; as you may see by Saul : who
thought God would be pleased with the well-meant fat sa-
crifice of king Agag's cattle. (1 Sam. xv.) And also he was
not only rebuked grievously for his fault, but disinherited
also of his kingdom for ever, because he fought with the
heathen before Samuel's coming.* (1 Sam. xiii.) I dare
pronounce that all these mischiefs and troubles, that hap-
pen to our ship and commonwealth of England, spring out
of this fountain, that no man labours to do the works that
God hath appointed to his vocation.

And the example hereof we have seen in Jonah, whose
disobedience and want of doing his vocation, moved the
winds in the air, and the waters of the sea ; so that he him-
self, and as many as were on board, were likely to have been
drowned. And seeing there is none of us but is qnlpable,
from the highest to the lowest, in neglecting the works of
our vocation, and thereby disobedient to the .good will and
commandment of God, let us repent and return to a better
mind. He that erreth shall not perish, if, being admo-
nished, he return home again. (Ezek. xviii. Matt, xi.)
Let this glass and mirror of Jonah suffice us to behold
another man's evil in, before we feel the like ourselves.
We have seen the disobedience of Jonah and the pain
thereof; we have seen his amendment and pensiveness,
and the fruit thereof, his deliverance and salvation;
* Rather because he offered sacrifices impropeily.^
h2

148 Hooper. — Sermons.

let us also now see how much he profited and learned
in God's school under the rod of adversity, and let us
learn to do the same. But before we come to the obe-
dience that this man learned in adversity we will pray
unto God.

We have come so far as the text has made mention of,
to the restitution of Jonah, in life, upon the dry ground.
•And now follows his second legation and embassage to
Nineveh. But for the better understanding of all things
that follow, I will divide the chapter into four parts.

The first contains the commandment of God to Jonah :
the second, Jonah's obedience : the third, the repentance
of the Ninevites : the fourth, the mercy and compassion pf
God towards the penitent and sorrowful Ninevites.

THE FIRST PART.

The word of God came the second time to Jonah after
this sort: Rise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and
preach in it the preaching that I have spoken unto
thee of.

Jonah goes not to the city to preach of his own head,
but tarries to be called unto it by God : from this we
learn, no man should wish or desire any office or vocation
for private advantage and his own lucre, but tarry till
God call him to it, especially the office of a bishop or
preacher.

For that office has so many difficulties, labours, and dan-
gers, that in case the man who is in it is not well persuaded
that he is come to it by the calling of God, he shall never
be able to endure the troubles annexed to the vocation.
The. perfect man's tediousness and weariness therein are
declare^ by Jeremiah, who determined with himself to have
preached no more because of the malice of the people, and
for the contempt that followed him, in doing of his voca-
tion, (chap, xx.) Even so is the office of a good coun-
sellor, or a good magistrate ; that in case he look not to
come to his dignity and honour for ambition, pride, and
private lucre, but comes when he is called of God; he
shall find so many labours, and so much unquietness in
his vocation, that were it not for God, he could be glad to
leave it to another man. For in case the magistrate does
any thing contrary unto God, doubtless he shall fall into
two evils ;: first, into God's displeasure, and then what he

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 149

does shall never prosper ; as it is to be seen by the
Israelites that warred before they were commanded by
God. (Num. xiv.) Let no man, therefore, run into an
office before the time God call him, neither buy himself
into the office as is now-a-days commonly used ; for I know
surely he that buyeth will sell, and never do God, the king,
or the subjects, good service, but dishonour the first, and
rob the others.

. Jonah is bid to rise and go to Nineveh : in that is de-
clared, that of all things in every vocation idleness and
sloth must be chiefly avoided, and labours exercised,
which, if we leave undone, being works annexed to our
vocation, we declare ourselves unfit for the place and vo-
cation we are appointed unto. In case any man had a
servant appointed to dress his meat in the kitchen, or to
keep his horse in the stable, and who neglected the labours
and pains that the offices ordinarily, and of duty, required,
who would gladly be contented with such a servant, or
desire he should be preferred to any office in his house ?
Therefore St. Paul commands, " That he that will not
labour should not eat.'' (2 Thess. iii.)

The third instruction from this first part declares, foras-
much as it behoves every man to avoid idleness in his
vocation, it might be demanded, what should a man do to
satisfy his vocation ? This Jonah has told in this place,
" Preach," saith the text. It saith not, Take the direction
and government of the commonwealth ; but preach. Of
this we learn, that every man is bound to do the works of
the vocation he bears the name of; and not to meddle
with other men's labours. It is not the office of the
bishop to play the king and lord, nor the king's part
to play the bishop. For the king's office is enough for a
king, and the bishop's office enough for a bishop. Let
them do the best they can, and study each of them in their
office. But let the king take heed to be able to judge
whether the bishop do true service to God in his' voca-
tion by the word of God: and let the bishop do the
same ; let him take heed whether the king or council com-
mand him to do any thing contrary to his vocation, which
is to preach God's word ; and in case he do, let him, with
knowledge and soberness, admonish him, and bring him
to a better mind. If thou art a judge, remember thy
name, and do the works of right judgment. If a justice,
do according to thy name : if a merchant, buy and sell

150 Hooper. — Sermons.

truly : if any other subject, do according to the name thou
bearest, as our subjects of England of late did not at all.
For master parson and an old wife taught them to forget
the duties of true and godly subjects, and would have
made them all kings, but the Lord cast them into the sea.
This duty of each man is handsomely set forth by certain
pictures in the town-house of Basil in this verse : " Tu
supplex or a, tu regna, tuque labor a." There are three
pictures ; the one of the pope, the other of the emperor,
the third of a ploughman : and the verse teaches all three
their duties — it bids the pope pray ; the emperor to reign;
and the ploughman to labour. Let, therefore, all bishops
and priests know their office is to preach and pray. This,
I say, and take God to record, is not of hatred, but of
love, for I am afraid of God's threatenings and vengeance
towards them, if they amend not ; for God saith he will
require the blood of the people at the bishop's hand ;
(Ezek. iii. xxxiii.) and Paul saith, " Woe be unto me if
I preach not.'* (1 Cor. ix.)

Here might the bishop or the parson, peradventure,
partly excuse themselves and say . " I know my fault and
would gladly amend it, if I could ; but I am so old I can-
not preach, and never used myself thereunto." I would
advise him, then, to follow the doings of Valerius, the
bishop of Hippo, who, in his old and latter days, per-
ceiving his age could not satisfy the labours due unto his
vocation, associated to himself a companion and coadju-
tor, even St. Augustine, as he testifieth. (Epist. cxlviii.)
In the beginning of that epistle, he writes, " Before all
things I would your godly prudence should think that in
this, our time, nothing is more acceptable, easy, or more
desired of men, than the office of a bishop, priest, or
deacon, if their office be slenderly used ; but with God
nothing is more damnable, miserable, or sorrowful." The
same Samuel knew. For, in his age, he instituted his
sons to help and ease the intolerancy* and importance of
his office: so I would every bishop and parson, that for
age or lack of learning cannot do his office, should insti-
tute and take unto him some wise and learned preacher to
help him, and not a singer, as now is used. If the counsel
and doings of the godly men before stated please them
not, let them devise some other like it, and all is one to
me, so they avoid the wrath of God ; for, doubtless, it is
* Weight or burden.

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 151

horrible, to fall in this, into the hands of God : for what
shall it avail them to win all the world, and lose their own
souls ? I would likewise pray and admonish the magis-
trates to see the schools are better maintained; for the
lack of them shall bring blindness into this church of Eng-
land again. And such as are the patrons and givers of
benefices, let them take heed they give and bestow them
upon worthy men, and sell them not to asses, and blind
blockheaded fellows ; for if they bestow their benefices for
lucre or affection to such as cannot, or will not, feed the
people of his cure with the word of God, the patron shall
die eternally for it, as well as his blind and naughty curate,
parson, or vicar.

The fourth instruction in this first part is very necessary.
For when the bishops and priests hear that their office is to
preach, then think they, But what we preach, is no matter,
it lies in our arbitriment* and pleasure. Nay, saith the
text, Preach that I bid thee ; and so saith St. Peter.
(1 Pet. iv. Matt, xxviii.)

In this vocation of preaching, the preacher should so
use himself, that he might say always, My doctrine is not
my doctrine, but His that hath sent me. For it is God's
word and his law that turn the hearts of people to repent-
ance. (Psal. xix. cxix.) For the written word of God is
as perfect as God himself, and is, indeed, able to make a
man perfect in all things ; (2 Tim. iii.) wherefore, it
needs not that blasphemous and vile help of the bishop
of Rome, who durst say, The law of God is not of itself
wholesome and sufficient but by his interpretation. But
by this means he got authority over the scripture to bury
it, and establish what he would, were it ever so devilish
and heretical ; therefore, let such as are of God do as
they have in commission from him, and not as they please
themselves ; for if they do, they are of the devil, and not of
Christ.

The obedience of Jonah.

Then Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, at the com-
mandment of the Lord.

Jonah, being now an obedient servant, looks no more
for a ship to flee, but goes the nearest way whither
he is commanded, though the journey was painful and
dangerous to the flesh. But the .cross of trouble is not

• Choice.

152 Hooper. — Sermons.

unprofitable to the christian : it mortifies the flesh, so that
in the afflicted dwelleth the Spirit of God ; it exercises the
faith, and proves obedience. As David saith, " Well it is
with me that thou hast chastened me, Lord, that I may
learn thy commandments." Both good and bad are
afflicted in this world ; but the good thereby are amended,
and the evil are appeyred,* and so they perish in their
trouble. David was amended herewith. (2 Samuel xii.
xxiv.) So was Hezekiah. (Isaiah xxxviii.) So was
Daniel. (Dan. ix.) These and like unto them are chast-
ened in the world, because they should not be damned
with the world. The evil are not amended by affliction,
but indurated and hardened through their own malice and
obstinacy, as Saul and Pharaoh ; and their pains and
torments here are the beginning of eternal pains. This
diversity and contrary effect of persecution, the holy pro-
phet David godly sets forth in Psalm lxxv. Which Psalm
I would that all bishops would read that know the truth,
and yet will take no pains to set it forth, but live idly ; and,
also, such as have no learning to set it forth, or of malice
silence and secretly hinder the setting forth of it : for,
doubtless, at length they shall not only drink of the wine
of adversity, but be compelled to drink dregs and all. So
shall all the ravening and covetous noblemen, that with
injuries and wrongn now afflict the poor — at length they
shall be most afflicted themselves. So shall the avaricious
judge, the covetous merchant, and the traitorous and sedi-
tious subject. But I would that ye be wise in time ; and
as ye have followed this rebel Jonah in evil, so follow him
in the good, and amend — if not, the king's majesty must
cast you into the sea.

The obedience of Jonah is set forth and commended
with many circumstances, and should, therefore, be the
better noted. First, because he went the nearest way to
Nineveh, and hired no other, nor substituted a suffragan,
nor went to Samaria to ask counsel of his friends what
was best to do, but went straightway himself. The second
circumstance that is worthy of annotation is, that he did
all things as the Lord bade him. Wherein we are taught
to be diligent that we see all our doings, acts, and obe-
dience are according to the word of God, and as it bids.
There is put in, as though it were by a parenthesis, the
description of Nineveh.

* Repressed, overwhelmed.

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 153

And Nineveh was a great city to the Lord, of three days'
journey.

This description sets forth the obedience of Jonah, who
diligently preached through the whole city, the pleasure of
God, that it should be destroyed within forty days. The
city is called great unto God, that is to say, a very great
city, as cedar of God, the mount of God, &c. means ; or
else, it is called the city of God, for the wonderful respect
and pity the Lord had in the saving of it. Whether the
city were three days' journey about, or else three days'
space to visit all the streets thereof, it is not agreed among
all writers ; but this we know, it was a notable city, and
of most famous report among all cities in the east.

Now follows what Jonah did after he entered into the
city.

When Jonah had entered the city one day's journey, he
cried and said, Within this forty days Nineveh shall be
destroyed.

Of this text we learn, that Jonah lived not idly after he
came to the place' whither he was sent by God, but that
he walked abroad and cried. So should every man that is
called to the office of a bishop or pastor. It is not enough
to go to his diocese or parsonage, but he must walk abroad
there^ and proclaim the commandment of the Lord ; or
else, with all their titles, glory, pomp, and name, they are
dumb dogs,* subject unto the vengeance and plague of
God. And this is the mark thou shouldest know a bishop
and priest by ; by his tongue, that soundeth the word of
the Lord, and not by his cap, or outward vesture. So
should the judge go abroad in his country, and speak and
declare justice everywhere ; so should the provosts, heads
of colleges, and masters of schools, go and teach that
which appertains to their place and vocation.

The text makes mention of the sum and principal state
of his sermon, that is, that the city should be destroyed
within forty days ; and that spake he simply and plainly
without condition or gloss. Yet may we easily gather of
the long time of forty days that was given unto it, that it
was reserved unto penancef and amendment of life ; and
God would rather at this time alarm them to make them
amend, than punish them, and lose them for ever, but
thus would pierce their minds, and bring them to a know-
ledge of their sins. And as subversion and destruction
* Isaiah lvi. t Repentance.

h3

154 Hooper. — Sermons.

were threatened unto Nineveh, so is it to this whole realm.
There are among us as great and as many sins (God give
grace there be no greater and no more) as there were
among them ; we must, then, amend, or else we shall
every one perish ; (Luke xiii.) but at what time the
Lord knows, and not I. Now follows how the preaching
of Jonah was accepted.

And the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed
fasting, and arrayed themselves in sackcloth, as well the
great as the small of them.

From this text is first to be noted, how the Ninevites
resisted not the preaching of Jonah, when they had many
refuges and pretexts, if they would have excused their
evil. Their obedience to the word of God condemns both
the Jews and us of obstinacy and malice.

First, they might have pretended, ' This Jonah is but
one man, therefore, not to be credited.' Second, ' He is
a stranger, and speaks this out of hatred unto us, and of
affection towards his own country.' Third, ' He is of a
contrary religion to ours, and would deceive us from our
fathers' faith.' Fourth, ' He is no king, but a man that
seems to have little wit,* and less experience.' Fifth, ' He
is one contemned by his own countrymen, and cannot he
heard by them, and should we credit his words?' Sixth,
' He is a naughty liar, and one that God hates and hath
punished, and should we attend to his sayings?' But
they remembered their own faults. At the preaching of
one day they amended ; they looked for no miracle. They
pretended not the antiquity and ancientness of their city,
which had stood almost from the time of the flood. (Gen.
x.) They that heard him never desired their amendment
until such time as the king, the priests, and the other elders
of the city, had agreed whether Jonah's doctrine were true
or not. From this facility and quickness of belief in the
Ninevites, we may see that the very infidels sooner believe
the word of God, than such as bear the name of God, but
are brought up in superstition : and that I think were
easy to be seen, if experience should be takent to preach
at Babylon or Constantinople, he should rather con-
vert those cities than Rome. Further, their promptness
condemns our obstinacy and hardness of heart, who daily
hear the word of God preached, and yet are nothing th
better, nor the nearer to salvation.

* Understanding. T A tril should be made.

a

Fifth Sermon on Jonah 1 55

Then follows what the Ninevites did when they were
converted. First, they believed in the Lord ; second, they
fasted. A man ignorant of God offends in two ways, in
body and in soul ; and both these offences must be
amended, if we will be reconciled unto God. By faith the
mind is reconciled unto God, and by abstinence the body
is kept in subjection, and the wantonness of concupiscence
kept in obedience. But in this our miserable time, ac-
cursed of God for sin, there is great question and con-
troversy moved, not only concerning faith, but also fasting ;
of which two things I judge it is right something should
be spoken. As touching faith, it is not an opinion and
knowledge only, but a vehement, earnest, and certain per-
suasion of God's promises in Christ ; and out of this faith
springs all godliness and virtuous works ; and whatsoever
springs not hereof is sin. And this faith almighty God
confirms in his true and virtuous people two ways, in^
wardly and outwardly. Inwardly, by the Holy Ghost, who
testifies by his Spirit with our spirit, that we are the chil-
dren of God ; outwardly, by preaching of God's word,
and ministration of the sacraments. The preaching con-
tains the innumerable benefits and promises of God made
in the New Testament and the Old unto us in Christ, who
is the seed that should and doth tread and break the head
of the serpent. (Gen. ill. John iii.)

The sacraments are as visible words offered unto the
eyes and other senses, as the sweet sound of the word
to the ear, and the Holy Ghost to the heart. The num-
ber of these sacraments in the public ministry of the
church is two ; one of baptism, and the other of the
Lord's Supper; and both these teach and confirm no
other thing than that the mercy of God saves the faithful
and believers.

Therefore the bread in the holy supper is called the
body of Christ, and the wine the blood of Christ, because
they are sacraments and seals of God's promises in Christ.
This plain and simple doctrine of the sacraments were
sufficient, if fraud, guile, treason, heresy,- superstition,
papistry, ignorance, arrogancy, misery, and the malice of
men would suffer it. But these evils have called into
question and controversy, whether carnally, corporeally,
and really, the precious body of Christ be present ; and
how the communion and sacrament of his body should be
ministered and used : for the resolution and answering

156 Hooper. — Sermons.

which question, I will sincerely and plainly show my mind
according to the word of God.

Of the presence of Christ's body in the sacrament.

I will not in this question say as much as I would or
could, because of late days, in this place, it was godly and
learnedly touched. But yet somewhat I must say, be-
cause the ignorance of it brings idolatry, idolatry brings
eternal damnation, eternal damnation comes not only to
the ignorant, but also unto him that should in his vocation
remove (or do his good will to remove) the ignorance. I
am appointed to remove ignorance ; therefore, I pray
you, hear how you may remove it. First, I will show by
many arguments, that there is no corporeal presence of
Christ's body in the sacrament ; then I will answer to
the arguments of the adversaries that would have it there.

The first argument I take of the name of Christ's body,
which is like unto ours in all things except sin ; (Heb. ii.
Isa. liii.) and in case it were not in all things like unto
ours, (except sin and immortality,) St. Paul's argument
would prove nothing. (1 Cor. xv.) But our bodies are,
one to each one, measured certainly with quantity and
quality, and occupy at one time one place ; therefore
Christ's body so doth and ever hath done. And thus
would Paul prove our resurrection, because our bodies are
as Christ's is, which is risen, except sin and immortality.
As to that they say, Christ has now a glorified body, and
we have not so, it makes nothing for their purpose ; for
when Christ made his supper, and instituted the sacrament
of his death, he was a mortal and passible man,* subject
unto the tyranny and violence of his adversaries : yea,
after his immortality he showed manifest tokens and argu-
ments of his pure, true, and sensible humanity.t (John
xxi. 1 John i.) for the apostles' fingers touched him. Fur-
ther, St. Paul saith, that Christ shall make our bodies like
unto his glorious body. (Phil, iii.) Therefore, they de-
stroy the true and real human nature of Christ's body that
say, his body is in many places at one time, which robs
his body of all the qualities, quantities, and properties of
a true body. For the scripture of God confesses that
Christ's body is but in one place ; and many of the popes'
canons confirm the same. Thus it is written : " Till the
world be ended, the Lord is above ; but, notwithstanding
his truth is here with us. The body in which he rose
■ * Liable to sufferings. t Human nature.

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 157

must be in one place, and his verity is dispersed every-
where." — De Consecrat. Distinct, v.

The second reason is taken out of the nature and condi-
tion of a sacrament, which is, That what is remembered by
the sacrament itself is absent, and yet the signs or sacra-
ments take the name and denomination of the thing repre-
sented and signified by the signs, for a declaration of the
thing that is done with the signs.

So is it in all the sacraments of the Old Testament and
the New ; therefore, also in this sacrament. The thing
itself in this sacrament, that is, the precious body of
Christ broken, and his innocent blood shed, are absent ;
yet the bread and the wine are called the body broken,
and the blood shed, according to the nature of a sacra-
ment, the better to set forth the thing done and sig-
nified by the sacrament. There is in the sacrament the
memory and remembrance of Christ's death, which was
done on the cross, when his precious body and blood were
rent and torn, shed and poured out for our sins.

With this agrees St. Augustine : " If sacraments had
not some proportion and likeness of the things whereof
they are sacraments, they were no sacraments at all. And
thus they take the name rather of the similitude and signi-
fication of the thing they represent and signify, and not
that indeed they are as they are named." (Boniface, Ep.
xxiii.)

So after this manner the sacrament of Christ's body is
called Christ's body ; and the sacrament of Christ's blood
is called Christ's blood ; and the sacrament of faith is
called faith. As St. Augustine learnedly and godly saith
in the same argument, " Let the word come unto the ele-
ment, and then the sacrament is made." He saith not,
Let the word change or transubstantiate the element,
(that is to say, the substance and matter of the sacrament,)
and then is made the sacrament.

The third reason. — If Christ were here in the sacrament
bodily and corporeally, he should every day suffer and
shed his precious blood. For the scripture saith, This is
my body that is broken for you, and my blood that is shed
for you ; (Luke xxii. 1 Cor. xi.) but it is not true that he
daily suffers pain and passion ; (Rom. vi.) no more is it
true that he is in the sacrament bodily, for heaven keepeth
him till the last day. (Acts iii.) Neither yet is the bread

158 Hooper. — Sermons.

after consecration his very* body, (1 Cor. xi.) nor the wine
his blood ; (Matt, xxvi.) but the bread remains still bread,
and the wine still wine, after the word spoken, as they
were before, concerning their substance, but the use of
them is changed.

The fourth reason is, That the scripture makes no men-
tion but of one ascension, and of two comings ; one past,
and the other we look for in the end of the world, at the
latter judgment.

If their doctrine were true, there should be infinite
ascensions, and infinite descensions. Further, they cannot
themselves tell what is become of the body they feign to
have in the sacrament, when the accidents and qualities
corrupt and are consumed.

Their gloss upon the canon is, it flieth into heaven ; but
we say, he was there before. They dare not say it cor-
rupts, nor. that it is turned into the substance of our
bodies and souls ; what is there then become of this
body?

The fifth reason is, That if their doctrine be true, then
God had made, by this means, his church in danger of
idolatry, and subject thereunto. For many chances and
cases happen that may hinder the priests from conse-
crating, and then the people would worship an idol for
lack of the presence of Christ's body.

These dangers may chance three ways : in the priest ; in
the words ; and in the matter. The priest, if he be not
lawfully consecrated, if he be a heretic, one excommuni-
cated, or a simoniac, he consecrates not. (Magister Senten-
tiarum.t lib. iv. dist. xiii. See the gloss De consecra-
tione, dist. ii. Quid sit sanguis.) In the words of conse-
cration there is no less danger and doubt. First, many
of their writers are ignorant with what words Christ con-
secrated ; Johannes, Duns, and Pope Innocent the third,
(Libro de officio missee, partiii. cap. vi. xiv.) say the conse-
cration is comprehended in this word " Benedixi," I have
blessed.

Comestor doubts the gloss upon this canon. Utrum sub
figura ; the glossator interprets these words in the canon
of the mass : " Command these things to be carried," as

* Real.

t Peter Lombard, who lived in the twelfth century, and for
his skill in scholastic divinity was called the Master of the Sen-
tences.

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 159

though they were the words of consecration : which
opinion the Master of the Sentences seems to favour in the
place aforenamed : " If a heretic," saith he, " would
take upon him to usurp this mystery, would God send an
angel from heaven to consecrate his oblation ?" But how-
soever they agree upon the words of consecration, there is
yet another rule in their mass-books, that the words must
be perfectly pronounced or else they do nothing. How
should this be known when they speak them in silence ?*
Well, grant that they should cry or sing them out, yet so
might they still be vain, for there is also required the in-
tention of him that will consecrate. The matter must be
such bread and such wine as the gloss speaks of (Dist. ii.
Sicut non sanctificando) ; if which properties are absent
nothing is consecrated.

The sixth reason is, If Christ be present corporeally,
then shall their sacrifices cease, as St. Paul saith : " Ye
shall show the Lord's death till he come." (1 Cor. xi.)
He cometh according to their belief and learning; then
they should cease from sacrificing.

The seventh reason is, In case they could resolve and
answer every one of these reasons, yet could not Christ's
body be in the mass ; for it lacks the word of God, that is
to say, the showing of Christ's death. Further, the mass
destroys and dishonours the institution of Christ.

Now for solutions of their arguments.

These I will comprehend all in three points. First,
they contend by the authority of the Fathers. The second,
by these words of Christ, " This is my body." The third,
by the omnipotence of God.

Of the Fathers' authority. — When they are beaten by the
authority of God's word, they flee for help to the Fathers'
authority. Let them make answer : Is this their opinion ?
When the priest has spoken these words : " This is my
body ;" is the substance of the bread presently changed, or
does the substance thereof vanish away ? I ask the question
because they are not fully agreed thereupon, and because
it is then said to be the corporeal body of Christ with
the same quality and quantity he was born, lived, and died
in. ' So that there hangs in the air, in the priest's hands,
the accidents and qualities of bread, without any sub-
stance, thus to be honoured there by the people ! In what
apostle's writing find they this doctrine ? Or in what
* To themselves.

160 Hooper. — Sermons.

man's writings that followed the apostles within one, two,
three, four, five, six, or even seven hundred years ? If they
can show this in any authentic writer in any work that has
not been doubted* of, I will believe as they do. But that
it may be known unto you that the Fathers were not of their
opinions, I will propound unto you certain conjectures.

First, we read not that there was ever any contention
about the words of consecration, where they began and
where they ended, neither any thing about the minister's
intention, to be of such virtue they speak of. The second ;
the elders never answered the Arians that denied the
equality between God the Father and God the Son, thus —
Christ is God and equal with the Father, for we so honour
him in the sacrament. If the catholic church had so
judged of Christ's bodily presence in the sacrament, as the
new upstart church does, and has done of late years, then
there could not have been a stronger argument against
Arius and his heresy.

The third. Neither did the Marcionites ever make such
a reason : though Christ seemed to have the qualities and
conditions of a natural man ; yet he had not them indeed.
For, in the sacrament of his body, there seem to be the
actual qualities and conditions of bread and wine, yet there
is neither bread nor wme indeed, as the papists say.

If this opinion of the accidents, qualities, and sensualf
judgment of the bread had been approved and taken in
those days for Christianity and christian religion, how
would this illusion and witchcraft have defended, I pray
you, the Marcionite opinion ?J doubtless nothing more.
But Tertullian, against the Marcionites, reasons other-
wise, and saith, " Christ of the bread that he took, made
his body, saying, This is my body, that is to say, a figure
of my body."

The fourth is, They used chalices of wood and glass.
(De consecrat. dist. i. Vasa in quibus.) The wooden cha-
lice would soak in the wine consecrated ; the glass
chalices might soon have broken : if any of them had
contained the precious blood of Christ, they would not
have used it so temorously.§

* As being interpolated by the papists, which was the case with
many editions of the ancient Fathers.
+ According to the senses.

t The Marcionites held that Christ had no real human nature.
§ Rashly, carelessly.

Fifth Sermon on Jonah 161

The fifth is, The sacrament was given to the children in
their hands to carry it home with them. (Eccles. Hist,
lib. vii. cap. xxxiv.)

The sixth is, No scripture of God, neither doctor of the
catholic faith, ever taught that Christ was to be honoured
here on earth with candles and bowing of knees.

The seventh is, That in celebrating the supper, they
said : " Lift up your hearts," meaning not to have the
mind affixed to the signs and elements of the sacraments,
but to heaven. Whereof it may be easily gathered that
they never thought of a corporeal presence here in the
earth.

The eighth is, Origen, upon the book of Leviticus, de-
clares that the remnants and relics of the sacraments were
not kept to be honoured, but they were burned. Who
would handle his God so cruelly, I pray you, as to burn
him like a heretic ?

Also, there is a decree in the canon law, Tribus gradibus,
which commands the ministers to receive all the relics
of the sacrament : and it is the rule of Clement III. that
lived anno 1190.

In the mean time I speak no word of that, I should
say, wicked question, meet for jugglers, enchanters, and
witches, and not for christian men, much less for divines
and teachers of God's people — in what moment of time
the bread is turned into the body, and the wine into the
blood ? when the priest speaks these words, " This is my
body,'' if they grant at least these are the words of con-
secration.

Gabriel Biel (lect. xlviii.) saith that the body is not
present whilst this oration is speaking " This is my
body ;" but " The whole oration must be referred unto
the last instance of it." And with this opinion agrees the
gloss upon the canon law ; (De consecratione, distinct, ii.
Cum omne.) It saith that the consecration is made only
in the last letter.

And in another canon, (Ante benedictionem,) it is said,
" Although the words are spoken one after another, yet
the consecration is not made by a little and little ; but
in one instant (or point of time) the bread is altered in
the last moment of the words spoken. According to this
their wicked and idolatrous doctrine, the syllable urn
in this sentence, " Hoc est corpus meum," " This is
my body," has all the strength and virtue to change and

162 Hooper. — Sermons.

deify the bread ! But I pray you, what syllable is it that
changeth and deifieth the wine ? for with that these words
seem to have more difficulty than the other. But let these
illusions and crafts go, and let us cleave to the truth of
God's word, and we shall be out of all danger.

But they ask a question. Thus they say now : If this
opinion be neither of the apostles, neither from the ancient
doctors, how conies it to be so universally taken, and for
so infallible and undoubted a truth ; yea, such a truth as
in case men forsake all truth, and yet oppose not this
truth, they are accounted men most christian and true ?

Answer. Nothing is more expedient to answer di-
rectly unto this question, than to consider the times of our
fathers. They thought it best to name the sacraments by
the name of the thing that was represented by the sacra-
ments. Yet, in many places of their writings, they so
interpret themselves, that no man, except he will be wil-
fully blind, can say but they understood the sacrament to
signify, and not to be the thing signified; — to confirm,
and not to exhibit grace ; — to help, and not to give faith ; —
to seal, and not to win the promise of God (Rom. iv.) ; —
to show what we are before the use of them, and not to
make us the thing we declare to be after them ; — to show
we are Christ's ; — to show we are in grace, and not by them
to be received into grace ; — to show we are saved, and yet
not to be saved by them : — to show we are regenerated,
and not to be regenerated by them : — thus the old doctors
meant.

But when all good learning, and the lessons of the holy
scripture, were drowned by the Goths and Vandals in
Europe, Asia, and Africa, and yet somewhat rescued and
taught again by Charles the Great, A. D. 800, men not
acquainted with the phrases and vein of scripture accus-
tomed themselves to the reading of doctors, and left the
word of God. Whereof followed, among other evils, that
in France, by certain Italians, this question, touching the
corporeal presence of Christ's body in the sacrament, was
very much, and many times, reasoned upon. Against
which error one John Scot, and one Bertram, wrote a
book of the same matter to Charles the bald. But the
monks and the priests inclined most unto the opinion of
the carnal and corporeal presence : whereupon Leo the
ninth, a bishop of Rome, A. D. 1050, being a monk,
"*>Hed a council, named Vercellence ; which one Lan-

Fifth Sermon on Jonah. 1 63

franc ruled as chief president, a monk, and afterwards
bishop of Canterbury. He condemned Berengarius : but
after the same Berengarius had recanted, one pope Nicho-
las assembled a council of the monks of Italy and priests,
and so compelled Berengarius to a recantation, which you
may read. (De consecrat. dist. ii. Ego Berengarius.)*

But here we will pause and deliberate awhile upon this
recantation, and scan it a little. In this recantation, mark
it, there is no mention made of transubstantiation, but the
bread and the wine are called the body and blood of Christ ;
and it is said that the same are touched with the hands of
the priest, broken, and torn with the teeth of the faithful.
This sentence is not admitted now-a-days among our scho-
lastic divines ; yea, the gloss upon the same canon saith ;
" There is more danger of heresy in Berengarius's words
than was in Berengarius himself."

That recantation of Berengarius the pope sent into all
the cities of Italy, Germany, and France. But this reli-
gion could not be well accepted, nor judged to be good of
all men, though pope Hildebrand, the monk and sorcerer,
confirmed it, A.D. 1079. Wherefore they excogitated and
dreamed out transubstantiation ; which opinion the monks
of Benedict's order helped forward in their sermons. And
because this new and wicked doctrine of transubstan-
tiation could not be received and admitted by all men ;
after almost two hundred years, Innocent the third, once a
doctor of Paris, confirmed it in the Council of JLateran,
A. D. 1215. And that this wicked doctrine might take
effect the sooner, he bound men to auricular confession,
wherein they persuaded men to what they pleased : im-
mediately afterwards began the begging friars, the very
soldiers of antichrist, and fit persons to set forth such
abomination. At the beginning of these monsters Hono-
rius III., bishop of Rome, commanded this new bready
god to be honoured, A. D. 1226. (lib. ii. Decretal. Tit.
De celebra. Missarum.) And then began the pin-foldst

* Berengarius was archdeacon of Angers in the eleventh century.
He attacked the doctrine of transubstantiation, then recently ad-
vanced by the church of Some, and was repeatedly condemned by
popes and councils, and compelled to recant. He died in 1088, at
the age of ninety ; and may be considered as having promoted the
beginnings of the Reformation by his opposition to the church of
Rome, and the popish doctrine of the sacrament.— See History of the
Church nf Christ, cent. xi.

t Pounds. — The pixes and shrines.

164 Hooper, — Sermons.

and cloisters to be made in the churches to preserve their
new god in. And when the monks had farther entered
into the consciences of the people, and when they had
more inculcated and beaten into men's heads this new
article of faith, transubstantiation, than all the articles
of our belief in Christ, the pope began to excogitate more
yet for the honour of this new god ! For when they had
brought Christ from heaven to earth again, and so con-
cluded that he should be honoured in the sacrament, they
thought it injury to let him be without some solemn feast
and day, wherein people might honour him according to
their decrees, whereupon Pope Urban IV. instituted the
feast that is called Corpus Christi, A. D. 1262. Then the
rabble, and number of idolatrous private masses were
increased; and the honouring of this bread then was
defended with sword and fire.

In the mean time many godly men were sorely afflicted
in their consciences, yet they durst not declare their grief ;
partly for fear ; partly because sophistry had blinded part
of their judgments. At length the Lord raised up godly
men, yea, here in England, John Wickliff, that resisted
this new heretical doctrine, in A. D. 1368. And now, the
Lord be praised, children know the ungodliness thereof,
and may see it plainly to be nought, if they will not be
wilfully blind. How childishly they brag of the doctors,
now you may see ; and even the same do they with the
words, " This is my body ;" and with the omnipotence of
God, as you shall hear in the next sermon.

THE SIXTH
SERMON UPON JONAH.

A continuance of the argument against the popish reason-
ing upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

They bring forward the words of Christ, " This is my
body,'' against the truth asserting the absence of Christ's
body in the sacrament, unto which we answer briefly.
The words should be understood according to the matter
and purpose for which they were spoken. And every man
knows, the matter and purpose that Christ treats of, was
to make and institute a sacrament ; therefore every word
ought to be taken sacramentally : which is to attribute
unto the sacrament the name of the thing signified and
represented by the sacrament ; therefore they should not
force or constrain the sound of the words used in the sa-
crament to make an idol of the sacrament by false inter-
pretation ; whereas the true sense of the word makes it out
to be but a necessary ceremony, and help to our infirm
faith. In the canon law. (Decreta. lib. li. De verbor. signi-
ficat. tit. xl. cap. vi.), it is written : " The matter should
not be constrained to the word, but the word to serve the
matter." And (cap. viii.), " When the nature of the word is
forced, the meaning of the verity is lost." Farther, what
should move them to deny us one figure in these words,
where they themselves use a great many tropes and figures ;
whereas we use but one, and the same one is in the open
word of God ; and all theirs are without, and contrary to,
the word of God. Note, that as to the words of Christ,
" Hoc est corpus meum," that is to say, " This is my
body," what they should make of the word, " This," they
cannot tell, and hitherto they have disputed about it ;
and as yet are not agreed. (Read, I pray you, Gabriel
Biel, Sermon xliv. Et glossam super Canonum, Timorerri
docet.) "Is," they interpret, "Is made." The bread,

166 Hooper. — Sermons.

they say, is the accidents* of bread. But in the cup, they
are constrained to use a figure as we do. " This cup is
the New Testament in my blood :" for they say, it means
the wine in the cup and not the cup. They know them-
selves how fondlyt they interpret these words, rather mali-
ciously, obstinately, and falsely, than truly. We therefore
thus take them, " This is my body," that is to say, " the
sacrament of my body, broken and. given for you." Either
this is the New Testament ; that is to say, the sign of the
New Testament, or the remission of sin obtained in the
body of Christ, broken and torn for us. St. Augustine
(lib. xx. contra Faustum, cap. xxi.) hath these words:
" The flesh and blood of this sacrifice, before the coming of
Christ, was promised by the sacrifices of similitude. In
the passion of Christ they were given indeed ; since the
ascension of Christ, they are celebrated by a sacrament of
memory." And the Gloss. Dist. ii. Tribus gradibus,
saith, " It is certain that as soon as the accidents and qua-
lities of bread are broken with the teeth, straightway the
body of Christ is taken into heaven." So that their own
doctors do not believe that the very body of Christ is re-
ceived in the sacrament !

If a man then should ask : What faith and opinion
should the christian have concerning the presence or. ab-
sence of Christ's body in the sacrament ?. Answer. The
body of Christ should be considered two ways, first, as it
was born of the blessed virgin, being indeed our very na-
tural brother : Then as it was offered upon the cross for
the redemption of the world. And as thus offered and
put to his sufferings upon the cross, we consider him in
the sacrament ; for the bread there used is called the
body of Christ broken ; and the wine the blood-shedding.
But the presence of Christ's natural body — or the opinion
of his presence, — so little profits, that in reality it rather
hurts and harms, as Christ said : " The flesh profiteth
nothing ;" (John vi.) and again, " It is expedient that I
go away."

We must therefore lift up our minds nto heaven, when
we feel ourselves oppressed with the burden of sin, and
there by faith apprehend and receive the body of Christ
slain and killed, and his precious blood shed, for our
offences : and so by faith apply the virtue, efficacy, and
strength of the merits of Christ to our souls, and by that
» Or appearance. t FcolisWy,

Sixth Sermon on Jonah. 167

means quit ourselves from the danger, damnation, and
curse of God. And to be thus partakers of the worthiness
and deservings of Christ's passion, is to eat the body and
to drink the blood ; therefore Christ in the vi. of John,
takes " eat" for "believe," and " believe" for " eat," so
many times. And St. Augustine saith, " Why preparest
thou the teeth and belly ? believe and thou hast eaten."
And whosoever eateth after this manner the body of Christ,
and drinketh his blood, hath everlasting life.

Then they object : If we may thus eat the body and
blood of Christ without the sacrament, what avails it to
have any sacrament ? Answer : Against these temptations
of the devil, the use of the sacraments was instituted in
the church.

The first temptation of the devil is, He would persuade
the christian that the promises of God's mercy are false :
therefore God confirms them unto us by his sacraments.

The second temptation is, When the devil perceives
that we believe the promises of God are true universally,
yet would he make us doubt of them particularly, as though
they pertained not unto the private or singular conscience
of each that is afflicted. That doubt God would remove
in us by his sacraments, and saith, They appertain to the
private and particular conscience that is afflicted, even to
every private man that receiveth the sacraments of the
promises.

The third temptation is, The devil labours to take from
us the knowledge of the means of our salvation ; and how
the promises of God are made ours, — by the free grace of
God or by our merits.

The sacraments, therefore, which behold and represent
only Christ, teach us that the mean of our salvation, is
only in Christ. And to put us out of doubt wherewith
Christ hath merited for us the promises of God, and this
grace of our salvation, the sacrament showeth us it was
with and by his death and blood-shedding ; and therefore
he hath given the name of his body and blood to the signs
and elements of the sacraments, So the bread is called
the body broken, and the wine the blood shed : admonish-
ing thee that in the receiving of the sacrament, thou
shouldest not tarry, nor occupy thy meditations and con-
templations in the bread and wine, but in the merits of the
body broken and the blood shed. Whosoever marks and

168 Hooper. — Sermons.

understands these things eateth Christ. If he be ignorant
hereof, he is in danger of eternal damnation.

Another objection is, they say : God can do all things,
therefore it is not impossible for him to make his body
present in the sacrament.

We are not so addicted and given to human reasoning, ,
that we will believe nothing more than reason is able to ac-
count and give answer for ; but we believe many things that
reason saith directly we should not believe — as the incar-
nation of Christ ; our resurrection ; the making of the
world ; three persons in one godhead and one essence ;
and these things we believe because the express word of
God commands us to believe them ; but the transelemen-
tation* and alteration of the bread, no place of scripture
commands us to believe, but many places forbid we should
believe. Neither do the papists agree among themselves,
what should be the words of consecration ; and if we had
but that advantage of them only, it were enough to declare
that their transubstantiation is no part of God's word.

It is a folly to object the omnipotence of God, without
God's word. God neither does, nor can do, more than he
will do : they do as foolishly, making mention of a mira-
culous presence of Christ's body, and declare themselves
to be of antichrist by the same means ; for he shall de-
ceive the world, yea the very elect, if it were possible, with
new miracles. (Matt. xxiv. 2 Thess. ii.) The miracle of
Christ's visible ascension, and others expressed in the
scriptures of God, are sufficient for the catholic church, t
And the miracle of the invisible and miraculous presence,
we leave to them that are deceived with the spirit of error.
For they would have Christ present, but in any case dumb
and without speech — and whilst he lived and could speak;
the members of the devil hanged him upon the cross.

Thus was the malice of the devil always great against
our Saviour. Before Christ came into the flesh, he
made many believe that Christ was come, before the time
appointed by the prophets had expired. When he was
come indeed, then the devil went about to persuade them
he was not come, and was not the Saviour of the world,
and never left till he had killed him ; because he could not
deny but that the very true Saviour of the world was come.

* Change of the elements.

t The truly catholic or universal church, not the Roman catholic.

Sixth Sermon on Jonah, 1 69

And now that Christ is ascended and departed from us ac-
cording to the scriptures, the devil goeth about to do all he
can to prove him to be here now. So that neither before
his coming into the world, nor at his being corporeally in
the world, nor yet being out of the world, he can be in
peace, sure and safe from the assaults and temptations of
his and our mortal enemy, Satan. But I know how the
adversaries of the truth persuade the people maliciously
to give no credit to such as preach, and teach the truth.
They say, we condemn the holy sacrament, and make it
of no estimation. But believe not their slanders and lies,
but hear or read our opinion, knowledge, and the godly es-
timation we have of the sacrament, and then judge and
give sentence afterwards. And here receive my opinion as
touching the form and manner to celebrate and use the
sacraments.

The form and manner how to celebrate the Sacraments.

It were expedient to treat this matter at length if time
would serve. But yet in a few words I will say somewhat
of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and also of bap-
tism.

Baptism consists in two parts. In the word and the
element. The word is the preaching of the good and the
merciful promises of God's goodness, accepting us into
his favour and grace for the merits of Christ ; which pro-
mises are briefly comprehended in these words, (Matt,
xxviii.) " I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." These words show the
form of baptism, and also, that only men, reasonable crea-
tures, should be baptized. (Matt, xvi.) So is condemned
the gentility* and superstition that hath been used in the
christening of bells.f The matter and element of this
sacrament is pure water : whatsoever is added, oil, salt,
cross, lights, and such others, are the inventions of men ; and
better it were they were abolished, than kept in the church :
for they obscure the simplicity and perfectness of Christ
our Saviour's institution. I pray the king's majesty and
his most honourable council to prepare a ship, as soon as
may be, to send them home again to their mother church,
the bosom and breast of man.

The form how to celebrate the Lord's Supper. — Here

* Heathenism.

t A regular service in the church 'of Rome. See the Rituale
Romanum.

HOOPER. I

170 " Hooper. — Sermons.

must be marked two persons ; the minister, and he that
communicates with the minister. These must come and
assemble together, as St. Paul saith. (1 Cor. xi.)

The duty and office of the minister. — He doeth best his
office, and is best instructed to minister the sacrament, if
he, in the ministration thereof, goes as near as is possible
to the first institution of Christ and the apostles. For
Christ was and is the wisdom of the Father; and the
apostles had received the Holy Ghost that brought them
into all truth ; therefore it must needs follow, their doings
and ministration to be most perfect, holy, and religious.

How the minister should prepare himself. — Inwardly
and outwardly. The inward preparation is, if his mind
and soul are instructed, and furnished with godly doctrine,
and a fervent spirit and zeal to teach his audience, to
establish them in the truth, and to exhort them to weigh
and mark well the merits and deservings of Christ. The
outward preparation ; the more simple it is, the better it is,
and the nearer unto the institution of Christ and hrs
apostles. If he have bread, wine, a table, and a fair
tablecloth, let him not be solicitous nor careful for the
rest, seeing they are not things brought in by Christ, but
by popes ; unto whom, if the king's majesty and his
honourable council have good conscience, they must be
restored again ; and great shame it is for a noble king,
emperor, or magistrate, contrary to God's will, to detain
and keep from the devil or his minister any of their goods
or treasure, as the candles, vestments, crosses, altars ! For
if they are kept in the church as indifferent things, at
length they will be maintained as necessary things. When
the minister is thus well prepared with sound and godly
doctrine, let him prepare himself to the distribution of the
bread and wine ; and as he giveth the bread let him break
it. after the example of Christ. He should give the bread,
and not thrust it into the receiver's mouth ; for the
breaking of the bread has a great mystery in it of the
passion of Christ, in which his body was broken for us ;
and that is signified in the breaking of the bread, which in
no case should be omitted : therefore, let the minister
break the round* bread ; for when broken it serves as a
sacrament, and not when whole. Christ broke it. (Matt,
xxvi. Mark xiv. Luke xxii.) And St. Paul saith, " The

* The bread in the sacrament was then usually administered in
small round cakes or wafers.

Sixth Sermon on Jonah* 171

bread that we break, is it not the communion of Christ's
body?" (1 Cor. x.) Thus should the perfection of Christ's
institution be had in honour, and the memory of the dead
be left out,* and nothing done in this sacrament that had
not God's word to bear it. But, alas, God is accounted a
fool ; for men can use the sacrament more religiously, de-
voutly, godly, and christianly, than Christ, God's Son, as
it would appear ! F<)r his form and manner is put out,
and man's device and wisdom is accepted for it.

The duty and office of the people. — The duty of the
receiver rests in three parts ; that is to say, what he should
do before the receiving of the sacrament ; what he should
do in the receiving of it ; and what after the receiving of it.
Before the receiving he should prepare and make ready his
mind, as the commandment of St. Paul is : " Let the
man prove and search himself." (1 Cor. xi.) And this may
be done two ways ; first towards God, then towards man.
Towards God he should, from the bottom of his heart,
confess his faults and sins, and acknowledge his just con-
demnation. Then should he persuade himself, by true
and lively faith, that God would be merciful unto him for
the death of his dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, done in
his body torn, and in his blood shed. He should prepare
himself towards his neighbour also. First, in case he has
hurt his neighbour in fame or goods, he should reconcile
himself again, with restitution of them both again. He
that thus prepares himself, eats the body of Christ
worthily ; and he that does not thus prepare himself, eats
nothing but the sacrament to his everlasting damnation.
I make no mention here of auricular confession, as though
that were a thing necessary to be done before or after the
receiving of the sacrament. For this confession is not of
God, as their law records. (See the gloss upon the decree
of penance, Distinct, v. In penitentia.)

In the receiving of this sacrament, there are things
required in the inward man, and also in the outward man.
The inward preparation is, when the man receiving the
bread and wine, being subjects and matters under the
judgment and censure of the senses, the mind is elevated
and lifted up into heaven ; persuading himself by faith,
that the promises and grace of God, through the merits
and death of Christ, as truly appertain unto him, as he
sensibly and outwardly receives the sacrament and witness
* In the Romish mass there is a prayer for the dead.
i2

172 Hooper. — Sermons.

of God's promises. And he doubts no more of an inward
friendship, familiarity, concord, peace, love, atonement,
and fatherly pity and compassion through Christ, by the
means of faith, than he doubts that his mouth outwardly
receives the signs and sacraments of God's mercies. To
excite this faith and belief in the merits of Christ in us,
the bread is called his body, and the wine his blood, after
the manner and phrase of the scripture.

The outward behaviour and gesture of the receiver
should be without any kind of suspicion, show, or inclina-
tion of idolatry. Wherefore, seeing kneeling is a show
and external sign of honouring and worshipping, and
heretofore grievous and damnable idolatry has been com-
mitted by the honouring of the sacrament, I would wish it
were commanded by the magistrates, that the communi-
cators and receivers should do it standing or sitting.
But sitting, in my opinion, were Lest, for many con-
siderations.

The Paschal lamb was eaten standing, which signified
Christ not to be come that should give rest, peace, and
quietness. Christ with his apostles used this sacrament,
at the first, sitting ; declaring that he was come who should
quiet and put at rest both body and soul ; and that the
figure of the passover from thenceforth should be no more
necessary ; and that men should travel no more to Jeru-
salem once in the year, to seek and use a sacrament of the
Lamb to come, that should take away the sins of the world.

After the receiving it,, there should be thanksgiving of
all the church for the benefits of Christ's death ; there
should be prayers made unto God, that they might perse-
vere and continue in the grace of God received : they
should help the poor with their alms. This form, methinks,
is most like unto the form of Christ and the apostles. How
far the mass differs from this, all men know.

I pray God the best may be taken, and the worst left,
throughout all the world. And all such as are yet infirm,
by reason of long custom and lack of knowledge, let them
pray to God, and search the scriptures without affection.*
Such as are perverse and obstinate, and will admit no
reason, for them the wrath and displeasure of God is ready,
and prepared to punish them when he sees it to be time :
as it is to be seen by the Corinthians, (1 Cor. xi.) that for
the abuse of the supper, many of them fell sipk and into
* Partiality or prejudging.

Sixth Sermon on Jonah, 173

diseases : so will he do with us, if we neglect his most
perfect and godly institution.

Let us, therefore, with the Ninevites, repent from our
former sins, and believe the remission of them for God's
mercy in the deservings of Christ. Further, let us submit
ourselves, all our wisdom and learning, unto his word ;
and think that what Christ and his apostles have instituted
and used, can in nowise be bettered by us. And you,
my gracious lord and king, restore the right use of the
Supper of the Lord, as Josiah did the right use of the
Paschal lamb, (2 Kings xxiii. 2 Chronicles xxxv.) according
to the word of God.

The text now follows of the fast of the Ninevites.
There was a fasting proclaimed, and wearing of sackcloth,
from the greatest to the smallest.

Here are two things to be noted in the fruits and signs
of penitence. First, concerning the fast, and vileness of the
apparel ; the second, how they fasted from the greatest to
the smallest.

Of fasting and sackcloth. — The hypocrites of the world,
when they hear of this fasting and putting on of sackcloth,
straightway condemn the doctrine of faith, and teach that
God saves not only for Christ's sake, whom only faith
apprehends. As though faith alone could not apprehend
the mercy of God, and yet have fasting annexed with her.
But this present text confounds that error ; for it saith, The
Ninevites first believed the Lord, and then fasted. But
lest we should here err, I will speak a little of fasting,
that we may love Tather to fast well, than obstinately de-
fend a false fast.

What is fasting? — Fasting is the moderate use and
taking of meat and drink, lest the flesh should, by abun-
dance, and too much of it, rebel and overcome the spirit.
And this fast is used, either continually or at certain times.
Continually, when a christian man moderately feeds his
body with thanksgiving for necessary nutriment, and not
to abound or surfeit. This, fasting and abstinence the
scripture calls sobriety. (1 Peter v.) The fast at certain
times is, also, either private or public. Private, when any
man, considering and weighing his own infirmities, binds
himself from meats and drinks, to tame and overcome the
vehement and lascivious inclinations thereof, to the obe-
dience and rule of the spirit. (1 Cor. vii.) A public fast
is when, for a public and common calamity, trouble, or

174 Hooper. — Sermons.

adversity, the magistrates command a solemn and public
abstinence and fast.

But in both these fasts there must be used circumspect
and godly diligence, lest we offend in the abuse of fasting,
and provoke the wrath and displeasure of God the more
against us. We may offend, first, if we fast for any other
purpose than to keep the body in subjection to the spirit.
Therefore, it is to be taken heed, that we fast not for
merit or for custom. The second is, we offend if we fast
in honour of any creature. The third, if for one fasting
day we make three glutton feasts, as the fashion is for the
most part. I would wish, therefore, that the true fast and
abstinence were brought in again, and then the Lord would
be pleased, I doubt not.

That the Ninevites amended from the greatest to the
smallest, teaches us two things. First, of what great
efficacy the sermon of Jonah was, so that it pleased all
people, both great and small. The like has not been seen ;
for it is easier for a cook to please an hundred mouths
with one meat, than for a preacher to order one sermon or
oration, so as to please ten heads. It were well in our
time if, at every sermon, one of the magistrates and one of
the people were converted ; and, at every ten sermons, one
bishop and one priest. The second is, the facility and
promptness of the Ninevites to believe, and amend their
religion and conversation, condemns the ungodly obsti-
nacy and frowardness of such as defer and protract their
amendment, and say that they will believe when the king
comes to age.

Thus the devil gives them one occasion or other to
defer their belief. If the king's majesty and his nobles
should hate the truth, they would say, How can we believe
the doctrine that our learned and wise magistrates detest ?
If the king's majesty and his nobles love and favour the
best part, they excuse themselves upon the tender and
young age of the king ; as though his majesty's young
age or old age could make any religion of God true or
false ; when, indeed, all ages and powers are, or ought to
be, subject unto the religion and law made already, and
given to be observed of and by all men, of what sort, con-
dition, or state soever they are.

These tidings came to the king of Nineveh, who arose
from his seat, throwing off his apparel, and clothed himself
in sackloth.

Sixth Sermon on Jonah. 175>

It is not without a singular counsel of the Holy Ghost
that this king is mentioned so fully ; neither his beha-
viour nor doings after his conversion are so diligently
manifested. First, the text sets forth the manner of his
conversion, and saith, He returned unto God upon the
fame and rumour of Jonah's preaching. Wherefore we
.learn how much the truth ought to be esteemed, seeing
that a king, upon the report thereof made by his people,
embraced, and resisted not, as now we see many times
done by the greatest part of the world. Even so did
Josiah. As soon as he, being yet but a child, heard of
the true book of God, he embraced it. (2 Kings xxii.)
So did David and Jehoshaphat hear and attend to the
admonitions of the prophets. All kings, therefore, and
magistrates, should hearken unto the truth, and learn it
themselves out of the law. (Deut. xvii.) But the bishops,
priests, and others hinder this study and knowledge of
•God's law in princes and kings ; telling them that
it appertains not to their office to study and labour in
the word of God, but the judgment and study thereof is
to be committed unto them : and so they persuade and
cause princes many times to persecute the truth and verity
by ignorance, as the kings of Israel did who burned the
writings of the prophets.

But, most gracious king, and ye, my lords of his most
honourable council, ye have not only heard the rumour and
fame of God's word, but with your own ears have your-
selves heard the truth, and ye credit and believe the
same ; therefore, in all things express and believe it in
fact.

And, most gracious king, take you heed that the virtues
you learn and are brought up in, in youth, you practise and
exercise them in age ; and in case your majesty will so
do, beware of one things — the poison of flattery, which your
majesty may use as a good medicine ; and it is not a poison,
if you take heed of it. It will be poison, if your grace
think yourself to be at all times, as flatterers will tell your
highness you are ; it will be a medicine, if your majesty
study to be the same indeed which flattery commends.
Your majesty may see an example hereof in king Joash,
who, in his youth, favoured and set forth the truth, but in
his older days he fell from it, by means of flatterers, who
deceived him.

But your majesty shall do best to follow this godly king

176 Hooper. — Sermons.

of the Ninevites, and embrace continually the word of the
living God ; and thus shall your grace be better able to
do, in case your highness would have before, you every
Sunday one sermon, which should bring much knowledge
and grace into your highness' court.

Now follows the fruit of this godly king's penitence.
First, he rises from his seat, and putteth on sackcloth. Of
this we learn, that in faith and true repentance there is no
diversity between the king and a mean subject : and thus
shall it be at the latter judgment; the rich, the poor, the
king, the subject, the bishop, the priest, all shall appear
naked before the throne of Christ; and be holpen nothing
there by any title or name of glory. Here honour and
riches have their estimation and glory. Let all men,
therefore, look to amend their faith and living here in this
world.

As for this external putting on of sackcloth, it was the
manner at that time so to do, and declared their repent-
ance and amendment ; and so I would it were now, that
he who offends in apparel should remove the pride thereof,
and go soberly; and the same with him that offends in meat
should use more sobriety. . Yet no man should think any
holiness to be in the external vestment, nor yet any hurt or
condemnation in the meat ; but the abuse of both displeases
God. As for the vestments of the priest in the ministry,*
I would wish the magistrate to remove them, for they
either show or do not show virtue. If they show not, they
use them in vain ; if they declare and show virtue, either
the virtue is with them indeed, or absent. If he that wears
them has the virtue, why does he show it to the world?
If he has not the virtue, then he is a hypocrite, whom
God hateth.

The other fruit of the penance of the king with his
council, being converted to God. — There was a proclam&-
tion made through all the city of Nineveh by the com-
mandment of the king and his council.

In this proclamation, first, must be marked who were
the authors of this proclamation ; then, what was contained
in the proclamation. The persons were the king and the
nobles of his realm. In these persons first note, that the
king's officers, and the peers of the realm, are to cleanse
their commonwealth from false religion by public and

* Hooper here refers to the popish vestments, which then were
not wholly put away. See p. 183, 188.

Sixth Sermon on Jonah. 177

open proclamations. So did Nebuchadnezzar, Darius,
and Cyrus, kings of most notable fame ; therefore Christ
calleth the princes, the nurses of the church. And so, I
doubt not, most gracious king, but your highness will,
according to your title and style, cleanse this church of
England to the purity and sincerity of God's word.

Further, we learn, that the princes and counsellors of a
realm should help forward the godly purposes and statutes
made for the glory of God within the realm. So was this
king's godly purpose holpen by his council ; so David, so
Josiah. By the king and his nobles confirming the doings
of his people, we learn that godly magistrates should not
hinder, but further and confirm all the godly purposes and
virtuous study of their people, when they study amend-
ment of false religion: so did Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and
Josiah.

The sum of the proclamation. — It contains the true and
right form of repentance that pleases God, which is con-
tained in four parts. First, in outward signs of heaviness.
Then, in calling upon the Lord. Thirdly, in leaving the
wicked and accustomed evil life. Fourthly, in the trust
and confidence of God's mercy. Of these parts we will
speak somewhat in order.

Of the external signs of a penitent heart. — Two notes
of penance are here described. The one, abstinence from
meat, the other, neglect and vileness of apparel ; for, as
natural men say, contraries are cured by contraries. He
that is given to his body, cannot please God by penitence,
except he come to a soberness ; neither the proud and
arrogantly apparelled, except he remove the excess and
abuse thereof. I would exhort, therefore, as many as ex-
ceed and offend in these two, to return to penitence with
the king and people of Nineveh. If they would so do, they
should not only find grace at God's hand, but also more
health and soberness of body, more riches in the coffer,
more plenty in the realm, more grace, wit,* and soberness
in their household.

That the beasts were tied up from their meat, declares
that the king and people had too much delight in wanton
and over much gayness of their beasts, which, being kept
out of their accustomed pride, should not allure them
from their penitence, nor give them occasion to return
again to the former evil.

" Understanding.
i3

178 Hooper. — Sermons.

Farther, it pleases the Lord to punish that which allures
man's frail nature to sin, because the sin of man should the
better be known. As we see by the killing of the levitical
beasts that never offended, God would preach unto man,
that his sin deserved present and sudden death. So the
Lord punished and cursed the earth, that Adam and his
posterity might know that the transgression of God's com-
mandment was not a light thing. (Gen. iii.) So do all
creatures weep and mourn, until the- time of the revelation
of the children of God. (Rom. viii.) And thus destroyed
he the beasts with man in the flood. (Gen. viii.)

The second sign was. — Lest men should think that the
abstinence from meats, or the casting off of gay apparel
on certain days, would deserve and merit this favour and
mercy of God, it is said in the proclamation that they
called continually upon the Lord. That is to say, they
asked fervently and continually for help and favour of
God.

Note in the conversion of this king, he commands not
now to call upon strange gods, but upon the one true and
living God. Even so should we do in the days of our
trouble, according to the commandment of God, and the
example of all the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. But
this is to be noted that the text saith, they should call
strongly upon the Lord ; that is to say, with a penitent
heart that is sorry for the evil, and willing to study for ever
after to do good. We call earnestly upon the Lord, two
ways : the one, when we ask of God to turn and keep his
wrath and displeasure from us ; the other, when we de-
sire him to take from us, and give us grace to preserve
us from the sins that provoked and merited his dis-
pleasure and wrath.

But we offend in this respect two ways. First, men
call upon creatures. Second, they call coldly and unfaith-
fully, without an earnest mind to amend, and without faith
upon the promises of God, for Christ's sake. So did Saul
rather call to God to avoid pain, than for any love he had
to virtue. For some, as soon as the pain is removed, re-
turn again to their old iniquity, as Pharaoh. (Exod.)

The third note of penance is. — Every man turned from
his wicked ways, and from the fraud and guile which they
used before. This is the third property of penance, with-
out which we are rather hypocrites, than penitent christians.
And the property is this, to forsake all evil, and fleshly

Sixth Sermon on Jonah. 179

studies, and apply to virtue and godliness. Note first that
the text saith ; " Every man turned." If the king offended,
the council, the bishop, the parson, the parish priest, every
one amended — so let us do except we will perish — And
what shall we do to turn from us the wrath of God, which
is kindled and inflamed ? Shall we do so by any man's
merits and deservings ? No, saith the text, but every man
amend for himself; and so. concludes Isaiah Iviii. and
Jeremiah vii. Arid because avarice, as St. Paul saith, is
the mother and root of evil, the proclamation of the king
of the Ninevites is, that they should leave their rapine,
violence, and oppression, and make restitution of the falsely
gotten goods. Here let all men learn how to be saved,
who have gathered together, they care not whether with or
against the law, with or against charity.* Let them leave
doing this violence and oppression, and restore again all
falsely gotten goods, or else they will surely perish. So
did Zaccheus, (Luke xix.), and other godly men and rich
men that repented. Let men look upon that wise saying
of Solomon : " Spoil not the poor, neither oppress the
afflicted in the gate. For the Lord will take upon him the
defence of his cause." (Prov. xxii.)

The fourth fruit of penitence, is, Who can tell whether
God will be converted, and moved with pity, and turn from
the fury of his wrath, that we perish not ?

In this text we see that to turn and bow the anger and
displeasure of God is a great matter ; and that to afflict
the body with fasting, to pray, and to change the old
wicked life is very needful to win his favour ; but all these
things are in vain, except there be likewise a confidence,
and true faith in the mercy of God. And this is that
which God most delights in— when the sinner confesses
that he is merciful for his promises' sake in Christ, and not
for the worthinessf of his penance. So does this king at
the end of his proclamation set forth the mercy of God to
his people, whereby both he and they are saved.

Although his oration seems to have a doubt in it, yet,
notwithstanding, he was very well persuaded of God's
mercy. For as Jonah set forth nothing but God's wrath,
he makes mention of his mercy. The doubt he puts
either to put away the sluggardness of his people, or to
declare in himself the fight and battle that is always

* Christian love.

t Not for any deservings.

180 Hooper. — Sermons.

between the spirit and the flesh about God's promises. We
may say also that in desiring worldly things of God, we
should ask them with a condition. (Matt, viii.) We may
learn here to put away despair, and trust to the Lord's
mercy, although he threaten our destruction ever so much ;
also, here princes may learn what proclamations they
should make in setting forth religion, even such only as
extend to the glory and mercy of God in Christ.

How the people accepted' this proclamation, I will show
in the next sermon.

THE SEVENTH

SERMON UPON JONAH

he Text.

And when God saw their works, how they turned from
their wicked ways, he repented of the evil which he said
he would do unto them, and did it not.

You have heard how this mighty king, at the preaching
of Jonah, corrected both his faith and manners. And how,
by public proclamation, he willed all his subjects to do
the same. From this act of the Ninevites, we may learn
that it is our duty to obey all good and virtuous com-
mandments, proclamations, and decrees of princes, when-
ever they command amendment of religion and manners.
But our people, and especially the multitude of priests, are
otherwise affected : for they disobey both God and their
.king. It were a charitable way if they have any thing to
object against the reformation which the king's majesty
and the council godly intend, that they should bring forth
arguments, and not force and violence of armour.*

God Iherefore sees, that is to say, approves their works ;
not because they were clothed in sackcloth, but because
they turned from their wicked ways ; that they had
changed their false religion, and restored the goods again
they had taken from their neighbours by violence and ex-
tortion, and every man walked in his vocation. And even
as the Lord pitied them, so will he pity us if we amend
our faith and conversation, and live in our vocation accord-
ingly. (Isa. lviii. Ezek. xviii.) But if we hate not the evil
we have committed, from the bottom of our hearts, we tarry
still in death.

That God repents the evil he purposed to do to the Ni-
nevites, teaches us, that all the threatenings of God are
conditional, that is to say, to fall upon us if we repent
not of our evil deeds. This is godly showed (Jer. xviii.),

* There had been several insurrections a short time previously,
instigated by the Romanists.

182 Hooper. — Sermons

in these words : " I will speak quickly against the people
or kingdom, to waste and destroy them. If that people
(against whom I have devised) convert* from their wicked-
ness, immediately I repent of the plague, that I devised
to bring upon them." The same may you see, Ezek. xviii.
Zech. i. " Turn unto me saith the Lord, and I will turn
unto you." Yet God should not be accounted inconstant,
though he punish not as he threatened ; for this is his
nature that cannot be changed, to receive penitent sinners
into grace. (Ezek. xviii. Matt. xi. John iii. v.) The heresy
and false doctrine of the Catharonesf that deny mercy and
remission of sins to sinners, is damnable and naught.

The fourth Chapter of Jonah.

The Argument.

The sum of this chapter is ; that God will show mercy
unto penitent and sorrowful sinners, yea, though all the
world would say nay. This mercy God declares in this
chapter, not only with words, but also with a metaphor
and similitude of a tree.

It is divided into two parts. The one contains how
Jonah was angry for the mercy and compassion God took
upon the penitent Ninevites, wherefore he is reprehended
by God. The second part contains how Jonah, being in
the fields, was taught of the Lord by a tree that suddenly
grew up, and suddenly perished again, that he did wrong
to be angry with God's doings towards the Ninevites ; and
declares further, that he could do no other than save them:

Therefore Jonah was sore discontented and angry ; and
he prayed untp the Lord, and said, " O Lord, was not this
my saying (I pray thee,) when I was yet in my country ?
Therefore I hasted to fly rather to Tharses. For I knew
well enough that thou art a merciful God, full of compas-
sion, long suffering, and of great kindness, and repentest
when thou shouldest punish."

Of this text we learn, first, how horrible and wicked
the perverseness of our nature is, seeing that Jonah, I
cannot tell upon'what love towards himself, is angry ; and
that not with man, but with God, who would favour the

* Turn.
. t If Hooper here refers to the Cathari, i,t is evident that he was
prejudiced respecting them by the slanders of the Romanists, who
thus misrepresented their objections to conformity with the world.
See History of the Church of Christ, cent. xii. ch. 3.

Seventh Sermon on Jonah. 183

sorrowful Ninevites in mercy. Seeing there was such
imperfection and infirmities in the holy saints, how much
need have we to see what lieth in us miserable and
wretched sinners !

Out of this text, also, we learn what difficulty and hard-
ness there is in the office of preaching, if it be truly and
well done. Whether it happen and come to pass as he
speaks ; or it come not to pass, the preacher continually
stands in danger of obloquy and contempt. We may see
an example hereof in Jonah, who, by the word of God,
preached the destruction of Nineveh : which, if it had
come to pass, they would have called Jonah a cruel tyrant
and seeker of blood. And now that he sees the city
spared, he fears that he should be accounted a false pro-
phet ; not only among his own countrymen the Israelites,
but also among the Gentiles, and then all his preaching
would be taken for a mockery. This contempt Jonah
feared sorely, and was therewithal so troubled, that he
offended God grievously. I may accommodate the same
unto myself and others right well when we speak for
a reformation of the church, schools, and policies ;*
when we wish such ministers tq be put into the church
as can and would teach the doctrine of the apostles,
and that they should not be known by their vestments
and shavings, but by their doctrine. Then such as would
minister the sacraments gravely, religiously and simply, as
Christ and his apostles did ; in baptism, nothing to be
used but the words, and the simple and bare water; in
the supper of the Lord, to use the ceremonies and rites of
Christ and his apostles, and all occasions of superstition
to be avoided. But although this doctrine be as true as
Christ and his apostles, yet I perceive displeasure and
great enmity rise hereupon to me and to others ; yea, not
only unto us that are subjects, but also unto the king's
majesty and his most honourable council. But the Lord
keep us out of temptation, and give grace and strength to
do all things to the glory of God, and to pray for our
enemies ; and, as touching schools, especially the universi-
ties, they must be amended, and good heads and rulers
appointed to the colleges, or else the word of God will be
hindered always by such as ought the most to set it forth.
Such godly men as have wherewithal, should help and
promote schools to bring up youth everywhere through
* Governments.

184 Hooper. — Sermons.

this realm ; and then should godly and learned children
occupy the place of superstitious and ignorant men ;
wherewith this realm of England is sorely and too much,
may God amend it, pestered and hurt. This, bishops might
help well in their dioceses, if they intended as much good
as they report to the world ; and bestow some part of their
excess upon the towardly youth of their dioceses. So
ought the nobility and our worshipful men of the shire to
do ; yea so ought every parson and curate, either with his
goods to help forth the truth and old catholic faith of
Christ, or with their goodwills animate them to learn the
doctrine of the patriarchs, prophets, and the apostles:
and such as have the talent of teaching might rather teach
than play ; help than hinder ; build than pull down ; help
forth than draw back ; promote God rather than the devil :
favour Christ than antichrist ; and agree with the king
rather than conspire with the pope. As concerning the
policies* and the reformation thereof; I have said my mind
before. God give grace that it may be accepted and fol-
lowed ; if it be not, yet I have delivered my soul, and
God shall require your blood at your own hands. And in
case any man is offended with me for my true saying, I
had rather have displeasure of all the world, than of God,
who is able to damn both my body and my soul.

In the third place, Jonah gives an excellent description of
God, which we should well keep in mind — that he is a pitiful
and merciful God, long suffering and of much clemency ;
this description of God agrees with God's own words
spoken to Moses, (Exod. xxxiv.) the which encouraged
Jonah, and would do the same to us if we were of God.
Great, doubtless, was the sin of Jonah, who took an oc-
casion to be angry by God's favour and goodness towards
this sorrowful city ; even thus did the Pharisees, who were
angry at Christ, -because he kept company with sinners.
Jonah was then, as many men are now-a-days, who think
that wretched sinners should never find pardon for their
sins before God. Now follows a further description of
Jonah's fault and impatience.

And now, Lord, take my life from me, (I beseech thee,)
for I had rather die than live.

From this text we learn two things ; first, how sorely
and heinously Jonah offended, who rather desired to die,
than God should have pity upon these penitent people, by
* Government of the church and state.

Seventh Sermon on Jonah. 1 85

whose preservation he thought some shame and rebuke
should happen unto him ; because he before had spoken,
and threatened their perdition and loss.

Much better, and more godly, did Moses and Paul, who
wished their own harm, rather than the loss of the people.
Also, this text declares the weariness and impatience of the
flesh, which will not suffer the troubles annexed unto the
vocation, but rather wishes to die than live : so did Elijah
desire death (1 Kings xix.) : so that the text and experience
daily shew that the best day a true preacher shall see is the
day of his death. But as the devil has used the vocation of
bishops and priests in this present time, there is no day so
terrible or fearful to them as the day of death. The
cause thereof, methinks, St. Augustine (Episto. cxlviii. ad
Valerium) shows right well : " Before all things I desire
that your godly prudence would think nothing to be
more light, easy, or joyful, in this life, chiefly now at
this time, than the office of a bishop, priest, or deacon,
if the thing be done lightly or hypocritically ; but before
God there is nothing more miserable, sorrowful, and
damnable."

Then follows the answer of God to this angry man.

Then said the Lord : Art thou so angry ?

By this demand and question of the Lord, we learn
how he, in a hasty passion, if a man may speak so of
God, will not cast away this infirm and weak Jonah : but
with sufferance he trained him to a better and more ad-
vised judgment.

So does Isaiah report of God's nature : (chap, xlii.)
" He will not put out the kindled tow." He did not only
consider the weakness of the man, but also the dangers
and trouble of his pastoral vocation. God, therefore, bore
mercifully with him, and schooled him to a further and
better knowledge. From this man we may learn how to
beware of hasty and rash passions of wrath ; for if there be
not in all our acts a moderation thereof, we shall never
do, nor judge things uprightly according to knowledge. If
men would remember this demand of God to Jonah, they
would not be so angry when they are rebuked for their
faults, but rather thank the admonisher for his good admo-
nition and warning of God's displeasure. Now follows the
second part of the chapter.

And Jonah gat him out of the city, and sat down on
the east side thereof, and there made him a booth, and

186 Hooper. — Sermons.

sal under it in the shadow, till he might see what should
chance unto the city.

When Jonah had no excuse to make why he was angry,
and would not confess his fault, for he answered nothing
to the question God demanded of him ; he went out of the
city to see the end ; whether the Ninevites would perse-
vere in the penance they had begun or not. Of this we
learn ; if we be wrongfully angry and admonished, if we
will not confess the fault, yet should we consider and
weigh it the more deeply. In his making himself a booth,
we see with what simplicity the good man was contented,
and likewise how he himself was content to labour to
make his own couch. Our bishops and priests have all
things prepared to their hands, God give them grace better
to deserve it. The text saith : —

The Lord God prepared a wild vine which sprang up
over Jonah, that he might have shadow above his head, to
deliver him out of his pain.

The Lord here purposes to help the infirmities of Jonah,
and remove the sinister and false judgment he had of
God's mercy, by the image of a young tree. He bringeth
forth a young tree that may give shade to Jonah, whereof
Jonah rejoices very much. But the Lord killed it again,
and that speedily made Jonah angry. In the midst of his
anger the Lord, by a comparison and similitude between
the simple tree and the great city of Nineveh, showed
Jonah his fault in that he was angry for the mercy showed
unto the city. But in these are things to be marked.
First in Jonah; then in God; thirdly in the tree.

In Jonah may be seen the image of a man that labours
and is oppressed with many affections, and never con-
tented with the doings of God. We should not follow
this fault, but submit our judgments to his will : saying
always, and in all God's works, " Thy will be done," whe-
ther thou send us mirth or sorrow, joy or pain, — for every
thing shall be 1o the best unto those that love the Lord.
Jonah also, in his perverse and froward opinion to with-
draw the mercy of God from the Ninevites, expresses the
evil opinion which saith, that sinners can never be re-
ceived into grace, after they fall once from the Lord. They
would abrogate the greatest work of God, to say his
mercy should not work where it pleaseth him, but where
man's fancies please to appoint it. The Lord not only
favours and bears with Jonah's infirmities, but also covers

Seventh Sermon on Jonah. 1S7

him from the burning and heat of the sun ; and also
teaches him by the tree, that he is offended without cause.
What tree this was it is not agreed upon yet among
writers ; but it makes no matter ; it is enougli we know it
was a tree with broad leaves, whereby the Lord would
succour both the body and knowledge of the infirm Jonah.
In that it grew tip suddenly, and withered away suddenly,
it bears the image and property of such honours, riches,
and treasures as are in this world ; which suddenly rise
and suddenly fall again. No man, therefore, should
hazard or endanger his soul for such brittle and frail
things.

And by the withering away of this little tree, God
would show Jonah how uncharitable he was in being
angry that the great city of Nineveh was saved : as though
he had said, If it grieve thee so much for the loss of this
little tree, should it not be a greater grief unto thee to see
the destruction of so great a city? For the tree sprang
up in one night, and the city had stood many hundred
years. Again, for the tree Jonah had not laboured,
but God builded Nineveh. The tree is but one thing, the
city had a great number both of men and cattle : and lest
Jonah might have said, Yea, but all the men of the city-
are evil, and therefore deserve to perish ; God adds to the
matter and saith : there were in the city about an hundred
and twenty thousand persons that knew not between the
right hand and the left ; that is to say, children and simple
persons.

From this dialogue between God and Jonah we may
gather this general, and universal doctrine, that God will
save all penitent sinners (1 Tim. ii.) ; for seeing he gave
his only Son for us, whilst we were yet his enemies, how
should it be that he would not in him give us all things ?
(Rom. viii. Matt, xi.) But hereof comes our loss and
perdition, that we repent not from our evil Ways, as the
proclamation of the king of Nineveh commanded the
people and subjects thereof. He would not only that
men should amend their evil lives, but also that they
should restore again all falsely gotten goods, and make
restitution thereof, as well to God as to man. Restitution
towards God is, when all honour and glory is given unto
him, as St. Paul saith. (I Tim. 1.) But this glory is and
hath been taken from God by men of every sort, as well
by those of the ecclesiastical policy as those of the civil

188 Hooper. — Sermons.

policy.* Those of the ecclesiastical policy take away this
honour and praise from God two ways ; one by neglecting
the true, the other by defending of false doctrine. By
negligence, such offend as know God and his ministry
by the holy word of God, yet, for private respects, either
for lucre, or fear for themselves, suffer many tokens, monu-
ments, and ceremonies of superstition ; as the diversity of
meats for religion's sake (yet I approve the commandment
of the magistrates who, for a civil policy, cause certain
days appointed to eat fish int) ; images ; forbidding of
marriage in Lent ; the use of such vestments as obscure
the ministry of Christ's church, and represent the form and
fashion of the Aaronical ministry of the old law, abrogated
and ended in Christ.J Those also offend who seldom, or
never, teach the people, nor procure them to be taught.
All these I exhort to make restitution, or else doubtless
their theft will bring them to damnation. Let them
preach the word of God truly, and minister his sacra-
ments according to the institution of Christ; and then
their harm done in times past, shall not be thought
upon.

There is another sort, who refuse not only to make
this satisfaction, but also obstinately maintain and defend
false doctrine, and study to oppress the true doctrines
of this sort there is no small number ; but those I ex-
hort also to leave their evil sayings, and to make resti-
tution.

Many who are of the laity, as they are called, that is to
say, not of the public ministry of the church, also rob God
of his glory and honour : they seek remedy for sin by
other means than through the death of Christ, as by the
merchandise§ of masses, indulgences, invocation of saints,
the pains of purgatory ; but I advise them to give God
that, for it appertains only unto him. Hearken unto the
word of God, and call upon his name, as he teaches,
through Christ, in spirit and verity ; and thank him for all
his gifts, which he gives both to your body and soul.
At your death commend your souls to him, as St. Stephen
did, (Acts vii.) for Christ, who died under Pontius Pilate.
And do not doubt of the dead, for they are at rest already,
either in heaven or in hell (John hi. v. 1 Cor xv. 1 Thess.

• Clergy and laity. t To encourage the -fisheries.

X The popish vestments. § Sale and purchase.

Seventh Sermon on Jonah. 189

iv. Rev. iv.) : wherefore rather give thanks to God for
them, than pray for them.

Of restitution to be made to man. — In external goods
a man may offend three ways. In evil getting of them ;
in evil keeping of them ; and in evil spending of
them.

They are evil gotten many ways : first, when they are
taken from another by murder, rapine, violence, craft, or
theft. Thus queen Jezebel offended in taking away Na-
both's vineyard; (1 Kings xxi.) at length she was torn
with' dogs for her labour. Then they are evil gotten by
subtleties, frauds, corruption of laws, by lying, flattery,
and such other means : let every man make restitution of
goods thus gotten, or else he shall surely perish. Let the
seditious, hurtful, and dangerous traitor, that, contrary to
God's laws, takes weapon against his liege lord and king,
restore both his heart and his goods again, to the king's
pleasure and commandment. Let all men cease from get-
ting their goods by these unlawful means ; and the goods
so gotten let them restore again, as Zaccheus did. (Luke
xix.) And that they may be the better fenced against this
unlawful and ungodly getting together of goods, I pray
them to read the canon* of St. Paul ; " Such as will be
rich," &c. (1 Tim. vi.)

Goods are evil kept, first, if they exalt the owners unto
arrogance and pride, which brings contempt of others : and
then, if, in the abundance of goods, thou forget God :
thirdly, if having goods thou cease from labour, and put
thyself to ease, so that thou make thyself profitable neither
to God, nor to the commonwealth thou dwellest in.
Herein offend very sorely and dangerously such as possess
the goods of the church, and preach not ; such as have
stipends to teach, and teach not ; wages to war, and war
not ; who receive for a thousand soldiers, and serve not
with five hundred ; such as enjoy hospitals, almshouses,
and the provision of the poor for their own private ad-
vantage. To all these I say, Repent ye, and make resti-
tution.

Goods are evil spent, first, if they be consumed in an
evil manner : as when they are applied to pride and excess in
apparel ; or meat and drink, to the oppression and hurt of
the poor ; or to maintain a great company of idle and

* Rule.

190 Hooper. — Sermons.

loitering men : then if they be not used to a good use, to
the edifying of Christ's church, the help of the poor, the
prisoners and such like : for, in the latter judgment, the
Lord shall ask what care and charge we had of the poor
(■Matt, xxv.) ; and we see the rich man was damned be-
cause he gave not to Lazarus. (Luke xvi.) Unto those
also I say, Repent ye, and spend the gifts of God according
to knowledge and virtue ; if you will not, you shall all
perish. (Luke xiii.) God sleepeth not, but seeth all our
acts and noteth our doings.

In case any of these men, whether they are of the eccle-
siastical policy, or of the civil policy of this your realm,
most gracious king, and you, my lords of his most honour-
able council, draw back, and will not make restitution, nor
use their goods well, by the office you have taken from God
you are bound to compel them to do it. And first of all,
because there is no man that sinneth not, look first unto
yourselves, and then, with the king of Nineveh, and the
nobles of his realm, repent, ye, and restore unto God that
which is God's, and unto man that which is for the com-
fort of your subjects — good laws and diligent execution
and usage of the same. Then compel both the spiritu-
alty, as they are called, and also the temporality, to make
restitution to God and man. And now the Lord has
given you peace that you might have leisure to do these
things, as Paul saith. (1 Tim. ii.) Do, therefore, as Solo-
mon did. (1 Kings viii.) Abuse not the peace in playing
sports and pastime, but in the building of God's temple,
which has a long time lain desolate : you have an exam-
ple in Numbers v. ; and in any case let that example be
followed. There are the acts of Jehoshaphat, the king,
written (2 Chron. xvii.), in which are three notable things.
First, he took away and removed idolatry from his people ;
secondly, he gave them true judges, whose godly con-
ditions are written in the same book, (chap, xix.) who
feared the Lord, and accepted no persons in judgment,
and they received no bribes nor rewards; thirdly, he
placed and appointed priests, not in one place, but in all
the cities of Judah ; and not that they should play and
pastime, and teach every thing but the law of God. All
these things must you do, most gracious king, and
you, my honourable lords of his high and wise coun-
cil, if you will live in peace and quietness. I do not
exhort your majesty, nor your most honourable council

Seventh Sermon on Jonah. 191

lightly, but upon great and weighty consideration, to re-
move all these things, that are either the devil's or man's
invention.

For, in the scriptures, I find that God, many times, is
offended when we give him but half honour. How well
began Jehu, the king of Israel (1 Kings x.) : but, because
he remained in the sins of Jeroboam, his kingdom was
not only divided, but at length destroyed also. Abolish,
therefore, godly king, all iniquity, and permit not mass,
nor such abomination, to any man within your highness' s
realm ; no, not to the strangers, which, doubtless, should
be an occasion of slander to your realm and subjects. For
Asa, the king of Judah (1 Kings xv.), removed his
mother from the rule and governance of the realm because
she had an idol in a grove, which her son, the king,
burnt. Then your majesty must institute true, faithful
judges of good conscience : then send such priests through
your realm that have these two conditions : first, that they
teach ; then, that they teach the word of God. If your
majesty do these things, then shall God send peace and
quietness according to his pleasure. Further, God shall
make you a fear and terror to foreign and strange nations
that know not the living God.

And this, your majesty shall avoid the better, if you
beware of flatterers, and think as Jehoash, in his youth
favoured the truth of God, and in his age, by flattery,
departed from it (2 Kings xii.) ; so the same evil and
danger may corrupt your highness. Then, if it may
please you to command more often to have sermons be-
fore your majesty, it will not be a little help to you, if
they are well made, well borne away, and well practised :
and seeing there are in the year eight thousand seven
hundred and sixty hours, it shall not be much for your
highness, no, nor for all your household, to bestow fifty-
two of them in the year to hear the sermons of God.
If your majesty do these things, the blood of your
people shall not be required at your hands. But I coun-
sel both king and council to be admonished, and to
amend things amiss: if not, the king of Nineveh, with
his people, shall rise at the latter day, and condemn both
king and council ; for they converted* at the preaching
of one man ; yea, at the preaching of a stranger : we

* Repented.

192 Hooper. — Sermons.

have not only heard the same by the mouth of strangers,
but also by the mouth of our own countrymen, and that
manv times. Let us, therefore, believe and amend, or
else we must perish.

God preserve, for the death of Christ, the king's ma-
jesty, all his honourable council, with the whole realm.
Amen.

Finis,
The glory be to Gop.

A

GODLY CONFESSION AND PROTESTATION

OP

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

MADE

BY JOHN HOOPER.

WHEREIN IS DECLARED WHAT A CHRISTIAN MAN IS BOUND TO BELIEVE
OF GOD, HIS KING, HTS NEIGHBOUR, AND HIMSELF.

A. d. 1550.

The heart believeth to justice, confession„by the mouth is to salvation.
Rom. x.

HOOPER.

GODLY CONFESSION AND PROTESTATION

OF

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

DEDICATION.

To the most virtuous and mighty prince Edward the
sixth,' our most redoubted sovereign lord, king of England,
France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, and in earth,
next and immediately under God, the supreme head of the
churches of England and Ireland : and also to the most
wise, godly, and honourable lords of his highness's privy 1
council, and unto the rest of the most wise, godly, and
learned assembly of all the honourables and others, ap J
pointed to be of his majesty's most high and godly court
of parliament : John Hooper, his most humble, loving, and
obedient subject, wisheth all grace and peace from God,
with a long, godly, and most prosperous reign over us, in all
godly knowledge, honour, health, and perpetual felicity.

The wise man, Cicero, most gracious and mighty prince,
saith, that not only he does wrong, who, by violence, op-
presses another man wrongfully ; but also he that prevents
not, if it lie in his power, the wrongs offered, and he is no
less faulty than though he had forsaken parents, friends,
or country. This doctrine he practised in defence and
propulsing* the injuries and wrongs attempted wrongfully
against Milo by the friends of Clodius, as appears by his
eloquent oration made for that purpose in the senate of
Rome. The same kind of injuries other godly men, in the
scriptures of God, have always, according to the law,
eschewed ;t for it is written, " If a man see his neigh-
bour's ass fall under his burden, or his ox to go astray,
his neighbour is bound to help them both, the ass from
* Opposing. * Avoided.

196 Hooper. — Confession of Faith.

its burden, and the ox from its straying." Abraham prac-
tised the same when he perceived his nephew Lot
oppressed with the wars of the infidels, he propulsed and
avenged the injuries, and set his nephew at liberty.

Even so there are two sorts of people, who, two sorts
of ways, do injuries and wrongs unto the souls and con-
sciences of men. The one of them by force or subtlety
defrauds them of the truth and perfection of God's words,
as heretical and superstitious ministers. The others, at
such time as they should with prayer, diligence, and
preaching, defend the' people of God from such injuries
and wrongs, are negligent or dumb. This kind of injury
doubtless the Lord God almighty will, at length, grievously
revenge. Therefore, against this kind of injury, he spake
unto the prophet Ezckiel : " If I purpose to send a plague
upon the people, and thou give them not warning thereof,
I will require their blood at thy hand." The same he said
unto St. Peter : " Feed my lambs," " feed my sheep."
And unto all the apostles he said, " Make ye all Gentiles
my disciples." And St Paul, fearing to fall in the danger
of the second kind of doing wrong, in saving* the wrongs
of false religion from the church of Christ, said, " Wo be
unto me, if I preach not."

Upon the consideration of these things, seeing that all
things are written for our instruction, I have thought it
good to write and set forth this confession and protestation
of my faith, submitting myself and my faith also, most
humbly to be judged by your majesty, your most honour-
able council, with the godly assembly of your majesty's
most high court of parliament, according to the word
of God; that by this means I may avoid the pain and
danger due unto all thpse who neglect or omit the injuries
and wrongs that may happen and chance by sinister report,
and false slander of God's word, to the conscience of any
of your majesty's subjects. For I am credibly informed
that many false and erroneous opinions are entered into
their heads respecting me (God forgive them that have
been the occasion thereof). If any way these injuries and
dangerous slanders may be helped, I think this to be the
way — to offer most humbly myself and my faith, to be
known and judged by your majesty, according to the word
of God. I protest before God and your majesty, I write
not this confession for an apology or defence, to contend
* Concealing,

Dedication. : 197

or strive With any man in any matter, nor for any private
affection or displeasure I bear unto any man living, or for
any inordinate or partial love unto myself, but for the
cause and to the end before stated.

Likewise for three other great causes that shall follow.
The one touches God, the other your majesty, the third
your loving subjects. As concerning God, seeing both his
majesty, mine own conscience, and my auditory know,
that I have neither in doctrine, nor in manners, taught any
other thing than I received of the patriarchs, prophets,
and the apostles, it were not only sin, but also the very
part of a miscreant, to deny or betray the innocency of
that doctrine, or to be ashamed to stand to the defence
thereof, seeing that all godly men have esteemed the true
word of God more than their own mortal lives.

The second cause that touches your majesty and your
most honourable council, is, because upon credit and good
opinion, and partly by experience, that your majesty had
both of my true faith and godly zeal, you appointed me,
among others of your preachers, though most unworthy,
to teach your subjects their duty to God and man. What
true subject can hear and understand such untrue reports
of those whom a king's majesty shall appoint to preach,
and would not be glad, both for God's sake and his king'r ,
to remove such ungodly reports if he can, for the peace
and quietness of their subjects ?

As for the cause that touches the people, it is no less
important than eternal damnation. In case he be worthy
of judgment, and in danger of hell-fire, that is angry with
his brother, and calleth him fool, how much more if he
call his brother heretic, and a denier of God ? If the first be
worthy of hell-fire, much more the last. Therefore, lest my
brother should die, and then receive the deserved reward
due for a slanderer, as much as it lies in me, I do by this
protestation of my faith, call him to repentance.

And in case any man stand in doubt of mine opinion
and meaning in religion, let him not condemn me before-
hand, but use the means with me which the ten tribes of
Israel used with the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and half the
tribe of Manasseh, that built, at their return to their pos-
sessions, an altar upon the borders of Jordan, which was
like to have caused great wars. But it was stayed by
consultation and communication with those that built it :
and, their minds being known, the dissension was ended

198 Hooper.

and appeased. Even so I would desire my christian coun-
trymen to use me, for I have built no altars of idolatry,
if they be in doubt of me in any thing, and not to kill by
hearsay, neither before they have heard me speak. Thus
I pray God, both they and I may search always to live in
his fear, to obey our king, and to be profitable and true
members of this realm of England. So be it.

The 20th day of December, in the year of our Lord
God, 1550.

THE

CONFESSION AND PROTESTATION

OF

JOHN HOOPER'S FAITH.

I. I believe, according to the holy scripture, that there
are things without time and before time ; also things with
time and made in time. The . thing without time and
before time, is God only and solely ; three in diversity of
persons, and one in essence and equality of the Godhead,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: wot three Gods,
but one God. Things with time and in time, are all things
that ever were, now are, or ever shall be created in heaven
or in earth, until the day of the last general judgment,
when both body and soul shall begin together immortality
and joys without time*— for the soul ever lives ; — by such
are ordained of God to eternal salvation : arid such as are
appointed, and have deserved it, shall go to eternal dam-
nation, to begin eternal pains, and so to endure without time.

II. I believe that the spirits, both good and bad, and
likewise the souls of men and women created by God, are
immortal, and from their creation live for ever, and never
die. I believe all things created by God, as concerning
their creation, to be perfect and good ; without hatred,
displeasure, grudge, contumacy, rebellion, disobedience,
or pride, against their Maker.

III. I believe, that of things created by God, part of
them, by grace of God's favour, have and ever shall, per-
severe and -continue in the perfection and excellence of
their creation ; as the spirits or angels that never fell, nor
hereafter shall fall, through the means of Christ.

IV. I believe, that part of those creatures, which God
made in their perfection, are now subject, part of them to
immortal pains, part to mortal pains, part unto both. As

* To all eternity.

200 Hooper.

the devil and man, that fell into this ruin and perdition of
themselves, although in different ways — the devil, by pride
and arrogancy, whilst he would be like unto God — man,
deceived by ignorance and by craft of the devil-— and not
by any imperfection on God's part in their creation, nor by
any force, compulsion, or violence on God's part that com-
pelled them to evil.

For I believe God to be the author of life and salvation,
and the will of the devil and of man to be the occasion of
both their loss,

V. I believe all the people of the world are either the
people of God, or the people of the devil. The people of
God are {hose, that with heart and mind know, worship,
honour, praise, and laud God, according to the doctrine
pf the prophets and apostles. The people of the devil are
those that think they worship, honour, reverence, fear, laud,
or praise God, any other ways besides, or contrary to, the
doctrine of the prophets and apostles,

VI. I believe that the people of God, who are the
very true church of God, have a certain doctrine, that
never was, is, or hereafter shall be, violated by time or
any man's authority. This doctrine only and solely is
comprehended in the sacred and holy Bible,

VII. And I believe this doctrine of the patriarchs and
prophets to be sufficient and absolutely perfect, to instruct
me and all the holy church in our duties towards God and
towards our neighbours. Of God it teaches, that he is
but one, almighty, Maker of all things, merciful, just, and
every thing that is good. And seeing we know nothing
of God, and can judge nothing of God, touching our sal-
vation, but after his word ; we must judge of him, as we
are taught therein ; as well of his divine nature, as of the
division of the persons in the divine essence. So that we
are compelled by the authority of God's word to confess
the plurality of persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost, in the unity of one divine Godhead and essence.

VIII. I believe, as touching the Father of heaven, as
much as holy scripture teaches us to believe, and is set
forth in the first of the three creeds, the creed commonly
called the apostles' creed, where we say,

IX. " I believe in God the Father almighty. Maker of
heaven and earth," and so forth ; with all such things as
the creed of Nice believeth, and after the faith and creed,
of Athanasius in this behalf.

Confession of Faith. 201

X. I believe the second person in Trinity to be one God
with the Father in Godhead, and different in person. I
believe him to be 'he very substance, image, and figure
of God, without beginning or ending, with all other pro-
perties and conditions, that the holy scripture of God or
the decree or doctrine of any of the three former creeds
affirm.

XI. I believe that the mercy of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost, pitied and had compassion upon
Adam the lost man, and was provoked* to ordain the Son
of God, the second person in the Trinity, to debase and
humble himself unto the nature of man, and also to be-
come man, to redeem and save the lost man. For even
as he was by eternal malice and craft of the devil brought
to confusion, to sin, and so to death both of body and soul,
having nothing in himself touching his first creation that
provoked, stirred, enticed, or allured him to evil ; even so,
after his fall, was there nothing in him, or ever after could
be in his posterity, that might or may allure to provoke
him or any of his posterity to the means or help of his or
their salvation. But even as he was lost by the malice
and deceit of the devil ; so is he, and so shall all his pos-
terity be, saved by the mercy and merits of Christ. The
devil and Adam's will wrought sin and death. God's
mercy and Christ's merits wrought grace and life. The
will of Eve and Adam straying and wandering abroad
upon the fruit, an object and matter forbidden by God
that they should not eat of it, brought them unto death ;
Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman, applying both body
and soul to the obedience of God, deserved life , as it is in
the scriptures and in the second part of the common creed.

XII. " I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate ; he was crucified,
dead, and buried ; he descended into hell, and the third
day he arose again from death unto life, and ascended into
heaven, and there sitteth on the right hand of God, the
Father almighty. And from thence he shall come to judge
both the quick and the dead."

I believe that by this means, and no other, the sins of

believers are forgiven without the merits and deservings

of Adam's posterity. By Adam sin came into the world,

and by sin death ; even so, without any merits, respects,

* Excited, induced.

k 3

202 Hooper

imd worthiness of Adam, or of any of his posterity, "by
Jesus Christ came remission of sin and life everlasting,
And even as I believe steadfastly, that sin and death by this
means are overcome and destroyed, and everlasting life,
follows it, so I believe the Son of God to be the perfect
God and man, according to the scriptures : and do con-
demn the heresies of Arius and Marcion, with their ac-
complices and adherents, who wickedly believed the con-
trary. And as I confess and believe the means of our
salvation to be Christ only, so I condemn the Pelagians
and all such others, as believed and taught that they could,
by their own powers, strength, and will, work their own
salvation ; which false opinion conculcates,* frustrates,
slanders, condemns, and blasphemes all the deservings
of Christ. Therefore the Pelagian is called worthily, " the
enemy of grace."

XIII. Further, I believe that the grace of God, de-
served by the passion of Christ, does not only freely and
without any merits of man, begin, teach, and provokef man
•to believe the promises of God, and so to begin to work the
will of God ; but I believe also all the works, merits, de-
servings, doings, and obedience of man towards God,
although they are done by the Spirit of God, in the grace
of God, yet being thus done, are of no validity, wor-
thiness, or merit before God, except God by mercy and
grace account them worthy, for the worthiness and merits
of Jesus Christ that died underPontius Pilate. So that I
believe grace to be not only the beginner of all good works
but that all good works done by man in their greatest per-
fection, have need and want grace to pardon their im-
perfection.

XIV. I believe in the Holy Ghost, equally God with
the Father and the Son, and proceeding from them both •
by whose virtue, strength, and operation, the catholic
church is preserved from all errors and false doctrines and
teaches the communion of saints in all truth and verity •
the which Holy Spirit shall never forsake the holy church
which is Christ's mystical body.

XV. I believe that this Holy Spirit worketh the remis-
sion of sin, resurrection of the body, and everlasting life,
according to the holy scripture.

XVI. This is my faith and doctrine concerning the God-
head and diversity of persons in the Holy Trinity, and also

* Treads under foot. t Excite, induce

Confession of Faith. 203

;of the two natures in Christ, his Godhead and manhood ;
abhorring-and detesting the heresies of Paul of Samosata,
Arius, Nestor, and Eutyches, who were condemned by godly
councils at Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon, and
others. I detest and abhor the Marcionite and Manichee,
that feigns there are two gods, and both eternal^ one good
and the other evil, always at debate between themselves. I
detest and abhor the monstrous doctrine of the Valenti-
nians, and so generally of all those that have denied there
is any God, or would have many gods. Also, all those I
detest, that have erred and maintained their error in any
thing concerning the essence of God, or denied the plura-
lity of persons, as of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost.

This is the faith of God's Spirit in rhy conscience, which
I have learned in his word, and have faithfully and reli*
giously preached and taught in all my sermons, as I will
be judged by my auditory. Also, the same doctrine I
have furthered and set forth in all my books and writings ;
though some calumniators and slanderers would gladly
make the poor people believe the contrary. But I do de-
cline and appeal from such uncharitable spirits unto the
charitable reader, and loving hearts of all those who are
endued with God's Holy Spirit : for they will not constrain
nor force letter, syllable, word, or sentence contrary to the
mind of the speaker and writer ; but will judge and search
for judgment in the processes and circumstances of the
writer, and content themselves with the writer's mind,
rather than bring their affection and corrupt minds to
make their own imaginations and fancies another man's
doctrine ; as the Arian, Pelagian, papist, and others do
and have done, bringing corrupt minds to the lesson and
reading of Christ's Testament, and desiring that their false
heresies and untrue imaginations should be Christ's doc-
trine.

Seeing both God's laws and man's laws suffer and give
liberty to every man, in a cause of religion, to be inter-
preter of his own wordsj it were contrary to justice to put
any man from it. For, if the author may not be inter-
preter of his own mind, what would not malice, envy,
spite, and disdain, gather from words most truly and faith-
fully meant and written ? And seeing charity and the
laws of this realm, as appears in an act of parliament
made in the first year of the reign of our sovereign lord

204 Hooper.

king Edward the Sixth, give liberty and license to him
that shall be accused for a matter of religion, upon malice,
ill will, hatred, disdain, or by made and suborned re-
cords, to repel and convict all such false records and their
accusers by other faithful and indifferent records.

The which act of parliament God forbid should be de-
nied to any of the king's majesty's preachers ; for if the
testimony of their audiences should not acquit them from
despite and calumnies of malicious and uncharitable
men, they shall not long preach the truth. For either the
papists will accuse them, because they wish the pope and
all monuments of papistry to be taken out of the way, or
the carnal gospeller, that cannot abide to hear his faults
and carnal life rebuked.

•■' And-I think if the king's majesty and his most honour-
able council prepare not the sooner a bridle and correction
for. sin, the true preacher of God hereafter will be more
persecuted for reprehending sin and ungodly life, than
ever yet hitherto he has been persecuted by the papists.

Thus I have declared my faith and belief towards God,
according to the scriptures, in the which I trust to continue
until death doth end this miserable and wretched life.
Now I will declare also the same towards the church of
Christ, what I believe of the magistrates, the ministers of
the word, and the people I dwell with. And of these things
I will speak according to the doctrine of the prophets and
apostles. For many times,, as well heretofore, as in our
days, there have been superstitious hypocrites and fantas-
tical spirits, that have neglected and condemned the office
of magistrates, judgments, laws, punishments of evil,
lawful dominion, rule,, lawful wars, and such like, without
which a commonwealth may not endure. They have con-
demned, also, the ministry and ministers of Christ's
church ; and as for christian society and charitable love,
they confound them» They use the ministry of the church
so that it is out of all estimation, supposing themselves to
be of such perfection, that they need neither the ministry
of the word, neither the use of Christ's holy sacraments,
baptism and the supper of the Lord ; and the other they
use with such devilish disorder, that they would by a law
make theirs their neighbours, and their neighbours theirs,
confounding all property and dominion of goods. Before
our time the fury and damnable heresy of Marcion and
the Manichees against the magistrates, troubled many a

Confession of Faith. 205

year dangerously both Asia and Africa ; and not yet four
hundred years ago a sort of people, called Flagelliferi,*
did the same.

And now in our time, to the great trouble and unquiet-
ness of many commonwealths in Europe, the anabaptistsf
have resuscitated and revived the same errors, which is an
argument and token of the devil's great indignation against
civil policy and order. For he knows that where such
errors and false doctrines of political orders are planted,
two great evils necessarily must needs follow: the one is
sedition, which bringeth murders, blopdsheddings, and
dissipation of realms ; the other is blasphemy against
Christ's precious blood. For these sects think they are
able to save themselves of and by themselves.

Further, when the magistrates are cumbered with those
dangerous sorts of people, the devil kuows they shall have
no leisure at their will, to take some order by God's word
to oppose such false doctrine. But thus we are taught
out of the scripture, that even as man is ordained to the
order, change, and alteration of time — as the order of the
year appoints us now to be subject unto summer, now unto
winter, now to the spring, and now to the fall ; so has
God ordained and commanded man to be obedient to poli-
cies! and orders wheresoever he be, so that they are not
repugnant or contrary to the word of God. As Joseph
in his heart bore abroad wherever he went, the true know-
ledge and invocation of § God, also of Christ to come, yet
outwardly in courts, judgments, contracts, and in posses-
sion of goods, he used the law of the Egyptians ; even so
did Daniel in Babylon.

There is no more to be taken heed of in laws and civil
policies, % but to see that the law repugn|| not the law of
God, and that the lawmakers, and those whom the execu-
tion of the law is commended unto, have a special and
singular eye unto the effect and the meaning of the law,
wherefore it was made a law. This St. Paul wonderfully

* Flagellantes, or Whippers, a sect which sprang up in Italy,
in 1260, and thence spread through most of the countries of Europe.
Vast multitudes professed their tenets, which were visionary and
absurd, and included the belief that no one could be saved without
whipping themselves as a voluntary penance. The popish inquisitors
burned many of these unhappy people, who were not wholly sup-
pressed for some centuries.

t The followers of Munzer, and the other fanatics, who at that
time excited dreadful disturbances in Germany, are here referred to.
Governments. § Calling upon. j| Oppose.

206 Hooper

exhorts people to understand, saying of the law and ma-
gistrates, " Let them be a fear and terror to the evil doers,
and a praise and commendation to the well doers." Neither
is it of consequence, though the form and manner of laws,
of judgments, of pains, and punishments be not alike in
all places, as the laws of feuderies* are not alike in Italy,
England, France, Spain, or Germany, yet every nation
should be subject to the laws of its own realm and civil
policy. And in doing this, he shall offend God no more
than the Englishmen who have longer days in the summer
and shorter days in the winter, than those that dwell
nearer to the south ; or St. Paul, who had longer days at
the solstice and pitch of the sun in Macedon, than Christ
had at Jerusalem. But even as we are content with our
measure and length of day and night, and others are con-
tented with theirs, so must both they and we submit our-
selves, and be contented with the measure and order of our
own laws.

I do, therefore, bewail and lament, that the preachers
in the church, and schoolmasters in their schools, and the
householder in his household, know no better what the
dignity and honour of a civil policy is, by whom it is or-
dained, and by whom it is preserved ; how dangerous and
damnable a thing it is before God and man, to trouble
and disquiet it by any furor or madness of opinion ; as
the Marcionites, Manichees, and Anabaptists do. I see
and know by experience much trouble and danger arise
among the unlearned and ungodly people by ignorance ;
for when they see such deformities and confusions arise,
as we see many times to happen in kingdoms, courts,
judicials, and laws ; also governors that fancy private
profit and interest more than the profit of the whole com-
monwealth, and indifference to all men and all causes ;
they suppose, verily, for lack of knowledge in God's word,
that all orders, policies, kingdoms, and dominions, are
nothing but cruel tyranny and oppression of the poor ; and
also that they have their beginning and original either of
the devil, or of pride ,and covetousness of men.

This same evil upon the same occasion of ignorance
caused naturally wise men to be much troubled and vexed
about the considerations of kingdoms, policies, rules and
dominions ; because they perceived all kingdoms were
subject unto troubles and alterations; and not only that,
* Tenures of property.

Confession of Faith. 207

but they perceived right well no kingdom to be perpetual,
or for ever. And, indeed, whoso beholds the beginning,
the continuance, and end of the empire of Rome, will see
right well their imaginations were not vain things.

How much of her own blood and of strangers' blood
did Rome shed before she came to the government and
rule of all the world ! When she aspired thereunto, and
was a fear to all the world, how much blood of her own
she shed by civil wars and contentions, the writings that
mention of Sylla, Marius, Cinna, Caesar, Pompey, Brutus,
Antony, Augustus, and others, declare. Thus, when the
Lord God would take from Rome for her sins the dominion
of the world, he sent the Goths, Vandals, Huns, Arabs,
and Turks, that wasted not only Italy, but also Egypt,
Africa, and Asia, and so brought the empire of Rome to
nought. As many times as I read and mark this history
and others like it, it causes me to look upon many evil
Englishmen, as Scipio looked upon the great city of Car-
thage, while it was burning, saying, with a lamentable
voice, " The inconstancy of fortune in human things is to
be lamented." Which words were spoken upon this occa-
sion, that Carthage, being a city of great renown and
dominion, was now become a prey unto the fire, and he
turned, as wisdom always does, the consideration of pre-
sent evils, unto others yet flourishing in high and pros-
perous felicity ; and declared, as a man seeing before the
ruin and fall of things that stood destinated, the fall of
Rome was to come, which should perish by the like
plague.

Even so, when I behold the evil and pestiferously affected
minds of Englishmen, and ponder and weigh the fruits of
such corrupt minds, contempt, hatred, grudge, and malice
against their king, magistrates, laws, orders, and policies ;
doubtless, I cannot think but these men, as much as is in
them, conspire and work the destruction of this realm.
For it can be no otherwise, but that as contempt of godly
laws, and sedition among the people and subjects, of what
degree soever they are, have wrought the destruction of
other realms ; so it must and can do no otherwise unto
this realm.

But what realm or kingdom soever will avoid these
evils, let them provide the word of God to be truly and
diligently preached and taught unto the subjects and
members thereof. The want of it is the chief cause of

■208 Hooper.

sedition and trouble, as Solomon saith ; " Where prophecy
is wanting, the people are dissipated."* Wherefore I can-
not a little wonder at the opinion and doctrine of such as
say, a sermon once in a week, in a month, or a quarter of
a year, is sufficient for the people. Truly, it is injuriously
and evil spoken against the glory of God and salvation of
the people. But seeing they will not be as good unto God
as formerly they have been unto the devil, neither so glad to
remove false doctrine from the people, and to continue
them in the true ; whereas they before occupied the most
part of the forenoon, the most part of the afternoon, and a
great part of the night, to keep up the estimation and
continuance of dangerous and vain superstitions : were it
much now to occupy one hour in the morning, and another
hour towards night, to occupy the people with true and
earnest prayer unto God in Christ's blood, and in preaching
the true doctrine of Christ, that they might know and
continue in the true religion and faithful confidence of
Christ Jesus ?

Exercise and diligence bring credit unto religion, whe-
ther it be true or false ; for it never takes place nor root
in the people without diligence, as is to be perceived by the
acts done in the time of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, the
kings of Israel and Judah.

What brought the mass and all other idolatry into esti-
mation, but daily preaching and saying thereof, with such
laud and praise, that every old wife knew what a mass
was worth ? Fifteen masses in a church daily were not
too many for the priests of Baal, and should one sermon
every day be too much for a godly bishop and evangelical
preacher ? I wonder how itf may be too much opened
and declared unto the people? If any man say, labour is
left, and men's business lieth undone by that means, surely
it is ungodly spoken ; for those that tell the people such
things, know right well that there was neither labour,
care, need, necessity, nor any thing else, that heretofore
could keep them from hearing mass, though it had been
said at four of the clock in the morning.

Therefore, as far as I can see, people were contented to
lose more labour and spend more time theu, to go to the
devil, than now to come to God ; but my faith is, that
both master and servant shall find the advantage they
gain thereby at the year's end, though they hear morning
* Scattered, led astray. t The gospel.

Confession of Faith. 209

sermon and morning prayers every day of the week. Now
by this means they should learn not only to know God,
but also their magistrates, and to put difference between
the office and the person that is in office, and between the
office and the troubles necessarily annexed unto the office ;
which brings not only knowledge of office and officer, but
also honour and reverence unto them both ; as St. Paul,
who loved the policy, laws, order, and wisdom of the
Romans, yet disliked very much the vice and naughtiness
of Nero, unto whom he submitted ; and willingly brought
into servitude, both his body and goods, and rebelled not,
though Nero was a naughty emperor, for his office sake,
which was the ordinance of God. So did Elias love the
state, honour, and dignity of the kings of Israel, yet bore
testimony against the faults of Ahab.

The same doctrine St. Peter teaches unto all servants,
commanding them to obey their masters, though they are
evil, having a respect unto the place they are in, which is
the order of God, and not unto the vice and abuse of the
person in God's order. Truly, be the ruler ever so evil,
yet the laws, judgments, punishments, and statutes, made
for the punishment of evil, and the defence of the good,
are the very work of God ; for the magistrates are the
keepers of discipline and peace. Therefore, as the motion
of the heavens, and the fertility of the earth, are the works
of God, and are preserved by him, even so are the gover-
nors and rulers of the earth ; as David saith, " He giveth
health to princes ;" as it was showed in himself, Solomon,
Jehoshaphat, and others.

The rule and government of king David was troublous
and full of miseries ; the reign of king Solomon his son
was peaceable and quiet ; the reign of Joshua was vic-
torious and prosperous ; the reign of the judges that
followed so troublous and unquiet, that I have not read
of a more rent and torn commonwealth : yet was the order
of God all one, as well in the one as in the other, and
required as much love, assistance, and obedience of the
people to their king and magistrates in their trouble, as in
their quietness and peace.

So Daniel, the prophet, most godlily and wisely teaches
by the image which he saw of four sundry metals ; but he
concludes whether the regimen* and regent were gold,
silver, copper, or iron, the people always obeyed.
* Government.

210 Hoopei-,

The doctrine and example of John Baptist, Christ, Stw
Stephen, and St. James, John's brother, teaches the same
also. For although the regimen were neither . so godly
nor so quiet in Herod's time and Pontius Pilate's as it was
in Solomon s time, yet they always gave like reverence,
honour, and obedience unto them, for their order's sake,
as though they had been the most virtuous princes of the
world, as their doctrine, tribute, and blood records ; for
they gave unto Caesar the things due unto Caesar, as their
bodies and their goods $ but their souls they owed to none
but unto God : and when diversity of religion and doctrine
should have been discussed and determined by their laws,
they declined their judgment, and appealed unto the word
of God, to have all controversies ended thereby. When
this took place, they gave thanks to God ; when it did not,
they were content patiently to bear whatsoever God's hand
would permit the magistrate to lay upon them.

Were these examples known and kept before men's
eyes, people would not for a fault or two that should
happen in the regimen, irritate and provoke the regents
and princes with contumacy and rebellion, as is seen
commonly at this day ; but rather follow the example of
the Jews, who when they heard of the acts and doings of
Ptolemy, who killed twenty thousand of their countrymen,
and caused those that he took captive to eat the flesh of
their own dead fathers and brothers, yet they rebelled not,
but knew it was for their sin, and therefore exhorted one
another to penance and amendment of life. The self-
same doctrine our Saviour Christ teaches in his holy
evangelist Luke.

This I thought good to put in my creed for the declara-
tion of my faith towards civil magistrates, orders, and
laws ; and to open the difference between the orders, the
person, and such troubles as are annexed unto the order ;
lest any man should, for trouble and confusion's sake,
condemn order and regimen itself, or else by the means
thereof detract, and neglect to take pains on such voca-
tion, as the Epicureans did ; whereas, indeed, rule and
regimen themselves are the great benefits of God ; and,
therefore, now in the latter time, more to be preached and
taught unto the people, for divers considerations, than
ever heretofore ; especially because contempt of honesty
and laws, labours and godly exercises, reign more than
ever they did. For at the beginning men so o beyed

Confession of Faith. 211

reason, and were ruled thereby, that they brought themselves
into order and policy ; and, for the maintenance thereof,
sought out crafts and arts necessary for the preserva-
tion of policy and order, and so were glad rather to be
ruled by reason than by force and violence. This time being
expired, and corrupt reason aspiring further than reason
by nature should ; partly for too much love of self, partly
to tame and keep in subjection such as disordered all good
order and rule, they descend from the regimen of reason
unto the force of war and martial laws ; the same seeming
good unto almighty God, to tame and reclaim men by
force who would not be ruled by reason.

But now are we fallen into the last time and end of the
world, wherein for reason lust rules, and for just battle
immoderate concupiscence rules ; for scarcely is there one
of a hundred that loves to seek for wisdom and knowr
ledge of reason and of arts that other men found out
and left unto us. And as for the pains and travail of war,
let every man judge and consider himself, whether our
weak nature can suffer as much as David, Achilles, Cyrus,
Alexander, Hannibal, Marcellus, Scipio, Cassar, and others
did. Then shall we perceive that nature now in man is
consumed, effeminated, and worn out, and is a thing most
unable to do what fore-age hath done. Therefore, these
latter days have more need of much teaching in civil
causes than the old age before us, which governed them-
selves better and more modestly by reason only, than now
we do by God's word and reason. And this is known not
only by the holy scriptures, but also by profane writers,
who declare iniquity increases with the age of the world.
And our experience may be a commentary in this respect
on God's laws and man's laws. For St. Paul declares the
civil magistrate not only was ordained, but also preserved
by God, and that all men should accept and account him
the true magistrate whom God has appointed, and not
such a one as the people and subjects appoint themselves.
And even as wise Cicero perceived, at the beginning of
the mortal dissension and debate between Pompey and
Julius Caesar, and gave counsel according to the will of God,
declared unto him by the suffrages and voices of the Romans,
that Caesar should have been chief ruler of the people ; now,
for lack and contempt of knowledge, both St.Paul and Cicero
are neglected. For either the people will have no magistrate

212 Hooper.

at all, or else such a one as it pleases themselves, and
not him that God has appointed. If this adventure take
not place, they will change, if they can, the state of the
commonwealth, that where one reigneth as a monarch or
king, they would change it into the regimen of many.
And where many reign, as men are never contented with the
state that God hath appointed, they turn the regimen of
many into the government of few.

Against whose preposterous judgment and fickle minds
St. Paul vehemently writes : " The powers that be, are
ordained of God," and not the powers that subjects shall
choose and make at their pleasure. For no man, of what
degree, state, or authority soever he be, being a private
man, as all men are in a monarchy, where one rules, in
respect to the king that rules, should meddle with the state
of a realm ; for it is God that ordained it, and it is he
that dissolves it. Neither should this fond opinion take
any place in a christian man's head, that any offices ap-
pointed by God should cause the officers to be evil before
God. For the Lord gives them titles and names of great
honour and love ; as ' gods,' and ' such as serve and please
him ;' also ' the nurses of the church ;' as the examples
of Adam, Enoch, Noah, with others, who were in those
days very godly rulers, to maintain virtue, and punish vice,
show. This not only the patriarchs and godly men of the
scripture saw, but also naturally wise men, who saw and
reverenced order and policy ; as Plato writes, saying, " As
the ox is not ruled by the ox, nor the goat by the goat,
but by a more pure nature, that is to say, by man ; so the
nature of man is too infirm to rule itself." Therefore God
appointed not only men to rule, but also such men as ex-
celled in wit and wisdom, adjoined with the special and
singular grace of God : and so saith Plato. " Where
any mortal man beareth dominion and not God, there can
be no escape of calamities and miseries." Of the same
opinion is Homer the poet, who saith that the gods appoint
their shields to defend princes, as Pallas defended Achilles.
This also Jehoshaphat the king in the place afore rehearsed
wonderfully declares. And whosoever will consider the
execution and due pains towards evil doers, shall right
well perceive that God himself is in the magistrate. For
Christ saith, " He that striketh with the sword shall perish
with the sword." And of the oppressors it is spoken.

Confession of Faith. 213

" Wo be unto thee that spoilest, for thou shalt be spoiled."
So that we see God defends civil justice upon earth.

Abraham, Jeremiah, and St. Paul declare that the civil
policy is the ordinance of God ; by such prayer they com-
manded the people to pray for it ; and this prayer for the
magistrates declares what a diversity there is between a
christian magistrate and a heathen ; and wherein Cicero
differs from Isaiah, and king David from Julius Caesar.
Cicero gave counsel according to reason and experience,
to rule the commonwealth, but many times it took not good
effect for lack of the wisdom of God. Isaiah and the rest
of the prophets gave counsel not of themselves, but from
God ; and what prince soever obeyed their counsels, he
prospered always, and had good success. The same you
may see in the fashions and manners of their wars.
Alexander thought himself strong enough by natural
strength to conquer his enemies ; king David added to his
sling-stones the prayer and help of God's name. There-
fore, if heathen magistrates should be obeyed, much more
christian magistrates.

And in case the king's majesty of England may find no
less obedience in his subjects than Scipio, Alexander, and
others found among theirs, England shall be too strong
with God's help for all the world. But Englishmen, I
speak it with sorrow and grief of heart, have learned of
Cleon, a man whom Aristophanes writeth of, that had one
foot in the senate, and another in the field — so have En-
glishmen one hand at the plough, and the other against
the magistrates. The ministers of the church, parsons ,
vicars, have one hand upon the portesse,* and the other to
strike at the king's crown. They follow the ape that Har-
mogenes' fable speaketh of, that would have had other
apes build houses, towns, and cities, to have defended
themselves from the dominion of their lord and ruler, man ;
and thought it not meet to live in that state to which God
had appointed them. Even so subjects, now-a-days, make
themselves defences, cities, castles, towns, tents, pa-
vilions, to defend them against their king, lord, and ma-
gistrate, and will not be content to live in the state that
God appointed them unto. But it shall happen unto them
as it did unto the apes ; their counsel and conspiracy shall
never take place.

Let us therefore remember St. Paul, that saith, The
* The Romish service book.

214 Hooper.

powers that be, are of God, and not such as we would
make ;• and let us be eontented with them, and obey them
for conscience sake : for such as disobey and rebel against
superior powers, rebel against God, and so God punishes
them with eternal damnation. This is enough to keep every
good man and true subject in obedience to the higher
powers. If the reader of the scripture of God note the
first and the second chapter of Genesis, he would perceive
rule and policy, before man wist what sin meant : for the
Lord gave the superiority and dominion to Adam over all
beasts. Of whom now we may right well learn obedience,
if we were not worse than beasts.

Now a word or two of the magistrate's duty. Aristotle
calls the magistrate ' a keeper of the law.' Let him use
it therefore without respect of persons, in punishing such
as by inordinate means trouble the commonwealth : and
also such as blaspheme the living God', as godly kings and
rulers have done, David, Josiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Con-
stantine, and others. For although a civil law and
punishment cannot change the heresies of the mind,
lieither the desire that men have to do evil ; yet when they
break forth against the honour of God, and trouble the
commonwealth, they should be punished. For the magis-
trate is as one that has the two Testaments tied at his neck,
and should defend them as his own life: and therefore
St. Paul calls him not only the avenger of evil, but the
maintainer of good ; and Isaiah the prophet saith the same.

XVII. Now I will declare my faith concerning the
external and visible church of Christ, and the ministers
thereof. I call this visible church, a visible congregation
of men and women, that hear the gospel of Christ, and
use his sacraments, as' he has instituted them. In which
congregation the Spirit of God worketh the salvation of
all believers, as St. Paul saith : " The gospel is the power
of God to the salvation of the believer." As though
he had said, By the gospel of Christ, where it is heard
and believed^ the mind is changed by the virtue of the
Holy Ghost, from the love of sin unto the love of virtue.
The will is wrought to consent ; and the consent is so
assisted by the Holy Ghost, that faith obtaineth the re-
mission of sin, and the beginning of everlasting life. And
these two marks, the true preaching of God's word and
right use of the sacraments, declare what and where the
true church is.

Confession of Faith. 215'

Unto the which church I would that all christian men
should associate themselves, although there may happen
to be some things to be desired in manners and discipline ;
for no church, as touching this part, can be absolutely
perfect. But where the doctrine is sound, and no idolatry,
defended, that church is of God, as far as mortal man can
judge. And where this doctrine and right use of the
sacraments be not, there is no church of Christ, though it
seem ever so holy. For in the blessed virgin's time, the
pharisees and bishops were accounted to be the true
church ; yet by reason their doctrine was corrupt, the true
church rested not in them, but in Simeon, Zachary,
Elizabeth, the shepherds, and others. The same St. Paul
teaches us, that whosoever he be that preaches other doc^
trine than the word of God, he is not to be credited,
though he were an angel of heaven. Neither will such as
know God hearken unto them, but they will hear Christ,
the prophets, and apostles, and no others.

The other mark is the right use of sacraments, whereof
were two in number with the fathers in the ministry of the
church, and so many yet are wifh us in the ministry of the
church, and have annexed unto them the promise of eter-
nal salvation, and. also of eternal damnation, if they are
contemned, and may be lawfully had. In the law of
Moses was circumcision and the paschal lamb: and in
their places we have baptism and the supper of the Lord,
diverse in external elements and ceremonies, but one in
effect, mystery, and the thing itself. Except that their
sacraments showed the graces of God to be given unto
men in Christ to come, and ours declare the graces of
God to be given in Christ that is already come ; so
that the sacraments are not changed, but rather the
elements of the sacraments. And every one of these
sacraments have their peculiar and proper promises, unto
which they hang annexed as a seal unto the writing ; and
therefore are called, after St. Paul, the confirmations or
seals of God's promises. They have peculiar elements,
by which they signify the heavenly mysteries that sacra-
mentally they contain,, and are the thing indeed. They
are called sacraments, that is to say, visible signs of invi-
sible grace ; they have their proper ceremonies, that tes-
tify unto us the obsignation* and confirmation of God's
heavenly gifts. They have also their proper commandment,
* Sealing.

216 Hooper.

because we should not change, add, nor take from them
any thing at our pleasure. Thus, in general, I think of all
God's sacraments in the ministry of the church.

XVIII. And of baptism, because it is a mark of our
christian church, this I judge after the doctrine of St. Paul,
that it is a seal and confirmation of justice* or of our
acceptation into the grace of God for Christ ; for his inno-
cency and justice by faith is ours, and our sins and
injustice by his obedience are his ; whereof baptism is the
sign, seal, and confirmation. For although freely by the
grace of God our sins are forgiven, yet the same is de-
clared by the gospel, received by faith, and sealed by the
sacraments, which are the seals of God's promises, as it is
to be seen by the faith of faithful Abraham.

Baptism hath its promises, as is already said ; its ele-
ment, the water ; its proper commandment and its proper
ceremonies, washing in the water. As for other men's
opinions, that say circumcision was the seal not only of
Abraham's acceptation freely into the grace of God by
faith, but also of his obedience and proper justice, I be-
lieve it not to be true ; for y St. Paul confutes it in the same
place as an error, saying, " Abraham had nothing whereof
he might glory before God." If he had nothing, God
confirmed that which he gave him, and not what he found
in him ; for St. Paul saith, that circumcision was the seal
of the justice that came by faith, and not by works. They
are out of the way that have the like opinion of baptism :
for St. Paul disputes not in that place whether works
please God, but shows that our salvation cometh by grace,
and not by works.

There are others that think sacraments to be the con-
firmations not only of our free acceptation into God's
favour by faith, but also of our obedience towards God
hereafter ; and because infants and young babes cannot
profess obedience, nor put off the old man, nor put on the
new, they would exempt the young children of baptism.
St. Paul confutes this opinion also in the same place:
" Abraham," saith he, " believed God, and it was ac-
counted unto him for justice ;" and he saith not, Abraham
professed obedience. Therefore God confirmed his own
infallible truth and promises to Abraham by circumcision,
and not Abraham's obedience ; for if he had, he had con-
firmed the weak and uncertain infirmity of man, and not
* Righteousness.

Confession of Faith 217

his own infallible truth. For Abraham, with all his obe-
dience, was infirm and imperfect without Christ, yet was
bound to work in a godly life. As for those that say cir-
cumcision and baptism; are alike, and yet attribute ■ the
remission of original sin to baptism, which was never given
unto circumcision, they not only destroy the similitude and
equality that should be between them, but also take from
Christ remission of sin, and translate it unto the water and
element of baptism.*

XIX. As for the supper of the Lord, which is the other
sacrament whereby the church of Christ is" known, I be-
lieve it is a remembrance of Christ's death, a seal and
confirmation of his precious body given unto death, where-
with we are redeemed. It is a visible word, that preaches
peace between God and man, exhorts to mutual love and
godly life, and teaches to contemn the world for the hope
of the life to come, when Christ shall appear, and come
down in the clouds, who now is in heaven, as concerning
his humanity,t and nowhere else, nor ever shall be, till
the time of the general resurrection.

I believe that this holy sacrament has its proper pro-
mises, proper elements, proper commandment, and proper
ceremonies.

XX. As concerning the ministers of the church, I be-
lieve that the church is bound to no sort of people, or
any ordinary succession of bishops, cardinals, or such
like, but unto the word of God only ; and none of them
should be believed but when they speak the word of God.
Although there are diversity of gifts and knowledge among
men, some know more, and some know less ; and if he
that knows least teaches Christ according to the holy
scriptures, he is to be accepted ; and he that knoweth most,
and teacheth Christ contrary, or any other ways than the
holy scriptures teach, is to be refused.

I am sorry, therefore, with all my heart to see the
church of Christ degenerated into a civil policy ; $ for
evejj as kings of the world naturally must follow by de-
scent from their parents in civil regimen, rule, and law, as

* Upon this subject, as is well known, there are pious and intelli-
gent christians who differ from some of the opinions stated in this
article ; but the doctrines of the venerable reformer, as set forth in
his confession, could not be given with fidelity had this passage been
omitted. The same remark is applicable to some other points
stated in this confession, although upon different grounds,
t Human nature. $ Government.

218 Hooper.

by right they, ought ; even so must such as succeed in
the place of bishops and priests that die, possess all gifts
and earning of the Holy Ghost, to rule the church
of Christ as his godly predecessor had ; but the Holy
Ghost must not be captive and bondman to bishops' sees
and palaces.

And because the Holy Ghost was in St. Peter at Rome,
and in many other godly men that have occupied bishop-
Tics and dioceses, therefore the same gifts, they say, must
needs follow in their successors, although, indeed, they
are no more like in zeal or diligence than Peter to Judas,
Balaam to Jeremiah, Annas and Caiaphas to John and
James. But thus I conclude of the ministers, of what
degree or dignity soever they be, they are no better than
records and testimonies, ministers and servants of God's
word and God's sacraments ; the which they should
neither add unto, diminish, nor change any thing. And
for their true service and diligence in this part, they should
not only be reverenced of the people, but also honoured
by the magistrates, as the servants of God. And I be-
lieve that as many souls as perish by their negligence
or contempt of God's word, shall be required at their
hands.

XXI. Of the people thus I believe — that they owe their
duly and obedience to God, to their king, and magistrates,
unto their neighbours, and to themselves.

Unto God they owe both body and soul, to laud and
praise him according to God's book, to call upon him in
the days of their trouble, and upon none else, to confirm
both their doctrine and their lives to promote and set forth
the glory of God

Their duty to the king's majesty is their obedience to
him, his laws, and the realm, for conscience sake; and
their readiness rather to lose both body and goods, than
to offend his highness, or his laws. And whenever any
subjects are called to serve with body or goods at home
or from home, willingly they must obey without question,
or further inquisition to search whether the king's cause
be right or wrong. For, whether it be or not, it makes
the death of him that serves in this respect neither better
nor worse. For I believe, that such as obeyed king Josiah,
and were slain in the battle against the Egyptians, were
acceptable unto God in Christ, though king Josiah had
not the best quarrel. In this case the subject owes his

Confession of Faith. 219

body and goods unto his lawful magistrate, and may deny
him neither of them.

Unto their neighbours they owe good will and charity,
help and preservation of their bodies, souls, goods, and
fame, that none of all these perish, if they may preserve
them.

They owe unto themselves study and labour to read
and hear the scripture of God, until such time as they
have laid a true foundation of faith in Christ. When that
is done, they are bound to themselves to build upon that
foundation all charitable works, as well to God as to man,
with innocency of life.

After that, they owe to themselves study and diligence
to make defence for their true religion against the devil,
the flesh, the world, sin, the wisdom of man, and super-
stitious hypocrites, which cease not to pervert and destroy
in man the image and work of God.

Away ! away ! I pray you, with this opinion, that thinks
a man owes no more unto himself for religion, than to
learn by rote the creed, ten commandments, and pater-
noster. St. Paul rebukes that opinion, as it is to be seen
in his epistles.

We owe unto ourselves due labour in praying unto God
daily for the necessities of both body and soul, and, like-
wise, to give him thanks for all the goodness that he has
given unto us.

Also, we owe unto ourselves the eschewing* and avoid-
ing of idleness and oisivity :t also, we owe ourselves the
labours of our own hands, with the industry and gift of
reason, learning, and wit.J to eat our own bread with the
sweat and pain of our own bodies, according to the com-
mandment of God.

Thus I conclude my faith ; which, being examined by
the word of God, is catholic and godly. God send us of
his grace to fear him, honour the king, and to love one tht
other, as Christ loveth us all. So be it. The 20th of
December, anno Domini MDL. — O Lord, bless thy church,
and save our king !

* Shunning t Indolence. t Understanding.

L 4

BISHOP HOOPER'S

ARTICLES AND MONITORY LETTER TO HIS CLERGY
A. d. 1551.

From Strype's Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer.

First, he sent a general monitory letter to his clergy, signifying his
.ntention of coming among them ; gravely advising them of their office,
and what was required of those who were entered into this holy vocation.
When he visited them, he gave them articles concerning the christian
religion, to the number of fifty, which bore this title : "Articles concern-
ing the christian religion, given by the reverend father in Christ, John
Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, unto all and singular, deans, parsons, pre-
bendaries, vicars, curates, and other ecclesiastical ministers, within the
diocese of Gloucester, to be had and retained of them, for. the unity and
agreement, as well as the doctrine of God's word, as also for the con-
firmation of the ceremonies agreeing with God's word." Let me give
the reader the five first of them.

I. That none do teach any manner of thing to be necessary
for the salvation of man, other than what is contained in
the books' of God's holy word.

II. That they faithfully teach and instruct the people com-
mitted unto their charge that there is but one God, ever-
lasting, incorporate,* almighty, wise, and good, the
Maker of heaven and earth, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ; by whom also he will be called upon by
us. And though one God in essence and unity in the
Godhead, yet, in the same unity, three distinct persons.

III. That they teach all the doctrines contained in the
three creeds.

IV. That they teach that the church of God is the congre-
gation of the faithful, wherein the word of God is truly
preached, and the sacraments truly ministered, according
to the institution of Christ : and that the church of God
is not by God's word taken for the multitude or company
of men, as of bishops, priests, and such other ; but
that it is the company of all men hearing God's word,
and obeying the same ; lest that any man should be

* Not a body— a spirit.

Hooper. — Articles and Letter to his Clergy. 22 1

seduced, believing himself to be bound unto an ordinary
succession of bishops and priests, but only unto the
word of God, and the right use of the sacraments.
. That although the true church cannot err from the faith,
yet, nevertheless, forasmuch as no man is free from sin
and lies, there is not, nor can be, any church known, be
it ever so perfect or holy, but it may err.

BISHOP HOOPER

TO THE CLERGY OF HIS DIOCESE OF GLOUCESTER*

To the glory of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Forasmuch as of all charges and vocations, the charge
of such as are appointed to the ministry and function of
the church is the greatest ; it is to be provided and fore-
seen, that such as are called and appointed to such voca-
tion and office, be such as can satisfy the said office.
Which may be done, as St. Paul saith, two ways. The
one, if they are of sound doctrine, apt to teach, and to
exhort according to knowledge, and able to withstand and
confute the evil sayers. The other, if their life and man-
ners are faultless, and cannot justly be blamed : which
consists in this ; if the minister be sober, modest, keeping
hospitality, honest, religious, chaste ; not dissolute, angry,
nor given to much wine, no fighter, no covetous man,
such as governs well his own house ; and gives an ex-
ample of virtue and honesty unto others. For by what
just means canst thou reprehend and blame any other in
that fault wherein thou thyself art to be blamed ? Or by
what occasion canst thou preach chastity, or desire to have
the same in another man, when thou thyself, despising
both God and holy matrimony, dost either nourish or keep
a harlot or concubine at home in thy house, or else must
commit adultery? Neither is he anything less to be
ashamed, who will persuade others to live in sobriety, he
himself being drunk. Wherefore, what authority shall he •
obtain or get unto himself, and his ministry, who is daily
seen and marked of men to be a common haunter of ale-
houses and taverns, of evil people, cards, dice, and such
like.

* Nearly the whole of whom were open or secret Romanists.

222 Hooper. — Letter to Ms Clergy.

Hereby shall you perceive and know, how that the old
priests and pastors of Christ's church did, by their truth
and gravity, subjugate and bring under the hard-necked
and stiff-stubborn heathen, and caused them to have the
same in fear. Insomuch that the wicked emperor, Julian,
caused the priests of the pagans to order their lives ac-
cording to the lives of the others. But look what autho-
rity and reverence the old severity arid graveness of the
pastors and priests brought unto them at that time ; even
as much shame and contempt, or else a great deal more,
as I fear, does the leehery, covetousness, ambition, simony,
and such other corrupt manners, bring unto most priests,
pastors, and ministers, that are now-a-days. Wherefore 1,
being not forgetful of my office and duty towards God,
my prince, and you, do desire and beseech all you, for
Christ's sake, who commanded that your light should so
shine before men, that they seeing and perceiving the
same, might glorify the Father which is in heaven.

Give your diligence, well-beloved brethren, together
with me, so that the dignity and majesty of the order of
priests, being fallen in decay, may not only be restored
again, but that, first and principally, the true and pure
worshipping of God may be restored ; and that as many
souls are committed to my faith and yours, they may, by
our wholesome doctrine and cleanness of conversation, be
moved unto the true study of perfect charity, and called
back from all error and ignorance ; and finally to be
reduced and brought unto the high bishop and pastor of
souls, Jesus Christ ; and to the intent ye may the more
easily perform the same, I have, according to the talent
and gift given me of the Lord, collected and gathered out
of God's holy word, a few articles, which, I trust, will
much profit and do you good. And if any thing shall be
now wanting or lacking, I trust, by the help of your prayers
and good counsel, they shall be shortly hereafter performed.

Let every one of you, therefore, take good heed to ap-
prove yourselves faithful and wise ministers of Christ. So
that, when I shall come to visit the parishioners committed
to my cure, and come from God and the king's majesty,
ye be able not only to make answer unto me in that be-
half, but also unto our Lord Jesus Christ, Judge both of
the quick and the dead, and a very strait revenger of his
church. Thus fare you well unto the day of my coming
unto you.

A HOMILY

TC BE READ

IN THE TIME OF PESTILENCE;

CONTAINING THE TRUE CAUSES OP THE SAME; AND LIEEWISE A
MOST PRESENT REMEDY FOR AS MANY AS ARE ALREADY, OB
HEREAJTER SHALL BE, INFECTED WITH THAT DISEASE.

GATHERED OUT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

BY JOHN HOOPER,

bishop of worcester and gloucester,
a.d. 1553.

JVi all pastors and curates within the king's majesty's
diocese of Worcester and Gloucester.

Even as we are blind and unthankful for God's favour-
able mercies, wherewith , he follows us in health, wealth,
and prosperity; so we are blind, and insensible of his
most just plagues, wherewith he punishes us in sickness,
scarcity, and troubles. And now, among other tokens of
his displeasure and wrath, he has sent us, in divers places,
one of the extremest plagues that ever he devised to punish
man with in this life — the plague of pestilence.

Forasmuch as he means thereby not only to kill and
destroy the bodies of such, as by this plague he purposes
to take out of this mortal life ; but, also, without repent-
ance and turning to his mercy in Christ before death,
the souls of such as depart from hence, must needs perish
by God's just judgment. And not only this will be the
end of such as it pleases God to strike to death by this
his servant and messenger, the plague of pestilence ; but,
also, the like danger of his displeasure remains to me, and
to all others that have the cure and charge of the people's
souls in this the king's majesty's most noble realm, over
whom God pnd he has made us watchmen and overseers,

224 Hooper.

to admonish and warn the people of all dangers and
plagues that God shall send for their punishment. In case
We admonish not in time the people committed unto our
charge of such plagues as for sin he purposes to punish
us with, their loss and damnation shall be required at
our hands.

For the discharge of myself, and also for the better in-
struction of such as have cures within this diocese of
Worcester and Gloucester, and yet are not best able to
discharge them, and further for the profit and salvation of
the, people, among whom it may please God to send his
fearful. plague of pestilence ; I have thought it my bounden
duty, seeing at all times I cannot comfort the sick myself,
to collect or gather into some short sermon or homily a
medicine and most pleasant help for all men against the
plague of pestilence ; and in the same also to provide
some present remedy for such as shall be infected with that
disease. And for the better understanding of the medicine,
I will use the order, which all learned physicians use in
their practice: first, I will show the chief cause of the
pestilence ; and then, what remedy is best to be used
against it, and to heal it when it has infected any man.

And although I will speak herein somewhat as other
physicians have done; yet because they have spoken
already more than I can in the matter, though it be a
great deal less than the matter of the disease requires, for
none of them have showed any certain remedy, be their
reason ever so good, I will briefly, as by the way, some-
what speak of this disease, as they do. But as a preacher
of God's word, and as a physician for the soul, rather than
for the body, I will treat of the sickness and the remedy
thereof, according to the advice and counsel of God's
word ; which supplies all things omitted and not spoken of,
concerning this most dangerous plague, by such as have
written, besides the scripture of God, their mind touching
the same. For indeed the chief cause of all plagues and
sickness, is sin ; which, remaining within all men, works
destruction, not only of the body, but also of the soul, if
remedy be not found.

.: And whereas Galen saith, that " all pestilence comes by
the corruption of the air, so that both beast and man
drawing their breath in the corrupt air, draw the corrup-
tion thereof into themselves," he saith well ; yet not
enough. He saith also, very naturally, that when the air

Homily in time of Pestilence. 225

is altered from its natural equality and temperature to too
much and intemperate heat and moisture, pestilence is
likely then to reign. For as he saith in the same place,
" Heat and moisture distempered are most dangerous
for the creatures of the world," yet that is not enough. As
Ezekiel saith, where God sends all these distempers, if
Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the midst of them, they
shall be safe. Even so saith David also : " Though they
die at the right hand ten thousand fold, and die at the left
hand a thousand fold, the plague shall not touch him that
sitteth under the protection of the Highest."

And whereas reason has many good and probable
arguments in this matter touching the cause of pestilence ;
as that it should come sometimes by reason of such humours
as are in the body disposed and apt to corrupt, then is
the man quickly infected, by drawing and breathing as
well the corruption of himself, as the infection of the air.
And that such humours, as are gross and inclined to cor-
ruption, rise from evil and immoderate diet ; and that the
infection takes its original and beginning from such beasts,
carrion, and other loathsome bodies as rot upon the face
of the earth, not buried ; or else from moorish, standing,
and dampish* waters, sinks, or other such unwholesome
moistures ; so that towards the fall of the leaf, both the air
that man lives in, as also man's body itself, are more apt
and disposed to putrefaction at that time than any othei,
for divers natural causes.

These causes are to be considered as natural and con-
sonant to reason ; yet there are reasons and causes of
pestilence of more weight, and more worthy of deep and
advised considerations and advertisements than these are.
And the more, because they lie within man, and are marked
but by very few, and hide themselves secretly, till they
have poisoned the whole man, both body and soul. For
indeed physicians that write, meddle with no causes that
hurt man, but such as come unto man from without. As
the humours, they say, take their infection from unwhole-
some meat and bad diet, or else from the corruption of the
air, with such like. But our Saviour Christ shows that
our corruption and sickness rise from within us, as I will
declare hereafter in the causes which the scripture teaches
of pestilence and all other diseases.

I require you diligently to look upon the same, and to
" Stagnant.
i. 3

298 Huqjer

read it in your churches : that the people may understand
both the cause of this God's plague of pestilence, and
how to use themselves in the time of this sickness, or any
other that shall happen unto them by God's appointment.
So that God may be glorified in them, and you and I dis-
charged of our bounden duties ; and they themselves, that
shall happen to be infected with the plague of pestilence,
and by the same be brought to death, may be assured,
through true and godly doctrine, to die in the Lord, and
so be eternally blessed straightway after their death. And
in case God reserve them to longer life, they may live in
truth and verity unto him, with detestation and hatred of
sin, the original cause of man's misery and wretchedness :
and with the love of mercy and grace, the original and
only workers of man's quietness and everlasting salvation,
given unto us from God the Father almighty, through
Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord ; to whom, with
the Holy Ghost, be all' honour and praise, world without
end. So be it.

HOMILY,

TO BE READ

IN THE TIME OF PESTILENCE.*

Repent, and believe the gospel. — Mark i.

It is the desire of all sick men to know what medicine
and remedy has been known most to prevail, best to re-
move, and soonest to cure and make whole the diseased
person. And the greater and more dangerous the sickness
is, the more circumspect aud wise the sick man must be
in knowledge and choice of the medicine, lest he seek a
remedy inferior and too weak for the greatness and
strength of his disease.

The nature and condition therefore of pestilence being
so dangerous, whosoever is infected or tainted there-
with, has need to be well instructed, and thoroughly per-
suaded of a sufficient remedy, stronger than the sickness
itself; or else the disease shall hurt the sick patient more
than the medicine can do him good ; and then must needs
follow the death and the destruction of the diseased per-
son. It behoves therefore all men, as they are mortal, to
know the most general and most dangerous diseases that
mortality shall be troubled with ; and then, as they see
their great and necessary adversities and sickness, to know
also the greatest and most necessary remedy and help
against their diseases. And because sin has so prevailed
on us, that truth, taught us by the example of others,
sooner instructs and tarries longer than any thing taught
us by doctrine or testimony, I shall, before I enter into the
causes of the pestilence, show the strength and nature of
sickness from the examples of such godly persons as are
mentioned in the word of God for our instruction.

King David, amongst other diseases, fell into pestilence ;
the greatness and danger whereof passed all human and

* A pestilential disease, called the sweating sickness, prevailed
in many parts of England during the sixteenth century. It was
very fatal to persons of all ranks. Two years before this homily
was written, the duke of Suffolk and his brother died of this disease,
and more than a hundred persons died in one day, in London alone.

228 Hooper.

worldy helps, as appears by his lamentable cry and com-
plaint unto the Lord : " My soul is sore troubled : but
how long, Lord, wilt thou defer thy help ?" (Psa. vi. xlii.)
And he made the same cry and complaint unto the Lord
when the plague of pestilence had infected his whole realm
from Dan to Beersheba, (2 Sam. xxiv.) and saw the remedy
thereof to be only in God ; praying him to command his
angel to strike the people no more.

Hezekiah the king saw, (Isa. xxxviii.) that, besides God,
all medicines and remedies were too weak, and inferior for
the strength and power of the pestilence and sickness ;
wherefore he turned himself to the wall, and prayed God to
do that for him,which no physic nor medicine was able to do.

And St. Paul, in his wonderful oration (1 Cor. xv.) which
he makes concerning the resurrection of the dead, weighs
most deeply the nature and condition of man's miserable
state in this life ; burdening him with such strong adver-
saries, sickness and diseases, both of body and soul, that
every man may see how impossible it is for man to find
deliverance from the tyranny and strength of sickness, ex-
cept only by the mercy of God in Christ Jesus ; numbering
there six adversaries so strong, that the least of them, ex-
cept Christ help, is able to destroy both body and soul.

The first, is corruption ; the second, mortality ; the
third, sin ; the fourth, the law condemning sin ; the fifth,
death ; the sixth, hell ; necessary and unavoidable plagues
and sickness of man in this life. Against which he finds
no remedy, neither by Galen nor Hippocrates, neither yet
by the earth of Para, (Plin. lib. xxiv.) which men say
cures all wounds. But with great faith and confidence he
marks and weighs the strength of diseases, that though
they are ever so strong, yet are inferior to the' medicine
and remedy, which God has provided for us only in Christ.
Therefore he compares the inferior strength of all those
sicknesses, unto the sufficient remedy of God through
Christ, saying after this* manner : " Thanks be unto God,
which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ." Whereby it is evident and plain, that God is the
only remedy for all plagues and diseases. Howbeit, now
I shall more specially open the causes of the plague, and
the nature of the same : that our sickness and the causes
thereof may be more known, and the better avoided.

The principal cause of pestilence is opened by St. Pau.
in these words : " By sin came death into the world :"

Homily in time of Pestilence. 229

and because of sin, God sends the plague of pestilence
and all other diseases that punish towards death. As
king David saith, " Thou dost punish the children of
men for sin." Moses also plainly shows that the principal
and chief cause of pestilence is not in the corruption of
the air, nor in the superfluous humours within man ; but
that sin and the transgression of God's law is the very
cause and chief occasion of pestilence and of all other
diseases. And the experience thereof was tried in the
pestilence that reigned in king David's time for his sins,
and the sins of the people. So that all the scripture of
God manifestly declares that the contempt and breach of
God's laws is the chief and principal cause of pestilence,
and of all other plagues that he sends for our punishment.
And from this cause proceeds the corruption of the air,
which is never corrupted, nor can corrupt man or beast,
except man, for whose sake and comfort both air and all
the other creatures were made, are first corrupted by sin
and transgression of God's laws. Neither could they take
any surfeit by meats, nor could any evil humours be en-
gendered of any meats, were not the man that uses them
corrupt and first infected with sin. But when the Lord
sees that the people forget or contemn his blessed com-
mandments, and that those who are appointed to rebuke
and punish such transgressors of God's laws, sutler the
glory of God, and his holy commandments, to be op-
pressed and set at naught, as we see daily they are in-
deed ; — from these causes, our sin and abomination, the
Lord takes occasion to turn his good creatures, made for
our life, to be a means of our death : which never would be,
were not our dishonouring and contempt of God so heinous.
For the Lord's creatures are perfectly good, and all
made to comfort and rejoice ; wholesome, clean, and pure
without all infection. But seeing that the contempt of
God and the filthiness of sin is neither opened, declared,
nor detected by the clergy, nor punished by the heads of
the country, and officers appointed under God and the
king: therefore, lest there should nothing else live in this
world than sin, abomination, and contempt of God ; God,
for the taking away and destruction of filthy life and filthy
livers, appoints an extraordinary magistrate to reform and
punish the mother of all mischief, sin, and contempt of
God's holy word. And so he alters, not by chance, nor by
the influence of stars, the wholesomeness of the air into

230 Hooper.

pestilent and contagious infection; and the meat and
drink with their nutriment and food, into poison and venom,
that, by their means, sin and sinners might be slain and
taken out of this world, and no longer blaspheme God.

Thus the word of God declares the effectual and prin-
cipal cause of pestilence to be the contempt of God's
word, which should keep men in order both to God and
man. The breaking whereof has always brought these
plagues into realms, as profane writers also mani-
festly declare. Orosius saith, that the great dearth and
famine that came amongst the Romans, in the time of
Caesar Augustus, was because Caius, his nephew, refused
to honour the living. God, as he Was taught at Jerusalem
when he passed into Syria. Wherefore, it is expedient,
and before all things necessary, as the plague is come into
sundry places about us, for every one to try himself, what
just causes of this pestilence each man has within himself.
Every christian man and woman must search whether
their religion and Christianity are such as God by his word
maintains to be good ; for there is no greater occasion of
pestilence than superstition and false religion.

The bishop, parson, vicar, and curate, must examine
themselves, what knowledge of God's word is in them,
and what diligence they have taken to bring the people to
a right knowledge and perfect honour of God : for there
is no greater danger of pestilence than where the clergy
either are ignorant of God's word, or negligent in teaching
thereof.

The justices and gentlemen must look how they keep
themselves, and the king's majesty's people in the true
knowledge and obedience of God's laws and the king's :
for nothing provokes the pestilence more dangerously
than where such as sit and are appointed to do justice,
follow their own affections with contempt and injury both
to God and man ; and the plague of God will revenge it.

All we, therefore, that are subjects, and live under one
God and one king, must, now that God hath sent us this
pestilence, see that we have true, loving, faithful, trusty,
and obedient hearts ; with one whole mind, altogether to
obey, reverence, love, help, succour, defend, and uphold
with all our wits, goodness, riches, and strength, this our
only king, with the magistrates and counsellors that are
appointed under his highness. For, as St. Paul saith,
" He that disobeyeth and resisteth the higher powers

Homily in time of Pestilence. 231

appointed by God, resisteth God," and provoketh the
pestilence and vengeance of God against us. And we
must take heed also that we hate not one another : if we
do, the plague will not cease, and the places that yet are
not infected, God shall infect, whatsoever defence man
makes against it. And although Galen, of all remedies,
saith, " To fly the air that is infected, is best ;" yet I
know that Moses, by the word of God, saith : " Flee whi-
ther thou wilt, in case thou take with thee the contempt
of God and breach of his commandment, God shall find
thee out." Yea, and although many medicines are de-
vised, and assure that the infected shall be made whole ;
yet, notwithstanding, I know God's word saith the con-
trary, that he will send unto insensible, careless, and wil-
ful sinners such a plague and so incurable a pestilence,
that they shall not be delivered, but die and perish by it.

Therefore, forasmuch as sin is the chief occasion of
pestilence, let every man eschew and avoid it both speed-
ily and penitently, and then shall you be preserved from
the plague sufficiently, as you shall perceive in the re-
medy of this dangerous plague, that begins to reign
amongst us. For, doubtless, although we could flee to
Locris or Crotone, where, as Pliny saith, the pestilence
never was, yet God saith, " In case we fear not him, we
shall surely be infected."

The Remedy against the Pestilence.

As the scripture of God alone shows the true cause of
pestilence ; so it shows the very true and only remedy
against it. I do not dislike the remedies which natural
physic has prescribed ; yet I do not hold them as sufficient
remedies, on account of their imperfection. I would that
they were used, and also the remedies prescribed in God's
book not omitted. For I see all the remedies that ever
were devised by man are not able assuredly to remove the
pestilence frdm him that is infected therewith, although
they are ever so excellent and good. And I find the same
concerning preservation from the pestilence devised by-
man ; it is also insufficient for man's preservation, yet not
to be contemned. For their chief preservation against
the pestilence is very good and allowable, and yet not
sufficient ; which is fleeing and departing from the place
where the air is corrupt. Wherefore, for such as may,
nothing is better than to flee ; and except a man do.

232 Hooper.

he offers himself to a present danger of death ; but yet the
word of God saith plainly, that " flee whither we will, if
we forsake not sin, and serve the living God, the plague
shall overtake us."

And this cannot be a sufficient remedy, for there are
certain persons that cannot flee although they would ; as
the poorer sort of people that have no friends nor place to
flee unto, more than the poor house they dwell in. Like-
wise, there are such offices of trust, as men for no cause
may flee from ; as the bishop, parson, vicar, and curate,
who have the charge of those that God pleases to infect
with the pestilence ; and if they forsake their people in
this plague-time, they are hirelings and no pastors ; and
they flee from God's people into God's high indignation.
Such also as have places and offices of trust for the com-
monwealth, as the captains of soldiers in the time of war,
judges and justices in the time of peace ; in case they
should flee their country, or leave their wars for the
plague of pestilence, they would not be good soldiers nor
good justices for the commonwealth. And they shall be
accountable to almighty God for all the hurt and detri-
ment that happens unto the people in their absence.

Wherefore, seeing there is no certain remedy devised by
man, neither for such as cannot flee, nor for them that
may flee ; we must seek other medicine and help at God's
hand, who can and will preserve those that are whole,
and make them whole that are sick, if it be expedient for
man, and most for his own honour. The best preserva-
tive, therefore, to keep men from the pestilence is what
Moses speaks of: " Let us do sacrifice unto the Lord, lest
we be stricken with pestilence or sword." And Joshua
and Caleb told the people, that a faithful trust in the Lord
was the best remedy for them : which, if they contemned,
they should find what God there threatened, speaking to
Moses " How long will this people be unfaithful ? I will
strike them with pestilence, and consume them." Also,
David knew that the only remedy to keep Jerusalem from
the plague was, that God should turn his wrath from the
city for his sins and the sins of the people.

But now, to bring the remedy the better to the under-
standing of the people, I will show it by this place of St.
Mark : " Repent ye, and believe the gospel ;" in which
words is contained the only medicine against the pesti-
lence, and also all other diseases, if the test be well and

Homily in time of Pestilence. 233

advisedly considered, wherein Christ uses a very natural
order to heal all diseases. For as the remedy of all dis-
eases naturally is taken from conditions and qualities con-
trary to those that work and maintain the sickness ; so
Christ in these words declares that the preservation and
help of sin and wickedness, the cause of pestilence, pro-
ceeds from virtues and conditions contrary to the qualities
and nature of such things as preserve and keep this
wicked sin and sickness in man. As when a man is fallen
into sickness by reason of too much cold and moisture,
the remedy must be gathered naturally from the contrary,
heat and drought. For this is a common and true prin-
ciple — " Contraries are helped by their contraries." If
nature become too cold, it must be helped with heat :
if it be too hot, it must be cooled : if it be too moist, it
must be dried : if it be too dry, it must be moistened : if
it be too cold and moist, it must be heated and dried: if it
be cold and dry, it must be heated and moistened : if it be
too hot and moist, it must be cooled and dried : if it be
too hot and dry, it must be cooled and moistened. These
are very natural remedies, if they are well used with true
proportion and convenient use according to the rules of
physic.

And as these are good and natural for the body wherein
the pestilence dwells ; even so is Christ's medicine in the
first of St. Mark a more present and certain remedy for
the soul which keeps the body in life, to remove or to
remedy the sin of man, which is the cause of all plagues
and pestilence ; in case this medicine of Christ be used to
remove sin, the cause of sickness, as the other is used to
remove the effect of sin, which is sickness. As the body
is fallen into sickness by too much cold or moisture, either
by its nature, that originally was corrupted by Adam, or
by our own accustomed doing of sin ; so it must be made
whole by the heat of repentance and true faith in the
merits of Christ Jesus, who died for the sins of the
world.

For this is a true and most certain principle of all reli-
gion, " One contrary must remedy the other." Seeing
Adam by his fault began our death by sin, it must be
cured by Christ, who is without sin. And whereas our
own works are sin and filthiness, wherewith God is dis-
pleased, we must desire the works of Christ, to work the
good will and favour of our heavenly Father again. An3

234 Hooper.

as by our own wits, wisdoms, religion, and learning, we
have committed idolatry and superstition, we must now
by God's wisdom, God's word, and his most true religion,
amend our faults, and turn to true and godly honquring
of him. Further, as our own inventions have brought
us from the knowledge of God; the remedy is, that
God's word must bring us to him again ; for against all
untruths brought in by man, the word of God is the only
remedy.

The experience thereof we- may have plainly in the
scripture. Whereas, for the salvation of the world, God
appointed Christ, his only Son, to be born, and also to be
made known unto the world, that by him it might be healed
of all sickness and sin, as appears by St. Matthew, and
others of the evangelists ; yet was the world so blind and so
corrupted with sin, that Christ was born and manifested
unto them, and they of the world were nothing the better,
as it appears in St. Matthew, where St. John the Baptist,
saying, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand,"
shows the remedy of all sins and sickness, and the means
how to receive and take this remedy. The remedy
was Christ alone, as 'he saith in St. John, and also in
St. Matthew ; and the means to come by the remedy was
to repent, as you shall know further hereafter, when you
know what repentance is.

The same may you also see in St. John, in the dialogue
between Christ and Nicodemus, a man who, according to
the judgment of the world, knew life and death, sickness
and health, the cause of the one, and also of the other, as
well as any learned man among all the congregation and
church of the Jews ; yet, indeed, was as ignorant of his
own sickness, and also as far from true knowledge how to
come to health, as an ignorant man might be. And the
cause was, that he understood not the nature of sin, as it
is esteemed by the word of God, nor the remedy thereof
which God has prescribed and appointed. Wherefore
Christ told him by plain words, except he were helped and
cured of his disease and sickness by contrary remedies, he
could never understand nor come to his health : and no
marvel ; for he knew the sickness of sin no otherwise
than his forefathers and the worldly men knew sin — that
is to say, they knew such sins as were known to reason,
and done by the body and outward action of men ; and
(he same knowledge had he, and no more, of the remedy

Homily in time of Pestilence. 235

against the sickness of sin. And as his fathers and the
world thought, so did he, that the merits of their sacrifices
and their own well doing, was a sufficient remedy to heal
them both in body and in soul. Whereupon Christ most
mercifully pities the poor man, and with contrary know-
ledge both of sickness and the remedy thereof, shows that
the disease wherewith man is infected, goes further than
reason and the outward action of the body, and occupies
the soul of man with concupiscence, rebellion, froward-
ness, and contumacy against God ; wherefore he calls all
that man hath of himself but flesh. And he shows that
the remedy against this sickness comes not of the wor-
thiness of any sacrifice or merits of his, or any sinful
man's works ; but that the remedy thereof depends only
upon the merits of his blood and passion, and shows the
same by the comparison of the brazen serpent appointed
by Moses. And he argues this way : as the people that
were stung with the serpents in the wilderness were not
made whole by their own works, or for the dignity or ser-
vice of any sacrifice that they offered, but by the sight of
the serpent that represented Christ to come ; even so,
Nicodemus, or any others that are stung with the serpents
of sin, are not made whole by their own works, or any
sacrifice they can offer, but only by the merits of Christ.
And even as the people could not come to the knowledge
of this remedy by the serpent, through their fathers' or
their own wisdom, no more can Nicodemus, or any man
living, come to the knowledge of the remedy for sickness
and sin in our Saviour Christ, except he learn it by the
word of God, through the instruction of the Holy Ghost.

The same remedy, also, Christ uses in his words before
rehearsed : " Repent ye, and believe the gospel." In
which words our Saviour Christ shows all things are con-
sidered in sin and in the remedy thereof. For in the first
part of his words he declares how that men should know
the causes of sickness ; and in the second part the remedy
and help for the same. The cause of sickness, as it ap-
pears by this word " Repent," is, that men have by their
own folly turned themselves from the truth of God to the
error and foolish opinion of man ; from true faith to un-
certain fables ; from virtuous and godly works to unclean-
ness and corruption of life. Christ, therefore, seeing
how the world is in danger, because it hath forsaken the
rule and wisdom of God's word, calls it home again to a

236 Hooper.

better way, bidding it repent ; as though he had said,
" Turn to a better mind, and leave the accustomed ways ;
and learn to be wise, and walk in the ways and wisdom
appointed by God."

Here appears, also, that the cause of all the dangers
that Christ willed his audience to repent of, was their sin
and iniquity. The cause of sin was infidelity and accus-
tomed doing of evil. The cause of infidelity and accus-
tomed doing of evil was ignorance or misunderstanding
of God's word. The cause of ignorance or misunder-
standing of God's word was satan, God's and man's
enemy, and man's willing consent to the devilish sophistry
and false construing of God's word. And from these
causes spring all diseases and sickness, death and ever-
lasting damnation ; from which, Christ was sent by God's
inestimable love towards us, to redeem and save us. Not-
withstanding, these effects of pestilence, sickness, death,
and everlasting damnation, cannot be removed, except,
first, the causes of them be eschewed.*

Wherefore, learn ye, and teach others to know the
causes abovementioned, and, also, how they may be re-
moved ; for as long as they work their proper nature in
man, so long will they bring forth their natural effects,
sickness, troubles, death, and damnation. The original
cause of all evil was satan, and the ungodly consent of
our forefather Adam in paradise, in crediting the devil's
sophistry and gloss more than the plain and manifest word
of God. And the remedy of this cause is God, who, of
love, against satan's hatred, promised in the Seed of the
woman, help again for man ; and that every man that be-
lieves the devil, in evil, must repent and believe God and
his word, in good.

Ignorance and mistaking of God's word are the second
cause of evil ; the remedy whereof is knowledge and right
understanding of God's word.

Infidelity and accustomed doing of evil, are the third
cause of evil ; true faith and accustomed doing of good,
remedies them.

Sin and iniquity are the causes of sickness, death, and
damnation ; virtue and godliness heal and remove them,
that they shall not bring man to everlasting death. Al-
though sin and sickness be not wholly taken from man,

* Avoided, refused.

Homily in time of Pestilence. 237

yet God in Christ takes away the damnation of sin, and
suffers death to destroy by sickness no other thing than ihe
body of the sinner, so that he use this remedy, " Repent,
and believe the gospel ;" and he shall at length call the
body, dead by death, out of the earth, and place it alive
with the soul in heaven

But now to use this help and remedy against the pesti-
lence, which Christ calleth " Repent, and believe the gos-
pel." The sick man must remember what the first word,
" Repent," means, and how he may come by it. Repen-
tance that God requires, is the return of the sinner from
sin, unto a new life in Christ ; which return is an innova-
tion and renovation of the mind of man by God's Spirit
in Christ, with denial of the former life, to begin a new
and better life. And this repentance springs from the
knowledge of sin by the law of God. From the know-
ledge of sin comes the hatred of sin ; from the hatred of
sin proceeds the leaving and departure from sin. From the
departure from sin comes, by faith through Christ's blood,
remission of sin. From remission of sin comes our ac-
ceptance into God's favour. From our acceptance into
God's favour, come the gifts of the Holy Ghost to do and
work the will of God by virtuous life. From the doing
the will of God in Christ, come God's defence and favour,
that take from us all plagues and pestilence. From the
deliverance from plagues and pestilence comes everlasting
life, as Christ saith ; and as this medicine, which is called,
" Repent ye, and believe the gospel," declares.

There are, also, many that are sick and in great danger
and peril by reason of sin, and yet feel not the sore and
grief thereof. Therefore, they care not whether they seek
for any remedy or not ; and for lack of taking heed they
fall daily to more wickedness than others. Wherefore, it
is the office of every minister of the church, diligently, and
especially in the time of pestilence and plagues, to call
upon the people for amendment of life, and to show them
truly, diligently, and plainly, this medicine of repentance,
which consists of these parts. First, in the knowledge of
sin ; secondly, in hatred of sin ; thirdly, in forsaking of
sin ; fourthly, in believing the forgiveness of sins for
Christ's sake ; and, fifthly, to live in virtuous and godly
life, to honour God, and to show his obedience to God's
law, which is transgressed by sin.

238 Hooper.

And these parts of penance,* which are the very true
and only medicines against sickness and sin, are known
only by God's laws ; for by the law of God sin is known,
detested and forsaken. If it be heard or read by men that
pray unto God, they may understand it. Faith, also,
believes that remission of sin is showed, opened, and
offered by the gospel ; wherein are contained God's mer-
ciful promises towards sinners ; and those promises
sinners receive by faith, who believe that whatsoever God
has promised in Christ he will perform it. Faith credits
■fold receives forgiveness of sins by the operation of God's
Holy Spirit in the poor sinner. The sinner studies and
lives a virtuous life, being led by the Holy Ghost, and
works to serve God with such works as God's holy com-
mandments command every true christian man to work
and to do. And for the better assurance and further esta-
blishing of his repentance and acceptance into the favour
of God by believing the gospel, the poor sinner uses and
' receives the holy sacrament of Christ's precious body and
blood, in remembrance that Christ died to be his medicine
against sin, and the effect thereof.

Wherefore, now that it pleases God for our offences to
show by plagues and sickness how he is offended ; let us
all, that are ministers of the church, and the watchmen of
the people, call upon them diligently to " repent and believe
the gospel," and to live a godly and virtuous life, that for
Christ's sake he may mercifully turn his plagues from us ;
and give us his most gracious favour to preserve his
universal church, our most godly sovereign lord and king,
king Edward the Sixth, His majesty's most honourable
council, and the whole realm. So be it.
May 18, 1553.

* The word penance is often used by the Reformers in the same
sense with repentance.

CERTAIN COMFORTABLE EXPOSITIONS

OF THE CONSTANT MARTYR OF CHRIST

JOHN HOOPER,

BISHOP OP GLOUCESTER AND WORCESTER,

Written in the Time of his Tribulation and Imprisonment,

UPON THE

TWENTY-THIRD, SIXTY-SECOND, SEVENTY-THIRD,
AND SEVENTY-SEVENTH

PSALMS

OF THE PROPHET DAVID.

Who continueth to the end shall be saved. — Matt. xxiv.

EXPOSITION

TWENTY-THIRD PSALM.

Tbe Argument or Matter which the Prophet
chiefly treateth of in this psalm.

It should seem, by the marvellous and wonderful descrip-
tion and setting forth of almighty God by the prophet
and king David in this psalm, that he was inflamed
with the Holy Ghost, being delivered from all his ene-
mies, to declare unto the world how faithful aud mighty a
defender and keeper God is, of as many as put their trust
in him. He was in great danger, and specially in the
wars that he made against the Ammonites, the event and
success whereof, it seems, by the twentieth psalm, his sub-
jects greatly feared : wherefore they commended their king
(as true subjects always use) with earnest prayer unto
God. And that battle, and many other dangers more,
ended, wherein the godly king found always the protec-
tion and defence of the heavenly Father ready and at
hand ; and now being at rest, he would have this merciful
defence of God known to all others, that as he, in all his
adversities, put his trust in the Lord, and had the upper-
hand of all his enemies ; even so, by his example, all
other men should learn to do the same, and assure them-
selves to find, as he found, the Lord of heaven to be the
succour and defence of the troubled, and their keeper from
all evil.

And because the hearers and readers of this his most
divine and godly hymn should better understand the same,
and sooner take credit thereof in the heart, in this psalm,
he calls the heavenly Father — the God of all consolation —

HOOPER M

242 Hooptr.

a shepherd or herdman feeding his flock ; and the people,
with himself, he calls sheep pastured and fed- by the shep-
herd. And by these two means, as by a most convenient
allegory, or translation fit for the purpose, from the office
of a shepherd and the nature of sheep, he sets out mar-
vellously the safeguard of man by God's providence and
good will towards man. And in the same allegory or trans-
lation he occupies the four first verses in this psalm. In the
first verse, and so to the end of the psalm, he declares still
one matter and argument of God's defence towards man,
and how man is preserved; but yet it seems that he ex-
presses the same by other words, and by another transla-
tion, showing the nature of God almighty, in feeding and
nourishing of man, under the name of a Lord or Kjng,
that has prepared a table and plenty of meats to feed the
hungry and needy. And he sets forth man as poor, and
destitute of consolation and necessary help, under the
name of guests and folks bidden to a king's table ; where
is plenty of all things necessary, not only to satisfy hunger
and to quench thirst, but also to expel and remove them ;
that the poor man shall never hunger nor thirst again :
and not only that, but also for ever, world without
end, this poor man shall dwell and inherit, by the
mercy of his heavenly King, joys everlasting. And this
last translation or allegory is in manner not only a repe-
tition of the first in other words, but also a declaration
and more plain opening of the prophet's mind, what he
meaneth in this celestial hymn.

I. — Who it is that hath the Cure* and Charge of
Man's Life and Salvation.

Verse 1. — The Lord feedeth me, and I shall want nothing.

King David saith, the Lord feedeth him : wherefore he
can lack nothing to live a virtuous and godly life.

In this first part some things are to be considered : first,
of God that feedeth ; and next, of man that is fed. God
that feedeth, David calls by the name of a ' Shepherd,'
and his. people he calls by the name of ' sheep.' By this
name of a Shepherd the prophet opens and discloses the
nature of God to all his miserable and lost creatures, that
he is not content, only to wish and desire man that is lost to
• Care.

v. 1 ,] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 243

be found and restored, but also seeks and travails to re-
store and bring him home again : as it is written in Isaiah
the prophet, (chap, xl.) " He shall gather together his lambs
in his arm." And in Ezekiel the prophet, (chap, xxxiv.) the
Lord saith, " Behold, I will require my flock of the shep-
herds, &c. And I will deliver my flock from their mouth,
and they shall be no more their meat : for thus saith the
Lord, Behold, I will search out my sheep, and will visit
them, as a shepherd doth visit his sheep when he is in the
midst of his scattered sheep ; so will I visit my sheep,
and deliver them from all places where they have been
scattered." And Jeremiah the prophet, (chap, xxxi.) in
the same sort declares the nature of God towards the lost
flock, saying : " He that dispersed Israel shall gather him
together again, and keep him as the shepherd keepeth his
flock." Christ our Saviour names himself a good Shep-
herd, and saith (John x.) that he was sent to call such as
were not sheep, of the outward mark and sign in the world,
to he his sheep. This nature of the heavenly Father, king
David saw, when he said, at the beginning of this heavenly
hymn, " The Lord feedeth me," &c.

When he is assured of God's merciful nature, who seeks
the lost sheep, he opens further the nature of God, what
he will do with the sheep which he finds—" feed him,"
saith the prophet David, and puts himself for an example.
Here is the mercy of the great Shepherd further declared,
that he kills not his sheep, robs them not, but feeds and
nourishes them. Of this speaks the prophet Ezekiel
(chap, xxxiv.) in the person of almighty God : " I myself
will feed my sheep, and make that they shall rest quietly,
saith the Lord God. That which is lost I will seek, such
as go astray I will bring again, such as be wounded I will
bind up, such as be weak I will make strong ; but such
as be fat and strong, those will I root out ; and I will feed
my sheep in reason and judgment." And the great Shep-
herd Christ saith, (John x.) "Whether his sheep go in or
out, they shall find pasture."

After that this king has opened in this hymn, that God's
nature is not only to seek the lost sheep, but also, when
he has found him, to feed him ; then he adds, after what
sort he feeds him : " So that I shall lack nothing," saith
the prophet Here is the declaring of the great Shep-
herd's pasture, wherewith he feeds the flock of his pas-
ture. Christ expresses the same wonderfully, in the

244 Hooper.

opening of his office and doctrine unto the world in St.
"John, (x.) by saying; "I came that they might have
life, and have it most abundantly." And talking with the
poor woman of Samaria, he told her that the drink he would
give her should be water of life. And to the Capernaites
he said, that the meat which he would give them should
work eternal salvation. As these properties are in God
the Shepherd, as the prophet hath marked, even in the
like sort are the contrary conditions in man, the sheep he
speaks of; for as the nature of God is to seek, so is the
nature of man to go astray. As the prophet saith, (Psalm
cxix.) " I have strayed like a wandering sheep." And
even so Isaiah writes of all mankind : (chap, liii.) " All
we have erred, as sheep going astray." Christ our Saviour
also, in St. Matthew, (chap, ix.) bewails the people of the
world, that stray as sheep that have no shepherd. St.
Peter likewise saith unto his countrymen that he wrote
unto, (1 Peter ii.) " Ye were as sheep that went astray;
but ye be converted now unto the Shepherd and Pastor of
your souls."

As the nature of man is to stray from God, so is it like-
wise to feed upon all unwholesome and infected pastures :
to believe every false prophet that can do nothing but lie.
(1 Kings xxii.) In the prophet Isaiah, (chap, xxviii.) the
Lord saith, " The nature of sheep is to be deceived, and
their pastors to be drunk, that neither know nor see the
pastures of the word of God." And in the same prophet,
(chap, xxix.) there is a most horrible plague upon man for
sin ; for," The pastors shall be unable to feed, and all the
food of life shall be as a book fast clasped and shut."

This going astray and feeding upon evil pasture, is
wonderfully set forth by St. Paul : (2 Thess. ii.) for when
men will not feed upon the truth, it is God's just judgment
that they should feed upon falsehood. And as God's
nature is not only to feed, but fully to satisfy and to re-
plenish with all goodness, so that nothing may be wanting
for a godly and virtuous life ; (John vi.) in like manner
the nature of man is not only to feed, but also to fill itself
with all infected and contagious doctrine, until he despise
and contemn God and all his wholesome laws. (Rom. i.)
This we may see in the holy prophet Isaiah ; " The people
(saith the Lord) provoketh me unto anger, a lying nation,
that will not hear the law of God ; they say to their pro-
phets, Prophesy not, look not out for us things that be

v. 1.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 245

right, speak pleasant things unto us," &c. (chap, xxx.)
And this replenishing of man with corrupt pasture is hor-
ribly set forth in St. John, (chap. vii. ) when the wicked
priests and pharisees would not believe the Shepherd's
voice, Christ, no, not their own servants that told them the
truth, nor yet Nicodemus, one of their own court and pro-
fession. Thus, in the first part of this celestial hymn, is
the nature of God and man described, under the name of
a shepherd and of sheep.

Of this part of the psalm, what the prophet hath said of
God and of man,we must, for our own doctrine and learning,
gather some things to be the better by; for St. Paul saith,
" Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning." Two
things we learn of this first place,: the one, a certainty
that God hath the care and charge of us: and the other,
a consolation and comfort that we and all ours are under
his protection and governance. The first doctrine, to be
certain and sure of God's defence, and care over us, makes
us constant and strong to suffer and bear all adversities
and troubles that God shall send us. And the second
doctrine shall cause us patiently and thankfully to bear
our cross, and to follow Christ. Both these doctrines the
prophet David expresses in the third and fourth verse of
this psalm : " If I should (saith he) travel and pass
through places contagious and infected, where appears
nothing but the image and shadow of death, or be
compelled to pass through the hands and tyranny of mine
enemies, I will not fear ; for thou art with me, O God,
and defendest me." In the ninety-first psalm he sets
forth the assurance and felicity of all those who put their
whole trust in the mercy of God; and there also the pro-
phet reckons up a wonderful sort of dangers, and lays
them before the eyes of the faithful, that he may, by the
sight and knowledge of the dangers, fix and place the
more constantly his faith and trust in God, that has the
charge and cure of him : " He shall (saith he) defend us
from pestilence most infectious : from flying arrows in the
day," &c. By which the prophet understands all kind of
evils, that may come unto us by the means of the devil
or of wicked men; and these things the faithful shall
escape (saith the prophet), because they say from their
hearts unto God, " For thou art my hope ;" even as he
said in the beginning of this psalm, " Tlfe Lord feedeth
me, and I shall want nothing." Such certainty and

245 Hooper.

assurance of God's defence, and such consolation in the
troubles of this life, we must learn and pray to have out of
God's word.or else it were as good never-to hear or to read it.
And from this first part of the psalm every estate of the
world may learn wisdom and consolation. If the Lord
feed and govern him, he shall have God for his master
and teacher, who shall give him wholesome and comrno-
■ dious doctrine, fit for the state of the life he has chosen to
live in this world. For all that shall be saved in time to
come follow not one kind of life. Some are magistrates
and rulers, and appointed to see both the laws of the
realm, and the goods and commodities thereof, to be used
and applied to the use and profit of such as are under
them. Some give themselves to study and contemplation
of heavenly and divine things, not busying themselves
with travails of the body, but to know themselves the way
of life, and to be teachers of the same to others. Some
are given to apply the laws of the commonwealth ; some
to exercise the trade and course of merchandise ; some
one kind of living, and some another. But of what art,
faculty, science, or kind of living soever he be, which is not
contrary to God's honour or honesty, he may therein serve
God, observe justice, exercise truth, keep temperance, and
be acceptable to God ; who has given laws fit and conve-
nient, to publicans and soldiers, servants and masters,
parents and children, husbands and wives, and so to all
others. But all these sorts of people most assuredly know
that in each of these vocations are more dangers, than he
that must live in them is able to bear; therefore, from the
bottom of his heart he must be assured of this beginning
of king David's hymn : " The Lord feedeth me, and I
shall lack nothing." And indeed the Lord hath not only
said he will feed and defend him from all dangers ; but
also saith, he will teach him how to live virtuously and
reverently towards God, and honestly and quietly towards
man, what state or vocation soever he choose to live in, so
it be not against God's laws, and the law of nature. So
saith king David: " God hath appointed a law to rule
and teach the man that feareth him whatsoever kind of
living he appointeth himself to live in." (Psalm xxv.)
What treasure is there to be compared unto this, that man
is not only fed and maintained by God, but also taught
and instructed in every craft* and science that he appoints
* Business.

v. 1.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 247

himself to live in ? Blessed, therefore, is the man that, in
the deep cogitations of his heart, can say, believe, and feel
this to be true that David saith : " The Lord ruleth me,
and careth for me, and I shall laek nothing'."

But as yet there is almost nothing spoken, of What this
king would have chiefly known. Howbeit doubtless they
are wonderful things, that preserve and teach all persons,
ooth men and women, in whatsoever kind of living honestly
they appoint themselves to live in. He himself knew this
to be true right well, as it appears when he saith : " Blessed
be the Lord my strength, that taught my hands to battle :"
(Psalm cxliv.) for if the Lord had not taught and ruled
him, he had been overthrown many times, because there
was not only more strength than he had of himself against
him, but also more wit, more policy, more experience.

But what things can overcome that man, who is covered
with this shield, " The Lord ruleth me ?" Doubtless, no-
thing at all, whether it be in heaven above, or in the earth
beneath, or in hell under the earth. Notwithstanding, this
is not all that this doctrine, " The Lord ruleth me," doth
for the poor sheep that is ruled. But here must the reader
and hearer of this psalm follow king David, and desire to
have the eyes of his mind purged and made clean ; for if
the scales of infidelity, and the love and delight to sin
remain, or if the mind be otherwise occupied than upon
the understanding of the hymn ; he shall hear it, or sing
it, as the ungodly colleges -of priests do, that daily roar the
holy scriptures out of their mouths, and understand no
more the meaning thereof, than the walls which they sing
and speak unto.* We must, therefore, do as king David
did, lift up the eyes of our minds unto Heaven, and fix our
faith (as he saith) fast in the Lord ; (Psalm xxv.) and
then shall we see the unspeakable treasures and wisdom
that lie hid in this marvellous and comfortable head and
beginning of this psalm, " The Lord feedeth me," &c.

Our Saviour Christ opens plainly in St. John, what it
is to be the sheep of God, and to be fed by him, and
saith, " They will bear the Shepherd's voice, but no
stranger's voice ; and because they hear the Shepherd's
voice, the Shepherd will give them everlasting life ; and
no man shall take them out of the Shepherd's hands."
There is the greatest treasure and most necessary riches
for the sheep of God uttered, which is not only that the
* The Romish Latin service.

248 Hooper.

knowledge of God be preserved in this life, and to lack
nothing that is expedient and necessary for the preserva-
tion thereof; but also to understand which ways the
heavenly Father teaches and leads us to the mansion and
dwelling-place of life everlasting. And if man were
wise, he might soon perceive how much the life to come
is better than the life present ; yea, be it ever so favour-
ably fed and preserved by the heavenly Father, our Shep-
herd and Governor ; for his tuition* here of us, although
it be sure, and so strong that none can take us out of his
hands, yet our safeguard and life is troubled and mingled
with adversities, subject to persecution, and also unto
death ; but, in the life to come, God's tuition is all joy, all
mirth, all solace, with all perpetuity and endless felicity.
And of this treasure David chiefly meant in the beginning
of the psalm, when he said, " And I shall lack nothing ;"
for we see, until this life be taken from -us, most troubles
and most cares begin and tarry in the house of God among
his sheep, which are as Iambs among wolves. (1 Pet. iv.)
Wherefore, the voice and teaching of the Shepherd doth
heal the minds of the sheep, (Matt, x.) God's dear elect,
and pulls from . them all unprofitable fear and careful-
ness ; it quenches all flames of lust and concupiscence ;
it makes and gives a man a noble and valiant mind to
contemn all worldly things ; it brings a man into love with
God's true honour, makes him joyful in trouble, quiet in
adversity, and sure that the end of God's people shall be
glorious and joyful; and, also, that this favour of the
Shepherd shall be his guide into the place of bliss ;
where are crowns of everlasting glory, for such as have
been led by the Lord : and there they shall lack nothing ;
for there is neither eye can see, nor tongue can speak, nor
mind can comprehend these joys and glory. And, there-
fore, the prophet both constantly and cheerfully said,
" The Lord feedeth me, and I shall lack nothing ;" for all
things of this world are but trifles, in comparison of things
to come.

■ Although it is a singular favour of God to understand
his goodness and mercy towards us, in things belonging
to this life, yet it is not to be compared to the other, as
David wonderfully declares in the twenty-fifth psalm. When
he has numbered a great many of God's benefits, which
he bestows upon his poor servants in this life, he in the
* Care.

v. 2.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 249

end makes mention of one especially, that passes them all,
in these words : " The Lord opens to such as fear him his
secrets and his testament. The Lord opens to his faithful
servant the mysteries and secrets of his pleasure, and the
knowledge of his laws." And these treasures, the know-
ledge and right understanding of God's most holy word,
he saith, were more sweet unto him than honey or the
honeycomb, and he esteemed the virtue of it more than
precious stones. Of all gifts this was the principal, that
God gave unto him a right and true knowledge of himself.
Wherefore, it shall be most expedient and necessary for
every christian man to labour, study, and pray, that he
may earnestly, and with a faithful heart, know himself to
be no better than a silly poor sheep, that has nothing of
himself, nor of any other, to save his body and soul but
only the mercy of his Shepherd, the heavenly Father ;
and to be assured, also, that his only mercy and goodness
alone in Christ, and none other besides him, is able to feed
him ; so that he shall lack nothing necessary in this life,
nor in the life to come.

II. — Wherein the Life and Salvation of Man consists.

Ver. 2. He shall feed me in pleasant pastures, and he shall
lead me by the river's side

He shall set me in the most pleasant and rich pastures
of his doctrine, and in the contemplation of heavenly
things, wherewith the minds of godly men are nourished
and fed with unspeakable joy ; and near unto the plen-
teous floods of the Holy Ghost, and the sweet waters of
the holy scriptures, he will feed me ; in which places the
sheep of the Lord are nourished unto eternal life, abound-
ing with milk, and bringing forth most blessed fruit. The
scripture of God useth this word " feed " in many signifi-
cations : (John xx. Acts 'xx. Jeremiah iii. Ezek. xxxiv.
2 Sam. v. vii. Mic. v.) sometimes to teach and instruct,
sometimes to rule and govern, as magistrates rule their
people as well by law as by strength : sometimes to punish
and correct. But in this place the prophet uses ' feeding*
as well for instruction by God's word, as also for defence
and safeguard of God's people by God's most mighty

250 Hooper.

power. He uses this word 'pasture' for the word of God
itself, as a thing which is the only food of a man's soul to
live upon, (John x. Psalm lxxiv. lxxix. xcv. Jer. iii. Ezek.
xxxiv. Joel i. Matt, iv.) as the meat and drink is for the
body. He uses this word ' lead' for conducting, that the
man which is led, at no time go out of the way, but always
may know where he is, and whither he is going ; as in
many other of his psalms he uses the same manner of
speaking. The ' rivers of refreshment' he uses for the
plentiful gifts of the Holy Ghost, wherewith the faithful
man is replenished. (Psalm xvi. xxxvi.) His saying,
therefore, is as if he had spoken without allegory or trans-
lation thus : " He instructs me with his word, and con-
ducts me with his Holy Spirit, that I cannot err or
perish." (Rev. vii. Isaiah iv. John iv. vii.)

In this part of the psalm are many things worthy to be
noted. First, it is declared, that the life of man consists in
the food of God's word ; then, that there is none that
gives the same to be eaten but God our heavenly Shep-
herd ; the next, that none can eat of this meat of God's
word, but such as the Holy Ghost feeds with the word.
Our Saviour Christ declares, that " man liveth not by
bread alone, but of every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God." (Matt, iv.) Whereby he teaches us, that
as the body lives by external meats, so the soul lives by the
word of God.

And it is no more possible for a man to live in God
without the word of God, than in the world without the
meat of the world. And St. Peter confesses the same ;
for when the Capernaites, and many of Christ's own dis-
ciples, had satisfied their bodies with earthly food, they
cared not for their souls, neither could they abide to be
fed, nor to hear the food of the soul spoken of. Although
Christ dressed it most wholesomely with many godly and
sweet words, they would not tarry until Christ had made
that food ready for them ; they could be contented to feed
their bellies with his meats, but their souls they would not
commit to his diet, but departed as hungry as they came,
through their own folly. Christ was leading them from
the five barley loaves and two fishes, wherewith they had
satisfied their hunger, unto the pleasant pastures of the
heavenly word, that showed neither barley loaves nor fish,
but his own precious blood and painful passion, to be the
meat of their souls ; howbeit, they could not come into

v. 2.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 251

this pasture, nor taste the sweet herbs and nourishment of
their souls. When Christ perceived they would not be led
into this pleasant pasture, he let them go whither they
would, and to feed upon what pasture they would. And
then he asked of his twelve that tarried, - saying, " Will ye
depart also ?" Peter, as one that had fed both body and
soul, as his fellows had, perceived that the body was but
half the man, and that being fed, there was but half a man
fed ; and, also, that such meats as went into the mouth,
satisfied no more than the body which the mouth was made
for. He felt, moreover, that his soul was fed by Christ's
doctrine, and that the hunger of sin, the wrath of God,
the accusation of the law, and the demand and claim of
the devil, were quenched and taken away. He perceived,
likewise, that the meat which brought this nourishment,
was the heavenly doctrine that Christ spake of, touching
his death and passion. He understood, also, that this
meat passed not into the body by the mouth, but into the
soul by faith, and by the presence of God's Spirit with his
spirit ; that the body also should be partaker as well of
the grace that was in it, as of the life ; so that he felt
himself not only to have a body and a soul alive, but also
that they were graciously replenished with the pastures
and food of God's favour. Wherefore he said unto Christ,
" To whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of ever-
lasting life :" which words, in effect, sound no otherwise
than this psalm, where David saith, " The Lord feedeth
me, and I shall want nothing; for he leadeth me into his
pleasant pastures, and pastureth me by the river's side."
Wherein it appears manifestly, that the word of God is the
life of the soul.

The prophet David marvellously opens this thing in
repe.ating so many times the word of God, in a psalm
worthy much reading, and more marking of the things
contained therein. For he treateth all the psalm through,
that a godly life consists in the observation of God's laws ;
and therefore he so many times, in the 119th Psalm,
prays God to illuminate and endue his spirit and heart
,with these two virtues, knowledge and love of his word,
wherewith he may both know how to serve God, and
at all times to be acceptable unto him. And our Saviour
Christ himself, in St. Luke, saith unto a woman, " Blessed
are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." (chap.
xi.) And in St. John Christ exhorts all men to the

252 Hooper

reading and exercising of the scriptures, (chap, v.) For the
ignorance of God's word brings with it a murrain and rot
of the; soul ; yet for the sins of the people he said God
would send hunger and famine amongst them, not a
hunger of bread nor water, but of hearing God's word.
(Amos viii.) King David therefore, as one assured both
of the Author of life, and also of the food wherewith the
life is maintained, stays himself with God's benediction
and favour, that he is assured God feeds him with his
word. And he shows also, that none is the author of this
word, neither can any give it, but God alone ; for when
the first fall of Adam and Eve, by eating forbidden meats,
had poisoned and infected both body and soul with sin
and God's displeasure, so that he was destitute both of
God's favour and wisdom, none but God could tell him
where remedy and help lay ; nor yet could any deliver
him the help but God. For till God made promise that
the Seed of a woman should make whole and save that,
which the devil and man had made sick and lost, by reason
of sin, and also made open the remedy unto Adam, and
inclined his heart to believe the remedy, Adam was dead
in sin, and utterly cast away. Then the pity of the
heavenly Shepherd said, he should, notwithstanding, in
time be brought into the same pasture again, and none
should deceive him, nor bring him any more out of the
pastures of life. (John x.)

But only God gave this meat, which was his holy word
and promise, and also the mouth of faith to eat these pro-
mises of God's only gifts. (Eph. ii.) And the same
appears throughout the whole Bible, that only God, by
sending of his word and preachers, brought knowledge
of everlasting life to the people that were in ignorance.
As St. Paul saith, (Heb. i.) God beforetime spake unto
our fathers by the prophets, and in these latter days unto
us by his Son, and after the ascension of his Son, by his
apostles and evangelists, (Matt, xxviii.) insomuch that
none of the prophets ever spake of God's word, that main-
tained the life of the soul, otherwise than they received it
of the high Shepherd, almighty God, as St. Peter saith :
(2 Pet. i.) " Prophecy came not by the will of man,
but the holy men of God spake as they were taught by the
Holy Ghost ;" so that God is the only author and foun-
tain of his true word, the food of all men's souls. (James
i.) In like manner, he is the only giver of the same ; as

v. 2.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 253

he is the giver of it, and'none but himself, so none can eat
it bat such as have the same delivered unto them by the
Holy Ghost. So our Saviour Christ likewise, in the
gospelof St. John, (chap, iii.) told Nicodemus that it was
not possible to understand and to know the grace of re-
demption, except he were born from above. And when
St. Paul preached the word of God at Philippi, amongst
the women by the waterside, the Lord opened the heart
of Lydia to understand the things spoken by Paul. (Acts
xvi.) And when Christ preached among the Jews, and
wrought wonderful miracles, yet they understood nothing,
neither were they any the better. And Christ shows the
cause : " Therefore ye hear not, because ye are not of
God." (John viii.) But the fault was not in God, but in
the obstinacy and frowardness of their own hearts, as you
may see in St. Matthew, (chap, xxiii.)

Christ offered himself, but yet the malice of man re-
belled at all times. St. Paul to the Corinthians wonder-
fully sets forth man's inability, and saith, " The natural
man is not able to comprehend the things that be of God."?
(1 Cor. ii.) And in St. John, Christ saith, " No man can
come unto him except the heavenly Father draw him,
for they must be all taught of God." (John vi.) Now, as
the prophet saw these things for himself and his salvation
in God's word, even so must every christian man take
heed that he learn the same doctrine, or else it were no
advantage to have the scripture of God delivered and
taught unto us. And every reader and hearer must learn
by this psalm, that there is no other food or meat for the
soul but God's word ; and whosoever refuses it when it is
offered or preached, or, when they know the truth thereof,
do yet of malice, fear, lucre, and gain of the world, or
any other way, repugn* it, are unworthy of all mercy and
forgiveness. Let every man and woman therefore examine
their own consciences without flittering themselves, and
they shall find that the most part of this realm of Eng-
land, in the time of our holy and blessed king Edward
the sixth, were fed with this holy food of God's word ; or
else might have been fed with it ; for it was offered and
'sent unto them, as well by most godly statutes and laws
of parliament, as by many noblemen and virtuous learned
preachers. If they fed not upon it accordingly, or now

* Resist.

254 Hooper.

their teeth stand on edge, and their stomachs are cloyed
with it, to their peril be it. Thus Christ saith : " They
have nothing whereby justly to excuse themselves of their
sin." (John xv.) And likewise he saith, that whosoever
hateth him, hateth also his Father ; by which words it
appears manifestly, that no man can hate Christ's doctrine
but he must hate Christ himself; and no man can hate
Christ, but he must also hate the Father of heaven.
Wherefore, it is expedient for every man to mark such
places ; for it was not Christ's name, nor Christ's person,
that the Jews so mortally hated Christ for, but they hated
him to death for his doctrine sake ; and it was Christ's
doctrine that condemned the world, and showed the life
and learning of the world to be evil, and could not abide
the light of God's word ; (John iii.) and, therefore, in no
case they could abide to hear of it, as you see the like in
his poor preachers. For his word's sake they are less
thought of than dogs or brute beasts, for they are hated
to death ; and Barabbas, the murderer, finds more favour
than Peter, the preacher of Christ, who would lead the
flock, redeemed with Christ's precious blood, into the pas-
tures of God's word, with the prophet David. And yet,
in this hatred of God's word, the food of God's sheep,
they would be seen, and none l>ut they, to love and honour
God ; but it is not so in their hearts ; for they have a
contempt of God, as their fruits well declare. And Christ
saith, they hate both him and his Father, yea, and that
without cause.

But thou, christian reader, see thou feed thy soul with
no other meat, than with the wholesome pastures of God's
word, whatsoever the world shall say or do. (Psalm xxxvi.)
Look upon this text of St. John, (chap, xv.) " When the
Comforter shall come, whom I shall send from my Father,
even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father,
he shall testify and bear record of me." Weigh that place,
and think wherefore the Son of man referred himself to
the witness of the Holy Ghost, and you shall know that
it was for no untruth that was in the author, being Christ,
or in the doctrine that he preached, but only to make the
disciples to be of good comfort, and that they should not
esteem the gospel he preached unto them any thing the
less, although it had many adversaries and enemies, and
was spoken against in a manner every where. For against
the fury and false judgment of the world that contemned

v. 2.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 255

the gospel, they should have the testimony of the Holy
Ghost to allow and warrant the gospel.

Let us, therefore, pray to the heavenly Shepherd, that
he will give us his Holy Spirit, to testify for the word of
God, the only food of our souls, that it is true what God
saith, and only good what he appoints to feed us. And
this we maybe assured of, that in this heavy and sorrowful
time there is nothing can testify for the truth of God's
word, and keep us in the pleasant pasture thereof, but the
very Spirit of God, which we must set against all the
tumults and dangers of the world ; for if we make this
verity of God subject to the judgment of the world, our
faith shall quail and faint every hour, as men's judgments
vary. Wherefore, let us pray to have always in us the
spirit of adoption, whereby, when our faith shall be as-
saulted, we may cry, " Father, Father !" And the same
help for the maintenance of the truth God promised by his
holy prophet Isaiah (chap, lix.), saying, " This is my
covenant with them, saith the Lord ; my Spirit which is in
thee, and my words, which I have put in thy mouth, shall
not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy
seed, nor from the mouth of the seed of thy seed, from
henceforth until the world's end."

Here the almighty God sets forth what a treasure and
singular gift his word is, and that it shall not depart from
his people until the world's end. And in these words is
this part of David's psalm marvellously opened and set
forth. " It is the Lord alone that feeds and instructs,"
saith Isaiah the prophet ; it was not man's own imagina-
tion and intention, nor the wisdom and religion of his
fathers, whatsoever they were, but it was the Lord that
spake, and made the covenant with man, and put his Spirit
in man to understand the covenant ; and by his word, and
no other word, he instructed man, and said, that by this
means all men should, till the world's end, feed and eat
of God's blessed promises. For in his word he has ex-
pressed and opened to every man what he shall have, even
the remission of sin, acceptance into his fatherly favour,
grace to live well in this life, and, at the end, to be re-
ceived into everlasting life.

By these things the reader may know what maintains
life, even the word of God, as Christ saith : (Matt, iv.)
" If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what

2o6 Hooper

ye will, and ye shall have it." (John xv. See, aiso, Psalm
xix. cxix. 2 Tim. iii. Heb. i. 1 Pet. i.)

He shall learn also, that it is not general councils nor
provincial councils, the determination and agreement of
men, that can be the author of this food, but only God.
(Gal. i.) And as God is the only author of this food ;
even so is his Holy Spirit, he that feedeth the poor simple
soul of the christian man with his blessed pasture, and not
the wisdom of man, men's sacrifices,, or men's doings.
(John vi. xv. Isaiah Iv.) But as touching the food of
man's soul, to be the only word of God, I will, if it be
God's blessed pleasure, to whom, in the bitter and painful
passion of Christ, I commit my will, with my life and
death, open unto the sheep and lambs of God, at large in
another book.

III. — How Man is brought to the Knowledge of Life
and Salvation : which Part showeth what Man is
of himself, and how he is brought into this Life,

AND TO FEED IN THE PLEASANT PASTURES OF God's

Word.

Verse 3. He shall convert my soul, and bring me into the
paths of righteousness, for his name's sake.

My soul erred and went astray from the right way of
godly living, but the Lord converted me from mine errors
and faults of living, and brought me to observe his holy
laws, wherein are contained all justice, truth, and godli-
ness.

Here is to be noted, what degrees and orders the Lord
and heavenly Shepherd doth use, in bringing his sheep
unto the pasture of, life. First, he converts the man who is \
gone astray by his wicked ways and sinful manner of
living. If he were an infidel, he brings him, first, to know,
feel, and hate his infidelity, and, afterwards, to a true faith.
If he be a persecutor, he shows him, first, his tyranny, and,
afterwards, how to use himself meekly. If he be a sinful
man, that lives contrary to his knowledge and profession,
he brings him, first, to the knowledge and hatred of his
sin, and, afterwards, to the forgiveness of the same. As
Christ our Saviour wonderfully teaches in St. John, where

v. 3.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 257

he saith : " The Holy Ghost, when he comes, shall rebuke
the world of sin, justice,* and judgment." (chap, xvi.)
By which words he declares, that the faithful of God can-
not profit in the gospel of Christ, neither love nor exercise
justice and virtue, except they are taught, and made to
feel, the burden and danger of sin, and are brought to
humble themselves, as men that are of themselves nothing
but sin. And, therefore, the law and threatenings of God
are very wholesome, whose nature and property is to cite
and call men's consciences unto the judgment of God, and
to wound the spirit of man with terror and fear. Where-
fore Christ uses a wonderful way, and teaches the same
unto his apostles, that neither himself for that present
time, nor they in time to come, could preach profitably the
gospel, wherewith men are led into the sweet and pleasant
fields of God's promises by his word, except they use this
order, to lead them from sin to justice,* and from death to
life. And as justice* and life come by Christ, showed unto
us in his bitter passion, death, and glorious resurrection ;
so sin and death both appear, and are felt, by the Spirit of
God, showed unto us in the law.

This order also saw the holy prophet, when he saith .
" The Lord converteth my soul, and leadeth me into the
paths of righteousness." This is a wonderful sentence,
and much and deeply to be considered and weighed by
the christian man. " The Lord converteth my soul," saith
David. He feels in himself, that as long as the devil and
sin have the rule and kingdom in man, the soul of man,
being God's creature, is deformed, foul, horrible, and so
troubled, that it is like unto all things, more than unto
God and virtue, whereunto it was created : but when the
wicked devil and deformed sin are, by the victory of Christ,
overcome and expelled, the soul waxes fair, amiable, sweet,
loving, pleasant, and like unto God again, and comes into
order and obeisance unto its Creator ; and so, brought
into the paths of righteousness, it feeds with the rest of
God's well-ordered flock upon the pastures and food of his
holy word, to do his blessed will.

O that we would, in the glass of God's word, look
upon our own souls, when they are in the tyranny of the
devil, under the kingdom of sin, as this king did. We
should more loath and detest our own souls, and the com-
pany that our souls are accompanied by, than if we should,
* Righteousness.

2b8 Hooper.

for all our lifetime, be put into styes with hogs, and always
be bound, during our life, to live with them, feed as they
feed, sleep and wake as they do, and be as they are in all
things. Look in the gospel of St. Luke, (chap, xv.) and
there you will see a man, by sin so foul, so disordered, so
accompanied with swine, so hungerbaned, so rent and
torn, so beggarly, so wretched, so vile, so loathsome, and
so stinking, that the very swine were better for their con-
dition than he was. But see how the heavenly Shepherd
beheld from his heavenly throne, the place of the everlast-
ing joys, this poor strayed sheep, feeding, not among
sheep, but among swine, and yet could not be satisfied
therewith. And no marvel ; for swine eat not the food
of sheep, nor yet do sheep fill themselves with hog's
draff and swillings ; but this Shepherd used his wonted
clemency, and struck the heart of his sheep, making him
to weep and bewail his condition — a man to come to such
dishonour, to be joined and matched with swine, to feed
like swine, to eat like swine such meat as swine eat ! re-
membering that the worst in his father's house was a
prince and noble king, in comparison and respect of him !
Then, also, being persuaded of his father's mercy, he re-
turned, and his father brought him into his pleasant and
sweet pastures, and gave him his former favour and accus-
tomed apparel again, as a man to keep company with men,
and no more with adulterous men and unclean swine.
Howbeit, he came not to his old honour again, till the
Lord had practised in him that he practised in this pro-
phet, king David : " He converted and turned my soul."

It is but folly for a man to flatter himself, as though he
were a christian man, when his heart and soul is not turned
unto the Lord. He shall never feed in the pastures of life,
but be a hypocrite all the days of his life, as the most part
of the world are, that profess Christ's name at this present
day. They say, they are converted from the world to God,
when there is nothing within the pastures of God's word
but what they will contemn, rather than have as much as
an evil look of the world for it. They say they are con-
Verted to God, when they are contented, with the world, to
honour that for God, which is but bread and wine in the
matter and substance ; as the scripture of God, and the
holy church of Christ, have taught and believed these
thousand and five hundred years and more. O Lord ! are
these men turned to thee ? Are these the men that shall

v. 3.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 259

dwell with thee in thy holy mount of Sion, and stand in
thy holy place? (Psalm xxiv.) Nay, doubtless, they are
not turned to thee, but from thee ; and are not with thee,
but against thee. They speak with thee, and yet their
deeds dishonour thee ; they talk of truth, and practise lies !
What, good Lord, shall thy simple and poor unlearned
sheep do ? Where shall they seek thy truth ? for the
shepherds say and sing this psalm every week, and at
every dirge for the dead ; and yet they are not converted
in their spirits to thee, that thou mightest lead them into
the paths of righteousness. But, Lord ! there is no man
now, in a manner, that dare accuse them — they destroy them-
selves and thy sheep, and no man can be suffered to re-
medy it with God's word. Notwithstanding, good Lord,
although, in this world, none may accuse them, yet they,
in the world to come, shall have king David, whose psalms
they daily read, and in whom they most glory, to accuse
them, both of heresy and blasphemy, as Moses shall ac-
cuse the wicked Jews, whom they most glory of. For as
the Jews read the scripture of Moses, and yet were never
the better, so these priests of antichrist read the holy
scripture, and yet neither the people, nor they themselves,
are any thing the better. And in this they pass the abo-
mination of the Jews and Turks ; for they were, and yet
are, content, that their books of religion shall be used in
their churches in the vulgar and common tongue : but
these enemies of God and man would not have the word
that God has appointed for all men's salvation, to be used
in any tongue but in the Latin.

The God, therefore, of peace, that brought again from
death to life the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood
of the everlasting testament, our Lord Jesus Christ, con-
vert the souls and hearts of all those that cause the sheep
of God thus to eat and feed upon the carrion, and infected
pastures of men's traditions ! Amen.

Now, as king David in this text has wonderfully set
forth the miserable nature of all God's sheep, and put,
himself for an example; that the nature and condition of
all men is corrupt, wicked, and damnable, so that it cannot
be partaker of God's benediction and everlasting grace,
except it be born anew, amended, restored, and instructed ;
so likewise he shows, that none converts the soul of man,
but the heavenly Father, the great Shepherd, who both
sees the lost state of his sheep, and willeth of his rnercy

26C Hooper.

the salvation and calling of the sheep home again : and
then he proceeds further, and shows what the heavenly
Shepherd will do with his sheep. He saith he will lead
them into the paths of justice.* Wherein the prophet de-
clares, that it is not only God that converts the man from
evil, but also he alone that keeps him in goodness and
virtue. And therein is showed a wonderful misery and
wretchedness in the soul and body of man, who can
neither begin nor yet continue in a life acceptable unto
God, except God wholly work the same himself.

And as it declares the wonderful wretchedness of man,
so it manifests and sets forth the wonderful and unspeakable
mercy and compassion of God towards man, that so mar-
vellously and graciously he can be content to help and
save his enemy and very adversary. But herein is re-
quired of as many as the Lord converts from iniquity and
sinful living, that they walk in the same law, and use their
conversation in equity and justice,* as it becomes obedi-
ent men and women redeemed with the Shepherd's most
precious blood. For the Lord does not teach his sheep
the truth, that they should live in falsehood ; neither gives
he them the remission of their sins, that they should re-
turn to the same again : but because they should studi-
ously apply and diligently exercise themselves in virtuous
works, to the honour of almighty God. (Psalm i. Matt, v.)

There are two sorts of people whom the Lord will
judge and punish in the latter day, with extreme wrath
and justice. The one sort are called upon to learn the
knowledge of God, and of God's honour, as God's word
commands : but they will not hear, nor obey the calling, but
only know God, and learn God, as the custom and manner
of the world is to know him and learn him, though it be
ever so far from the truth. And the other sort are con-
tented to hear and learn to know God, and to serve him
as he teaches in his holy and. most pure word, but in their
hearts consent not to their knowledge ; but, contrary to it,
they do outward service to a false god, and frame their
conversation, both in religion towards God, and their
manners towards men, as men of the world do. So that
God has no more reverence from him that knows the
truth, than from him that is ignorant of the truth.

Isaiah the prophet speaks against the tirst sort of men,
that will not hear when they are called, nor learn when
* Righteousness.

v. 3.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 261

they are taught, and saith : " When other men shall laugh,
they shall weep ; when others be merry, they shall be
sorry ; when others be whole, they shall be sick ; when
other men shall live, they shall die ; and when other men
rejoice in mirth, they shall lament in sorrow." (chap. Ixv.)
And good cause why, saith St. Paul : " for the Lord hath
stretched forth his hand always to a rebellious and obsti-
nate people, that will not learn nor know his holy will."
(Romans x.) Again, the other sort that know and have
learned the Lord's will and pleasure, and yet prepare not
themselves to do his will, " shall be beaten wi'th many
stripes, saith our Saviour Christ. (Luke xii.) And the
Lord; in St. Matthew, wonderfully charges both such as
ignorantly offend, and those that with knowledge offend ;
those also that are called upon to amendment in faith and
charity, and those that are not called upon by preaching
of the truth, and saith : " The greater damnation is upon
such as know, or might know, or else when they do know,
they are nothing the better for their knowledge." He puts
forth their four cities, Chorazin and Bethsaida, Tyre and
Sidon : two of them many times admonished by Christ to
amend, the other two not so called upon ; nevertheless,
both of them the Lord will judge, but most severely such
as neglect the word of God when it is offered. Therefore,
it is not enough for a man to hearken or hear, read or learn
God's word, but he must be ruled by God's word, frame
his whole life after God's word, and, before all things,
avoid idolatry by God's word : as king David saith in this
psalm, that the Lord did not only convert his soul, but
brought him into the paths of justice,*

Let every man and woman, therefore, think with them-
selves, what knowledge they have received of God ; for
he that has received most shall make account for most;
and the more he knows and abuses his knpwledge, the
more shall be his damnation. And, in case they know
nothing at all, and are never the better for all the preach-
ing of the Lord's word, let them take heed what persons
they are, and in what place they, have dwelled. In case
their poverty was such that they could not hear, and their
dwelling where there was no preaching at all, yet are
they under the judgment and damnation of God, because
they know not, as- Tyre and Sidon were. If they were of
such state, as they might have come if they would, and
* Righteousness.

262 Hooper.

had preachers to tell them the truth, in case they would
have heard the truth ; such men and women shall be the
more in danger of God's severe and just judgment. For
God not only takes an account of that which men have re-
ceived, if they use not God's gifts well, but also straitly
requires of those, who might have learned, the thing which
either willingly or obstinately they refused to learn ; as
you may see by Chorazin and Bethsaida. God will as
well take an account of him that refused to receive the
gift of God's word, as he requires an account of him that
has received it, and abused it. Whereby we learn, that
not only the man that abuses God's word shall be damned,
but also he that will not learn God's word. (Matt. xi. Luke
xii.) King David had the' word offered ; he received it,
and was carried thereby into the paths of justice, and lived
godly thereafter. Now he goes forth, and shows where-
fore man is brought to life and salvation.

IV — Wherefore Man is brought to Life and Salva-
tion.

Verse 3 continued. — For his name's sake.

He brought nbt me to life and salvation, saith the pro-
phet, for any merits or deservings of mine, but for his own
infinite goodness' sake ; and whatsoever evil has been done,
and sin committed, I ascribe to my corrupt nature, and ac-
cuse myself to be the doer of them. But if any thing
has been thought, said, or done, that is virtuous and
godly— that I wholly ascribe and attribute unto the mercy
of God, who gave me a good mind to wish to do well, and
also strength to do the things that he gave me will to
wish.

Of this part of the psalm we learn, that man can neither
wish nor speak, nor do any thing, nor yet understand any
thing that is good, but only through the mercy of God ;
who makes of an ignorant man a man of knowledge, of an
unwilling man a willing man, of an evil speaker a good
speaker, and of an evil doer a good doer. Therefore St. Paul,
vhen he sees that the nature of man will take upon it to be.
the author of any good thing, accuses and condemns it of
arrogance and pride, saying, " What hast thou that thou

v. 3.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 263

hast not received ? If thou hast received, why dost thou
glory as though thou receivedst not?" (1 Cor. iv.)
And in the same epistle he saith, that he " preached Christ
crucified, which was a slander to the Jews, and a foolish-
ness to the Gentiles ;" ( 1 Cor. i.) " yet, saith he, the fool-
ishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is stronger than men." And that king David had
good experience of, when he said, " The Lord ruleth me,
and I lack nothing ; he putteth me in a sweet pasture, and
leadeth me by the river's side ; he turneth my soul, and
conducteth me into the way and path of justice, for his
name's sake, and for his mercy's sake." He saw the
devil, the world, his flesh, and sin, all conquered by the
power of God, and for his name's sake was brought both to
live, and also to live virtuously, to his honour that gave
the life, and to his own salvation that received the life.

All our teaching for a great many years, and also your
whole labours, have been chiefly to know the misery of
man, and the mercy of almighty God. Wherefore, it shall
not need to tarry long in opening this place of the psalm ;
for you are rich in God in these two points — God give
you grace well to use them. Yet in any case we must re-
member, that our souls are turned from sin, and we are
accepted as the people of everlasting life, only for God's
mercy's sake. So king David wonderfully opens unto us
in the thirty-second psalm, where he saith, " Blessed be
they whose sins are forgiven, and whose transgressions be
covered : blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth
not his sin." Of which words we learn, that the godly
king called those happy and blessed, not that are clean
and pure without sin, for there is no such man in this life ;
but those are blessed, whose sins the mercy of God for-
gives : and they are only such, as unfeignedly acknowledge
their sin, and steadfastly from their hearts believe, that the
death and passion of Jesus Christ is the only expiation
and cleansing thereof: as St. Paul wonderfully expounds
David's words in his epistle to the Ramans, (chap, iv.)

The prophet by these words, " For his name's sake,''
declares, that there is nothing in him, nor in any other
man, wherefore God should turn the soul of man from
death to life, from error to truth, from the hatred of God
to God's love, from wandering astray to a stablished con-
tinuance in the verity of God's word, but only God's mercy.
And in other of his psalms, always when he treats qf

,264 Hooper.

God's mercy and of man's sin, he sets forth man so naked
and vile, as a thing most destitute of all health and salva-
tion, and shows that none of these gifts, remission of sin,
acceptation unto God's love and favour, pasturing of them
with his most blessed word, can happen unto any other,
saving unto such as know, and earnestly confess, that they
are sinners, and infected with many contagious and dan-
gerous infirmities. And therefore he saith in the second
verse of the thirty-second psalm. " Blessed is he to whom
the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no
guile." For there js no greater guile, nor more danger in
man, than to think himself to be somewhat, when he is
nothing in deed ; or else to think himself to be of such
purity of mind, as though he needed not this free remission
and favour of God. And as there is nothing more proud
and arrogant than such a mind; so there is nothing, in
man more detestable and miserable.

On the contrary, they are blessed that hunger and thirst
for justice ;* for, " God filleth the hungry with good things,
but the proud he sendeth away empty." (Matt. v. Luke i.)
And this holy prophet knew right well, that it was humi-
lity, and the casting down of himself, that was most ac-
ceptable unto God, and the seeking of health and salva-
tion only for his name's sake ; that is to say, for his mercy
promised in the death and passion of his only Son our
Saviour Christ.

In the end of the thirty-second psalm, king David, who
had thus humbled himself, represents God speaking unto
him, while he is thus making his complaint of his corrupt
nature and sinful life, and saying in this manner," I will give
thee understanding, and instruct thee in the way thou shalt
go, and will have mine eyes ever upon thee." Wherein he
declares, that such humbled men and lowly persons, as
know their iniquity, shall have understanding of God, and
shall not swerve from the right ways, not for their deeds
and their deseryings, but for his mercy that vouchsafes to
instruct and teach them.

And so likewise doth this godly king show in this psalm,
" The Lord ruleth me, and I lack nothing ; he feedeth me
in sweet pastures, and leadeth me by the river's side ; he
turneth my soul, and bringeth me into the paths of righte-
ousness ; and all for his name's sake." When he has
opened the salvation of man, and also the cause there of
* Righteousness.

V. 4.] Exposition of the Twenty -third Psalm. 265

and wherein it consists, he proceeds to the fifth part of his
oration* and holy hymn.

V. — What Trouble ma\ happen to such as God giveth
Life and Salvation unto.

Verse. 4. Although I walk through the valley and shadow
of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me, thy
rod and thy staff comfort me.

Seeing I have such a guide and defender, there is no
difficulty or peril, or fear of death, that I will make account
of. For what harm can death do to him that has God the
author of all life with him ? Or what can the tyranny of
man do, where God is the defender ?

In this fifth part king David shows how the Lord God
exercises his sheep, whom he feeds with his blessed word,
in dangers and troubles ; and also how he will defend
them in the midst of their troubles, whatsoever they are.
In the first words of the fifth part of this sacred and holy
hymn, the prophet declares, that the life of God's sheep
and people in this world cannot be without dangers and
troubles. Therefore Christ saith, that he came to put fire
in the world, and that the same fire should burn — meaning,
that he came to preach such a doctrine, as should move
dissension and discord between friend and friend, the
father and the son, and set them at debate. Not that his
word is a learning or doctrine of dissension and discord of
itself, but that by the malice of men, who cannot abide to
be rebuked by the word of God, they will be always at
discord and variance with the word of God, and with any
friend or foe that teaches it. (Luke xii.) And the same
Christ our heavenly Shepherd shows us, both in his doc-
trine and in his life, who was hated and troubled more
than any man before or since his time, and assures all his
to have troubles in this world, yea and death also. But it
forcethf not ; for he saith, " I have overcome the world."
(John vii. viii. ix. x. xvi.) And whatsoever the dangers
are, and how horrible soever they seem, Christ being with
us, we need not to fear. (John xvi.) Therefore in this point
the prophet correpts the foolish opinion of man, who
• Prayer. f Overcomes,

hooper. n

,266 Hooper.

would live as one of the sheep of God in this world, but
without troubles. It is contrary both to the person that pro
fesses God, and also to the religion that he professes ; for
in the world both shall be as Christ saith, hated : of which
hatred come persecution and' troubles, so that the people
of God shall, whether they will or will not, pass through
many dangers, no less perilous than the shadows and very
image of death, as here king David showeth in this whole-
some and blessed hymri.

• And as he saw, right well, that the state and condition
of God's people and sheep, is to be troubled for Christ
and his word : even so did Zechariah the prophet speak of
Christ and his people, (Zech. xi.) how that not only the
sheep should he troubled and scattered abroad, (Matt.
xxvi.) but also that the. Shepherd should be stricken with
the sword, that both sheep and Shepherd should be con-
demned in this world. But now, as David and Zechariah
declare, that the life and condition of Christ and his sheep
are troublous in the world : so do they both declare, that
whatsoever the troubles are, they are both known and ap-
pointed upon whom they shall fall, and in what time they
shall trouble the sheep of God : so that they can come no
sooner than God appoints, nor do any more harm than the
heavenly Shepherd shall appoint them to do. And this
we may see and learn as well iu Christ as in his sheep.

How many times did the priests and pharisees conspire
Christ's death ? — Yet because his time was not come, they
had not their purpose : but when the time of God was
come, Christ said to his sheep : " Ye shall be all troubled
this night for my cause ; for the Shepherd shall be stricken,
and the sheep shall be scattered abroad." Then, as God
had appointed the time, it could be no longer deferred.
And because they should not miss him, whose death they
sought, he came and met them, and offered himself unto
them, and said, that he was the same man, Jesus of Na-
zareth, whom they sought. (John xviii.) And when they
had taken him, and had used as much cruelty towards
him, as their wicked malice and devilish hatred could de-
vise, they killed .him, and made him to pass hot only the
shadow and image of death, but also death itself. They
thought then they had him where they would, and said,
" He hath saved others ; let him now save himself, if he
can." (Matt, xxvii. Mark xv. Luke xxiii. John xix.)

When he was laid in the grave with his fathers, they

v. 4.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 267

thought to execute their plagues and tyranny towards him
being dead, purposing that, as they had brought him to
;death apd killed him, so likewise they would keep him
down still, that he should never see life again, but rot in
the earth like a wretch, until worms had eaten him. And
for the performance of this purpose, to do all their wills to
the uttermost, they came to Pilate, and said, that the de-
ceiver of the people who was then laid in the grave, made
his boast while he was aliye, that the third day after his death
he would rise again; but if it should be so, it would be
worse with them than it was before. " Appoint therefore
soldiers,'' said they, " and watchmen to keep the sepulchre
till the third day be past." (Matt, xxvii.) Whilst .they yet
minded to lay as much evil and contempt upon Christ our
Shepherd, as they meant unto him ; came the heavenly
Father, who suffers no more iguominy to fall upon his, nor
will suffer them to continue any longer thereinthau pleases
him, with this inhibition and stay of further proceedings in
dishonouring and persecuting hisonly Son, and as it were
said : " Now is come the third day ; arise, mine own dear
Son buried." And then was the sorrow and contempt of
this our persecuted Shepherd not only ended, but also
turned into endless and unspeakable joys : he endured
with his forefather David most bitter pains, and also most
vile death ; but he feared not, because God was with him.
The same appointment also the heavenly Father has made
with all dangers, and troubles that shall happen unto us
his poor and afflicted sheep, who are taken daily, as it
were, to the shambles, to suffer what God's enemies can de-
vise. But the heavenly Shepherd seeth all their doings
out. of heaven, and mocketh them to scorn (Psalm ii.) : for
they shall never do as much as they would, against Christ
and his people, but as much as God will suffer them.
David afterwards, in his thirty-seventh psalm, teaches us
the same with marvellous words and divine sentences :
"Lay thy care upon the Lord, and trust in him, and he
shall help thee."

It is most necessary, therefore, for every troubled man to
know in hi? mind, and feel in his heart, that there are no
troubles that happen unto man, whatsoever they are, or
come they by chance or fortune, as many men say and
think, but they come by the providence of God. Yea, the
very winds of the air, tempests in the clouds, trembling of
the earth, raging of, the sea, or any other that come, how
n-2

268 Hooper.

sudden or how unlooked-for soever they appear : as you
may read in the twenty-ninth psalm, wherein wonderful
tempests and troublesome things are spoken of, done in
the waters as well as upon the dry land.

But here, alas ! is our nature and knowledge much to
be lamented and complained upon : for as the knowledge
we have of, God's favour and gentleness towards us in
Christ, foi the most part, consists in understanding of the
mind and talk with the mouth, but the virtue, strength,
and operation of the same favour of God is not sealed in
our hearts and consciences : even so the troubles and ad-
versities, which God threatens for sin, are spoken and
talked of with the tongue, and known in the mind, but
they are not earnestly nor feelingly sealed in our con-
sciences and hearts. And of this comes it, that we neither
love God, nor rejoice in his promises as we ought to do,
when we hear or read them ; neither yet hate sin, nor are
sorrowful for God's displeasure, as sin and God's displea-
sure should be sorrowed and mourned for by christian men.
Hereof also comes it, dearly beloved, that we love no
further than in knowledge and tongue, nor hate vice but in
knowledge and tongue. But, alas ! how miserable is this
our state and condition, that knows neither life nor death,
virtue nor vice, truth nor falsehood, God nor the devil,
heaven nor hell, but half as much as they ought to be
known of christian men. Read you, therefore, and mark
the thirty-seventh psalm, and you shall know, that it is
not enough for christian men to understand and speak of
virtue and vice, but the virtue must be sealed in the con-
science and loved, and the vice kept out of the conscience
and hated ; as David saith, " Leave doing of evil, and do
good :'' so likewise he speaks of a feeling christian man,
whose conscience has tasted how sweet and amiable God
is : " Taste and feel how sweet the Lord is."

And this assure yourselves, that when you feel your
sins, and bewail the danger and damnation of them, the
Spirit of God hath wrought that feeling, and that troubled
and broken heart God will not despise. (Psalm li.) And
there is no doubt or mistrust of a sensible and feeling
sinner. But in case he can find in himself no love to the
obedience of God, nor desire to do his will by hearing of
his word, nor any feeling at all of sin, nor desire to be rid
from it by hearing of the law ; then he has knowledge in
the mind, and speech in the mouth, but no consent and

v. 4.] Exposition of the Twenty -third Psalm. 269

feeling in his heart and conscience^ ' And this knowledge:
lives with sin. and speaks with virtue ; whereas the heart
and conscience consents to good, and abhors evil, if the
virtue and nature of God's word by God's Spirit be sealed
in the conscience. And this St. Paul teaches wonderfully,
as well by faith, that comes by hearing of God's word, as
also of his precious Supper, the sacrament of his body,
and blood, and passion. He saith, that the heart believes
to righteousness ; (Rom. x.) that is to say, the conscience
and heart of him that is sealed, and assured of the virtue
and grace of God's promises in Christ, believes to righte-
ousness, or is ascertained and knows itself to be righteous
and just before God, because it has consented and received
the mercy of God offered in the gospel through the merits
of Christ. And then the same faith, which God has sealed
in the heart, breaks forth by confession, which confession is
a true fruit of faith to salvation, as it is written by St. Paul
in the same place.

And where this faith is so kindled in the heart, there
can be none other but such a fruit following it; and it
is as possible to have fire without heat or flame, as this
virtue, faith, without the fruit of well doing. And that is it
which St. Paul saith to the Corinthians: " As often as ye
eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, show ye the
Lord's death until he come." Wherein St. Paul requires
a knowledge of Christ in the receiver, not only that he
knew in his mind that Christ died for his sin, and the sin
of the world, and spoke and declared the same death with
his tongue unto others ; but this is the chief and most
principal advantage of Christ's holy Supper, which men
now ungodly call the mass, that the virtue and benefit of
Christ's death, as it is appointed for the remission of
sins, be sealed and fully consented unto in the conscience.
(1 Cor. xi.) And this knowledge of Christ's death, with
the assurance of the virtue, strength, and power thereof
in the heart, will and ought to inflame us to thanksgiving,
and to preach and teach unto others those advantages of
Christ's death, which we know and feel first in ourselves
within our own spirit and heart.

Thus I have tarried longer than I thought, in this matter,
because I would bring myself and all others, as much as
lieth in me, to feel, that knowledge . and talk of virtue and
vice, of God's favour and of God's punishment, is not
sufficient. And to bring myself and all men from

270 Hooper.

knowledge and talk, to feeling, consenting, and a full sur-
rendering of ourselves unto the profit and advantage of the
things which we speak and know ; or else knowledge and
speaking please not God, nor profit ourselves ; as Christ
saith, " Not every man that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt; vii.) Therefore,
David both knew, spoke, and felt in his heart, the favour,
help, and assistance of God, to be with him, into whatso-
ever troubles he should fall, and in that feeling did say he
would not fear. But it may be that I have so written of
virtue and vice to be known of in the mind, spoken of with
the mouth, and felt in the heart, that you may judge and
feel yourselves never to have come to this perfection. For
this is out of doubt, he that hath God's love and fear thus
sealed in his heart, lives in this life rather an angelical-
life, than the life of a mortal man ; and yet it is evident by
king David in this psalm, and by his 121st psalm; and
in many more, that he was so sure, and so well ascertained
of God's present help in his troubles, that he cared no-
thing for death,' or any other adversities that could happen.
And, doubtless,- we perceive by his psalms in many places,
that his faith was as strong as steel, and he trembled not,
nor doubted any thing,- but was in a manner without all
kind of mistrust,' and nothing troubled, whatsoever he saw
contrary to God's promises ; and he passed over them, as
things that could not once withdraw his cogitations from
the truth arid verity of God's promises, which he believed.
As Abraham likewise did ; he staggered not, but with con-
stancy of faith would have killed his own son, so strong
was his faith. (Gen. xxii.)

But as the gift of faith is an incomparable treasure,
thus to know arid feel' that faith overcomes all dangers;
so it makes the heart of him that is sealed with such a
faith to feel joys' and mirth unspeakable. But as this faith
is the gift of God, and comes only from him, so is it in
him only to appoint' the time when it shall come, and
how much and how strongly it shaU be given ; for it is
not at all times- alike, but is sometimes so strong, that
nothing can make the faithful man afraid, no, not death
itself. And sometimes it- is so strong, that it makes
the afflicted man be contented to suffer even death itself,
rather than offend God. But yet it is with much conflict,
great troubles, many heavy and marvellous cogitations,
and sometimes with : such a fear, as the man has much

v. 4.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 27)

ado to see and feel, in the latter end of his heavy conflict,
the victory and upper hand of the temptation. And at
another time the christian man shall find such heaviness,
oppression of sin, and troubles, that he shall not feel so
much as one spark of faith to comfort himself in the
trouble of his mind (as he thinks) ; but that all the
floods and dreadful assaults of desperation have their
course through his conscience. Nothing feels he, but his
own mind and poor conscience, one so to eat the other,
that the conflict is more pain to him than death itself.
He understands that God is able to do all things ; he
confesses with the knowledge of his mind, and with his
tongue in his head, that God is true and merciful ; he
would have his conscience and heart agree thereunto, and
be quiet ; but the conscience is pricked and oppressed
with so much fear and doubt of God's wrath for sin, that
he thinks God can be merciful unto others, but not unto
him. And thus his knowledge, for the time of temptation,
rather troubles him than eases him, because his heart does
not, or rather cannot, consent unto the knowledge ; yet
would he rather than his life, he could consent unto God,
love God, hate sin, and be God's altogether, although he
suffered for it all the pains of the world.

I have known in many good men and many good women
this trouble and heaviness of the spirit for the time, as
though God had quite hidden himself from the afflicted
person, and had wholly forsaken him ; yet at length, the
day of light from above, and the comfort of the Holy
Spirit has appeared, which laid covered under the veil and
covert of bitter cogitations of God's just judgments against
sins. Therefore, seeing that faith at all times has not like
strength in man, I do not speak to discomfort such as at
all times find not their faith as strong as David did in this
psalm ; for I know in the holy saints themselves it was
not always alike, but even in them as in others. And
although we cannot compare with them in all things in
the perfection of their faith, yet may they compare with
us in the weakness of our faith, as you may see by the
scriptures.

In this psalm and in many others, you may perceive that
David, by the constancy and surety he felt in the promises
of God, was so strong, so joyful, and comfortable, in the
midst of all dangers and troubles of death, that he did not
only contemn troubles and death, but also desired death,

?72 Hooper.

and to be dissolved out of this world, as St. Paul and
others did. At another time you shall perceive him to be
strong in faith, but not so joyful, nor yet the troubles so
easy unto him, but that he suffered great battle and con-
flict with his troubles, and for the cause of all troubles, sin
and transgression of God's laws ; as you may see in the
sixth psalm ; where he cried out, " Lord, chasten me not
in thy fury, nor punish me in thy wrath : my soul is sore
troubled; but how long, Lord, wilt thou defer help?"
And of such troubled consciences with conflicts you shall
find oftentimes in the book of Psalms, and in the rest of
God's scriptures, yet you shall find the end of the tempta-
tion to be joyful and comfortable to the weak man that
was so sorely troubled ; for although God suffer a long
fight between his poor soldier and the devil ; yet he gives
the victory to his servant, as you may see in king David.
When he cried out, that both his body and soul were
wearied with the cross of God's punishment, yet he said
at the last, " Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity ;
for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping."
(Psalm vi.) And in others of his psalms you shall per-
ceive his faith more weak, and his soul troubled with such
anguish and sorrow, that it would seem there was no con-
solation in his soiil, nor any show of God's carefulness
towards him. In this state you may see him in the thir-
teenth psalm, where, as a man in a manner destitute of all
consolation, he makes his complaint, saying, " How long
wilt thou forget me ?" The same may be read also in the
forty-third psalm, where he shows that he, his most just
cause, and the doctrine that he professed, were altogether
likely to have been overcome, so that his spirit was in a
manner all comfortless. Then he said to his own soul,
" Why art thou so heavy, my soul ; and why dost thou
trouble me? Trust in the Lord," &c. (Psalm xlii. xliii.)
And in the forty-second psalm he sets forth wonderfully
the bitter fight and sorrowful conflict between hope and
desperation ; wherein he complains also of his own soul
that was so much discomforted, and bids it trust in the
Lord; of the which two places you may learn, that no
man ever had faith at all times alike, but sometimes more
strong, sometimes more weak, as it pleased God to give
it. Let no man, therefore, despair, although he find
weakness of faith ; for it shall make him to humble himself
the more, and be the more diligent to pray to have help,

v. 5.] .Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 273

when he perceives his own weakness ; and, doubtless, at
length the weak man by the strong God shall be brought:
to this point, that he shall in all troubles and adversities
say with the prophet," If I should go through the shadow
and dangers of death, I would not fear, what troubles
soever happen." And he shows his good assurance in the
text that follows, which is the sixth part of this holy and
blessed hymn.

VI. — Whereby the Troubles of God's Elect are

OVERCOME.

The fourth verse continued, and the fifth verse expounded.

For thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table before me, against them that
trouble me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and
my cup shall be full

Seeing thou art with me, at whose power and will all
troubles go and come, I doubt not but to have the victory
and u|pperhand of them, how many and dangerous soever
they are; for thy rod chasteneth me when I go astray,
and thy stafF stayeth me when I should fall — two things
most necessary for me, good Lord ; the one to call me
from my fault and error, and the other to keep me in thy
truth and verity. What can be more blessed than to be
sustained and kept from falling by the staff and strength
of the Most High ? And what can be more profitable,
than to be beaten with his merciful rod, when we go
astray ? For he chasteneth as many as he loveth, and
beateth as many as he receiveth into his holy profession.
Notwithstanding, while we are here in this life, he feeds
us with the sweet pastures of the wholesome herbs of his
holy word, until we come to eternal life ; and when we
put off these bodies, and come into heaven, and know the
blessed fruition and riches of his kingdom, then shall we
not only be his sheep, but also the guests of his everlasting
banquet ; which, Lord, thou settest before all them that
love thee in this world, and dost so anoint and make glad
our minds with thine Holy Spirit, that no adversities nor
troubles can make us sorry.

In this sixth part the prophet declares the old saying
n3

274 Hooper.

amongst wise men, " It is no less mastery to keep' the'
thing that is won, than it was to win it." King David
perceives right well the same; and, therefore, as before in
the psalm he said, the Lord fumed his soul, and led him
into the pleasant pastures, where virtue and justice
reigned, for his name's sake, and not for any righteous 1 -
ness of his own : so saith he now, that being brought into
the pastures of truth and into the favour of the Almighty,-
and accounted and taken for one of his sheep, it is only
God that keeps and maintains him in the same state,
condition, and grace. For he could not pass through the
troubles and shadow of death, as he and all God's elect
people must do, but only by the assistance of God ; and,
therefore, he saith, he passes through all peril because he
was with him.

From this part of the psalm we learn, that all the
strength of man is unable to resist the troubles and perse-
cutions of God's people ; and that the grace and presence
of God is able to defend his people; and nothing but it.
Therefore Saint Paul _ bade the Ephesians be strong
through the Lord, and through the might of his strength ;
for he saith, thai great and many kre our adversaries;
strong and mighty,- who go about not only to weaken us,
but also to overborne Us ; and we, of ourselves, have no
power to withstand. (Eph. vi.) Wherefore he willeth us
to depend and stay only upon God's strength. And St.
Peter also, when he declared the force and malice of the
devil, he willeth us to resist him strongly in faith. (1 Pet.
v.) And St. John saith, that " This is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John v.) And
our - Saviour Christ, when the time was come that he
should depart put of the world corporeally, and he per-
ceived how maliciously and strongly the devil and the
world were bent against his disciples, whom he should
leave in the world as sheep amongst wolves, and how little
strength his poor flock had against such marvellous trou-
bles ; he made his most holy arid effectual prayer for them
present, and them in trouble; and likewise for us that are
how, and also are in trouble, in this sort : " Holy Father,
keep them for thy name's sake, whom thou hast given me."
(John xvii.)

Here every one of God's people has such learning* as
teaches that our help is only in the name of the Lord,
* Instruction.

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty -third Psalm. 275

who made heaven and earth : (Psalm cxxi.) and in this
learning we shall understand two necessary lessons: the
first, that none can defend us but God alone, who is our
protector.jand none but he. And by this learning, he will
beware to ask or seek help of any other, saving of God,
as we are instructed by his holy word. And herein we
honour him, to know and confess that there is none that
can preserve or save us but he alone. The other lesson
is, that our conscience, understanding that God can and
will help us, shall cause us in all trouble to commend our-
selves unto him, and so more strongly and patiently bear
and suffer all troubles and adversities, being assured that
we shall overcome them through him, or else be taken by
them from this world, into a world wherein is no trouble
at all. So said this holy prophet and king, David : " If I
walk in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for thou art
with me." Now in that he saith, "he will not fear," he
means not that a man may see and suffer these perils
without any peril, for then were a man rather a perfect
spiritj than a mortal creature ; but he means that fear
shall not overcome him. For Christ himself feared death,
(Matt, xxvi.) neither is there any man that shall suffer im-
prisonment for Christ's sake, but he shall feel the pains ;
nevertheless, God's Spirit shall give strength to bear them,
and also in Christ to overcome them.

There is no man that can have faith, but sometimes,
and upon some occasion, it may be troubled and assaulted
with mistrust ; no man can have such charity, but that it
may be, yea, and is troubled with hatred ; no man such
patience, but that it may at times feel impatience ; no
man such verity, but that it may be troubled with false-
hood ; howbeit, in the people of God, by God's help, the
best overcomes the worst, and the virtue the sin. But in
case the worst prevail and overcome, the man of God is
never quiet, until he be restored unto God again, and
unto the same virtues that he lost by sin ; as you may
see in this king, by many of his psalms, that he believed,
and found God to defend him, howsoever his state was ;
and therefore attributes unto him the whole victory and
praise of his deliverance, saying, " Thou art with me, and
dost overcome."

But now the prophet declares, how and by what means
God is with him, and delivers him from all troubles. And
this means of God's presence and defence he opens by

276 Hooper,

divers allegories and translations, wonderfully meet and
apt to express the thing that he would show to the world.

The first translation, or allegory, he takes from the
nature of a rod ; the second, of a staff; and he saith, they
comforted him, and defended him ; the third he takes of a
table, which he saith the great Shepherd prepared before
his face, against as many as troubled him : the fourth he
takes from the nature of oil, and of a cup that was always
full, wherewith he was not only satisfied, but also joyfully
replenished in all times and all troubles, whatsoever they
were.

By the rod is many times in the scripture' understood
the punishment and correction that God uses to call home
again, and to amend his elect and beloved people when
they ofTend him : " He punisheth them, and yet killeth
them not ; he beateth them until they know their faults,
but casteth them not away ;" as he said to king David,
(2 Sam. vii.) th,at when he died, his kingdom should come
unto one. of his own children ; and in case he went astray
from his law, he would correct him with the rod of other
princes, and with' the plagues of the sons of men : " But
my mercy I will not take from him, as I did from Saul."

This same manner of speech you may read also in his
eighty-ninth ,psalm ; and in the Proverbs of his son king
Solomon (chap.'x.) you have the same doctrine: "He
that wanteth aheart must have his back beaten with a
rod." And in the same book he saith, " He that spareth
the rod, hateth the child.' So king David here confesses,
that it is a very necessary and requisite way, to keep the
sheep of God from perishing, to be chastened and cor-
rected when they become wanton, and will not hear the
voice of their Shepherd. And it is the part of every wise,
godly man, to love this correction and chastisement of the
Lord ; as Solomon saith, (Prov. xii.) " He that loveth
discipline and correction, loveth knowledge ; he that
hateth to be rebuked, is a fool." And king David saith,
" It is to my great good commodity,* that the Lord chas-
teneth me." (Psalm cxix.) This rod o'f correction, David
saith, is one of the instruments and means wherewith God
preserves his sheep from straying. Now, in the scripture
sometimes the rod is taken, not for correction that amends
a man, but for the punishment and utter destruction of
man, as David saith of Christ, " Thou shalt break them
♦Advantage,

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 277

with an iron rod ;" (Psalm ii.) and in the Apocalypse you
may see the same. (chap, xii.) But I will speak of the,
metaphors and translations no otherwise than David uses
them in this place, for his purpose.

The staff which he speaks of, in scripture is taken for
strength, power, and dominion ; which staff is spoken of,
as you may see, in the books of the Kings ; how the
ambassadors and men of war sent from the king of the
Assyrians to Hezekiah at Jerusalem, called the strength
and power of the Egyptians, and also of the almighty
God, a staff of reed, and a broken weapon, not able to
withstand the king of the Assyrians. (2 Kings xviii.) And
of such manner of speech you may read many times in the
prophets. (Isa. x. xiv. xxviii. xxxix. Ezek. xxix.) But in
this place David confesses that the staff of the Lord, that
is to say, God's power, is so strong that nothing is able to
overcome it : his wisdom is such, that no man can make
it foolishness ; his truth is so true, that no man can make
it false ; his promise is so certain and sure, that no man
can cause him to break or alter it ; his love is so con-
stant, that no man can withdraw it ; his providence is sp
wise, that no man can beguile him ; his care is so great
for his flock, that they can want nothing ; his fold is so
strong, that no beast can break it ; he letteth his sheep in
and out so that no man can deceive him ; he has such a
care of all, that he neglects not one ; he so loves the one,
that he hates not the other ; he so teaches all, that none is
left ignorant ; he so calls one, that all should be adver-
tised ; he so chastens one, that all should beware ; he so
receives one, that all should take hope and consolation ;
he so preserves one, that all the rest may be assured that he
uses his staff and power to comfort one, even king David,
as he saith, " Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me," that
others should assure themselves to be safe under his pro-
tection.

In this metaphor and translation, under the name of a
staff, king David hath declared the power of God to be
such, that in case he should pass by and through thou-
sands of perils, he would not care, for God is with him,,
with his rod and staff.

Then he sets forth the third allegory, and expresses
another means, which God uses for the defence and con-
solation of his poor sheep, and saith, that God hath pre-
pared a table in his. sight against all those that trouble

278 Hooper.

him, By the name of a table, he sets forth the familiar,
and, as it were, fellow-like love, which the omnipotent
God hath towards his . sheep, with whom he not only uses
friendship, but also familiarity; and disdains not, being the
King of kings, to admit and receive unto his table, vile
and beggarly sinners, scabbed and rotten sheep. That
friendship and familiarity is marvellously set forth in this,
that he made a table for David: as though David had
said, " Who is he that can hurt me, when the Lord of
lords not only loves me, but admits me to be always
familiarly in his company V The same manner of speech
is used by king David towards Mephibosheth, Jonathan's
son, when he said he should not only have the fields of
Saul, his grandfather, but also be entertained at his own
table ; that is to say, used friendly, honourably, and fami-
liarly. (2 Sam. ix.) This word, table, is many times
taken otherwise in the scripture ; but in this place it is
nearest to the mind of king David, to take it in this signi-
- fication that I nave noted. And our Saviour Christ takes
it in the same signification, in St. Luke's gospel, where
he saith, his disciples shall eat with him at his table in the
kingdom of God*

The fourth means that the heavenly Shepherd uses in
keeping of his shGep, the prophet setteth forth under the
name of oil, and a full cup. In the word of God these
words also have comfortable signification and meanings,
extending to David's purpose. Isaac, when he had given
the blessing from Esau to Jacdb, said to Jacob, " God
shall give thee of the dew from heaven, and from the fruit-
ful ground thou shalt have abundance of corn, of wine, and
oil," &c. (Geii. xxvii.) By which blessing he means that
Jacob should lack nothing to serve his needs, and to make
him happy. And if we understand David to mean, by
oil* as Isaac did, that at the Lord's table was all plenty,
mirth, and solace, we take him not amiss ; for many times
Oil is so taken for consolation and joy in the scriptures.
When Christ had purged the hurt man's Wounds, first with
smarting wine, he afterwards put into them sweet oil, to
ease the smart and sharpness of the wine. (Luke x.) And
so likewise saith our Saviour Christ to Simon the pharisee,
who gave him meat enough for his dinner, but gave him
no mirth : " Since I came into thy house, thou gavest me
no water for my feet, nor oil for my head : this poor
woman never ceased to wash my feet with the tears of her.

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 279

eye'g, and to anoint them with oil.'' (Luke Vii.) But in
many psalms king David uses this word ' oil,' to signify
the Holy Ghost, as when he speaketh of our Saviour
Christ : " Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity ;
therefore hath God anointed thee with the oil of joy, above
thy fellows." (Psalm xlv.) And this oil is not the mate-
rial oil that kings and priests were anointed with in the
old time of the law, of whose confection we read in the
book of Leviticus : but this is the oil by whose efficacy,
strength, and power, all things were made, that is to say,
the Holy Ghost. And in his eighty-ninth psalm he speaks
of the oil in the same signification. Therefore I take king
David here, when he saith, God has anointed his head with
oil, to mean that God has illuminated his spirit with the
Holy Ghost. And so is this place understood by godly men,
his head taken for his mind, and oil for the Holy Ghost.
And as oil nourishes light, mitigates labours and pains,
and exhilarates the countenance, so the Holy Ghost nou-
rishes the light and knowledge of the mind, replenishes it
with God's gifts, and rejoices the heart : therefore, the
Holy Ghost is called the oil of mirth and consolation. And
this consolation comes unto king David, and to all God's
lively members, by the means of Christ, as St. Peter saith,
" We are people chosen, and a princely priesthood," &c.
(2 Pet. ii.)

By the Word ' cup,' in this verse, he means that he is
fully instructed in all godly knowledge, to live virtuously
and godly for the time of this mortal life ; and so is the
cup in the scripture taken for any thing that can happen
unto us, whether it be adversity or prosperity, for they are
called cups : as Christ said of his death, " Father, if it be
possible, take this cup from me." (Matt, xxvi.) And
David, in the sixteenth psalm, uses it for man's prosperity
in God. " Vhe Lord (saith he) is the portion of mine
inheritance, and of my cup." And therein he speaks in
the name of Christ, whose inheritance is the whole num-
ber of the faithful, and saith, that his inheritance, which is
the church, by God's appointment is blessed and happy ;
for no adversity can destroy it. This is meant by David's
words, the rod, the staff, the table, the oil, and the cup :
and he uses all these words to declare the carefulness,
love, and defence of God towards miserable man. And
he could the better speak thereof unto others, because he
had so many times felt and experienced that God was

280 Hooper.

both strong and faithful towards him in all time of danger
and adversity.

And here is to be noted, that the dangers that man is
subject unto in this life, are not alone such as heretofore
king David made mention of, as sickness, treason, sedi-
tion, war, poverty, banishment, and the death of the body ,
but he felt also, as every man of God shall feel and per-
ceive, that there are greater perils and dangers which man
stands in jeopardy of, than these are, by occasion of sin,
the mother of all man's adversity. Sin brings a man into
the displeasure and indignation of God ; the indignation
of God brings a man into the hatred of God ; the hatred
of God brings a man into despair and doubtfulness of
God's forgiveness ; despair brings a man into everlasting ,
pain ; and everlasting pain continues and punishes the
damned creature with fire never to be quenched, with
God's anger and displeasure, which cannot be reconciled
nor pacified.

These are the troubles of all troubles, and sorrows of all
sorrows, as our Saviour Christ declares in his most hea-
venly prayer to his heavenly Father, in St. John. " I do
not pray, that thou shouldest take thqse that I pray for out
of the world, but that thou preserve them from the evil."
(John xvii.) And in this prayer he has wonderfully taught
us, that a christian man is subject to two kinds of troubles ;
one of the body, and another of the soul ; one of the
world, and another of the devil. As for the troubles of
the world, he saith, it is not so expedient that christian
men be delivered from them, lest in idleness we should
seek ourselves, and not God, as the children of Israel did.
But this he knew was most necessary, that the Father
should preserve us in the midst of these troubles, with his
help, from all sin and transgression of his holy laws : and
this he assured his disciples of, and all others that put
their trust in him, not that they should in this life be pre-
served and kept from troubles and adversities ; but that
the heavenly Father should always give unto his people such
strength and virtue against all the enemies of God, and
man's salvation, that they should not be overcome with
troubles, who put their trust in him.

For God suffers and appoints his people to fight and
make war with sin, and with all troubles and sorrows that
sin brings with it : but God will never permit his to be
deadly and mortally wounded. It is, therefore, expedient

V. &.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm, 281

that man should know who are his greatest foes, and work
him most danger.

There are divers psalms, wherein he sets forth the peril
that he was in, as well in his body as in his soul ; as when
he complains of his banishment, not only amongst cruel
people, but also the ungodly, who sought to take both his
mortal life from him, and also his religion and trust that
he had in God's word. Wherefore he compares them to
the Tartarians and Arabians, men without pity or religion.
(Psal cxx.) And the like he afterwards does in another
psalm, where, giving thanks for his delivery, he saith that
sinners trod upon his back, and many times warred against
him, and he should have been overthrown if God had not
helped him. (Psalm cxxix.) Wherein he speaks not only
of battle with the sword against the body, but also of
heresy and false doctrine against the soul. As you may
see how Sennacherib and Julian the apostate, two em-
perors, 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 cruelest,
and of all enemies the principal, that would take the
soul of man from God's word, and bring it to the word of
man. And persecution and trouble openly against God's
word continued many years, until Christ was preached
abroad, and princes made christians. Then the devil
thought his kingdom would have been overthrown, and
christian men might live in Christ's religion, without any
trouble or war for religion : howbeit, at length, for sin the
devil entered by subtle means, not only to corrupt true
religion, but also persecuted the true professors thereof
under the name of true religion ; and therein used a mar-
vellous policy and craft, by men that walked inordinately
amongst the christians themselves. From whose com-
panies, sects, and conversation, St. Paul wills us to refrain
by these words: "We command you, brethren, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye refrain from every
one that is accounted a brother, that uses himself inordi-
nately, and not according to the institution he received of
us." (2 Thes. iii.) And because you have not taken heed
of this holy commandment, and kept yourselves from dan-
ger and peril of heresy, sin, idolatry, and superstition, by
the rod and staff of God, nor have eaten your meat of
religion at God's table, nor have your minds been anointed
with the Holy Ghost, as David in this psalm saith that he

282> Hooper. ■ -

was defended and maintained against all troubles by these
means, so that no peril of the body by the sword, nor peril
of the soul by false doctrine, could hurt him — therefore
mark a little, and see the dangers that have hurt both you
and your consciences also ; and which are not likely to be
healed, as far as I can see, but to be still more hurt here-
after. For the way to heal' a man is to expel and put
away sickness, arid not to increase and continue sickness.
From whom think you that- St. Paul commands you to
refrain in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ? He saith,
" From him that behaveth himself inordinately.'' Who is
that, think you? St. Paul saith, He that rules not himself
after the rule and institution that he himself had taught
the Thessalonians. So that we must then refrain from all
such as conform not themselves to the institution of St.
Paul • yea, although he be an angel from heaven. (Gal. i.)
This departure frbm such as have ruled and put forth
errors and lies, is not new, but has been used in England
by Englishmen : more than twenty years since we de-
parted from the see of Rome, by reason of the ambition of
the Roman bishops who transgressed both this ordinance
of St. Paul and also of Christ. Of the which deadly and
pestilent ambition the prophet Ezekiel prophesied, (chap,
xxxiv.) and so did also St. Paul ; (Acts xx.) if prophecies
by God, and commandments by his holy apostles, had pre-
vailed in our dull and naughty hearts. Read the places,
and see yourselves what is spoken of such wicked shep-
herds. I put you in mind of this wicked see, because I
perceive that, contrary to the word of God, contrarj to
the most godly laws of the realm against the pope's
supremacy; against all our oath's who are Englishmen,
and against 'all the old godly writers, this antichrist and
member of the devil is not unlikely to' havte the rale over
your souls again, which (God forbid. I exhort all men,
therefore, to beware of him, as of one that came naughtily
to such usurped authority; and whose authority is not
only the trouble of all christian realms and princes, but
alsfr of all christian souls. And as he always has been a 1
trouble unto the one, so has he been a destruction to the
other : as I will a little declare unto you, that you may
know him the better, and so by the rod and staff of 'God's
word defend yourselves from him.

The Greek church, for this ambition of the Romish
bishop, separated herself from the church of Rome, and

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 283

would not have to do with her ; for after the Greeks knew
that the bishops of Rome meant to take from them their
liberties, they would not endure it : yet the Romish bishops
always, to come to the supremacy, picked quarrels and
matters to fall out upon, first with the clergy and then
with the laity. Platina writes how Pius, bishop of Rome,
being deceived by one Hermes, a very evil man, began a
new order about the keeping of Easter-day, and altered
the time that the apostles and their disciples used, until
Pius's days, which was to celebrate and keep the day of
the resurrection of our Saviour Christ the fourteenth day
of the first month, which is with the Jews our March.*
And although it be well done to- keep it upon the Sunday,
yet it was a horrible presumption upon so light a cause to
excommunicate the Greek church, and to make division
where before was union. It came to pass : in Victor the
first's time, which was about the year of our Lord 200, and
in the time of Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons, the disciple of
John 1 the Evangelist, this Victor would have condemned the
Greek church, and proceeded with excommunication against
it, had not Irenaeus hindered it: yet was it the elder
church, and had continued in the doctrine of the apostles
from Christ's time, and had John the Evangelist amongst
them for the space of threescore and eight years after
Christ's ascensson. And notwithstanding the Greek church
was the elder church, yet the Roman church was made
equal with them, according to the doctrine of Christ and
his apostles, and also according to the decree that was
made in the general council at Nice.t And the Greek
church never contended with the Romish church for the
supremacy, until 1 a proud and arrogant monk, that feigned
humility, was preferred to be bishop of Constantinople ;
who came to such arrogance of spirit, that he would have
been- taken for the universal head of the church ; which was
a very mark to know that he was of antichrist, and not of
Christ, as Gregory the great wrote to Constantia the em-
press : and at length this proud monk, at a synod kept at
Constantinople, created himself the universal head of the
church. J Although, before his time, one Menna and other

* About a. D. 155. The eastern christians kept the feast on the
fourteenth day of the first Jewish month without regard to the day
of the week on which it fell. Mosheim gives a particular account
of this dispute. t a. d. 325.

t John, bishop of Constantinople, assembled a council A. D. 588,
and assumed the title of universal bishop.

g84 Hooper.

archbishops of Constantinople, for the dignity of the im-
perial state being there, were called universal patriarchs ;
yet that was by name alone, and without execution of au-
thority in any foreign bishopric or church. But such was
the ambition of these bishops, that walked, as St. Paul
saith, inordinately, that they would have the head and
principality of religion and of ^the church at Constan-
tinople, because there was the head and principality of
the worldly kingdom. And so they began betimes to
confound the civil policy with the policy of the church,
until they brought themselves not only to be heads of
the church, but also lords of all emperors and kings,
and at the last of God and God's word : as ruthfully*
appears in men's consciences at the present day. Which
abomination and pride, Pelagius II., the bishop of Rome,
both spake and wrote against, and would that neither he nor
any man else should have the name of a general bishop.
And Gregory I. confirms the same godly sentence of his
predecessor Pelagius, and would not, when he was com-
manded by the emperor, whom John the bishop had
deceived, take the archbishop of Constantinople for the uni-
versal head, nor condescend unto the emperor's command-
ment, but wrote to the empress that it was contrary to the
ordinance of Christ and his apostles, and contrary to the
council of Nice. He said also, that such new arrogance
was a true token that the time of antichrist drew nigh.
And Gregory not only wrote and spoke against this arro-
gance and pride, but suffered also great danger, as Platina
writes, and so did all Rome, by the Lombards, whom
Mauritius the emperor made to besiege Rome, because
Gregory refused to obey the archbishop of Constantinople
as the head of the church.

But although Pelagius, Gregory, and other godly men,
detested and abhorred this wicked arrogance to be the
universal head of the church, yet the bishop of Ravenna
began among the Latins to prepare the way to antichrist,
as Paulus Diaconus saith, and separated, himself from the
society of other churches, to the intent he might come to
be a head himself. But what at length came of it Platina
writes. And within a short time after, Boniface the third,
being the bishop of Rome, about the year of our Lord 607,
Phocas, the emperor, judged him to be head of the church,
against both the bishop of Constantinople, and also of
* Grievously, ruinously.

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 285

Ravenna : and such a sentence was meet for such an arbi-
ter. Phocas was a wicked man, a covetous man, an adul-
terer, and a traitorous murderer of his lord and master
Mauritius ; and this man, to make God and the Romans
amends, gave sentence that the bishop of Rome should be
the universal head of the church ! But here were con-
temned the sentence and doctrine of Christ and his apos-
tles, and also the decrees of the holy council of Nice
And no marvel • for they condemned both parties of arro-
gance and usurpation ; and not only these councils, but
all others, for many years, which decreed, that although
one seat was named before the other, yet the bishop of the
principal seat should not be the chief priest or head of the
rest, but only he should be called the bishop of the chief
seat; and how much it is against St. Cyprian, they may
see that will read his works, and also against St. Jerome.
But what law can rule wickedness ? This wicked see con-
tended still, after Phocas had given sentence with it, for
the supremacy ; yet the bishops of Rome were always sub-
ject to the emperors, as well of Constantinople as of
France, for the time of their reign; yea, four hundred
years and odd, after the judgment of Phocas, they were in
this obedience, and were made by the emperors until the
time of Gregory the seventh, who, in the time of great
sedition, translated the empire into Germany ; and they
never used jurisdiction over emperors, or kings, nor yet over
the citizens of Rome ; but only desired to have all bishops'
causes to be judged by the see of Rome, yet could not
obtain so much in those days, as appears by the council
of Africa, where Boniface the first could not obtain with
craft, nor with his lies, what he made of the canons decreed
in the council of Nice, to have causes deferred to the see
of Rome.

And as for this name, ' Pope,' it was a general name
to all bishops, as appears in the epistles of Cyprian,
Jerome, Augustine, and other old bishops and doctors,
who were more holy and better learned than these later
ambitious and glorious enemies of Christ and Christ's
church. Read the text, (Distinct. 50, Hist. lib. ii.
cap, xxvii.) and there shall you see that the clergy of
Rome, in their letters, called Cyprian pope ; and Clodo-
vius, the king of France, named the bishop of Rome, as
he did other bishops, only as a bishop.

This was the state of the primitive church, which was

286 Hooper.

both near unto Christ in time, and like unto him in doc-
trine, and kept St. Paul's equality, where, as he saith,
(Gal. ii.) he was appointed among the Gentiles, as Peter
was among the Jews. And although the bishops, in the
time of Constantine the great, obtained, that, among
bishops, there should be some that should be called arch-
bishops and metropolitans; yet they were not institu-
ted to be heads generally of the church, but that they
should take more pains to see the church well ordered and
instructed: and yet this pre-eminence was at the liberty
and discretion of princes, and not always bound unto one
place, and one sort of prelates, as the wickedness of our
time believes: as you may see in the .councils of Chalce-
don and Africa. So that it is manifest, this superior pre-
eminence is not of God's laws, but of man's, instituted for
a civil policy: and so was the church of Constantinople
equal with 4he church of Rome. And, in our days, Eras-
mus Roterodamus writes and says, This name, to be high
bishop of the world, was not known to the old church:
but that bishops were all called high priests ; and that
name Urban the first gave unto all bishops. But as for
one to be head of all, it was not admitted. And the Greek
church never agreed to this wicked supremacy, nor obeyed
it until the year of our Lord 1202, when compelled there-
unto by one Baldwin, that brought the Frenchmen, by the
help of the Venetians, unto Constantinople, to restore one
Alexius unto the empire, upon this condition, that he
should subdue the Greek church to the, church of Rome.
But this came to pass, that the pope, never after he had
gotten by alms and help of princes to be over them, cared
one jot for the emperor of Constantinople further than he
served his turn. So that you may see both his beginning
and proceedings to be of the devil ; which, if you kill not
with the staff of God's word, and beat him from your con-
science, he will double-kill your souls.

Now, within one hundred and fifty years after Phocas
had made the bishop of Rome head of the church, the
bishop of Rome contemned the emperor of Constantinople,
and devised to bring the empire into France, and to give
the king of France the same authority over the bishop of
Rome which formerly the emperor had, as, it appears in
Charles the great, and his successors, a long time : and
yet was the bishop of Rome under the princes,, and not, as
he is now, an idol exempt from all order and obedience.

v. 5.] Exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm. 287

For princes made the bishops of Rome, and all other
bishops, within their realms, and so continued the making
of the pope in the emperor's authority, until it was about
the year of our Lord 1110. After that, the emperor,
Henry the fifth, being sore molested with sedition, moved
against him by pope Paschal the second, was constrained,
at length, to surrender his authority unto him, who turned
the face of his bishopric into manifest wars. What fol-
lowed when the pope was thus free, and lived without
obedience to the christian magistrates, I will not, in this
treatise, make mention ; but put you in remembrance, that,
for certainty, there followed such trouble among christian
princes, as never was before ; as it is to be seen by the
doing of the wicked man, pope Gregory the seventh, who
took then upon him to have authority to use two swords,
the spiritual and the temporal ; insomuch that the empe-
ror, Henry the fourth, was compelled, threescore and two
times, to make war in his life, by the means of the bishop
of Rome. And as it is written, (Alberus Crantzius, Eccle-
siast. Hist. lib. vi.) this wicked bishop stirred up the
emperor's own brother-in-law, Radulphus, the duke of
Suevia, to war against him, and sent him a crown of gold
with this verse graven on it : " Christ gave the empire to
Peter, Peter gives it to Radulph." Meaning that Christ
had given the worldly empire to the bishop of Rome, and
he gave it to Radulph. You may see what a rod the
emperors made for themselves. For, after they had made
the bishop of Rome head of the church, the bishops made
themselves shortly after the heads of emperors and kings :
— a just plague of God for all those that will exalt such
to rule, as God said should be ruled.

These bishops were not only proud, but also unthank-
ful. For whereas all the world knows the bishop's autho
rity to come from the emperor in worldly things, and not
from God, but against God ; this monster, pope Gregory
the seventh, said, that Christ gave him the empire of
Rome, and he gave license to the duke of Suevia,
Radulpn, to kill his good brother, the emperor, Henry
the fourth. He that will know more of this wicked man,
and of his brethren bishops of Rome, let him read Benno
the cardinal, who writes in his History of the Popes, what
he saw of the popes, and John the twentieth, Benedict the
ninth, Silvester the third, Gregory the sixth, Leo the ninth,
Alexander the second. But in his old days he saw and

288 Hooper.

wrote horrible and execrable things of pope Gregory the
seventh. Yet was England free from this beast of Rome
then, compared with what it was before the idol was ex-
pelled in our king Henry the eighth's time. But Alex-
ander the third never rested to move meu to sedition until
such time as king Henry the seventh was content to be
under him as others were. And all this England suffered
for Thomas a Becket, the pope's martyr !

When they were crept up into this high authority, all
their own creatures, the bishops of their sect, the cardinals,
priests, monks, and friars, would never be contented to be
under the obedience of the princes . and, to say the truth,
princes durst not require it, for they were in danger of
goods and life. And the emperor, Henry the seventh,
was poisoned by a monk, who poisoned the idol of the
mass, a god and minister meet to poison men, and both
of the pope's making!* And what conscience did they
make of this, think you ? Doubtless none at all ; for the
pope saith, and so do all his children, that they can dispense
ind .absolve themselves, and all men, from what oaths
soever they have made to God or man. This enemy, with
his false doctrine, is to be resisted and overcome by the
word of God, or else he will destroy both body and soul.
Therefore, against all his crafts and abominations, we
must have the rod, the staff, the table, the oil, and the
cup, that David speaks of, in readiness to defend ourselves
withal.

Now follows the last part of this holy hymn.

VII. — What the End of God's troubled People

SHALL BE.

Ver. 6.— Thy loving kindness shall follow me all the days
of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for
ever.

I will, in the midst of all troubles, be strong and of
good cheer ; for I am assured, that thy mercy and good-
ness will never forsake me, but will continually preserve
me in all dangers of this life : and when I shall depart
from this bodily life, thy mercy will bring me into that
house of thine eternal joys, where I shall live with thee in
everlasting felicity.

* Poison was put into the wafer administered to the emperor.
See numerous authorities cited in Foulis' history of Romish trea-
sons, chap. ir.

v. 5.J Exposition of the Tweniy-third Psalm. 2S9

Of this part we learn, that the dangers of this life are
no more than God can and will put from us, or preserve
us in them, when they come unto us without danger ;
also, that the troubles of this world are not perpetual nor
damnable for ever, but that they are only sent from God,
for a time, to exercise and prove our faith and patience.
At the last we learn, that, the troubles being ended, we
begin and shall continue for ever in endless pleasure and
consolation, as David shows at the end of his psalm. So
Christ makes an end with his disciples, when he has com-
mitted them, for the time of this life, to the tuition of the
heavenly Father, whilst he is bodily absent ; he saith, at
length, they shall be where he is himself, in heaven for ever.
For in this life, although the faithful of God have consolation
in God's promises, yet their joy is very dark and obscure,
by reason of troubles both without and within : outwardly,
by persecution ; inwardly, by temptation. Therefore, Christ
desires his Father to lead and conduct his church in truth
and verity, whilst it is here in fight and persecution with
the devil, until it come to a perfect and absolute consolation,
where no trouble may molest it. For then, and not before,
to what perfection soever we come, shall we be satisfied, as
David saith : " The plentifulness of pleasure and joy is in
the sight and contemplation of thee, O Lord!" (Psalm xvi.)
For then shall the mind of man be fully satisfied, when he,
being present, may speedily behold the glorious majesty
of God ; for God hath then all joys present to him that is
present with Him, and then man knoweth God, as he is
known of God. (1 Cor. xiii.) These joys, in the end of
troubles, should give the troubled man the more courage
to bear troubles patiently, and be persuaded, as St. Paul
teaches, that the troubles of this present life are not worthy
of the joys to come, which shall be revealed to us when
Christ cometh to judge the quick and the dead. (Rom.
viii.) To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be
all honour and praise, world without end. Amen.

AN

EXPOSITION

OF THE

SIXTY-SECOND PSALM.

THE ARGUMENT.

The prophet, in this psalm, declares, by his own experi-
ence, how the truth of God's word, and such as favour and
follow the same, are esteemed and used in the world b 1 '
worldly men, — the truth itself rejected, and the lovers
thereof slandered and persecuted. And seeing truth and
true men, before the prophet's time, in his time, and after
his time, were thus miserably afflicted ; in this psalm he
writes his own condition and miseries, with certain and
most comfortable remedies, by which ways the afflicted
person may best comfort himself, and pass over the bitter-
ness and dangers of his troubles, and suffer them patiently,
as long as God lays them upon him. So that whosoever,
from the feeling of his heart can say this psalm, and use
the remedies prescribed , therein by the Spirit of God ;
doubtless he shall be able to bear the troubles both of the
devil and man patiently, and contemn them strongly.

The parts of the Psalm are two in number.

I. In the first is contained, how that the favour of God,
and his help, are able to remedy all adversities.

II; In the second is contained, that the favour of man.
and his help, are able to redress no adversities.

The first part comprehends eight verses of the psalm.
The second part contains the other four verses that next
follow to the end of the psalm.

Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 291

These two general parts contain more particular parts
in them, in number six.

i First, what is to be done by the christian man that is
afflicted.

ii. The second part shows why the troubled man, in
trouble, looks for help of God.

in. The third part declares how suddenly God can de ■
stroy the persecutors of the truth.

iv. The fourth part contains the repetition of the first
and the second part, with more causes shown why
trouble is to be borne patiently ; and why it is faithfully
to be believed that God can and will remedy it.

v. The fifth part declares, that man's power is not to
be feared, nor his friendship to be trusted unto ; for no
man is able to damn or save.

vi. The sixth part sets forth, that God has promised
to help the afflicted, and will assuredly perform it.

The Psalm with the parts before-named, where they begin,
and where they end.

1. " My soul truly waiteth still upon God."
The first part teaches a man to flee unto God in the time
of oppression and trouble.

1, 2. " For of him cometh my salvation : he verily is my
strength and my salvation ; he is my defence, so shall I
not greatly fall."

The second part of the Psalm, that declares why the
troubled man trusts in God.

3. " How long will ye imagine mischief against every
man? Ye shall be slain all the sort of you: yea, as a
tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.

4. " Their device is only how to put him out, whom
God will exalt : their delight is in lies : they give good
words with their mouth, but curse with their heart.
Selah."

The third part of the Psalm, wherein is shown, that sud-
denly the persecutors of the innocent shall perish

5. " Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God,
for my hope is in him.

6. " He truly is my strength and my salvation ; he is
my defence, so that I shall not fall.

o 2

S92 Hooper.

7. "In God is ray health and my glory, the rock of
my might ; and in God is my trust.

8. " O put your trust in him always, ye people ; pour
out your hearts before him, for God is our hope. Selah."

In these four verses is contained the fourth part ; wherein
is mentioned the repetition of the two first verses.

9. " As for the children of men, they are but vain ; the
children of men are deceitful upon the weights ; they are
altogether lighter than vanity itself.

10. " O trust not in wrong and robbery; give not your-
selves to vanity: if riches increase, set not your hearts
upon them."-

Here is the fifth part, that teaches no trust to be put in
man ; for he is not able to damn or save.

11. " God spake once, and twice I have also heard the
same, that power belongs unto God :

12. " And that thou, Lord, art merciful, for thou re-
wardest every man according to his work."

In these two verses is comprehended the sixth part, which
is, that God has promised to be merciful in helping the
afflicted, and that he will perform his promises.

A brief Explanation of the Psalm generallv.

" My soul, doubtless, waiteth still upon God," &c. Be
my troubles ever so great and dangerous, yet my soul
shall trust continually and constantly in the Lord, who
can and will remedy them ; for he is my strength and my
salvation, and he is my defence.

" So shall I not greatly fall." Although, good Lord,
by reason of my infirmity and sin, which is in all men, my
soul is weak and feeble, so that' it will be oppressed with
the lightest of all thy troubles, which thou layest upon
man for his sin ; yet, when it takes hold of thy mercy, it
waxes strong. And although it is weak and trembling by
reason of infirmity, yet it does not wholly fall from the
trust of constancy and hope.

And let the wicked imagine their wicked imaginations
against thy poor servants, O God ; yet at length they shall
come to shame and destruction, as the tottering wall does
fall, and the rotten hedge is consumed with fire. For

v. 1.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 293

what they go about, they shall never bring to pass, be-
cause they devise to put him to shame whom God has
purposed to exalt and magnify. And whatsoever double-
ness they use to speak fair with their mouths, and yet have
false and hollow hearts, it shall not bring their intent to
their purposed end, Selah. God be thanked, on whom
depends all the hope of my salvation ; and he is my
strength, my salvation, and my defence, so that I shall not
fall.

Wherefore, all christians and afflicted persons, saith the
prophet, follow mine example, and put all your hope and
trust in the mercy of God, who only saves us from evil,
and blesses us with all goodness. Pour out, therefore, all
your cares and heaviness before him, and look assuredly
for help from him, for, doubtless, the help of man is
nothing worth ; for " if man and vanity were both weighed
in a pair of balances, vanity itself would be weightier than
man ! How, then, can so light a thing as man is, help
in the time of trouble?" And as a man is but vanity,
or else more vain than vanity ; so are all worldly riches
that man possesses, and as little or less able to help an
afflicted man, as man is unable to help himself.

And this I know, saith the prophet, not by man's wis-
dom, but by the mouth of God, that whatsoever help man
looks for, besides God, he may be assured at all times to
be both helpless and comfortless; and trusting to God,
he shall be at all times both helped and comforted ; for so
saith the Lord, whose sayings no power is able to falsify
or to resist.

What things are to be noted out of every particular part
. of this Psalm, for the edifying and comfort of him that
shall say, sing, or meditate upon, this Psalm.

THE FIRST PART.

Verse 1. My soul truly waiteth still upon God.

From the first part, wherein is contained what the
christian should do in the time of trouble, is to be noted
what it is for a man to have his soul waiting still upon
God ; or else to have silence always in his soul towards
God in the days of adversity, as this psalm speaks. When
the christian man or woman, in the time of sorrow and

294 Hooper*

heaviness, without grudge or impatience looks for the help
of God, and gives not himself to quarrelling or complain-
ing of God, as though he did him wrong, and punished
him too much, then the soul waits upon the Lord ; or
else hath silence towards God, as we see by Job, where
his soul still attended upon the Lord. When his goods,
cattle, house, and children were taken from him, he said,
" The Lord gave them, the Lord hath taken them away ;
as the Lord is pleased, so is it done. The name of the
Lord be blessed." (Job i.) All this while he bore the
cross' of God without murmur or grudge, and had his soul
still waiting upon God, as the psalmist here saith. But
when he was burdened further, and from the sole of the
foot to the top of the head was stricken with sores and
blotches, he cursed the day that he was born in, and the,
night wherein he was conceived, with many more unquiet
and lamentable words, as appears in his book.

The like example we have of king David in the book
of the Psalms, where are these words : " In trouble and
adversity I said, I was cast away from the sight of thine
eyes, O God.'.'&c. (Psalm xxxi.) And as Job said, if he
should die, yet would he trust in the Lord (Job xiii.
xvii.) ; so said David, if he should go in the midst of the
shadow of death, he would not fear. (Psalm xxiii.) In
which psalm you may see how constantly his soul waiteth
upon the Lord : yet in the thirty-first psalm his troubles
were so great, that in them he said, " I am cast from the
sight of thee, O God." So that these testimonies and
examples of the scriptures declare, that to have the soul
to wait upon the Lord, is to be assured that God will help
in trouble, and patiently to bear the trouble without
grudge, until God send remedy and help for it.

The second thing to be gathered of this first part is, to
mark and see, that in the very elect of God, and most
excellent personages amongst holy men, there is sometimes
quiet, patient, and thankful sufferance of adversity ; that
there seems in the soul of him that is troubled to be such
constant and strong faith, that it makes all sorrows and
troubles rather pleasant and sweet, than heavy, burden-
some, or painful. At another time troubles seem unto
them so heinous and grievous, that the burden of them is as
great a pain as death, not only in unquieting the body, but
also in very sore vexing of the spirit, with these and the
like cogitations : " God hath cast me out of his sight ;

v. 1.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 295

God will have mercy upon me no more ; my soul is heavy
and troubled. (Psalm xxxi. xlii. xliii. lxxvii.) And this
diversity of increase and decrease of faith and hope of
holy men and women before our time, teaches us great
wisdom and consolation ; wisdom, in that we see faith
and hope are not natural qualities in man, although he is
ever so virtuous, or ever so graciously elected by God to
eternal salvation ; but they are the merciful gifts of God
given unto man for Christ's sake, and wrought by the Holy
Ghost above man's deservings. •

We learn, also, that the gifts of God, faith, hope, and
charity , L patience and sufferance, with such like virtues, are
not at all times of like condition and strength in man, but
at some time so strong, that nothing can frighten us, and
at another time so weak, that all things make us dismayed
and fearful. Now and then it is so doubtful, that we can-
not tell whether it were best to suffer for the truth, or else
to be released by consenting unto falsehood. Thus God
uses his gifts in us, not always after one sort, but partly
for our sins, and partly to prove us, and to bring us to a
certain knowledge of our infirmity and weakness. From
Saul, Judas, and Cain, he took his Spirit wholly, to punish
their iniquity and wickedness ; and from Job to try his
patience, and to make him feel that of himself he could
bear nothing.

We learn consolation out of this text, that in our trou-
bles the Lord forsakes us not, but comforts us ; and the
more our troubles and adversities are, the more is his
grace and favour towards us. As the prophet saith in
another of his psalms : " As adversities oppressed my
heart, so thy consolations, Lord, rejoiced me :" (Psalm
xciv.) in the which psalm you may see what consolation
the afflicted conscience takes in adversities.

The psalm is made against the wicked oppressors and
persecutors of the poor * wherein they say, " As the
tyranny of the wicked troubles us, so thy consolations,
good Lord, rejoice and comfort us." And the same saith
St Paul to the Corinthians: "As the afflictions of Christ
abound in «is, even so by Christ our consolation abounds."
(2 Cor. i.)

There is also to be noted, that the prophet saith, " his
soul waiteth upon the Lord."

Many men can dissemble injuries, wrongs, and oppres-
sions outwardly : (Matt, x, xxvi. John xi. xviii. Luke xix.)

296 Hooper.

sometimes, when they are not able to, revenge ; and some-
times, when they dare not revenge, for lack of opportunity
and occasion, lest more harm might ensue. As the Jews
durst not kill Christ a great while, for fear of the people ;
yet were they murderers in their hearts before God, the
fact outwardly not then being done. Some again revenge
not, because they think dissembled patience will gain
Worldly advantages and riches. Howbeit, this quietness
and refraining from revenge is nothing worth before God.
But when the heart and soul wait upon God, and are
contented to be as God makes them, that waiting and
service of the soul the Lord delights in, and is pleased
with.

This is a godly doctrine, and much to be desired, to
have the mind contented with such things as are trouble-
some and painful to the body : and where the mind waits
not patiently upon the Lord in trouble, it will appear
divers ways. Sometimes, many years after the displeasure
is done, the man that suffered the displeasure revenges it
wrongfully and cruelly ; as the pharisees and the high;
priests deferred the bloody deed of the killing of Christ
until they had got time and opportunity for their purpose.
Sometimes the. impatience and uuquietness of the inind'
appears by checks and taunting answers unto God ; as
when God asked Cain, where his brother Abel was ; he,
asked God again, whether he were his brother's keeper or
not ? (Gen. iv.) In the same way Pharaoh's unquietness
appeared. When God would have had him dismiss his
people, he asked what God he was, unto whom he should
do such homage and service. (Exod. v.) Sometimes it
appears by desperate weighing the greatness of trouble,
not considering the mercy of God, that is greater than
sin. As Cain's unquiet soul for the killing of Abel
brought his tongue to blaspheme the mercy of God, say-
ing, that his iniquity was greater than the mercy of God
could forgive ; (Gen. iv.) so did the wicked soul of Judas,
who betrayed Christ, make his tongue confess before the
pharisees his treason and wickedness, and never call upon
Christ for the remission thereof. (Matt, xxvii.) Some-
times the impatience of the mind is known outwardly, by
finding faul't with God's works : as when Adam's mind
was disquieted for the eating of the apple, he said unto
God, that his wife, the woman that he gave unto him,
deceived him. (Gen, iii.) Ahab the wicked king being

v. 1.] Exposition of the Sixty -second Psalm. 297

impatient with the scourges that God sent, upon his realm
for his own sins and the peopie's, picked a quarrel with
the good prophet Elias, and said, that he troubled all
his realm. (1 Kjngs xviii.) So said the Jews against
Paul : " This is lie that troubleth all the world.'' (Acts
xxi. xxiii.)

This is daily seen whenever the mind and the soul are
disquieted, the fault is laid' upon God's work ; as if the
higher powers hang a true man, and save a thief; deliver
Barabbas, and hang. Christ; straightway the tongue says,
that he is set in authority by God. Indeed, so he is, but
yet to punish the evil, and to maintain the good, and not
to molest the good, and maintain the evil, as commonly
now-a-days is seen. Simon Magus shall be at liberty, and
Simon Peter in chains ; Annas and Caiaphas shall rule
like lords; Christ and St. Paul shall be ruled, and suffer
death ; although not personally in their own bodies, yet in
their members and disciples.

Let the mind of the thief be touched for theft ; straight-
way poverty, the work of God, bears the blame. Let
whoredom vex the whoremonger's mind ; immediately the
tongue complains upon God's work, youth, strength, and
such other. Let the mind be troubled with covetousness ;
by and by God's work, wife and children, are alleged for
excuse, for they must be provided for, saith the covetous
man, when he hath enough for himself and ten times as
many more children as God has sent him, if it were
thankfully used towards God, and liberally towards the
world. So that if any man be touched with anguish or
heaviness ,for sin, immediately the tongue saith, he was
born under an evil planet, or in an evil hour, and so finds
fault with the work of God, which God made excellently
good. (Gen. i.)

Thus may you see, where the soul of man waits not
upon God, the impatient man accuses God and all his
works, both in heaven and in earth. But the godly, feel-
ing the rod of God for sin and iniquity, (Prov. xviii.) as
God never punishes without just cause, he first accuses
himself, and acknowledges his own offences ; and then
saith with the prophet Micah, " I will suffer the indigna-
tion of God, for I have deserved it." (Mic. vii.)

To this waiting upon the Lord without quarrelling ami
desperate lamenting, Jeremiah the prophet exhorted the
children of Israel, for the time of their being in servitude
o3

298 , Hooper.

and captivity at Babylon ; bidding them to plant and graft
trees, and so to provide for themselves, until the time of
their affliction and captivity were expired.

Men may lament their sins and the troubles that they
suffer for sin; as we may see how the psalm contains
the bewailing and weeping of the people, that sat heavily
and lamentably by the river side in Babylon. (Psalm
cxxxvii.) And the like you may read in the Lamentations
of Jeremiah. But this mourning was without desperation
and quarrelling, as the letters and books record. Besides
these things, the cause of their bewailing and lamenting
while their souls waited upon the Lord, differed from the
most sort of mourners and bewailers now-a-days. For
we may see now-a-days, if the wife bewail the death of
her husband, it is most commonly because she has had
a loving head and governor taken from her. If the hus-
band lament the departure of his wife, it is because he is
bereaved of a faithful helper. If the son mourn for the
death of his father, it, is because there is taken from him,
not only his father, but also his patron and defender. If
the parents are sorry for the taking away of their children,
it is because they want their dalliance, sport, and pastime
with them, or such other worldly affections. If the prince
take grievously the calling away of his subject from this
world, it is because he lacketh a trusty soldier, a faithful
captain, a wise counsellor, or profitable officer. If the
subject lament the death of his prince, it is because he has
lost his advantage, authority, or estimation. If the ser-
vant weep for his master, it is because with his master is
departed his advantage and trust of worldly riches and
friendship. If the master mourn for his servant, it is be-
cause there is taken from him a skilful, a diligent, or a
faithful doer of his business ; and such like causes as men
grievously of every sort feel and lament. If the parson
lament for his parishioner, it is most commonly because
he seeth the breach of an honest household decays his
tenths and profits. And if the parishioner mourn for his
pastor, most commonly it is because he lost a good com-
panion or profitable friend. If the bishop bewail the
death of such as die in his diocese, it is most commonly
because he is destitute of such an one as favoured much
affection to set forth and do such things as he in worldly
respects desired should go forward ; or else, perchance,
such an one as could excuse him whatever negligence or

v. 1.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 299

fault he should perpetrate or commit for the time he were
in office. If the diocese is sorry for the death of the
bishop, it is because the one part, which is the clergy,
fears lest there shall come another that will be more dili-
gent and quick in doing his office, and see that they shall
do the same. The other part, called the temporalty,
lament, because they have lost such a one as, peradven-
ture, fed well their bellies with bread and beef; or else
was so remiss, that he would suffer all sin to go un-
punished, and rather be a bearer of evil than a maintainer
of good. Now this is such bewailing and mourning as
heathens, publicans, and infidels may have. But wherefore
the christian soul, that waits upon the Lord without
quarrel or desperation, weeps and laments, read the psalm
before named, and the Lamentations of Jeremiah ; and
there you shall find in the psalm these words : *' We sat
by the rivers of Babylon and wept, when we remembered
thee, O Sion."

The chief cause of their weeping was, because the word
of God was not preached, God's ordinances not minis-
tered, nor the almighty God lauded and praised in the
temple of Jerusalem, as God had commanded by his word.
This is a most just and, also, a most worthy cause to weep
for, while God punishes us, that for our sins, not only our
quietness and wealth, but, also, the word of God, which is
greater, is taken away, and his due honour given unto
idols. For the children of Israel, perceiving that God's
honour was defaced for their sins, wept as often as they
remembered it, as may God give us grace to do the same.
The like did St. Peter ; he lamented not because he left
all his goods for Christ's sake, but wept because by his
denial of Christ he felt himself not constant in the faith and
love of his Master. (Matt, xxvii.) So Mary Magdalen be-
wailed that she had offended Christ ; and not because the
world knew her to be a sinner. (Luke vii.)

St. John Chrysostom hath a notable saying : " He that
feareth hell more than Christ, is worthy of hell." And
that meant the prophet when he cried out, " What is
there in heaven or in earth, that I prefer before thee, O
Lord ?" (Psalm lxxiii.) As though he had said : There
is nothing can make me so glad as thy love towards me,
nor any thing so sorry as thy displeasure, good Lord.

Thus the soul of the true christian waits upon the Lord
in all troubles and adversities, and patiently bears the

300 Hooper.

punishments of sin; and not only bears the pain pa-
tiently, but also considers, what is the greatest loss that
may happen unto him, by reason of troubles. Not the
loss of worldly riches, lands, and promotions, nor the loss
of health of body by sickness, neither the loss of the body
itself by death, nor yet the loss of the soul into eternal
pains. But the greatest loss that he regards, is the loss
of the good will of Him that made him, and of great
mercy redeemed him, and with much kindness has always
nourished him.

That is to be seen in the prodigal son, who when he
had spent all his goods in riotous living, and had brought
himself to most miserable poverty, and to such extreme
famine, that he would have been glad to have eaten the
food prepared for the swine ; besides the great heaviness
of heart, that considered the time of prosperity, and com-
pared it with his state of such extreme misery ; yet no-
thing made him so sorry and pensive, as the calling to
his remembrance how irreverently he had used his most
gentle, loving, and benign father, who was not only liberal
and free to his children, but also to his hirelings, who
lacked nothing. (Luke xv.) This consideration of his
offence towards his father, made him a great deal more
sorry than all the pains he otherwise sustained. And thus
must every christian wait upon the Lord, and then, doubt-
less, consolation will follow, as it appears by the same
prodigal son, and by this psalm.

Moreover,, if we mark with what dangers and troubles
the soul seeks her Lord and Spouse Jesus Christ, in the
mystical book of Solomon's Song, we shall see, with what
attendance, diligence, and patience the soul waits upon
Christ. " I sought him," saith the soul, " but I found him
not. I called him, and he would not answer me. The
watchmen of the city found me, arid beat me, and
wounded me. They that kept the walls took my robe
from me. I require you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, if ye
find m.y spouse, tell him that I am sick with love." (Sol.
Song v.) Note these words : " I sought him, and found
him not, I called him, and he answered not." Was not
this enough to have quite discomforted the heavy, sick,
and troubled soul, that ran and eried to her love and hus-
band Jesus Christ, and yet for the time was never the
nearer ? Further, in running and calling for him, the soul
fell into the hands of her enemies, who robbed her of her

v. 1, 2.] Exposition of the Sixty -second Psalm. 301

mantle ; and yet, notwithstanding these dangers, she cried
out unto all that she met, that in case they found her
spouse, they should tell him that she was sick with love
of him.

Ponder these things altogether — first, to travail and cry,
and not to profit — next, in travailing and crying, to lose
all her goods, yea the mantle that she went in — thirdly, to
put her life in danger with confessing Christ to be her
Spouse, before such as hated him mortally. And yet what
did this christian ? Doubtless waited upon the Lord,
without murmur or grudge. And in all these troubles,
note, there is no complaint nor quarrel made of prayers
that were not heard, of pains that for the time profited
not, of the loss of goods and apparel, nor yet of the
danger that she was in, from her and Christ her Spouse's
enemies. But here was the weeping, lamentation, and
sorrow, that Christ her Spouse could not be found, in
whose love she burned so ardently, that all adversities
grieved her not, neither did she at all esteem them ; but
only the want of Christ was her grief and sorrow ; yet
was she patient, and trusted still in the Lord.

The like may you see by the woman of Canaan, how
she called upon the Lord for her daughter ; unto whom
Christ made no word of answer. Further, his disciples
were troubled and wearied by her importunate suit. Also,
Christ called her in a manner no better than a dog ; yet
neither the bitterness of his words nor the inhumanity of
his apostles cared she for, but she waited still upon the
Lord, and was not sorrowful for all the sharp words she
suffered ; but only because the help of the Lord was not
extended and bestowed upon her daughter, as she desired.
(Matt, xv.) But what ensues of such a patient expecta-
tion, and sorrowfulness for God's absence ? Mark what the
psalmist saith.

THE SECOND PART OF THE PSALM.

Verse 1. For of him cometh my salvation.
2. He verily is my strength and my salvation ; he is my
defence, so shall I not greatly fall.

The second part declares why the troubled person see&s
health of God.

502 Hooper.

Here first are three doctrines to be noted :

First, to know by God's word, that God can help — the
second, that God will help — and the third, that the afflicted
is bound boldly to require help of God. Whereof the
troubled person must be assured bjf the scripture, or else
he shall never find consolation.

Now to the first part, that God can help. This scrip-
ture is to be marked, that saith God is omnipotent, that
is, able to do all things. So said he to Abraham, when
be promised him the land of Canaan : " I am the God
omnipotent; walk before me, and be perfect." (Gen. xvii.)
The same said Jacob, when Benjamin his young son was
so urgently desired by his brethren to go into Egypt, when
they lacked corn. " God omnipotent, said Jacob, can
make the prince of Egypt favourable unto you." (Gen.
xliii.) So did God tell Moses, that he was the Lord that
appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even the
almighty God. (Exod. vi.) The like is in the same book,
when God had drowned Pharaoh and his host ; Moses
gave thanks, and said his name was Almighty. (Exod.
xv.) Thus in the word of God we may learn everywhere,
as well by his name, as by his most marvellous works, that
he is omnipotent, and there is nothing impossible unto
him.

Even so the word of God declares that, as he is omni-
potent, and can save ; so he is willing, and will save.
King David saith, that " he saveth both man and beast."
(Psalm xxxvi.) In another psalm he saith, " God saved
him from all adversities." (Psalm xxxiv.) And again he
saith, he will save all that trust in him ; and not only save,
but also save for nothing. (Psalm xxxvi. Ivi.) So God
saith by the prophet Isaiah : " I will save thy children."
(chap, xlix.) And in the same book it is declared, that
God's hand is not weakened ; but that he can save, and
will save. (chap, lix.) This willing nature of God to
save, is manifestly opened unto us in all the prophets.
(Jer. xv. xxiii. Ezek. xxxiv. Dan. xii. Hos. i. Zeph. iii.
Zech. viii. ix. x.) And in St. Matthew Christ saith, he
came to save such as were lost. (chap, xviii.) The same
is to be seen in St. Luke, (chap, ix.) how that the Son of
man came not to condemn, but to save. St. John the
evangelist saith, his coming was to save the world, (chap,
iii.) And St. Paul saith, he would have all men to be
saved. (1 Tim. ii.)

v. 1, 2.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 303 >

Now as the word of God and the examples contained
in the same, declare that God can and will help in the
time of trouble and adversity ; so it declares that men are
bound to call and seek for help in the time of adversity.
As we read in Isaiah the prophet, where God crieth out
in this sort : " Ye that be athirst, come to the waters," &c.
(Isaiah lv.) In St. Matthew, Christ commands all men
that are troubled to come unto him. (Matt, xi.) Also in
the psalms, he bids all men call upon him in the days of
their heaviness, and he will hear them, and deliver them.
(Psalm 1.) Again, he wills us to ask, and it shall be
given unto us. (Matt. vii. xviii. Mark xi. Luke xi. John
xiv. xv. xvi. 1 John v.)

Now as these three doctrines are to be marked in the
almighty God, so must they be grounded in the heart of
the troubled person. And first he must give this honour
unto God, that he alone is able to save, and none but he :
as the prophet Isaiah saith of him. (chap, xlv.)

Then being thus persuaded, the afflicted person will not
seek help of dead saints, nor at any other creature's hand,
but at God's only. And as none giveth God the strength
able to help, but it is of itself in God and with God : so
is there none that can give God a will to help, but he
of himself is inclined to have mercy upon the afflicted ;
and his mercy is most prone and ready to help the poor
and miserable.

Hereof the afflicted Christian learns, that nothing in-
clines God to be merciful, but his own gentle and pitiful
nature. So that the sinner may boldly resort unto him in
Christ, because he is mercy itself; and not go astray first to
seek mercy at dead saints' hands, and hope by their means
at last to find God merciful and ready to help him.

And when the afflicted perceives, by the word of God,
that he commands him to call upon him, and upon none
other; he may take courage and be bold to come unto
him. Be his sins ever so many, horrible, or filthy, yea,
if in number they exceeded the sands of the sea, yet are
they fewer always than his mercy. " If they be as red as
scarlet, yet shall they be made as white as snow." (Isaiah
i.) Tht book of Wisdom saith even so. Although we
have sinned, Lord, we are thine, knowing thy greatness.

And where the'se doctrines are grounded, see what fol-
lows. In all the depth of anguish and sorrow, this follows,
as this psalm saith : " Of him cometh my salvation,

304 Hooper.

He is my strength, my salvation, and my defence."
The same may we see also in the dialogue between the
christian soul, or Christ's church, and Christ, in the book
of Splompn's Song. Were she ever so black and burned
with the sun, were she ever so troubled with the vanities
of the world, she cried out and said boldly unto Christ,
" Draw me ; we will run after thee." (Sol. Song, i.) And
although the poor wretched soul be environed and com-
passed about with sin, troubles, and adversities, as the
fair lily is hedged about with thorns ; yet she trusts in her
husband, that he will help her. And indeed her Spouse
Christ comforts her most comfortably with these marvel-
lous words : " Arise, haste thee, my spouse, my fair one,
and come. Now winter is passed, the rain is gone and
ceased." (chap, ii.)

That book of Solomon is to be read, to see how merci-
fully God comforts a soul troubled and deformed by sin ;
and yet God lays it not to the soul's charge, that has
Christ for her husband. Also, there is to be seen that the
soul is bold to seek and call for help of God her husband,
and goes to no strange god for aid or succour, although
she be burned with the sun, and a miserable sinner.

The like is to be seen in the case of the prodigal son.
Although he was so beggarly, miserable, sinful, wretched,
and unkind to his father ; yet he said, " Even as I am,
with my miseries, I will go to my father, and tell him, that
I have offended against him and against Heaven." The
father, when he saw him, spat not at him, reviled him not,
asked no account of the goods he had viciously spent,
laid not to his charge his filthy conduct ; neither did he
cast into his teeth how he had dishonoured him and his
family ; but when he saw him afar oft, he was moved with
compassion towards him, ran to meet him, took him about
the neck, and kissed him. The son confessed his fault :
and the father minding more the comfort of his wretched
and beggarly son, than to repeat over to him his trans-
gressions, commanded his servants speedily to fetch him
robes and clothe him, gave him a ring upon his finger,
and shoes to his feet, killed his fatted calf, and made merry
and rejoiced with his lost son, that he was found again.
(Luke xv.) Here is the state and condition of a soul
that waiteth, as Asaph saith, for a time upon the Lord in
trouble and heaviness, marvellously set forth.

See this wretched man, spoiled of all his goods, desti-

v. 1, 2.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. S05

tute of all friends, shut out of all honest company, of a
gentleman become a swineherd, of one that had once men
to wait upon him, become now a waiter upon pigs ! Once
he gave others meat, and now all men refuse to feed him ;
formerly he was a man whose appetite delicate diehes
scarcely could content — now his stomach is not satisfied
till it be filled with swine's food: yet, moreover than that,
he saw nothing behind him, nor before him, but misery and
wretchedness ! Behind him he left all his goods spent riot-
ously ; his estimation, parentage, such friends as he had
when money was plenty, were lost ; and also, as far as
reason could see, his father's utter displeasure, and the
reproach and ignominy of his alliance and kinsfolk, were
purchased for ever. Before him he saw hunger and
scarcity, a sort of filthy swine, and the best meat, draff
and chaff for the sustenance and maintenance of his swin-
ish life, in case he might have been so maintained ; yet
in the midst of these sorrows, attending in his spirit upon
the mercy of his father, marvellously in the filth of a pig's
sty, and in the pains and anguish of misery, hark what a
wonderful doctrine he utters : " Oh ! what abundance of
bread is there in my father's house, and I starve here for
hunger ! I will arise, and .get me to him, and confess my
fault," &c. He saith not, Oh ! what abundance of bread
have my brother and my kinsfolk ; but, " What abundance,
of bread is there in my father's house !" He said not, I
will make my complaint to my brother ; but said, " To
my father."

Whereof is learned, that all penitent christian sinners do
know, that the heavenly Father hath the bread of mercy,
to satisfy their hungry desire ; and that he is to be re-
sorted unto in their sinful and troublesome state, and not
any other in heaven, but he alone through Jesus Christ, who
was killed to redeem and save the penitent faithful sinners
of the world.

See now how this prodigal and outrageous son knew
why he should seek help of his father, in the time of his
vile misery and wretchedness.

First, he knew his father's power, and therefore said :
" Oh ! how great plenty of bread is there in my father's
house !" believing that his father was able to give him
meat sufficient. Next he was assured that his father was
merciful, and would give him such things as he lacked ;
and, being thus persuaded, he returned boldly unto his

306 Hooper.

father, and to him he uttered all his grief; who was a
great deal more ready to help, than his son was ready to
ask help.

Of the same mind was the woman of Canaan : for
although she found little comfort at the first, yet she
argued so from the nature of man to the nature of Christ,
that Christ cried out unto her, and said, " O woman,
, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou desirest." For
when she said, the dogs did eat of the crumbs that fell
from their master's table, she knew that she herself, and
all men in respect of God, were no more, nor yet so much
as dogs in the respect of man. And when she perceived
that man could be contented to spare his crumbs to the
dogs, she knew right well, that man was not so merciful
and liberal unto dogs as God unto sinners. Wherefore
she stood with Christ constantly, and left not calling, until
Christ gave her to know that she was indeed very well
persuaded, both of his power which was able to help, and
of his good will which was ready to help. For indeed,
although she was a Canaanite, she knew that if a man
shut not out dogs from his table, Christ would not shut
from his mercy a sinful Canaanite.

The same persuasion made Mary Magdalen creep under
the board to his feet with tears ; there to receive and eat
of his mercy, to quench the hunger and smart of her sins.

These examples declare, why the troubled may put their
trust in God: because he is omnipotent, and can do all
things ; and he is merciful, and will help all penitent and
faithful sinners. And so said this prophet, " Of him
cometh my salvation." And he shows the cause why :
" For he is my rock, my salvation, and my defence."

These three words declare marvellously, the nature of
God, who alone helpeth ; and also the faith of him that
calleth for help.

As for God, the prophet first calleth him his " rock ;"
by this Word he opens marvellously, how strong, firm,
and sure, and how invincible he is against all troubles,
adversities, and tempests, as well of the body as of the
soul. In St. Matthew, (chap, vii.) the man that built his
house upon the rock or stone, is called wise ; because
whatsoever winds blow, and whatsoever tempests arise,
they cannot cast down the house, or overthrow the build-
ing ; for it is grounded upon the stone. The stone is God
and his word, the builder is the christian man, and the

v, 1 2.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 307

building is the religion that he has learned of God by his
word. And although we see God, our rock and sure
stone, is not assaulted with stormy and tempestuous
showers and rain ; yet the builder and the building, that
is to say, the christian man and his religion, are blown at ;
and such showers of trouble fall upon them, that, were
not the rock firm and sure, all the building and the builder
also, for man's part, would surely fall and come to utter
ruin.

The experience of the same winds and floods, we may
see in the Acts of the Apostles. For when Peter and the
rest built the house of God, that is to say, taught men
their salvation by the merits and passion of Christ, there
arose such winds and floods, that the builders were put
into prison, and the building in great danger. (Acts v.)
When St. Stephen built the congregation with God's word
in Christ, while he was building, such winds and floods of
malice assaulted him, that his brains were knocked out.
(Acts vii.) When Ananias and the rest planted and built
the house of God, that is to say, converted the infidels
unto the faith of Christ at Damascus, there arose such
winds and tempests at Jerusalem, that Saul came from
thence towards Damascus, with commission from the high
priests, to kill the builders, and to overthrow all they had
built. (Acts ix.) Let us leave off the examples of holy
men, and see what happened to the head and chief captain
of all saints and good builders, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
When he called the world from ignorance to knowledge,
from death to life, and from damnation to salvation, there
arose such winds and storms, that, had he not been the
rock itself of strength and invincible power, he had been
quite overthrown, and his buildings turned upside down.
. . He was no sooner born into the world, but straightwa.y
Herod's sword was whetted and. ready to kill him. Within
a little while after, the devil stirred up his own kinsfolk
and countrymen, to cast him down from a hill-top, and to
break his neck, (Luke iv.) and at length killed him indeed.
But what was the outgoing of this builder ? " Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit." And what was
the assurance of his building ? That is to say, in what
surety stood his disciples and followers in the midst of
these winds and great storms ? Doubtless, Christ com-
mended them to the custody and protection of his hea-
venly Father, the rock and sure stone of all salvation j

308 Hooper.

from whom neither winds, floods, temptations, persecu-
tions, death, sin, nor the devil himself, with all his com-
pany of wicked spirits, are able to remove the simplest of
all Christ's flock. (John xvii. Matt, vi.) In the Revela-
tion of St. John, (chap, xii.) there is a marvellous doc-
trine, what winds and floods shall blow and overflow this
rock in the building, and builders, for the time of this lite.
There is a woman that had brought forth a man child ;
and by and by there was a foul great red dragon with,
seven heads and ten horns, that would have devoured
this child, before he had come to his inheritance and the
kingdom appointed to him. And when he saw he could
not prevail against the child, he cast water out of his
mouth, as it had been a great stream, after the mother ;
but there were given her wings to escape. For the rock
that she was builded upon was sure : that whatsoever
winds or waters, that is to say, whatsoever troubles should
happen, nothing could overthrow her. And so saith the
psalmist here ; " God being my rock and sure fortress, my
soul and my body shall never be confounded." As he de-
clares more openly by the two words that follow : " He is
my strength ana my salvation also," saith the prophet. As
though he had said, I do not only know God to be sure,
strong, and invincible : but also I know this his might,
strength, and sureness, is my wealth and my salvation.
For many men know, that God is the rock and strength
of all powers, but none know that his power and strength
is salvation for himself, but such as are God's indeed.

Therefore, seeing this faith that believeth God, particu-
larly to save a private person, is only God's gift, and
comes not of man ; let us pray, that when we see how
God has been the rock of salvation to others, he will be
so unto us likewise. For it is a singular gift of God, to
say boldly, steadfastly, and joyfully from the bottom of the
heart unto him ; " Thou, Lord, art my rock, my salvation,
and my comfort.' : And he that feels in himself for him-
self, God to be his salvation, has such a treasure, that all
treasures besides it are nothing to be esteemed ; and he
will not prize goods, lands, nor life, for this faith's sake.

But faith — so long as it comes no nearer the heart than
the ear, the lips, the teeth, or the tongue, it is an easy
matter to believe. As we see these rumblers up of the
psalms, and the rest of God's word at this time in the
church; where neither they that say them, nor they that,

v. 1, 2.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 309

hear, understand any thing at all, nor are the more edified
for that which is done or said in the church.* And I am
assured, that if the priests felt in their hearts the ven-
geance of God to come, for this abusing the word of God,
and the people knew what an incomparable treasure they
have lost, by the taking away of the word of God in the
vulgar tongue, the priest would weep as often as he said
his service, and the people would sigh full heavily as oft
as they heard it, and understood not what it meant.
Wherefore, let every man pray to God, as the prophet
here does, that he may know him, that he is the rock
and salvation to him that so calls upon him.

The third word is ' Defence ;' by which the prophet
notes two marvellous doctrines ; the one touching God,
and the other touching man. That touching God is this :
that, as God in himself is omnipotent, so is he of power
to do all things for his creatures in general, both in body and
soul. And as.to speak generally.fhe can do all things for his
creatures, so particularly, he is salvation to all that by faith
believe in him. And as he is also salvation particularly,
to such as believe in him ; even so particularly, is he a de-
fence, buckler, and protection of such as shall be saved ;
that neither sin, the devil, nor any troubles of the body,
nor troubles, doubtfulness, anguish, perplexity, or heaviness
of mind, shall hurt or damn them. The doctrine touching
man by this word, ' Defence,' is this : that, as the faith-,
ful man has in himself this general knowledge with all men,
that God is almighty to do all things, as he list, with his
Creatures generally ; so particularly, he believes that he is
able, and will save such as particularly believe for their
salvation in him. And as the faithful particularly believes
his salvation to be only in God ; so does he also believe
and challenge particularly, with the rest of his brethren in
Christ, maintenance, perfection, and defence from all mis-
adventures, jeopardies, and dangers, that may happen in
this life, before he come to everlasting joys. God, there-
fore, give unto us grace with the prophet to say faithfully
unto him, " Thou art my strength, my salvation, and my
defence." Then, doubtless, we shall be assured of that
which follows, " So shall I not greatly fall."

Of these words, " So shall I not greatly fall," we also

* He refers to the Latin service restored by queen Mary,
t By generally here i? meant what is done for or by mankind at
large ; by particularly, what is done for or by individuals.

310 Hooper.

are taught and instructed very necessary lessons and doc-
trines ; and first, the difference there is between the defence
of God to his people in this life, and in the life to come.

As touching the defence of God towards his people in
this life, it is marvellously set forth by Christ in his prayer
a little before his death : where he prayed unto his Father
not to take his apostles out of this world, but to preserve
them in this world from sin. (John xvii.) So that he would
that his friends, with God's defence, should abide for a time
in the world ; and Christ told them what they should have in
the world, notwithstanding God's defence : " In the world,"
saith he, " ye shall suffer affliction ; and ye shall weep, and
the world shall laugh." (John xvi.) Again he said unto them,
that he sent them forth as sheep amongst wolves. (Matt, x.)
Whereby we may see, that God's favour and God's defence
save not his very elect in this life from trouble's and afflic-
tions : for St. Paul saith, " As many as will live godly,
shall suffer persecution." Therefore the Holy Ghost
places the faithful congregation, the spouse of Christ, whom
God loves and defends, among thorns and brambles : (Sol.
Song ii.) and sometimes likens the faithful congregation
unto a ship tossed upon the sea with danger of drowning :
(Isa. liv.) sometimes unto a house whereupon blow all
winds and weather : (Matt, vii.) and sometimes to a
woman travailing with child, before whom stands a foul
dragon, ready to devour both child and mother. (Rev. xii.)
' So that by this prophet's words, who saith, " he shall
not greatly fall," and by these and other places, we learn,
that in this life, such as God loves and defends from the
eternal fire of hell, are, notwithstanding, for this life under
great crosses and wonderful troubles : yet Christ wills us
to be of good comfort, for he hath overcome the world ;
(John xvi.) and the prophet saith, " God is my rock
and my salvation: I shall not greatly fall." And to con-
sider the truth, such as God most strongly defends, and
best loves in this world, suffer many times greatest troubles.
(Proverbs iii. Heb. xii. Rev. iii.) Yea, and God begins
with his friends sometimes first, and most sharply, as Peter
saith. (1 Peter iv.) And St. Paul saith, "We are predes-
tinate to be made like unto Christ in troubles, while we
are in this troublesome world." (Rom. viii.) But the
defence of God and his love in the world to come, is free
from all bitterness and pain, and from all troubles and
adversities, as it is most comfortably and joyfully written

v. ], 2.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 311

in the Song of Solomon, (chap, ii.) where, for a time, the
Lord defended his spouse that stood in the midst of sharp
and pricking briers and thorns ; at length he calls her to
perpetual rest and consolation, assuring her that the winter
is gone, and the tempestuous showers past ; the sweet
flowers appear, and the pleasant voice of the turtle is
heard : meaning, that such as are loved and kept by God
are sequestered and separated from all troubles and adver-
sities in the world of bliss to come.

The like may you see in the Revelation of St. John,
wherein he mystically, to set forth the pleasantness and
unspeakable joys of heaven, saith, " It is paved with pre-
cious stones, and the gates thereof are also of pearls."
And, moreover, " There is a light more light than the sun
or moon, for the clarity* of God lighteneth it, and the
brightness is the Lamb of God. There shall the elect
dwell for ever, and the gates shall never be shut, neither
shall there be any night there to trouble it." (Rev. xxi.)

The same is to be seen also in Isaiah the prophet, how
in that life God's defence is in such as are saved, without
all kinds of troubles and adversities. (Isaiah lxvi.)

Now here is to be noted, that as God's favour and de-
fence in the world to come, in such as are saved, is void
of all troubles and adversities ; even so God's favour and
his defence in this world, in such as shall be saved, is
joined and annexed with troubles and adversities. Let us,
therefore, be content with trouble and persecution, in his
favour here in this life, or else doubtless we shall never
have his favour and defence in the life to come, in joy and
everlasting consolation.

.TJkere is yet another instruction in these words, " I shall
not greatly fall ;" that is, that the children of God shall
not perish for any kind of trouble, and yet in this world
they can lack no kind of affliction. All shall they sufFer ;
and yet at length overcome all, as this prophet did. He
was troubled, but yet not overcome ; he fell, but not
so far that he arose not again ; and he was so troubled
with the cross ,that God sent him, that he could speak
nothing for the time ; yet at length he said, God was his
sure rock and his salvation. Thus God tries his people ;
but desperation he leaves to his enemies. God suffers his
to feel in this world the punishment of sin, but he reserves
the pain thereof in the world to come to his enemies, and
* Shining brightness.

312 Hooper.

to *.he reprobates. He makes his to be sorry for sin
in this world ; but such as are not his, he suffers to be
careless and painless of sin in this life, that their damna-
tion may be the more dolorous in the world to come:
therefore, blessed be such as fall and fear, as the prophet
saith, but not too far unto all wickedness and wantonness
of life.

THE THIRD PART.

Verse 3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a
man ? Ye shall be slain all the sort of you : yea, as a
tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.

4. Their device is only how to put him out, whom God will
exalt ; their delight is in lies ; they give good words with
their mouth, but curse with their hearts.

The third part shows, how the persecutors of the inno-
cent shall suddenly perish.

By the similitude and metaphor of a tottering wall, the
prophet declares, how the Lord will suddenly destroy the
persecutors of his people ; for as the wall that is tottering
and quivering with every wind and weather, is easily and
suddenly overthrown ; even so are the wicked and tyran-
nical persecutors suddenly destroyed ; yea, when they are
.most strong and valiant in their own conceits. As may be
seen by the mighty host of Sennacherib and Benhadad,
the army of king Pharaoh, and others that persecuted the
people of God, (1 Kings xx. 2 Kings viii. xviii. xix. Exod.
xiv.) verily supposing their strength Jto have been able ut-
terly to have oppressed God's people, whom they hated. . .
So by this we learn, that the strength and persecutions of
the wicked are not permanent nor strong, but transitory
and feeble, destroyed and vanquished with the presence of
God's favour towards his, as often as it pleases him to
punish the malice and mischief of the wicked.

But there is one lesson particularly to be noted in this
similitude of a trembling or tottering wall, wherewith the
prophet sets forth the fall and confusion of the wicked,
which is this ; that when the wicked persecute the godly,
and the least resistance of the world is stirred up by God
against them, the Lord that stirs up the plague to punish
them, strikes also their hearts with such trembling and
fear, that one man in a good cause shall be able to with-

v. 3, 4.] Exposition of the Sisbty-second Psalm. 313

stand ten such wicked persecutors, whose conscience God
has so feared, that they are not able to bear the counte-
nance of man ; no, not able even to overcome the terror of
their own spirit, which bears them record, that as they in
time past have fought against God and his cause, so now
God justly fights against them, both with the fear of hell
fire towards their souls, and with outward adversities to-
wards their bodies. So God said that he would send such
trembling and fear unto such as neither loved nor kept his
laws, as is written by the holy prophet Moses. (Deut.
xxviii.) The example whereof you may read also in
Daniel the prophet, (chap, v.) that the emperor of the
Chaldees, when he was in the midst of his strength, mirth,
banquets, and jollity, saw no more than a hand write on
the wall of his palace, that never spoke a word, showed
no terrible sight of men of war, nor gave any blow in his
palace ; yet the emperor fell into such a trembling and
fear at the sight thereof, that all his limbs, as it were,
stood him in no stead.

Christ gave no blow, but merely asked his murderers
whom they sought for ; and yet they fell flat and prostrate
to the ground; (John xviii.) so that the wicked persecu-
tors of the godly are aptly and properly likened and com-
pared to a tottering and trembling wall. For as soon as
ever the blasts of God's wrath and judgment are moved
and kindled against them, they are so quivering and com-
fortless, that they would take them to be most their friends
who would soonest despatch them out of the world ; as
Christ said aptly of them, they would pray the mountains
to fall upon them. (Luke xxiii.) As long as God appears
to be asleep, and suffers the blessed to fall into the hands
of the wicked to be crucified and slain as they please, they
are more strong and more cruel than lions ; but when God
arises, and takes the defence of his poor people, then they
are more fearful than the hart or trembling hare: as we
see when harmless Jacob passed homeward into his coun-
try from Mesopotamia, such as he never gave a blow nor
spake a foul word unto, trembled at his coming, as though
he had been in battle array with thousands of soldiers.
(Gen. xxxiii.) The like may we see by the brothers of
Joseph, when he spake most gently unto them, yea and
told them that he was their brother, there was such a
terror, and such fear struck their consciences for persecut-
ing him, that they could make no answer. When the

hooper. p

'314 Hoopee.

children of Israel should come into the land of Canaan,
the Lord said he would send before them his fear, to
amaze and astonish the people of the country, that their
strength should do them no harm. (Exod. xxiii.)

The fury of the wicked may seem in his own eyes to be
stable, firni, and constant, but indeed there is nothing more
trembling or tottering, as we may see at this present
day. Such as persecute the lively and feeble flock of
Christ, and tyrannously hold the neck of the godly under
the yoke of idolatry, halve no ground, no certainty, nor any
assurance more than the flesh and blood that fovour them,
by whose favour they oppress the truth, and persecute thte
lovers of it : so that in case flesh and blood should fail
them, they would, be in such trembling and quivering, that
they would do whatsoever they were commanded to do, to
be delivered from fear and terror.

As we may mark and see in the bishop of Winchester
Gardiner, and also Bonner the bishop of London, when
king Henry the eighth suspected them both to be favourers
of the pope, the capital enemy of Christ and his church.
Winchester fell into such a trembling and fear, that with
all haste he wrote his purgation in a book named, True
Obedience ; and Bonner set an epistle before it, they both
crying out against the pope, as against a tyrant and false
usurper of authority in this realm, although they thought
nothing less. Thus we may see how inconstant, trembling,
and quaking, these tottering wicked persecutors of God's
words are. I could declare more of their religion to be
of the same conditions ; but because these two, and Ton-
stall, the bishop of Durham, are known openly to the
world by their books to be such, I speak only of ttiein.

When the prophet has declared that the persecutors of
the godly shall suddenly perish, he tells the cause why
they shall perish : " Because they devise how to put him
down, whom God will exalt." And after the prophet has
shown that the cause of this fall and- punishment is their
conspiracy against God's elect, he sets forth by what means
the wicked use to depose, persecute, and tumble down the
people of God : " By lies, and by imagining of falsehood
and untruth." And when he has declared that the wicked
purpose to bring their case and matter against the godly
with lies, he shows, after what sort and fashion the lies are
used, by wicked; men : '.' to bring mischief to purpose."
rThis. is the letter of the psalm concerning the third part of

v. 3, 4.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 315

it. Now there is in each of these sentences profit to be
gathered by the reader or hearer of it.

First is to be noted the conspiracy and treason of the
wicked against God. If it please the Lord to favour and
advance one, the nature of the wicked is to deface what
God would have honoured, as much as may be. As God
bare favour, and advanced Abel ; Cain wrought treason,
and killed his brother, for the love that God did bear him.
(Gen. iv.) The Lord appointed Samuel to rule ; the
wicked people misliked that which God best approved.
(1 Sam. viii.) God would exalt David; Saul, Absalom,
and Ahithophel, would prefer themselves. Again the
Lord appointed Noah to teach the people to beware of
the universal flood ; the people preferred liars, unto whom
God never gave his Holy Spirit: (Gen. vi. vii.) God
elected Jeremiah the true prophet ; the people advanced
Pashur the false prophet. (Jeremiah xx.) The Lord
exalted his dear Son, and willed the world to learn of him ;
the people preferred the pharisees, and desired the judge
to hang Christ. (Matt. iii. xvii. xxvii.) God commanded
his word only to be taught ; but the world plucks it down,
so that either they entirely refuse the word, or else they
will have it no otherwise than it is authorized and made
true by man. (John v.) God saith, that which is wisdom
before the world, is foolishness before him. (1 Cor. i.)
The world recompenses God most arrogantly with the like,
and accounts all his wisdom and learning foolishness in
respect of worldly wisdom, counsel, and religion. But
what saith the prophet shall become of these Nimrods
and controllers of God ? " They shall quickly fall, and
be destroyed as a tottering wall."

Here, we see how controlling and amending of God's
works at length speeds, and what is the end of these per -
secuting giants of God's afflicted. They fight, they fare
foully, they move heaven and earth to alter the purpose
and mind of God ;*■ but " He that sitteth in heaven
laugheth them to scorn." (Psalm ii.) And they them-
selves, who thus wickedly use Christ and his members, fall
down and come to nought, as old, rotten, and dusty walls.

And in the other part, where these shameless tyrants
conspire against Christ and his people, by lies and false-
hood, is declared the filthiness of their consciences,
which are so far past shame and honesty, that they care
not, so they may obtain their wicked purpose, how craftily
p 2

316 Hooper.

or falsely they calumniate any saying's or doings of
God or man; as the devil, their father, when God had
exalted man into paradise, wished him out of it, and
began to work man's destruction by calumniating and
lying upon God's own word. (Gen. iii.) When God
had set up David to reign, Absalom, his own son, thinking
the better to pull his father down, lied falsely upon him to
the people, and said, that there was no judge appointed in
Israel to hear causes, and to end them, between man and
man. (2 Samuel xv.) So slandered he his father, a man
of good justice ; and advanced himself, who never knew
what justice meant. The good prophet Elias likewise,
whom God appointed to warn the people to beware of
sin, king Ahab, to disgrace him, falsely spake of him,
and said that he was the troubler of the commonwealth.
(1 Kings xviii.) So of Christ, whom God elected to save
the world from death and damnation, the wicked sort of
the world said, " He hath saved others, but he cannot
save himself." (Matt, xxvii.) Again, God sent him to be
amongst the troubled to comfort them ; but such as
wanted consolation, when they saw him, prayed him to
depart out of their country, because by his presence they
lost their swine. (Matt. yiii. Mark v. Luke viii.) God
said that Paul was a . chosen vessel, to bear his name
before the Gentiles. Tertullus and the other Jews said,
that he was one .of those that molested all the world.
(Acts xxiv.) Even so at this time there is no honest or
virtuous man, whom God exalts to speak the truth, but
the wicked say, He is a heretic, a schismatic, and a
traitor ; but seeing it is no other than always has been
accustomed falsely to be laid to such as God loveth, it
must be borne patiently.

But now the prophet shows how these liars and envious
persecutors use their lies : " They give fair words with
their mouth, but they curse with their heart." By these
words we may learn, that there are three ways that lies do
harm ; the one, when they are openly and plainly used ;
the other, when open falsehood outwardly is cloaked with
pretended truth ; and the third, when they are dissembled
outwardly, and yet in the heart they lie hid, tarrying for a
time when they may be put abroad, to do mischief, and
to work the destruction of the godly. But forasmuch as
the devil, the father of all lies, (John viii.) knows that
such as he inspires with lies, cannot do harm with their lies,

v. 3, 4.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 317

except they are used as thepersons are qualified, amongst
whom the lies must be sown ; he teaches his disciples to
use them as opportunity and occasion shall serve.

Manifest and uncovered lies satan causes to be used,
amongst such as do not know or love the truth ; for
those lies establish and confirm the wicked in their error
and wickedness. As for example : Absalom and Ahitho-
phel told the people as many lies almost as they said
words against king David ; (2 Sam. xv.) and when they
were by Absalom's fair words alienated from king David,
and bent unto his son, because he promised to use justice
to every man, and lawful favour ; after Absalom came to
Hebron, and had on his side Ahithophel, his father's chief
counsellor, he lied openly, and the people more and more
were established in error and treason. The like is to be
seen in the book of Numbers, (chap, xiv.) that when
such returned out of the land of Canaan as were sent to
view the goodness and strength of the country, ten of the
twelve spies brought the people into such a terror and
fear, that they thought it impossible to recover flie land.
Thus the people, being in an error, manifest lies against
God, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb,- might be used well
enough and prevail.

In matters of religion it is the same amongst such as
be deceived and in error ; manifest lies take place, and do
as much harm as the devil requires to be wrought by
them. As amongst the Chaldees, such as most commended
the idol of fire, were most esteemed. Amongst the
Egyptians, such as most blasphemously could speak
in the defence of witchcraft and sorcery, were taken for the
best men. (Exod. vii. viii.) Such as could best defend
the honour of Baal, amongst the idolatrous Jews, had
most reverence and honour. (1 Kings xvii. xviii.) Amongst,
the pharisees, he that could speak most for the mainte-
nance of men's traditions,, was taken for the worthiest
man. (Matt, xv.) And now amongst the papists, he that
can best defend papistical idolatry and superstition, is
highest preferred. But, as I said, this use of lies and
falsehood takes place in none but in such as the devil, the
god of this world, will not suffer to have the word of truth
known. (2 Cor. iv.) And this use of lies and falsehood
does not train men unto error and heresy ; but establishes
men in them, who do not know the truth.

There is another sort of people, who are the faithful, at

3 IS Hooper:

whom the devil hath indignation, and labours with all
diligence to deceive ; against whom the use of manifest
lies, he knows, cannot prevail : for such as know and love
the truth, do abhor falsehood. Wherefore, if the devil
prevail against them, it is by another use of lies than he
uses to the other sort of the world.

■ This use of lies is of two sorts ; as we see by the word
of God. The one is to make an evil thing to appear
good, under the pretence of good ; and a false thing to
appear true, under the pretence of truth. As we may see
how the devil, under the pretence of good and profit unto
Eve, made her eat of the apple which was forbidden.
(Gen. iii.) Cain, under the pretence of friendship, brought
Abel into the field, and killed him. (Gen. iv.) Saul, under
the pretence of amity, bade David to feast with him, and
so meant to have slain him. (1 Sam. xvii. xviii.) Absalom,
under the colour of justice and love to the commonwealth,
sought his father's death, and made his subjects traitors.
(2 Samuel xv.) There are many more such examples in
the word of God, whereby is declared, that the devil, by
his disciples, uses lies many ways : sometimes to establish
men in error, that are in error already; sometimes to de-
ceive such as are in the truth ; but. then manifest lies are
not used, but rather lies conveyed, covered, and cloaked
with the mantle of truth and verity ; as we may see by
the examples before specified ; howbeit, many times this
use of lies, howsoever it pretends truth, cannot deceive
men. Then, rather than the devil will miss his purpose,
he teaches another use of lies, which is more dangerous
and painful to the godly, than any beforementioned : of
which use the prophet speaks in this place, saying,
■' They speak fair with their tongues, but think evil in
their hearts."

This is a perilous kind and use of lies ; for it does one
or both of these two great mischiefs ; that is to say,
either at length it overcomes the truth, or else mortally
persecutes the truth that will not be overcome ; as we
may see by Esau. He used a great while fair speech and
gentle manners with Jacob his brother ; but in his heart
he said, " When my father dies, I will kill my brother."
(Gen. xxvii.) Again, Absalom spake fair to his father, and
asked him leave to go to Hebron, to pay there the sacrifice
that he promised, whilst he was in Geshur of Syria, to offer
unto God ; but in his heart, he went thither to raise

v. 3, 4.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 319

David his father's subjects against him. (2 Samuel xv.)
Certain came to Christ, and said, " Master, we know that
thou art true, and that thou teachest the ways of God in
truth ;" (Matt, xxii.) yet in their hearts they cahie to catch
him in a case of treason if they could.
. This use of lies is very dangerous ; for it lies in the
heart hid secretly, expecting and lqokirig for time conve-
nient, when and how it may break forth to serve the turn ;
yet the devil is the father of lies, and the wicked man's
and woman's hearts the. temple of the devil, whilst they
being ashamed or afraid to utter them, hold outwardly
with the "truth, which inwardly they mortally hate, until
they may take occasion to do outwardly as they would.
We see it in Cain, Esau, Absalom, the pharisees, arid
others. Yea, our own age has too much experience of this
use of lies ; for how many within this twelvemonth spake
fair of God and his word, and showed themselves out-
wardly as friendly as could be unto them ?* But what
their conscience and hearts were inwardly, now appears.
Doubtless, what they hated deadly in their spirits, that
they most extolled with their mouths ; for now they are
gone from the truth outwardly, which inwardly they
never loved. And by the use of their lies, they train as
many as they may to be partakers of their evil's ; and
such as they cannot, by the use of lies, draw unto their
sect; they persecute by violence and tyranny, and compel
with extreme punishment and hatred, in lands, goods, and
body.

Thus may . we see by. this prophet which way the
wicked persecuted the godly, and molested the weak
members of Christ; who wished all men good, and no
men harm — even with lies and falsehood, and used many
crafty and subtle ways: .Whereof we are not instructed by
the prophet only to know this .poison of the devil con-
eerriirig lies, and the divers and manifold use and practice
of them ; but, also, that christians are most in danger of
them, yet must be contented for Christ's sake to bear them,'
and circumspectly to beware that they are not deceived by
them.

* During the reign of Edward VI. These expositions were writ,
ten by Hooper in the early part of his imDnsonment by queen
Mary.

320 Hooper

THE FOURTH PART.

Verse 5. Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still vpon God;
for my help is in him.

6. He truly is my strength and my salvation ; he is my
defence, so that I shall not fall

7. In God is my health and my glory, the rock of might ;
and in God is my trust.

8. Oh ! put your trust in him always, ye people ,* pour
out your hearts before him ': for God is our hope. Selah.

The fourth part repeats more at large the declarations
of the first and the second part.

The fifth and sixth verses are word for word as the first
and the second were ; only there is left out in these two
verses the word ' greatly ;' for before he said, he should
not ' greatly* fall. Which word may be taken two ways
very comfortably by the reader and hearer, if it be well
marked and believed.

The first way is, that the prophet means not that the
people of God shall not fall, for that is against the scrip-
ture, for " The just man falleth seven times in the day."
(Prov. xxiv.) Again, " If we say we have no sin in us,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John
i.) Now, whereas sin inseparably dwells in all men
whilst they live upon the earth, there are faults and falls
before God on man's part, in whom this sin dwells ; yet
God of his mercy, for the blood and death of Christ, does
not account these inseparable sins to be falls ; but loves
the person, preserves him, and will not impute nor lay
any of those falls or faults unto his charge, but in Christ
esteems him justified and clean, as though he were of
himself so indeed. (Rom. viii.) And thus the prophet
saith, that of God's part, and by our being accepted into
his favour, through Christ, the faithful falleth not ; that is
to say, his sin is not accounted damnable, nor laid to his
charge, for Christ's sake ; as St. Paul writes to the
Romans, (chap, viii.)

Another way it may be taken ; that a christian has
testimony in his spirit by the Spirit of God, that he is so
elected, chosen, and ordained of God to eternal salvation ;
that whatsoever the world, the flesh, the devil, or sin shall
do, yet he stands assured of God's election, grace, strength;

v. 5 — 8.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 321

and fidelity, that he shall never fall to damnation, but arise
again, and be called from his falls, whatsoever they are.
And yet this most sure and comfortable knowledge will
not give him a license or liberty to sin, but rather keeps
him in a fear and love of the strong and mighty God, in
whose hands he is, and kept from the great fall of eternal
damnation, from which he was delivered from the beginning
with God. So that you may learn from this place, what
perseverance is, in the meditation and contemplation of
God's most holy word and promises.

At first they seem unto the flesh things impossible, as
we may see by Nicodemus, who was as ignorant as could
be at the beginning, when he came first to school to
Christ. (John iii.) But when a man has been exercised
awhile in it, he feels more sweetness in the promises of
God ; as we see by this prophet. For after he had borne
the cross of affliction a little while, and learned the nature
of God, how merciful he is to sinners, he said, " Although
I fall, yet it shall not be greatly." Bat when he had
tarried in the school of Christ, and learned indeed what
he was, and that he was able to perform his mercy, he said
plainly, whatsoever sin, the devil, the world, the flesh, hell,
heaven, or the earth, would say against him, he should not
fall. These two interpretations are to be noted ; for,
whichever we use, we may find comfort and unspeakable
consolation.

Now, when he has declared that he shall not fall into
God's eternal wrath and displeasure, he shows how this
certainty of eternal salvation came unto him ; and why
God had so mercifully and strongly warded and fenced
him against all temptations and perils of damnation.

It is, saith he, because God is his health ; that is to say,
one that has not only taken him from the sickness and
danger of sin, the tyranny of the devil, and the damnation
of the law ; but also preserves him in the same state, that
he fall not again into the sickness and peril that he was
delivered from. Whereof we learn, that it is not man's
labours, nor man's works, that help a sinner, and save a
condemned soul ; but it is the free work and undeserved
mercy of almighty God. Wherefore we are taught that
" there is no health, but in God alone."

Then saith the prophet also, that in God is his glory.
Of which word he notes two things ; the one touching
God alone, and the other touching God and himself.
p3

322 Hooper.

The glory that touches God alone is, that this troubled
prophet pondered, in the heaviness and anguish of his
mind, the number and strength of his enemies, the devil,
the flesh, sin, the world, and the bitter accusation of God's
laws, that truly accused and painfully grieved his con-
science for sin. On the other side, in faith, he considered
how the scripture declared that God was merciful, even
unto the greatest sinners of the world. And he learned,
also, by the word of God, that God had made promise
unto sinners to be merciful. He considered further, that
God had many times been merciful towards sinners. And
he found likewise by the scripture, that God, to perform
his mercy, would not spare his own dearly beloved Son, to
redeem man from his sin with his own precious blood and
painful death.

Thus weighing the strength of the devil and sin on the
one part to condemn, and the strength of God's mercy in
Christ Jesus on the other part to save, and perceiving the
riches, abundance, and strength of God's mercy to be
more available to save than all the power and strength of
the devil and sin to condemn ; for the great victory that.
God takes over such strong enemies, the prophet triumphs
in the glory of God joyfully and thankfully ; extolling
him for his mercy and power who has broken the serpent's
head, and spoiled him of his prisoners. So we use to do,
when any man by valour defends us from our enemies ;
we extol and magnify him for his victory and conquest.

This glory the prophet gave in this psalm to God,
when by faith he saw him conquering hell, sin, the
devil, the accusation of the law, desperation, the flesh,
and the world. And the same glory every faithful crea-
ture gives unto God, at the end of the Lord's prayer,
when he saith, " For thine is the kingdom, the power, and
the glory." (Matt, vi.) By which words we know, that
howsoever the devil and wicked people take upon them to
usurp by violence, war, and tyranny, and live ever so
princely in pomp and pride, they are but usurpers, if they
come to it wrongfully, for the kingdom appertains unto
God. And howsoever they extend their power, in God's
sight they are no stronger than a bruised reed or broken
staff; for the power is God's. And what glory soever
they feign and flatter themselves to have, it is but withered
hay and vile dust in the sight of God.

But now the prophet, by the eye of faithj seeing this

v. 5 — 8.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 323

glorious triumph* strength,' and power in God, saith, that
in this glorious, almighty, and triumphant God is his
glory ; and desires to have part of that victory, and of that
marvellous majesty. And as the psalm saith, he calls and
names the God of glory, ' his glory.' O marvellous and
unspeakable boldness and constancy of faith ! A man
nothing but sin by nature, in the sight of God nothing
but earth and ashes, full of misery and wretchedness,
by nature corrupt, the very enemy of God, a vessel pre-
pared unto all- dishonour, ignominy, shame, and perdition,
contemned through sin, and shamed before all creatures ;
and yet now, with all these dishonours, by faith, he saith,
the King of glory is his glory, and that the conqueror of
all dishonour is his shield and buckler.

On the other part, who can think or speak any thing
thankful to such a King of glory, and most mighty con-
queror, that abhors not, by mercy, to be the honour and
glory of so vile, sinful, and wretched a thing as man is ?
whose eyes see no filth of sin in penitent sinners, whose
presence refuses not the company of the sick and misera-
ble, whose strength comforts the weak, whose mercy re-
joices the comfortless, whose life expels death, whose
health banishes sickness, whose love vanquishes hatred,
whose immortality gives everlasting life, and who crowns
us with endless pity and compassion in perpetual joys.
(Psalm, ciii.)

Thus the prophet, after he had perceived the almighty
God in himself gloriously to be void of all troubles, dolors,
and other adversities, and that he had also gloriously
conquered the captains of all adversities, hell, death,
satan, and sin ; he challenged by faith, and craved by
God's promise, to be partaker of God's glory in this point.
And, doubtless, he that can feel in his heart that God is
his glory, shall take no dishonour nor shame by all the
works of the devil, sin, or the world. Therefore, many
times, in reading or thinking of the psalms, or other
parts of the holy scripture, it is expedient to meditate and
pray, that the word we speak or pray, may be unto us as
much salvation, comfort, and glory, as we perceive God
has appointed in it for us. And when we say with our
mouth to God, " Thou art my salvation, my glory, my
rock, and my trust ;" let us cry, " Lord, increase our faith ;
help us for thy name sake constantly to believe thee to be
unto us indeed in spirit, as we speak of thee outwardly

324 Hooper.

with our mouth." (Luke xvii.) For in case the heart
understand not, nor believe the words we speak with our
mouth, we honour God in vain, as the scripture saith.
(Isaiah xxix. Matt, xv.) Let us therefore pray, as St.
Paul teaches us, saying, " I will pray with the spirit, and
I will pray with the mind also." (1 Cor. xiv.)

When the prophet has by faith assured himself of God's
favour, he exhorts all the christian congregation to do the
same, saying : " O put your trust in him always, ye
people," &c.

: Here the prophet teaches, what the minister of the
church, the bishop, and others should do, when they un-
derstand the scripture, and learn by it fear and faith,
love and hope in God. They are bound to teach the con-
gregation the same scriptures for their salvation. Whereby
is condemned the use of the scripture in an unknown
tongue ; which is directly against God's word. (1 Cor.xiv.)
And here kings and rulers are also taught to see that
their subjects, tenants, and servants are taught to under-
stand the word of God ; likewise the father and the
mother, the master and the mistress ; who are bound to
know for their salvation the word of God, and to teach it.
unto others under their governance. Therefore, in the end
of the verse is put ' Selah ;' as though he had said, Happy
are those that put their trust in the Lord, and teach others
to do the same ; and cursed are those that trust not in the
Lord, and teach others to do the like.

THE FIFTH PART.

Verse 9. As for the children of men, they are but vain •

the children of men are deceitful upon the weights ; they

are altogether lighter than vanity itself.
10. Oh! trust not in wrong and robbery ; give not your*

selves to vanity : if riches increase, set not your heart

upon them.

The fifth part shows how man's power is not to be
trusted unto.

The prophet by no means would have men to put their
trust in fleph and blood ; in case they do, they must needs
perish. For when miserable man trusts in vain vanity,

v. 9, 10.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 325

which is man; he can be no less than vanity itself, in
whom he has trusted. And this is one misery and
wretchedness ; a man to be deceived of help and succour,
where he most trusted to have been holpen and succoured i
Thus must it happen to those who trust in men ; for men
of the most excellency and greatest authority, riches, and
power in the world, are but vanity : as the prophet saith :
" Now as they are, so is their help. And as their help is,
so is the comfort and consolation of such as seek help at
their hands." Those that are trusted unto, are but flesh
and blood : the best of flesh and blood is but vanity : the
consolation and help of vanity is misery and wretched-
ness ; wherefore, the prophet exhorts all men to beware
they seek not aid and comfort of man, for he is but vain.
The Israelites used the Egyptians for their help against
their enemies ; but the more flesh conspired together, the
worse success had all the battles they fought. Now we
see men that have their trust in men, suffer much trouble
and misery in the world, because the help they trust in is
of inferior strength and power to the troubles and adver-
sities that they are cumbered withal. And the word of
God declares that such men as trust in vanity, have not
only worldly adversities against them, but also for their so
doing, trusting in flesh, they are accursed of God, as the
scripture saith : " Cursed be he that trusteth in man."
(Jeremiah xvii.) So that we see marvellous and unspeak-
able harm come of the trust in man ; first, miseries of the
world ; and next, the enmity and curse of God ; for he
that puts his trust in man, with that one act and doing,
does two horrible evils : he deceives himself; for the vanity
that he trusteth in cannot save him : and he dishonours
God, who only can save, by putting his trust in mortal man
that cannot save ; and so makes God of man, to God's high
displeasure and dishonour.

Every Christian man, therefore, should forsake flesh and
blood, and trust in the Lord almighty, maker of heaven and
earth, as the prophet did a little before, when he said, that
in God was his glory ; who could defend him from all
hurts present, past, and to come, whatsoever they were.

The like may we see in St. Paul, who said : " God for-
bid that I should glory in anything, saving in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world :" (Gal. vi.) that is ; Be-
cause I put all my trust of salvation, saith St. Paul, in

326 Hooper.

Him that was crucified, the world takes me for a heretic,
and so persecutes me ; but yet it overcomes me not, nei-
ther takes it away my glory, my consolation, and my crown
of eternal joys. For even as the world persecutes me with
fire, sword, and all other crucifyings; so I crucify the
world again, testifying by the word of God, that their
living is nought, and their faith and trust worse. So that
as they crucify me with worldly trouble, in like manner
I crucify the world again with the word of God, and
speak against it, bearing testimony that it is the enemy of
God, and shall perish eternally: but this I do, saith St.
Paul, " because I glory in nothing, saving iii Christ cru-
cified."

Thus the psalmist teaches all men to put their trust in
Christ, and not in sinful man ; which is not only vanity, but
also, " If vanity were laid in one balance, and man in the
other, yet, of both, man were the more vanity. Therefore,
man is not to be trusted unto," saith the prophet.

And for a further declaration that man is more vain than
vanity, he openly declares in the process of this psalm, that
man is given, besides vanity, to wrong and robbery, which
two evils increase man 1 s misery. For man is not only
born vain vanity, but also in time, by wicked living, adds
wrong and robbery unto vanity, and so makes vanity more
vain and damnable than it was before.

Now this robbery and wrong is done two manner of
ways — to God and to man. He that putteth his trust for
salvation in any other, saving in God, loses not only his
salvation, but also robs God of his glory, and does God
manifest wrong, as much as lieth in him ; as the wicked
people amongst the Jews did, who said, as long as they
honoured and trusted unto the queen of heaven, all things
prospered with them ; but when they hearkened to the
true preachers of God's word, all things came into a
worse state, and they were overwhelmed with scarcity and
trouble. (Hosea ii. Jeremiah xliv.)

He also that puts his trust and confidence in any learn-
ing or doctrine besides God's word, not only falls into
error, and loses the truth ; but also, as much as lies in
.him, he robs God's book of his sufficient truth and verity,
and ascribes it to the books of men's decrees ; which is
as much wrong to God and his book, as may be thought
or done. In which robbery, or rather sacrilege, no man
should put his trust, as the prophet saith.

v. 11, 12.] Exposition of the Sixty-second Psalm. 327

Another way wrongs are done unto man — when the
rich and sturdy of the world, by abusing of friendship,
oppress, rob, and spoil the poor. And by his thus doing,
first, he deceives himself; for evil-gotten goods cannot
long prosper, neither can any family that is advanced
by fraud, craft, or subtlety, long time endure. Then, he
deceives the simple and poor, who trust upon the outward
show of his port and estimation, which glitters in the world
as a vain-glorious and deceivable beauty and honour, and
marks neither how wickedly the glory of the robber and
doer of wrong sprang up, nor how miserably God has
ordained it to fall again.

But seeing carnally, when he sees a vain man in vanity
prosper for a time, he trusts in this vanity, pampered up
with robbery and wrong, until such time as vanity fades,
and he much laments that he put so much vain hope in
vanity. But grant that honour and riches abound by God's
gift and truth, yet were they not given for men to trust in,
but for men to give God more thanks, and to help the
poor with them from injuries of oppression, and need of
hunger, thirst, and poverty. Therefore, the prophet saith :
" Although riches abound, yet men should not put their
hearts upon them :" that is to say, men should not trust
in them, nor keep them otherwise than their use or keep-
ing serves to the glory of God ; in abundance to be liberal,
and in time of need to be careful not to keep them for pri-
vate advantage, but, as Joseph did, to save the multitude
from scarcity and penury. (Gen. xli.) Thus the prophet
exhorts all men to beware they put not their trust in men ;
for both they and all that they have of worldly things are
transitory, vain, and inconstant.

THE SIXTH PART.

Verse 11. God spake once, and twice I have also heard
the same, that power belongeth unto God ;

12. And that thou, Lord, art merciful ; for thou rewarded
every man according to his work.

The sixth part shows that God has promised to help
the afflicted, &c.

In the book of Job is the same phrase and manner of

328 Hooper.

speech : " The Lord spake once, and will not repeat the
same again :" (Job xxxiii.) that is as much as to say,
that the word of God is so sure, that it cannot be made,
frustrate, nor changed by any means. So saith this prophet
Asaph, " God spake once," which standeth sure for ever,
and cannot be altered.

This word of God relates to the verses before ; wherein
be opened the vanity of man, or his insufficiency to help
himself or others in trouble, which cannot be changed, nor
ever shall be ; but being flesh it is vanity, be it ever so
holy ; as Adam called his best son the holy martyr, Abel,
that is to say in the Hebrew tongue, ' vanity,' (Gen. iv.)
perfectly knowing that all flesh, by sin, was vile and vain,
and therefore not to be trusted unto.

This once speaking of God is also referred unto the
text that follows, which declares two virtues in God, power
and mercy; power to punish his enemies, and mercy to
recompense his faithful afflicted : and this is so true, that
it shall never be made false ; the wicked shall feel God's
strength in damnation, and the faithful shall feel God's
mercies in salvation ; not because their works deserve it,
but because God of his mercy is so contented to bless the
poor faithful workman.

Now the prophet saith, he heard it twice at Gods
mouth ; that is to say, he knew God had made a promise
of mercy to save the faithful penitents, and of justice to
punish the impenitent sinner. And this he heard in the
time of the law of nature, by reading Moses's books, and
also by the Holy Ghost in his own time, when, by the in-
spiration of the Holy Ghost, he wrote this psalm and the
rest of his prophecies. The same have we likewise heard,
first, by reading the books of Moses ; next, by reading the
scriptures of the prophets ; and thirdly, by reading the
New Testament ; which I pray God give us grace to be-
lieve and follow. Amen.

AN

EXPOSITION

SEVENTY-THIRD PSALM.

THE ARGUMENT.

The matter and argument of this psalm is a consolation
for those who are wont to be much moved and afflicted,
when they see the ungodly flourish and prosper in all
wealth and pleasure ; and contrariwise, the godly and
good people oppressed with poverty, and all other calami-
ties and afflictions ; as you may see Asaph treat of this
matter in this his psalm. The same you may see also
in king David, in his thirty-seventh psalm ; wherein he
exhorts men not to judge amiss of God nor to leave ofF
godly conversation, although the best are punished, and
the worst escape free. These two psalms, treating of
one matter, are to be read and known of us in these
perilous days, lest the hatred and persecution that happen
to God's truth, and to the lovers thereof, might unhappily
make- us to judge of God, and to forsake his truth, as
many have done ; and daily the number of them increases,
with the decrease of God's honour, and the increase of
their own damnation. For now Christ separates the chaff
from the corn, the rust from the metal, and hypocrisy from
truth. If we will not, or cannot abide the hammer, or
trying-pot that God sets us in, to explore and search whe-
ther our faith will abide the fire of trouble and persecution,
or not ; if we suffer not, then all our religion is not worth
a straw. For it is not words that prove faith, but deeds ; if
it abide the trial, it is true ; and the more it is tried, the
finer it will be, and at length be brought into such fineness,

330 Hooper.

that corruption shall never hurt nor harm it in the world
of grace and virtue. God, therefore, grant us grace to '
suffer his trial and search strongly, patiently, and thank-
fully. Amen. (Matt. xxvi. 1 Tim. i. 2 Tim. iv. 1 John ii.
1 Cor. iii. Heb. xi. Mat. x. James ii. Gen. xii. xv. xvii.
xxii. Rom. iv. Matt, vii.)

THE ORDER OF THE PSALM.

i. The text and letter of the psalm.

ii. The paraphrase, or plain explanation of the text and
letter of the psalm.

in. The principal parts, und most notable doctrines con-
tained in the psalm.

THE TEXT AND LETTER OF THE PSALM OF
ASAPH, WITH THE PARAPHRASE, OR PLAIN
EXPLANATION.

Verse 1. Truly God is loving unto Israd ; even unto such
'. as are of a clean heart.

God loves the godly, although they, are afflicted ; and
hates the ungodly, although they are in prosperity. The
Lord is loving and merciful to' such as are afflicted, and
especially if their hearts are pure and clean, and judge no-,
thing amiss of God, whether they see the good oppressed, or
the evil exalted. In their hearts they murmur not at God's
doings, and in their minds they find no fault with God's
order and providence. (Matt. v. Luke vi. Rev. iii. Prov. iii.
Heb. xi.)

Verse 2. Nevertheless, toy feet were almost gone ; rny head-
ings had well near slipt.
3. And why? 'I was griibed at the wicked ; I do see also
- the ungodly in such prosperity.

Yet, notwithstanding, when I saw the good afflicted,
and the evil prosper, it troubled my mind ; so that, iii a
manner, I was forced and compelled, through indignation,,
to judge of God as other ; evil men did, and grievously,
offended his high majesty, by thinking his doings not im-
partial, in troubling the good, and quieting of the bad.
(Psalm xxxvii. lxxiii. Hab. ii.)

Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 331

Verse 4. For they are in no peril of death, but are lusty
and strong.

T perceived further, saith the prophet, that the wicked
lived not only quietly and pleasantly, but also died, appa-
rently, without heaviness or any great torments. Besides
all these felicities, pleasures, and ease for their own parts
in this world, when they die they leave also pleasant and
delectable mansion-houses, great riches, and large pos-
sessions to their children.

Verse 5. They come into no misfortunes like other folk,

neither are they plagued like other men.
6. And this is the cause that they be so holden with pride,

and overwhelmed with cruelty.

If any miss of loss and damage in this world, it is they;
if sickness flies from any, it flies from them ; so that much
felicity and little adversity cause them neither to know
God, their neighbours nor themselves.

Verse 7. Their eyes swell for fatness, and they do what
they lust.

Such as flourish with riches and authority were proud
and arrogant; for all things come so abundantly unto
them, that they have more than they look for.

Verse 8. They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blas-
phemy; their talk is against the Most High.
They afflict and cruelly persecute the good and inno-
cent, and they are come to this insolence and pride, that
they would not only that their abomination should be
known, but they themselves boast of it, and in the greatest
abomination most extol and magnify themselves.

Verse 9. For they stretch forth their mouth unto the hea-
ven, and their tongue goeth through the world.
They are so blinded and deceived with the felicity and

trouble of this world, that they Spare not God nor godly

men ; but speak against both, afld do their own will and

pleasure.

Verse 10. Therefore fall the people unto them, and there-
out suck they no small advantage*

11. Tush, say they, how should God perceive it ? Is there
knowledge in the Most High ?

332 Hcoper.

12. Lo, these are the ungodly ; these prosper in the world;
these have riches in possession.

13. Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, said I, and
washed my hands in innocency.

14. All the day long have I been punished, and chastened
every morning.

15. Yea, I had almost said even as they;, but lo, then
should I have condemned the generation of thy children.

16. Then thought I to understand this, but it was too hard
for me.

17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God ; then under-
derstood I the end of these men.

Because wicked men prosper so well in this world, the
people of God conform and apply themselves to do as
they do, and frame their lives and manners unto the rule
and fashion of such wicked people as prosper. And they
suck and draw into their minds the wicked men's opinions
and conversation, and so replenish themselves with
iniquity, as the thirsty man replenishes himself with water.
And when the people see the best part turn unto the
manners of the worst, and are as evil or worse than the
worst, they muse and think whether there is any God, or
knowledge in God, who suffers these abominations. And
not only the common people, saith Asaph, stood in a
mammering,* whether God took any heed or cared for
the world, seeing that wicked men so prospered, and
the godlier sort were so vexed; but I myself also,
considering these things with myself, fell into such madness
and error of judgment, that I thought I had done evil so
to apply myself to a virtuous and godly life ; seeing I was
vexed and turmoiled with continual miseries, and seeing
that there was never a day that did not bring its cross and
trouble to the servants of God and virtuous people.
These things, saith the prophet, fondly and foolishly I
spake to myself many times ; but when I weighed the
thing with more judgment, and considered the matter more
deeply with myself, I thought — If I thus judge and speak
of God, do I not reprove, reprehend, and condemn the
life, conversation, and labours of all godly men, who will
not be drawn nor enticed from godly life and the love of
virtue by any misfortunes or afflictions in this world ?
neither do they judge that they have studied and followed
* Hesitating.

Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 333

godliness in vain, whatsoever trouble hath happened to
them in this world. And therefore, when I assayed to
compass the cause and verity of these things, the greatness
thereof brought me into much fear and anxiety. And
further I perceived that I could not come to the knowledge
of these things, except the almighty God would reveal and
open unto me the mysteries and secrets of his providence
and wisdom, that I might see and understand what end
and outgoing these wicked men should have, who with
the greatest abomination and blasphemy in this life had
the greatest felicity and pleasure ; and by tarrying in the
thoughts and cogitations of this case and matter, at last I
found, that these wicked men and women, whose felicity
and prosperous estate tormented me, their end was most
miserable, full of wretchedness and pain.

Verse 18. Namely, thou settest them in slippery places, and

castest them down, and destroyest them.
19. Oh I how suddenly do they consume, perish, and come

to a fearful end!

Doubtless the felicities and pleasures, Lord, that thou
gavest to these wicked doers, are slippery and brittle : for
so may I well call them, because such as enjoy them, for
the most part, so abuse them in this life, that they lose the
life everlasting.

Verse 20. Yea, even as a dream when one awaketh : so
shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city.
These wicked men's felicity vanished, as the dream of
him that is awaked ; for as the dream for a time seems to
be true, and as long as he sleeps he supposes it to be as
he dreams ; but as the dream passes, the sleep being
broken, so does these wicked men's felicity, when they de-
part out of this life. o

Verse 21. Thus my heart was grieved, and it went through

my reins.
23. So foolish was I and ignorant, even as it were a beast

before thee.

23. Nevertheless, lam always by thee : for thou hast holden
me by the right hand.

24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after that
receive Jfie with glory.

Asaph saith, When formerly I saw such wicked men as
flourished in all felicity and pleasure, cast down headlong

334 Hooper.

from their places, I was wonderfully troubled : and no
marvel ; for I was but a fool and an idiot, who perceived
not the judgment of the Lord, but as a beast before thee in
that respect, O Lord ; yet didst thou conduct me, such a fool
as I am, to the understanding of thy pleasure, in such diffi-
cult and hard causes. And in their pleasures thou showedst
me their loss and damnation, and in mine own adversity
and trouble showedst me my salvation and perpetual
health.

Verse 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? And there is

none upon the earth, that I desire in comparison of

thee.
26. My flesh and my heart faileth : but God is the strength

of my heart, and my portion for ever.

When the prophet has weighed God's judgment towards
such as with iniquity lived in all pleasure, and perceived
that their pains were for ever, and their joys but for a
time, he is inflamed with the love of God, and breaks
forth into these godly words and sentences : " Who can
delight me in heaven but thou, O Lord ? Whom shall I
love upon the earth ; whom shall I reverence and honour
but thee ? Doubtless, of all things except thee, I pass
nothing of, nor set store by. Thee only I embrace, thee
only I desire, and thee only I covet and wish for ; for thou
only art to be beloved, to be hpnoured, and to be wished
for : so that both my soul and my body are ravished with
the love of thee ; for thou art the strength and foundation
of my soul and body ; thou art my riches, my treasure,
and my everlasting inheritance."

Verse 27. For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish : thou

hast destroyed all them, that commit fornication against

thee.
28. But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put

my trust in the Lord God.

And good cause have I, O Lord, to love thee ; for they
shall perish and be destroyed, as many as love any thing
besides thee, and forsake thee : therefore, as I know it
is profitable only to prefer thee, O Lord, in all love and
favour; so is it right that I, being thus saved by thy
mercy, and receiving so many benefits at thy hand, should
continually with laud and praise celebrate and magnify the
marvellous works of thy goodness and providence.
The end of the paraphrase or plain explanation.

Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 335

THE PRINCIPAL PARTS OF PSALM LXXIII.

Verse 1. Truly God is loving to Israel, 8fc.
The first part is contained in the first verse, and it de-
clares that God loves the good, although he punishes
them.

Verse 2. My feet were almost gone, fyc.
The second part is contained in the second verse, and it
declares how weak and frail a thing the nature of man is,
and upon how small an occasion it is in danger to fall
from God.

Verse 3 — 9. I was grieved at the wicked, fyc.

The third part is contained in the seven verses that follow,
which show wherein the felicity of wicked men consists,
that good men are so sore grieved at.

Verse 10 — 12. Therefore fall the people unto them, 8fc.

The fourth part is contained in the three verses next
ensuing; and it declares how frail, brittle, and weak a
thing man is, who, for every trifle, turns and withdraws
himself from God.

Verse 13, 14. Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, Sfc.
The fifth part is contained in the two verses next follow-
ing ; and it declares how soon men repent their well-doings.

Verse 15. Yea> and I had almost said even as they, fyc.
The sixth part is contained in the verse next following ;
and it declares how great a danger it is to judge hastily of
God, or of God's people,, without the word of God.

Verse 16 — 22. Then thought I t to understand this, but it

was too hard for me, Sfc.

The seventh part is contained in the seven verses next
following ; and it declares that man's reason is but
ignorant and brujtish in considering God's works, until it
is illuminated by God and his word ; and then is clearly
shown, how vain all things are that wicked men possess in
this world.
Verse 23 — 28. Nevertheless I am alway by thee : for thou

hast holden me by my right hand, Sfc.

The eighth part. is contained. in the six verses to the end
of the psalm ; and it. declares a wonderful and unspeakable

336 Hooper.

consolation. For although we are grievously tempted,
yet we are not forsaken of God, but are preserved and
lifted up, when otherwise we should fall. And in this
part, in setting forth the multitude and number of God's
consolations, he draws near the end of the psalm, and
concludes it with this text, " I will set forth thy works.''
Wherewith he declares that he will be thankful unto God
for his great gifts and mercy.

The end of the parts and chief matters in the psalm.

What Things are to be marked out of these Parts
and Matters of the Psalm.

Out of

THE FIRST PART
are many things to be noted.

Verse 1. Truly God is loving to Israel, 8fc.

First, that the nature and condition of God, as he hath
prepared for men a place of joy permanent and everlast-
ing, is not to reward such as are his, and ordained to the
life to come, with so slender and small a recompense in
the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, as the worldly and
transitory things of this world ; (Matt. vi. Coloss. iii. 1 Cor.
xv. Matt. xxv. Sol. Song, iv.) but with riches and treasures
that shall not corrupt nor be eaten with vermin, nor yet
taken from us by thieves. (John xvii.) As St. Paul saith,
" He hath made us to sit with him in the glory of heaven."
(Ephes. ii.) And as Christ said unto Peter, who became
a beggar with the rest of the apostles in this world, for
Christ's sake : " Ye shall sit upon the twelve seats, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt, xix.)

We must therefore note out of this place of the prophet's
psalm, that God, although he whip and scourge us, as we
have most worthily deserved, yet he loves us, and will not
take his mercy from us, but will leave beating of us, and
burn the rod ; and then in Christ reward us with everlast-
ing life. In any case, therefore, we must well assure our-
selves jn the days of God's punishments, that the end of
his crosses and afflictions is the beginning of everlasting
joys. For he receives none but such as he first corrects
and chastens. (Rom. viii. Luke xxii. Psalm cxix. Rev.
v. vii. xxii. Isaiah liv. Hos. i. Heb. xii.)

v. 1.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 337

The second instruction in this part, is to be persuaded
.that God does not punish without just cause, nor that he
delights in punishing his people, as the wicked Pharaoh,
Nimrod, Saul, and Julian the apostate, said. And when
he had drowned all the world with water for sin, the wicked
people judged that God had punished from a partial and
jcholeric passion in his fury, without just matter and cause.
{Isa. li. Rom. iii. Exod. xiv. Gen. x. 1 Sam. xxviii.)
Therefore they went about, in contempt of God, to build
a tower so high that God should never be able to wreak
his wrath upon them again. So did Pharaoh ; he asked
what God that should be, that could plague him and his
realm ? (Exod. v.) and in the time of his punishment he
railed and spake most irreverently. Wicked Saul, also,
when God for his disobedience punished him, he, in de-
spite of God, sought remedy to withstand the punishments
of God by witchcraft and necromancy. (1 Sam. xxviii.)
And Julian the emperor, when Christ gave him his death-
wound in the wars, took a handful of his own blood, and
hurled it in despite of Christ into the air, and said, " Thou
hast overcome, thou Galilean :" for in mockery he called
Christ and christian men Galileans. Wherefore, in any
case, this beginning of the psalm is to be marked, and used
in the time of all men's punishments, and to say with
heart and mouth unto the heavenly Father, whatsoever he
layeth upon us, " Truly God is loving unto me," &c. And
so does king David cry out, when God was most severe
and busy in punishing both him and his people, sayingj
" Thou art just, Lord, and right : and just is thy judg-
ment." (Psalm cxix.) So did the emperor Mauritius say,
when his wife and children were killed before his face,
" Thou art just, Lord, and thy judgments are righteous."

Job likewise was of the same mind : although his wife
and kinsfolk provoked him to speak impatiently and irre-
verently of God ; yet he said, that he and all his were the
Lord's, and that if he had received them from him, why
should not he be contented, that God should have them
again at his pleasure ? (Job i. ii.)

These two notes are to be marked and used, whatsoever
happens. First, that God purposes to bestow heavenly^
pleasures and treasures upon his people ; and therefore he
will not reward them with the trash and wicked mammon
of this life and transitory vale of misery. The second,
when, he punishes his in this world, it is of love ; and that'

hoofer, o

338 Hooper .

the person afflicted must both take it so, and also say with
Asaph, " Truly God is loving unto Israel ;" that is to say,
to him that professes his religion. (John xvi. Gal. v.
Col. i. 1 Thes. i. Heb. xii. James i. 1 John i.)

A third note is to mark that God is known and felt, in
the time of punishment and persecution, to be loving, only
by such as are of a clean heart. (Psalm cxix. Deut. iv.
2 Sam. xxii.. Neh. ix. Psalm xviii. xci. cxviii. Rom. v. xii.
1 Cor. iv. 2 Cor. i.) Whereof we learn, that all men who
bear the name of Israelites and of the christian religion,
judge neither reverently nor yet patiently of God's punish-
ments, except such christian men as are of clean hearts.
Out of this place we may learn the cause why, in this
trouWesome time, so many wax weary and fall from the
truth of God's word, while God is punishing us that have
been unthankful unto him, and did not live according to
his wjrd — the Lord forgive us. Doubtless, now they mis-
like, and start back ; no, not start baek, but openly, in the
face of God's enemies, swear as Peter did, (God send
them Peter's repentance 1) that they never cared a jot for
God's word. And all is, because they are not, nor ever
were, of a clean heart ; that is to say, persuaded in their
hearts, that God's holy word is the only truth, what punish-
ment soever God lay upon them that profess it. God
give us this clean heart, that we may unfeignedly say,
" Doubtless, the Lord is loving unto his word, and to them
that profess it, although he lay thousands of crosses upon
them in this world."

Out of this place we are admonished, dearly beloved, to
beware of one of the greatest and most abominable evils
that can be done against God ; that is to say, witchcraft, and
calculation by astrology, and such like. When we see the
heavens rain, the clouds wholly bent to storms and tem-
pests ; the winds roaring and in such rage, as though all
should' go asunder; also thunder and lightnings which
men wonder at; and under all these plagues, tempests,
and foul weather, the young springing corn, the roots of
sweet herbs, the little withered grass, lie buried and covered
under weather and storms, frost and snow, while God
suffers winter, and makes cold to continue. Were it not
a heinous offence to say and divine from these stormy
and winterly tempests, that summer should not be green,
that parched blades of grain should not come again to
corn in the harvest; that frost-bitten and buried roots

v. 2.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 339

should not at the spring bring forth sweet and pleasant
flowers; that trees shaken and wind-torn by tempests
should not, in the calm coming of the summer, bud forth
their leaves? What witch and cursed man would thus
judge of earthly things, that have their times of fading
and losing of all beauty for the sin of man ? If it be abo-
mination to condemn and curse the summer to come, for
the bitterness and storms of winter.; because summer's
fruits and the spring's beauty are stained and defiled with
winter's barrenness and dim clouds; is it not ten times
more abomination for the bitterness and storms of perse-
cution, to condemn and curse the life to come of God's
people, because truth's fruits and the resurrection's glory
are stained and dishonoured with worldly scarcity,, and
dimmed by persecution ? But as Asaph saith, " All eyes
see not these things, but such as are of a clean heart."
All men have eyes, for the most part, and all men have
hearts, but they are such as the worms of the earth and
birds of the air can eat and devour ; but he that will live
in God, and see these things, must have immortal eyes and
an incorruptible heart, which comes by grace in God's
Spirit, to see by faith, and honour with reverence, God's
doings, as well in the winter and cold storms of persecu-
tion, as in the summer of felicity and pleasure ; and to re-
member that all men and women have this life and this
world appointed unto them for their winter and season of
storms. The summer draws near, and then shall we be
fresh, orient, sweet, amiable, pleasant, acceptable, immor-
tal, and blessed, for ever and ever ; and no man shall take
us from it. We must, therefore, in the mean time, learn
out of this verse to say unto God, whether it be winter or
summer, pleasure or pain, liberty or imprisonment, life or
death, " Truly God is loving to Israel, even unto such as
be of a clean heart.''

Out of

THE SECOND PART:

are divers things also to be noted,

Verse, 2. My feet were almost gone, Sfc.

First, the prophet notes, how wretched and miserable
man is, and how soon inclined to do evil. He saith, that
a 9

'340 ' Hooper,

he was ready to have slipped from God, even with the
beholding of God's own works, when he saw God give
unto the wicked felicity and prosperity ; which things are
only God's riches, to give to whom he will. Although he
bestowed none of his upon the wicked, yet was he offended
that God should bestow his own where he pleased. The
same occasion the workmen in the vineyard took to mur-
mur against God ; as it is in the gospel of St. Matthew,
(chap, xx.) So that we are naturally given to this, that
God gives always too much unto others, and too little unto
us ; yea, although he would give us all the world, and yet
keep any one thing for himself, even his very Godhead,
in case he will not give also that unto us, we are ready to
bid him farewell. And in case he will not also give us as
much as is in him, such is our nature, that we will by
some means or other seek to have it. As we may see,
when he had made Adam, and given him both knowledge
and power above all other creatures made for his use, be-
cause he was not made God altogether, he fell most hein-
ously from God ; and slipped not only in his feet, but also
in soul and body, to his utter ruin and destruction, and of
us all that come of him. (Gen. iii.) For this is our con-
dition—let God give us ever so much, we think it too
little, except we have a singular grace to consider it aright ;
and let us surrender unto God ever so little homage or
service, we think it all too much. Such is our cursed
nature and first birth, to be ready to slip from God upon
the lightest occasion of the world ; yea, when God does
other men good, and us no harm. But this nature we
have of the devil, our forefather, to disdain and malign at
other men's profit and preferment, as he did. (Gen. iii.)
For when God made Adam, and put him in paradise, the
devil never rested envying Adam's prosperity, until he had
brought him to the loss of all together,' and quite to fall
from the Lord. (John viii.) This doctrine, therefore,
touching the brittleness and frailness of man's nature, is to
be marked ; lest that, whereas the prophet said, " My feet
were almost gone," we slide and fall altogether from God.
There is also to be noted, that the prophet said, he was
almost gone, and not altogether. Here is the presence,
providence, strength, safeguard, and keeping of man by
almighty God, marvellously set fprth. That although we
are tempted and brought even to the very point, to perper
trate and do all mischief, yet he stays us, and keeps us,

v. 2.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 341

that the temptation shall not quite overcome us. And so
St. Paul saith of God's providence and present help, that
he will not suffer us to be tempted further than we shall
be able to bear ; and many times when we are brougnt
into the greatest danger and peril both of body and soul,
before we fall and are overcome, the Lord preserves us
and prevents the evil. As when Abraham went into
Egypt, and perceived that the Egyptians would put him
in danger for his wife Sarah, for she was a fair woman, he
desired her to say, she was his sister ; and by that means
thought to save himself from danger, and to win favour at
the Egyptians' hands. (Gen. xx.) The chastity of this
godly matron, Sarah the wife of Abraham, came into such
extreme peril, that neither Abraham nor she knew how to
stand fast in the state and chaste condition of matrimony ;
for she was taken to the king to be his wife. But lest the
woman should have fallen, and her feet slipped, the Lord
rebuked the kins, and told him that Sarah was another
man s wife, and unjawful for him ; and so, by his merciful
defence and goodness, kept all parts from falling in that
respect....*

The like you may see also in the remarkable history of
Esther, (chap, iv.), where the very rock and chief stay of the
Jew's health, + Mordecai, made suit to the queen for Ahasue-
rus's pardon for the life of the Jews, when sentence and
judgment of death were passed against them. So that if
faith in the promises of God had not stayed him, he had
slipped and fallen down, to see all things against him and
his countrymen. But before men utterly fall, the Lord is
with them, and pi'eserves them with his mercy ; as David
said, " When my feet were moved, thy mercy, O Lord,
stayed me." (Psalm xciv.)

The third thing to be noted of these words, is the
manner of the prophet's speaking, which must be marked
and understood, or else the reader or hearer of the psalms
shall take no profit.

" My feet were almost gone, and my treadings had well
nigh slipped."

By the 'feet' he understandeth the mind ; and by the
* treadings well nigh slipped,' he understands the judgment
and wisdom of the mind. As foul and slippery ways are
dangerous for the feet, so are the works of God to the

* The author then refers to Judith. t Welfare, preservation

342 Hooper.

mind that is not illuminated with the light of God's word ;
and as the slipping and running away of the feet causes
the whole body to fall, even so the ignorance of the mind
causes both body and soul to fall, and grievously to mis-
judge the works of God: and as the fall of the, body de-
files it with mire and dirt, even so the fall of the mind de-
files both body and soul with impatience and envious in-
dignation at God's works.

So that the prophet saith by these words, " My feet
were almost gone, and my treadings had well nigh slipped:"
my mind was so troubled to see God suffer the evil to be
in such prosperity, and the good in such adversity, that
my judgment almost slipped from right thoughts of thee,
O Lord ; and scarcely I avoided most heinous sin towards
thee, in controlling of thy most wise and just doings.

If we marked the pith and wisdom of the scripture, we
should see many things more in ourselves than we do, and
doubtless should grow to an excellency in wisdom, and find
out what evils we are most inclined unto. Amongst all
others, hatred and indignation at other men's prosperity is
not the least, nor the least frequent ; and, indeed, the father
of sin, the devil, hath that in him. First, he disdained God
and his felicity, but he won nothing thereby but everlasting
pains. Then he envied man and his felicity, (Gen. iii.)
yet the wicked spirit gained nothing to himself but double
damnation and loss of us all. And this seed of the devil
descended into our nature, as we may see, and made Cain
to kill Abel, his brother; made lshmael to persecute
Isaac — Esau, Jacob — Dathan and Abiram, Moses and
Aaron — Aaron and Miriam his sister, Moses — Jacob's
phildren, Joseph — Saul, David — Herod and the pharisees,
Christ, and John the baptist, the ten apostles, John and
James, Peter and St. John the evangelist;, (Gen. iv. xxi.
xxvii. Num. xvi. xii. Gen. xxxviii. 1 Sam. xix. Matt.
xiv. xx.), and the members of the devil and antichrist
in this our time to persecute the members of Christ. So
that they are not only almost fallen, but also, (the Lord
help them and us all !) altogether slidden to envy and in-
dignation, and likewise to violent oppression of God's
holy word. But let us not slip nor fall into indignation,
that they prosper, and we are afflicted ; but say in the
midst of these oppressions of the good, and prosperity of
the evil, " Truly God is loving unto Israel ;" and let us
pray also for their amendment.

v. 3 — 9.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 343

THE THIRD PART.

Verse 3. And, why ? I was grieved at the wicked, fyc.

Herein is shown what the felicity of the wicked is,
and wherein it consists ; that the godly are troubled in all
things, when they flourish and are in honour ; and the
poor members of Christ are persecuted and without all
honour, and accounted worms rather than men ;> yea, the
dogs and brute beasts of the enemies are in more esti-
mation than the poor believers in Christ. (Psalm xxii.)

Out of this part is to be noted, first, a great fault and
oversight in the people of God, for lack of judgment and
true knowledge; wherein truth and real felicity indeed
consist: the lack of which knowledge makes men both
impatient and ignorant judges of God's holy works. The
prophet therefore herein amends his own and our igno-
rance,- and wills us to know perfectly wherein felicity and
happiness rest. The christian must understand and assure
himself, that the felicity and everlasting beatitude of men
are wrought by quietness of conscience and innocence of
life : of which two parts and virtues, in this tract I will
speak more hereafter, as well what they are, and what are
the causes of them, as what is the effect of them. I will
assure you, if we know not these things well, our religion
will but a while be permanent and true unto God.

To enter therefore into the knowledge of the matter,
wherein the beatitude and felicity of man consist, it is
requisite to cast some clouds and darkness upon those
worldly things which wicked men possess, and whereby
godly men think them to be happy : as the sun at its
rising and passing over the earth, hides and covers the
globe and sphere of the moony and /darkens also the light
and clearness of the stars ; even so the tranquillity of con-
science, and the brightness - of faith and charity that dwell
in the heart of the faithful, darken and hide all things that
seem beautiful and voluptuous to the world and carnal
lusts of man. And he that has a testimony at home in
his own conscience, that he is in the favour of God, will
not greatly care for other men's judgments, whether they
save or damn, laeud or dispraise ; nor yet greatly sorrow,
although he lack such notes of riches and glory, as worldly
men judge and know felicity by. Por he that surely
knows wherein felicity consists, will not take the worldly

344 Hooper.

opinion of men for his record, nor for his reward ; neither
will he greatly fear for any damnation or punishment that
the world can annex and join unto his life, for this mortal
time. It is therefore Christianity to know, that felicity
and beatitude rest in the riches of the mind, by God's
grace, wrought by the Holy Ghost, for the merits of Christ.-

There was amongst the philosophers a great diversity of
opinion wherein felicity and beatitude should consist.
Some said, it rested in a man being continually void and
free from anguish and sorrow. Others said, it consisted
in the knowledge of things. Some said, in pleasure
and voluptuousness. Aristotle, Theophrastus, and such
others as were of the sect of the peripatetics, held, that a
blessed and fortunate life consisted in honesty ; and said,
that the same might be consistent with the voluptuous
pleasures of the body, and with external riches, honour,
and felicity. But both these opinions, and all the rest, are
confuted by our Saviour Christ, and his holy word. He
saith, " This is life everlasting, .that men know thee, O
Father, the only and true God, and whom thou hast sent,
Jesus Christ." (John xvii.) And in another place he saith,
" Every one that forsaketh house, brothers, sisters, father,
mother, wife, children, or possessions, for my name, shall
receive an hundred fold, and possess life everlasting."
(Matt, xix.)

By these places we know, that beatitude and felicity
consist in knowledge and working of God's will, which
are the causes of quietness of conscience and innoceucy
of life : wherein felicity consists, as I said before. The
right knowledge of God brings faith in Christ. Faith in
Christ brings tranquillity of conscience. Tranquillity of,
conscience, by faith worketh charity and love, to do and
work the will of our heavenly Father. This you may see
also in the book of Psalms, that felicity and bliss rest
not in those trifling things that glitter to the eye,, where-
with the prophet was so sorely offended ; but in knowledge
and working of God's will. " Blessed is the man whom
thou teachest, Lord, and whom thou instructest in thy
law." (Psalm xciv.) And in another psalm he saith,
" Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and desireth
to work his will." (Psalm cxii.) In these psalms, if you
read them with judgment, and prayer to God, you shall
find knowledge and consolation, far above the common
sort of such as read and use them in the churches now, to

v. 3 — 9.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 345

the dishonour of God, .and to the destruction of their own
souls.

And in this matter of felicity and beatitude of man and
woman in this life, I would have you judge by the scripture
of God, or else you shall be deceived, what it is, wherein
it consists, and what it works ; for only the word of God
teaches and shows it, and nothing but it : the scripture of
God plainly declares, that nothing can be profitable which
is not honest and virtuous. And virtue is blessed and
true felicity, in what condition or state soever it be ; neither
can it be increased with any external or bodily goods or
honour ; neither can it be diminished with any adversities
or troubles. And nothing can be blessed but that which
is free from iniquity, full of honesty and the grace of God ;
as you may see in the book of Psalnqs, where this matter
is plainly set forth. " Blessed is the man that hath not
walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way
of sinners, nor sat in the chair of scorners ; but his de-
light was in the law of God," &c. (Psalm i.) And in
another psalm is said, " Blessed are they that be clean of
life, and walk in the law of God,'' (Psalm cxix.)

Out of these places we learn, that knowledge and inno-
cence of life work felicity and beatitude. We must there-
fore beware, that we judge not felicity to be in the
inconstant and uncertain riches of the world ; but we
must contemn them, and also beware that we fear not the
trouble which may happen to such virtues wherein felicity
does stand. And we must understand also, that although
these virtues, wherein felicity consists, and such as are
friends of God. are afflicted and troubled ; yet that neither
the felicity, nor the person in whom it dwells, is any
thing the worse for troubles and adversities before God,
but rather the better. As you may see by the word of
God, that saith, " Blessed are ye when men speak evil of
you, and persecute you, and speak all evil against you,
for righteousness sake. Be glad and rejoice, for your
reward is great in heaven. So did they persecute the
prophets before you." (Matt. v. x.) And in another place
it is said, " He that will come after me, let him deny him-
self, and take his cross and follow me." (Matt, xvi.) The
psalm, therefore, in this part, amends the judgment of
weak and wavering christian men, that are offended with
the prosperity of the wicked, because they do not know,
nor mark by God's word, wherein felicity consists, and
a3

346 Hooper.

that it remains in such virtues as are not diminished, nor
drowned in the adversities of this world, whatsoever dan-
gers happen. When was Moses stronger than when he
saw on the one side the mountains of Egypt, and on the
other side Pharaoh and his army, and before him the Red
Sea, and in the midst of these enemies, he and his people
standing like sheep ready to be slain by the wolves ?
(Exod. xiv.) He was never more strong, nor in this life
more blessed, than at that time. Daniel was never better
than amongst the lions. (Dan.«vi.) . We must, therefore,
know that the virtues wherein ' felicity consists are not
diminished by sorrow and trouble, nor anything increased
by the voluptuous pleasures and brittle honours of this
world: as St. Paul most godly sets forth in his epistle to the
Philippians : " The things that I thought profit and gains,
for Christ's sake I esteem as hurt and damage ; for
whose love I esteem all things as nothing, so that I may
win Christ." (Phil. iii. Heb. xi.) And Moses esteemed
the treasures of. Egypt hurtful, and preferred them not
before the reproaches and rebukes of the Lord : neither
thought he -himself rich nor blessed with the riches of
Egypt, nor cursed when he was in need and lacked them.
Elias the prophet, if he had considered his need and
danger, (1 Kings xvii.) might have accounted himself very
miserable and unhappy ; but because he knew it was
appointed him of God, he complained not of God's
doings ; for he was as well contented to have bread from
God by the raven in the morning, and water at night from
the .fountain, as though he had possessed all the world ;
and "* he was not the less blessed, although he was poor;
but rather more blessed, because he was rich toward God.
Read the gospel of St. Matthew, and see the practice
of this felicity, (chap, xvii.) Moses that was so destitute
of all worldly help, and Elias void of all worldly consola-
tion, talked with Christ on the mount of Tabor ; where
Peter would have tarried with all his heart, although he
knew both Christ, and those that he talked with, in the
estimation of this world, were accounted the most un-
happy and miserable of all men ; yet he saw that transi-
tory honours, riches, and felicity, help nothing to the
life everlasting. As Christ plainly teaqhes in St. Luke,
" Blessed are the poor ; for theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness ;
for they shall be satisfied. Blessed be ye that now weep ;

v. 3 — 9.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 347

for ye shall laugh." (Luke vi.) Therefore the poverty,
misery, and affliction that the prophet was in, when he
spake this psalm and most godly hymn, hindered nothing
at all his felicity, and blessing of God ; but rather fur-
thered it, if he had known wherein truly and verily felicity
had consisted ; as you may see hereafter, how he came to
the knowledge of it.

Another thing is to be noted out of these seven verses,
containing the third part of the psalm ; that such trea-
sures, riches, and honours, as men set most by in this
world, are rather, unto men that have not grace, hin-
drances and impediments to everlasting felicity, and to
the attainment of virtue in this life, than furtherers. (1
Tim. vi.) As the scripture saith : " Woe be unto you,
rich men, which have your consolation : woe be unto you
that are now full, for ye shall hunger; And such as laugh
shall weep." (Luke vi.) Ahab the wicked king, not con-
tented with his kingdom, would take Naboth's vineyard
from him ; (1 Kings xxi.) but it had been better for him,
that he had been a swineherd ; for his lands and riches
being abused, made him kill an innocent man, h ; s true sub-
ject. Flentifulness of God's gifts abused, brings contempt
of God and man : as you may see how Nebuchadnezzar, in
wealth and riches, despised the living God, and came to
feed with brutes. (Dan. iv.) The children of Israel, when
they had filled themselves with gifts, were not thankful,
but unthankful ; and fell from unthankfulness to idolatry,
and all abomination. (Exod. xxxii.) And as men con-
temn God in prosperity, so do they also their neighbours:
as you may see by this part of the psalm, where the pro-
phet saith, " Their eyes swell for fatness ;" that is, their
riches and honour puff them up into such pride, that they
contemn and despise all men.

The third thing to be noted is, that all things which the
felicity and joys of wicked men consist in, are but worldly
and transitory things, and as uncertain as man is himself;
which is to be marked ; (Dcut. xi. Psalm xcii. Isa. xl.
Matt. vi. 1 Pet. i.) because no man can be happy or blessed
by any such fading and inconstant things. Neither can any
man come to the beatitude of permanent joys, by such
things as God gives indifferently as well to the bad as to
the good, and to the vicious as to the virtuous. As Solo-
mon, in the book of the Preacher, marvellously sets forth,
and matches equally the good with the bad, in such things

848 Moopet

as happen under the sun : " The good and the bad," saith
he, " are rich and poor, in trouble and in prosperity, they
have friends and foes, are merry and sorry, live and die
all alike." (Eccles. iii. iv. v.) But neither the things that
bring them to life everlasting, nor yet life everlasting itself
are like these ; for there is nothing that leadeth to ever-
lasting life but the knowledge and fear of God, and the
doing of his blessed will ; "which virtues come not by na-
ture, but by grace. As Solomon declared, when he prayed
so earnestly to have wisdom and understanding from God.
(1 Kings iii.)

And as these virtues come not from.nature, even so they
are not the riches of all men, but of virtuous and godly
men only. And , as they dwell and inhabit only in such
as fear God ; so they only conduct ar d lead such as are
godly (and none other) to eternal life. This differs as far
and-, as much from the wicked's eternal life, as joy differs
feom • sorrow, ease from pain, pleasant consolation from
fiery flames, love from hatred, God from the devil, and
heaven from hell ; for those riches wherewith the ungodly
are endued in this life, are not the things that can make
any man blessed or cursed before God. Therefore, they
are no more to be cared for, than need is ; to have them,
if. God will ; if not, to lack them : to have them with
God's grace well to use them ; or else to pray to lack
them, lest they abuse us. Better it were to have too little
in the world with God's favour, than too much with his
^displeasure. j(1 Tim. vi.) If we have meat, drink, and
clothes, let us be contented with it, as with sufficient things
to pass this life. If any more than these come, take heed
they make us not swell in pride, and take from us the
remembrance and service of God. O that godly eyes
would look upon this psalm, and especially upon this part
of it, that declares wherein the glory, honour, and felicity of
wicked men consist — then I know these eyes shall hardly
escape tears and weeping, to see and hear a wicked and
cursed creature of God, pampered with such a sort of vain
fleetings, that when he would most gladly flee from sorrow,
the least are able to carry him away. (Luke xii.)

Mark the wicked man's riches, and you shall perceive
that God has given him no more than he has unto the
clay, mouId v and stony earth ; wherein lie both gold and
precious stones. (Matt, vi.) His beauty and amiableness
of vesture and apparel is not like the rose of the garden,-

V. 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. % 349

nor the lily of the field ; his strength is much inferior to
brute beasts ; his wisdom less than the horse or mule, that
use meats and drinks enough for necessity, and not too
much out of sensuality. If lack and need oppress them,-
they wait patiently until order provide for them ; but if
the wicked luck, he bears it not with patience, nor seeks
to obtain enough, by truth. The courageous horse fiercely
in fight contemns death ; and the meek swan, feeling
life to pass away, with sweet tunes welcomes death, and
strives not, but willingly is contented to surrender that
which cannot be kept by force. But what does the rich
wicked man ? Even as the wise man saith : " O death !
how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to such as have
confidence in their riches !" O Lord ! what a charnel-
house of stinking carrion is this body and life of wicked
man puffed up with riches ! inferior, with all that ever he
has, to the birds of the air, the beasts of the fields, and
unto the barren clay that he was made of; and the soul
itself, within that wicked body is cursed of God, and
ordained to eternal pains.

Who is he that can read or behold the state and honour
of man, in whom is not mentioned one virtue to dwell,
without sorrow and heaviness ? What a cursed nature is
man made of, that can see another thus pampered np with
God's displeasure, and does not rather bewail and mourn
to see his brother lost by these riches, and cast away, than
envy or disdain at his person ? Oh ! woe befall them,
that fall into this sin of ours, that thus rather with malice
and disdain envy the miseries and curses of God upon
others, than charitably go about to amend them, or ruth-
fully to bewail them ! Read, my dearly beloved in the
Lord, this place, and mark well the wicked men, and learn
to pray for them, as may God give us all grace to do.

THE FOURTH PART.

Verse 10. Therefore faU the people unto them, fyc.

Out of this part the first thing to be noted is, how dan-
gerous it is to be continually assaulted with temptation ; and
that the end of it, for the most part, is the conquest and
overthrow of as many as are assaulted. As we may see by

350 Hooper.

the examples of our forefathers, temptation not resisted at
the beginning, prevailed against our innocent parents
Adam and Eve in paradise ; against Cain in murder ;
against Aaron and the people in idolatry ; against Nimrod
in pride; against David in adultery; against Judas in
avarice ; against Aaron and Miriam his sister in envy ;
against Esau in gluttony ; against Pharaoh in pride ;
against Herod in hypocrisy ; against the pharisees in blind-
ness and obstinacy of mind ; against the Jews in the
slander of Christ's death ; against the Gentiles in ignorance
of God's word. (Gen. iii. iv. xxv. Exod. xxxii. 2 Sam. xi.
Matt. xxvi. Numb. xii. Gen. xxv. Exod. iii. Matt. xiv. John
vii. v — ix. 1 Cor. i. Rom. i.) Against the most part of chris-
tians now-a-days in cowardice and fear ; and against all
the world, in looking more how to profit itself, than to serve
and fear God. The prophet said before, he was almost
gone to see the wicked so prosper ; but he saith now, that
the people fall utterly unto them, and learn both the
wicked opinions and wicked life of the wicked.

The second is, that the people fall not into the wicked
blasphemy of iniquity one by one, but by clusters, in great
numbers. Wherein is much to be noted, that so few so
hardly turn to God, and so many so quickly turn to abo-
mination. But as Christ said, " The way to heaven is
narrow and strait, and few enter ; and the way to hell is
broad and plain, and many enter in it." (Matt, vii.)

THE FIFTH PART.

Verse 13. Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, 8fc.

Out of it we are admonished, that our nature is soon
offended with troubles for the glory of God. And even
as we are unquiet with the troubles, so we are inconstant
and unstable in the knowledge and truth that we suffer
trouble for; and begin to repent, that ever we began to
favour or embrace the truth ; and wish, also, that we had
used ourselves as other men did ; and then had suffered
with other men the common lot and fortune of the world,
and not thus have been given to a singular knowledge of
God's word, which brings with it a singular hatred and
punishment in this world. (Jer. xx.) Such is our nature,
if we are by afflictions and troubles, but for a day's space,

v. 13, 15.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 351

made like unto Christ, we think it too long ; but if we are
by sin, for all our lifetime, made like unto the devil, we
think the time too short, and wish to live longer, because
we would longer work and delight in sin and abomination.
Great and heinous is our offence in this respect : for a little
time spent in well-doing, we judge too long ; and all time
spent in evil-doing, we judge too short. All labours
and pains are too little, if they are bestowed in worldly
things ; but if they are appointed to heavenly things, be
they ever so few and slender, we think them too much.

There is not sea or land, with all the perils in them,
but men dare adventure both their goods and their lives,
to win increase of worldly goods ; but to win towards God
and godliness, scarcely one of a great many will labour or
take pains to gain it, even without danger. So the pro-
phet says in this place, that " he had cleansed his heart in
vain ;" because he saw cleanliness* and virtue persecuted,
and filtht with iniquity honoured and exalted. Christ, in
the gospel of St. John, perceiving that when virtue and
well-doing should be troubled, men should wax weary of
well-doing and virtue, said unto his disciples, " Remem-
ber when they come, that I spake of them, and warned you
before." (John xvi.)

THE SIXTH PART.

Verse 15. Yea, and I had almost said even as they, fyc.

Out of it we learn, that no man should judge of God's
works, nor God's people, but by the word of God. In
this respect we many times grievously offend the almighty
God. For when the world condemns God's word, then
the most part of men do the same. If the world say it is
true, we say so too. If the world say it is untrue, we say
it is untrue ; and if the world condemn it, we condemn it
also : likewise, if the world account them cursed and
damned that are persecuted for God's sake, and for the
testimony of his name, we do so too. Yea, and moreover,
if the world slander and lie upon poor men and poor
women, that suffer for God's sake, we speak as they do,
and sometimes persecute also the good with them. This
is an horrible thing, to reprove after such a carnal and
* Holiness. t Wickedness.

352 Hooper.

worldly sort, God, and all his blessed people, which will
be at length, doubtless, a just condemnation of the world.

THE SEVENTH PART.

Verse 16. Then thought I to understand this, bvt it was
too hard for me, fyc.

We learn out of this part, that until reason be amended
and removed from her natural blindness, it can do no
other than condemn both God and God's people. And no
marvel ; for the prophet in the eighty-third psalm, and also
in the thirty-first psalm, has these words : " They have
consulted against thy hidden people ;" as though he had
said, The merciful Father of heaven keeps the godly
people in most sure and strong defence and protection ;
but this kind of protection is hid from the eyes of man's
reason. So that it seems many times, as if God had' the.
least care for the godly, and cared more for the wicked
than for them. Yet, howsoever the world judges, God
sleepeth not. Further, how blessed the state and life of
the gpdly is, and how cursed the life and state of the
wicked is, only the virtuous and godly do perceive. There-
fore the scripture calls those that are godly and virtuous,
the hidden of God. Moreover, the godly perceive, that
all the vanity of worldly things, which are the treasures of
the wicked, and the permanent state and condition of
heavenly things, which are the treasures of the godly,
are only seen of such as enter into the holy sanctuary and
secret treasures of God's most holy word, without which,
worldly things seem to be riches, and heavenly things
poverty ; wicked men to be blessed, and godly men cursed ;
falsehood to be truth, and truth falsehood ; death to be
life, and life death.

THE EIGHTH PART.

Verse 23. Nevertheless, I am alway by thee, for thou hast
holden me always by my right hand.

The prophet out of this part declares that which St.
Paul writes to the Romans : (chap, viii.) " If God be with

v. 23.] Exposition of the Seventy-third Psalm. 353

us, who can be against us ? If he love us, who is he
that can separate us from his love, who spared not his
only Son for our redemption, but gave him for us unto the
death ? Therefore, there is neither life nor death, things
present nor things to come, that can separate us from him."
Unto this place is referred all the deliverance from trou-
ble and danger that God used from the beginning of the
world unto our time. And when we understand and
know God's mercy towards ourselves and others, we must
give ourselves wholly to laud and praise his holy name,
and be thankful ; for there is nothing more unnatural in
man, than forgetfulness of God's great and innumerable
gifts towards us. To 'whom be all honour and praise,
world without end. Amen.

AN

EXPOSITION

OF THE

SEVENTY-SEVENTH PSALM.

The Argument.

When Asaph, being a man appointed to the service and
teaching of God's word unto the people, perceived that
such as were under his care and charge were many times
troubled and brought into great heaviness, for the fear and
dread they had conceived of God's most just wrath and
strict punishment for sin, and transgression of his holy
laws, and in himself felt especially the burden of God's
displeasure against sin to be intolerable — he received from
the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of consolation, what was the best
remedy and help for every troubled conscience, to appease
and quiet the poor spirit of man, which knows and feels
not only that God is justly angry for sin, but, also, will
strictly punish the iniquity and abomination of the same.
And when he had himself learned from God, how a trou-
bled and desperate conscience might be quieted, he spake
to such as were alive and with him, and wrote it to all such
as should come after him until the world's end, that
troubled sinners might see their sins forgiven in the mercy
of God, and they themselves accepted, as God's most
dear children, into eternal friendship and endless joys of
salvation.

THE PARTS OF THE PSALM.

In whom a man should put his trust, and to whom he
should resort in the days of sickness, troubles, and ad-
versity

v. 1.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 351)

II. How a man should use himself towards him in whom
he putteth his trust in the time of trouble.

III. What great and perilous dangers the man that is
troubled shall suffer in the time of his trouble.

IV. How a man taketh consolation in the time of his
trouble.

The two first Verses of the Psalm, contain the two
first Parts.

1. I will cry unto God with my voice : even unto God will
T cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me.

2. In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord: my hand
I held up all night, and it was not weary : my soul
refused comfort.

THE FIRST PART.

In whom a Man should put his Trust, and to whom he
should resort in the days of slckness, troubles,
and Adversity.

Verse 1. / will cry unto God with my voice : even unto
God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken
unto me.

First out of this text it is to be noted, that God only is
to be trusted unto in the days of trouble, as our Saviour
Christ exhorted all people, in heaviness and anguish of body
and soul, to resort unto him, saying, " Come unto me all
ye that be laden and burdened, and I will refresh you."
(Matt, xi.) And the same is spoken of God by Isaiah the
prophet : " Ye that are athirst, come unto the waters ; and
ye that have no money, come, and take it freely." (Isaiah
lv.) St. John, likewise, when in the midst among troubled
and afflicted persons, recites the words of Christ, saying,
" If any be dry, let him come to me, and drink." (John
vii.) " He that believeth on me," as the scripture saith,
" floods of water of life shall flow out of his belly."
(Isaiah xii.)

From this knowledge and surety* in the soul of man,
that God is, can, and will be an ease and remedy for the
troubled conscience, come justice,t peace, and joy of the

* Assurance. f Righteousness.

356 Hooper.

conscience. (Rom. v. xiv.) Not that any man shall be at
present without all fear, trembling, and dread of his sins,
and of God's just judgment against sin, but that this fear
and trembling shall not come to desperation ; neither
shall he be more afraid of his sins, than comforted by
God's mercy and grace in Christ. Therefore saith our
Saviour Christ, " Blessed be they that weep, for they shall
be comforted. Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for
justice,* for they shall be replenished." (Matt, v.) In that
he saith, " Blessed be they that weep," he notes such as
do know and feel with sorrow and heaviness of conscience
that they are sinners, and the filthiness of their sins ma'kes
them sorrowful and heavy-hearted ; yet shall they be com-
forted in Christ. Again, the poor, sensible, feeling, and
troubled sinner wishes his sins away, and would gladly
have virtue and justice* to rule and do altogether in him
what is God's holy will and pleasure. This hunger and
thirst, saith Christ, shall be quenched for the merits of his
own death and passion ; as it shall not fail, if men in
their thirst, hunger, persecution, and trouble, do know and
use God only for their help and consolation, as this pro-
phet did, and teaches us to do the same in this psalm.

In this first part two sorts of people are condemned.
The one is such as plainly despair, and in their troubles
neither look for consolation, nor yet believe that there is
any consolation to be hoped for in Christ ; the other
such as seek consolation, but not only at God's hand and
power, but at the saints departed, at witches, conjurors,
hypocrites, and, also, the works devised and done by man.

The first sort are left comfortless, because they seek no
consolation ; and the second sort find no comfort, because
they seek it where it is not, contrary unto God and his
holy word. Happy, therefore, are the troubled, who seek
for consolation at God's hands, and no where else. " For
he is," as it is written by the prophet Isaiah, " the God
alone that doth save, and none but he." (Isaiah xlv.) But
there are two manner of impediments that keep the
almighty God from the helping and comforting of people
that are in trouble. The one is ignorance of God's nature
and property towards the afflicted ; and the other is fear
and dread, since God is most justly angry for sin, lest that
in his anger and just punishment he will not be merciful.

From the first impediment, which is ignorance, is
* Righteousness.

v. l.J Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 357

sprung into the world horrible blasphemy, that neither
seeks help at God's hand, nor yet is thankful unto God for
any thing that he gives ; but renders all things to such
gods and saints as he has devised out of his own imagina-
tion, or else has learned, as St. Peter saith, out of the
traditions of his elders ; (1 Pet. i.) so that ignorance takes
away the honour of God, and also the salvation of them
that are ignorant. The only remedy against this great
impediment is the reading, meditating, hearing, and learn-
ing of God's holy word, (2 Pet. i.) which is as a candle-
light in a dark place, to keep and preserve a man from
danger and peril. And so saith king David, that it is a
candle unto his- feet, and a light unto his steps. (Psalm
cxix.) And in another place of his psalms he saith, " The
law of God is so perfect, that it turneth souls unto the
Lord. Wherefore it is the part* of every man that will be
virtuous and godly, to have his desire and cogitations in
the law of God both day and night.'' (Psalm i.) And to
preserve the people from this horrible impediment of igno-
rance, God spake by his prophet Isaiah these words:
" My Spirit, which is in thee, and "my words, which I put
in thy mouth, shall hot depart from thy mouth, and from
the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth for
evermore." (Isaiah lix.) And in the same prophecy Christ
prays the heavenly Father to seal his word in his disciples,
whereby the dangerous impediment of man's salvation,
which is ignorance, might be avoided. (Isaiah viii.) The
same remedy against ignorance, almighty God also com-
mands, by Moses in Deut. (chap, vi.) and by St. Paul
to the Ephesians, (chap, vi.) whereas the fathers and the
mothers are not bound themselves alone to know the law
of God, but also bound to teach it to their children, that
by ignorance they offend not God.

From the second impediment, which is fear and dread
of God's justice, comes trembling and terror of the con-
science, and many times, also, the extremest evil of all
evils, desperation, that never looks who can help, nor yet
trusts to find any help. But of these fruits of terror and
fear, and also of their remedies how they may be cured and
helped, it shall be showed hereafter in the psalm, wherein
both terror of conscience and quietnesss of the same are
marvellously and divinely set forth. Only until I come to
these points I note, that this, fear and terror of conscience
in the faithful are the very hunger and thirst that Christ

358 Hooper.

saith shall be quenched, (Matt, v.) and they that feel them
shall be replenished with grace and consolation, as the
blessed virgin, the mother of Christ, saith ; and they that
feel them not, shall depart empty without grace. (Luke i.)
And the cause of this terror and fear is the Spirit of God
that worketh the knowledge of our sin by preaching, read-
ing, or thinking of God's law, that opens and detects how
wretched and sinful we are by nature in the sight of God.
(Rom. iii. v. vi. vii. viii.)

THE SECOND PART.

How a Man should use himself towards him, in
whom he putteth his trust in the tlme of
Trouble.

Verse 2. In the time of my trouble Isovght the Lord : my
hand I held up all night, and it was not weary: my
soul refused comfort.

iNthis part is taught us, both by doctrine and by exam-
ple, how we should conduct ourselves in the time of
trouble. When we know there is no help nor helper but
God alone, it is not enough for a man to know that God
can help ; but, also, we must believe constantly, that he
hath as prompt a will to help, as a sufficient power able to
help ; and then, being assured that he both can and will
help, we must call upon him for help, according to his
commandment unto us : " Call upon me in the days of
trouble," &c. (Psa. 1. 15.)

Out of this place we may mark and learn, what an in-
tolerable burden and unspeakable sorrow the terror and
fear of sin is, aiid how grievous is the sight and contem-
plation of God's ' displeasure and just judgment against
every sinner for his sin and transgression of God's most
holy law. The text saith, that the prophet, when he felt
the displeasure of God against sin, cried out with a loud
voice unto the Lord ; whereby we learn, that the con-
science of man admonished by the word of God, of the
filthiness and abomination of sin, brings all the body into
trembling and fear, lest God should rather use justice, and
justly punish sin, than mercy, and mercifully forgive sin.

And thus being made thoroughly afraid of sin, the mind

v. 2.] Exposition of the Seventy-neventh Psalm. 359

is occupied with sorrowful and heavy cogitations, and the
tongue by vehemence of the spirit is brought into clamours
and cries. As we may see commonly by examples left
unto us in the word of God, that where sin is thoroughly
felt in the conscience, the feeling sinner is not only trou-
bled within in spirit, but also outwardly in all the members
and parts of his body, as it is to be seen most manifestly
in king David.

In what a sea of heaviness was king David in his con-
science, when he spake to his own soul : " Why art thou
so heavy and sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou
thus trouble me?" Again: " How long wilt thou forget
me, O Lord? for ever?" (Psalm xlii.) And in other
psalms we may see into what trembling and outward fear
he was brought by the knowledge and feeling of his sin.

In one place he saith, the fear of his sins did not only
overlay his conscience, but also crushed and, in a manner,
almost broke his bones. (Psalm xxxviii.) And in another
place (Psalm vi.) his visage was defaced with weeping
tears, and they gushed out of his eyes so abundantly, that
he watered, or rather overflowed his bed with them where
he lay. Into what horrible cries and wailings he many
times fell for fear of sin, this psalm and many others de-
clare. The like horror and fear also of the sight and feel-
ing of sin we see to have been in St. Paul, when he cried
out upon himself, " O wretched man that I am ! who shall
deliver me from this body subject unto death ?" (Rom.
vii.) And Mary Magdalen, with the sight and feeling of
God's displeasure against her sin, made tears and weep-
ing enough to wash the feet of the fountain of mercy,
Jesus Christ. But blessed is that conscience alarmed by
the law, whose fear, by the sweet promises of the gospel,
is turned into mirth ; and blessed be those tears and
weepings that end in consolation ; -and happy is that trou-
bled body, whose end is immortality in the resurrection of
the just. (Psalm cxxvi. Matt. v. 1 Cor. xv.) Further, as
we see here king David, a sinner, for fear of God's judg-
ment, brake out into loud cries for help and preservation :
the same anguish and trouble of mind and of body, for
fear of God's punishment for sin towards man, was like-
wise in Christ without sin, who said, " My soul is heavy
unto death." (Matt, xxvi.) And in such an agony was
his body, that he burst out and sweat both water and
blood.

360 . Hooper. '

So that of this second part, we learn, first, that such as
are truly and unfeignedly brought to a knowledge, feeling,
and repentance of .their sins, many times have it with
great heaviness of mind, terror of conscience, and trouble
also of the body ; but no sickness or troubles may be
compared to the trouble of the conscience, for fear of due
and condign punishment for the sin perpetrated and com-
mitted against God's laws.

The second doctrine that we are taught out of this
second part is, to declare what difference there is between
the penitent christian in adversity, and the desperate per-
son that looks for no help, or else the presumptuous person
that contemns help.

The afflicted penitent calls unto the Lord, and although
he find his burden ever so intolerable, and weep and
lament ever so sorely, yet he despairs not, but in adversity
he has hope, and is not confounded; as in prosperity he
has faith, and yet presumes not. The desperate man feels
all troubles and no consolation, is wholly overcome with
mistrust, full of incredulity, and wholly void of hope ; as
Saul, Judas, and others. The contemner of admonition
hath hope in prosperity, with all presumption ; as Cain
and Pharaoh ; and in adversity, desperation, with all mis-
trust and diffidence. The christian afflicted, calls in- faith
and hope upon the Lord, and is heard : the wicked
afflicted calls not upon the Lord, but is wholly rejected
and comfortless, by God's most just judgment. The
afflicted christian, sees all his sins less than the least mer-
cies of God ; the wicked afflicted, sees the least of his sins
greater than the greatest mercies of God. The one when
in trouble, by faith glorifies the Lord, and by mercy finds
salvation: the other when in trouble, by mistrust disho-
nours the Lord, and by justice finds damnation. The one
by troubles, through faith in Christ, is made like unto the
Son of God, and cannot be separated from him in eternal
life: the other, by. troubles, through desperation of Christ,
is made like unto Satan, and cannot be separated from him
in eternal death. The one, in eternal life, finds everlast-
ing joys: the other, in everlasting death, finds endless
pains. Almighty God, therefore, grant us grace in all our
troubles and afflictions, penitently and faithfully to call
upon him, and to find him merciful unto us his wretched
creatures. Amen.

The third thing to be noted in this second part is, that

v. 1.] Exposition oj the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 361

God's nature and man's differ much one from the other ; for
man, for the most part, is no more serviceable unto God,
nor longer friendly unto man, than God's condition* upon
the earth is fortunate and quiet with the world. For if storms
arise for God's cause, and troubles happen where quietness
formerly had place, the men of the world alter their love,
service, and reverence, and will neither make nor meddle,
with God nor his cause ; no, although ten thousand idols
are brought in for one God, as Englishmen have seen in
former times As long as Christ had a king in this realm
of his part, and that great livings, gains, friendship, and
love of the world rose for God's sake, they dissembled to-
wards his word, and so long as fair words could please
God, he lacked none. But now, even such as God did
most for, know neither God nor his word, but had rather
hear the falsest tradition that ever man brought into the
church ten times spoken of, than once hear of Christ's most
holy gospel ; so that men's natures, for adversity's sake,
now are wholly turned from God.

How long the love of man continues towards men, daily
experience shows. Within one month, if a man fall into
trouble for the most just cause, he that was his friend will
not only alter his love from him, but also all the notes and
tokens of the same. Whereas, in prosperity, he was as-
sured both of friendly words and friendly works ; in adver-
sity he shall find neither words nor works, except words
and works of displeasure. In prosperity fair looks and
amiable countenances were as common as the cartway;
in adversity there shall neither look nor countenance be
showed, except it be frowning and bending of brows ; yea,
and moreover, adversity takes from the dissembling friend
all knowledge that ever he had of his afflicted friend, so
that the poor afflicted, although he be even under the nose
of his feigned friend, and use courtesy and all obeisance,
he cannot be known.

O God ! blessed be thy name, that withdrawest neither
thy knowledge, love, nor yet thy help, from the poor
afflicted, but hearest them, and grantest them their godly
and honest requests ; as here this prophet most godly and
comfortably writes of thee ; for he saith, " The Lord shall
hearkemxinto me, when I seek him in the time of trouble."
And also, the Lord abhors not to be present with the

* Man for the most part is unstable, and followeth religion as the
world followeth.

unnnvn R.

362 Hooper

afflicted, be his troubles ever so great : " For I am (saith
the Lord) with him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and
set him in honour," &c. (Psalm xci.)

Prom this doetrine* we learn two things : the one, that
;God hates not the troubled man for his troubles, but for
his sins. Men do quite the contrary for the most part ;
for they hate the man for trouble, and not for sin ; for let
the wickedest man alive have prosperity, and all wicked
men will love him for his prosperity's sake. God turns
not his favour from man for trouble, but for sin. The
world, for troubles' sake, will not know the most dear and
honest friend ; but let the most wicked that lives by breath
have prosperity, and wicked people will not fail to know
■him with beck and regard, if he come into company ; yea,
rather than fail, the most wicked man alive shall be nar-
rowly sought out, that wicked men may have acquaintance
with him. But he that hath :God for his friend, is sure of a
Saviour in adversity as well as in prosperity; as the pro-
phet here declares, who can in troubles send ease, and in
quietness continue joys for ever. To him, therefore, be
all laud and praise, world without end. Amen.

The fourth thing to be noted in this second part, is the
continuance of the faithful afflicted in prayer unto God.
For the prophet saith, that )he lifted up his hands all night,
and waxed not weary. Of this continuance in prayer we
learn two things: the one, perseverance in prayer; and
the other, patient expectation and willing sufferance until
God send redress and ease. To the first the scripture
exhorts us, that we pray both heartily and continually unto
God, not because he is ignorant of our troubles, but be-
cause we should thoroughly be brought to understand that
there is none can help us out of trouble but he ; and also
that, by continuance in prayer, we may the better know,
and more earnestly repent our sins, which are the cause of
our troubles: and that by qften remembrance and conr
■fession of our iniquity unto God, we may the sooner bring
both our souls and bodies into the service and homage of
almighty God, whom we have, by sin, most vgrievously
displeased.

The second virtue — rpatient expectation in troubles, de-
clares that we are much bound unto God, who chastens
us in this life, and defers not our punishment to the eter-
nal pains in the world to come. Also it makes the mind
* Instruction.

v. 2 — 9.] Exposition of the Seventy -seventh Psalm. 363

of men to understand the wisdom of God, and also the
foolishness of man, that many times, for lack of patient
expectation and thankful sufferance, waxes weary of his
cross and punishment, and also murmurs against Gad,
because he helps not when man's wisdom judges most
meet to be holpen. But patient expectation prescribes
God no time when to help, nor yet means how to .help :
but saith, " Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven."
(Matt, vi.) Also, " Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst deliver
me." (Matt, viii.) As the prophet uses here in this psalm,
he called and cried upon the Lord all the night, and at-
tended patiently when God would help, leaning altogether
to his blessed will and pleasure, to do or not to do, as best
pleased him.

THE THIRD PART.

What great and perilous Dangers the Man that
is troubled shall suffer for the Time of his
Trouble.

Verse 2. My soul refused comfort.

3. When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God : when
my heart is vexed, I will complain. Selah.

4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking : I am so feeble, I can-
not speak.

5. J have considered the days of old, and the years that
be past.

6. In the night I called to remembrance my song, and
communed with mine own heart ; and my spirit searched
diligently.

7. Will the Lord absent himself for ever ? and will he be
no more entreated?

8. Js his mercy clean gone for ever ? And is his promise
come utterly to an end for evermore?

9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? and will he shut
up his loving kindness in displeasure ?

Here it appears what terrible and fearful things a man
that is in trouble shall suffer and be vexed with ; and the
first that the prophet mentions is in the end of the second
verse, and it is this, " My soul refused comfort."

Of this adversity and anguish of the soul we may learn
many things ; first, that a£ long as sin appears not, nor is
r2

364 Hooper.

felt, the mind of man is quiet, jocund, and pleasant ; and
the mirth and pleasure of the mind rejoices the body, and
makes it lusty and pleasant ; not feeling at all the breach
of God's commandments, neither at all distressed at sin or
evil conversation, but delighting in things that displease
God, rather than in any virtue or honesty. (2 Sam. i.
Rom. viii. Acts ix.) But when trouble, sickness, or death
comes, then most commonly, though men see not the horror
of their sins so as to repent, yet they feel the horror thereof
to desperation 5 and that once being felt in the soul, all the
joys of the world cannot comfort the troubled person : as
Adam, with all the solace of paradise, could not rejoice
when his soul felt the abomination of. his offence towards
God. Cain could never pluck up a merry countenance
for the cruel killing of his brother Abel. (Gen. iii. iv.)
Peter could not stay his weeping for his denial of Christ,
when Christ looked upon him. (Matt, xxvi.) Mary Mag-
dalen could not pull up her head from under the table, for
shame of her sin, until Christ had forgiven her : (Luke vii.)
nor the poor woman that was taken in adultery, until her
offences were pardoned. (John viii.) Neither yet could
this prophet's spirit take any consolation, as long as his
sins were felt, and not pardc Aed. Whereof follows this
saying, — a small trouble of conscience puts away all joy
and mirth of the world. Wherefore it is wisdom, and also
the duty of all christian people, to avoid sin and the
enmity of God, which alone troubles the conscience ; and to
put the body to all pains possible, yea, and to death itself,
rather than to put the soul in danger towards God ; as
St. Paul writes to Timothy his disciple, and not without
cause. (1 Tim. i.) For as the spirit that contemns God,
and feels God's displeasure, for his contempt, cannot take
comfort, but is full of anguish and inward heaviness, and
in the. outward man full of pain and sorrow; (Isaiah lxvi.)
so likewise shall the soul in the life to come inwardly feel
unspeakable grudgings and sorrows, and outwardly the
unquenchable and everlasting fire of hell. (Rev. xiv.)
And here is to be noted, that the very elect and dearest
friends of Christ are not free from trouble and anguish of
mind for the sins they have perpetrated and committed
against God. But this is a consolation, that the elect, as
they find anxiety and anguish of mind for sin in this life ;
so in this life the conscience that is troubled is quieted by
grace, that it may, after this life, find eternal rest. And it

v. 2.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 365

is a common method and ordinary way, whereby God uses
to bring the sinner to acknowledge and repent of his sin ;
and so from knowledge and repentance to the forgiveness
of his sin, to show and set before the conscience of the
sinner, his sin ; as the example of king David and others
declares : " My sin, saith David, is always before me."
(Psalm li.) As though he had said, In case I could hide
mine iniquity from all the world, yet can I not excuse it
before God, nor hide it from mine own conscience. And
every man's sins thus open before God, and known and
felt in his own conscience, bring the soul into this discom-
fort and heaviness, that it refuses all consolation- and com-
fort ; as Asaph saith marvellously in this second verse of
his psalm.

There is to be noted out of this comfortless spirit of
Asaph, another most necessary doctrine for every chris-
tian, which is this. That there are two discomforts, or
two sorts of heaviness, spoken of in the word of God,
that are appointed to lead us in the time of this wretched
life : as there are in it also shown two manner of conso-
lations. There are two manner of brightness and clear-
ness, and two manner of darkness and obscureness, as it
shall appear hereafter in the treatise of this psalm : and
because the diversity is not marked, the word of God
many times, and in many places and persons doth no
good at all.

There is, in the scripture, a discomfort inwardly, and a
discomfort outwardly. The inward discomfort is, when
the sinful man or woman seeks and suffers the same dis-
comfort in his sou], that the law of God opens and pro-
claims against him for his sins committed against God
and his law : so that, as the law commands : " Repent
ye ;" (Matt. iii. Mark i.) so the man that is commanded by
the law to be sorry and heavy for his sins, is sorry and
heavy indeed, by the working of God's Spirit : as we may
see in Adam what inward fear and discomfort he had,
when he heard the voice of God after the doing of his sin :
Cain the like, David the same, with Peter, Paul, and
others, in the word of God. (Gen. iii. iv. 2 Sam. xi. Matt,
xxvi. Acts ix.)

This discomfort inwardly is felt by all God's elect, that
are able to learn and know the nature of God's law, and
the damnation and curse of God upon sin ; for this is a
general commandment to all flesh born and conceived in

366 Hoop&r.

sin," Repent ye." (Matt. iff. Mark i.) It is also many
times felt by such as lived and died wickedly, as Saul and
Judas, whose spirits, in their discomfort, refused all con-
solation, and so died without comfort in great anguish and
perturbation of mind. (ISam.xxxi. Matt, xxvii. Markxiv.)
But this is hot general in all wicked and damned persons ;
for many times they feel no discomfort nor heaviness of
spirit inwardly in this world ; but God, of his unspeakable
wisdom and justice, makes them, for their sins, to go to hell
alive, and in security of conscience : as Pharaoh, whilst he
followed the Israelites in persecution into the Red Sea,
suddenly was drowned. (Exod. xiv.) Also Korah, Dathan,
and Abiram, whilst they were doing their sacrifices, God
killed them by opening the earth that swallowed them alive
down into hell. (Numb, xvi.) Now this inward discom-
' fort, although it end not in joy, but only in such as believe
their sins are forgiven in the death and passion of Christ ■
(Rom. iii. v.) yet we see by the examples of the scripture
that both good and bad suffer and feel this — that their
spirit will take no comfort.

But now, as concerning outward and external disconK
fort, which is felt as well by such as have the word of God,
as by such as have not the word of God, but only the law
Of nature. As we may see in the time of the law of nature,
how Noah showed the discomfort of all men, and the de-
struction of the world for sin : but this discomfort did not
enter into the spirits of the hearers. (Gen. v. vi.) Christ
complains of the same, that the people had both discom-
fort and comfort preached unto them ; and yet they received
neither. " To whom," saith Christ, " should I compare
this generation ? It is like boys that sit in the streets,
and cry unto their fellows, and say, We have played upon
our timbrels to you, and you have not danced : we have
sung mourning songs unto you, and ye have not wept."
(Mat xi. Luke vii.) God, by his prophet Isaiah, saith the
same : " All the day long have I extended forth my hand
unto an unfaithful and intractable people :" (Isaiah lxv.)
meaning, that whatsoever he threatened, or gently offered
unto the Jews, it came no further than the outward ear.
Whereof both the prophets and Christ himself grievously
complain, as thus : " They have ears; and hear not ; and
they have eyes, and see not." (Isaiah liii. vi. Matt. xiii.
John xii. Rom. xi. i.) St. Paul rebukes men also, who
by the law of nature knew good, whereof they should

V. 2.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 367

have rejoiced; and evil, whereof they should have la-
mented ; and yet did not. And, to leave the examples
of our fathers mentioned in the scripture, we may see the
same by daily experience amongst ourselves. We read in
the book of God, we hear by preaching, we know in our
own consciences, the displeasure and anger of God against
us for our own sins. God outwardly shows us the same
with many horrible plagues : as by sickness, war, sedition,
scarcity, enmity, and hatred ; by the deliverance and sur-
render of a whole realm, to the utter destruction thereof,
into the hands and rule of a stranger, and by the delivery
and giving over of christian souls into the hands and rule
of the antichristian pope, and his wicked clergy; and yet
this discomfort comes no further than our outward ear. If
Asaph, the author of this psalm, were amongst us, he
would say, his spirit would take no consolation. And
this is a horrible plague, that this psalm is read weekly
amongst the popish clergy ; and yet it brings their spirits
to no sorrow nor feeling of God's displeasure. Wherefore
our own experience teaches, that there is an inward and an
outward discomfort in this psalm, and in the rest of God's
most holy word. The one, penitent sinners feel, and by
it amend their lives ; and the other, some wicked men feel,
and yet despair : but by the most part of the/ world it is
not felt at all. Whereof comes contempt of God, the love
of ourselves and of the world, and the loss of our sinful
souls in the world to come. Let us, therefore, mark the
scripture that teaches this discomfort, and pray to God,
that, as we see it in the letter, so we may feel it in the
spirit. The two manner of consolations shall be spoken of
in the next verse ; and also of the brightness and darkness
in the psalm hereafter.

Now in the trouble of the spirit another thing is to be
considered, whereof the text also makes mention ; that is,
how the discomfort of the spirit had continuance all the
night. Whereof is to be gathered the greatness of the dis-
comfort. For as the night is a very image of death, and
the bed a very similitude of the sepulchre and grave ; even
so is the discomfort of the spirit in the night, that will
not suffer the body to take rest, but is unquiet with itself;
which unquietness of the spirit is a very similitude and
image of eternal discomfort in the world to come, that both
body and soul, which were created first to inherit the hea-
venly bliss, after the fall of Adam, should not rest by night,

368 Hooper.

as king David saith, and after this life, for sin unforgiven,"
should for ever be disquieted in the unquenchable fire of
hell.

Here may we learn the circumstances and causes how
the trouble of the prophet Asaph's spirit was increased.
(Psalm xxxix. Rom. v. vii. viii.) It was trouble engen-
dered by sin, the occasion only of all men's miseries,
opened and revealed unto the conscience by the law ; con-
demned by justice to eternal fire ; (Rom. v. vii. viii.) and
it continued all night ; yea, how much more, the scripture
declares not. In which night, the darkness thereof repre-
sented unto his eyes outwardly the horror of hell prison ;
and also his bed, the grave and sepulchre, wherein all
fleshis clad, after the spirit departs. The winding-sheets
of man's flesh after this life, are nothing but earth above
and earth underneath: as, whilst it lives, it is clad with
such vain things as grow upon the earth.
. This whole night spent in discomfort of the spirit, de-
clares two notable things ; first, how earnestly God is in-
deed angry with sin, that he puts man to such long pain
for it ; and the next, how gracious a God he is, that will
not yet suffer the discomforted spirit to despair in his
trouble, as it follows marvellously in the next verse.

Verse 3. When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God :
when my heart is vexed, I will complain. Selah.

Whilst Asaph was thus troubled in spirit, he remem-
bered the Lord, and called unto him for help.

First, out of this verse it is to be considered, that
nothing can quiet the comfortless spirit, but God alone.
But forasmuch as it seems by the parts of this psalm
that follow, that this verse came in by occasion, rather
than to show a full remedy for the prophet's trouble, I
will not write what I think thereof, but defer the remedy
against trouble to such other verses as follow : because
the prophet said before, that his spirit could take no con-
solation, and that a great many troubles follow, as the
psalm declares. It shows that he was not able to bear
the troubles of the mind alone without the invocation and
help of God. Wherefore, before he expresses by writing
all his troubles, he writes also, how, in the midst of them,
he did remember and put his trust in the Lord.

Out of this we learn how necessary it is in time, at the
beginning of troubles and temptations, to remember the

v. 3.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 369

Lord, and to call unto him for mercy. For the more
temptations do grow without present assistance of God's
grace, the greater is the damnation, and the more is the
danger thereof: as we may see in the examples of the
scripture.

Adam fell into anxiety and discomfort of spirit, and God
immediately told him of his fault, and by God's grace his
discomforted spirit was quieted in the promises of God.
(Gen. iii.) Cain, by the murder of his brother Abel, felt
the discomfort of the spirit, and by neglecting of God's
calling, died in the same. (Gen. iv.) David, being ad-
monished by God's grace, found rest for his disquieted
spirit. (2 Sam. xii.) Saul, by deferring the remedy of God's
grace, died comfortless. (1 Sam. xxxi.) Peter at the
beginning, through God's grace, with one look of Christ
put away discomfort ; Judas, with contemning Christ's
admonitions, died in horrible despair., (Matt, xxvii.)

Whereof we learn to beware, as much as may be, that
temptations grow not so far, that God's admonition, or
the remembrance of God's name, be forgotten ; but that
we do, in the midst of discomforts, as Asaph the prophet
did, remember and call upon the Lord for help. There is
also, by this remembrance of God in the discomfort of the
spirit, to be noted, what a vanity all the world and worldly
things are for man in time of trouble, when God shall
show and reveal unto man his sins.

This i Asaph, as we read in the scripture, was a man,
whom, for his virtues and good qualities, king David ap-
pointed, to be a musician for the comfort of many, until
the building of the temple of Jerusalem; yet now, as we
see, he is not able to solace himself with his music, nor
yet with any worldly thing ; but his only comfort is in the
Lord. And here the prophet declares the truth of Christ's
sentence, written in St. Luke, (chap, ix.) " What doth it
profit a man to win all the world, and to lose his own
soul ?" What earthly riches can comfort the inward spirit,
troubled with sin, and transgression of God's law ? None
at all, doubtless ; as the scripture shows examples every
where. All king David's kingdom was not able to ap-
pease his troubled and discomforted spirit, when he said
to his troubled soul : " Why art thou so heavy and sad,
my soul, and why dost thou trouble me ?" (Psalm xlii.
xliii.)

Now this one thing more I will mark in this verse, and
r3

370 Hooper.

no more, because it is mote fully used by the prophet
for the comfort of discomforted spirits in the verses that
follow.

I said there were two kinds of consolation in the word
of God ; the one, outward in the face and lesson of the
letter; and the other, inward in the understanding and
feeling of the spirit. And of this division must great heed
be taken : for it is not every man that reads and teaches
that Christ died for the remission of sin, that shall have
the consolation of the redemption promised in Christ's
blood. For we see and read, (God give us grace to learn
it '.) that Adam caused his sons to hear of his own fall in
paradise, and the redemption of his fall in the blood of
Christ to come ; (Gen. iv.) as Abel, his younger son, right
Well perceived: yet Cain, hearing the same consolation,
perished in his sin. There was consolation and rest pro-
mised unto all them that came out of Egypt : but none
took the benefit thereof, but Joshua and Caleb. There was
in the outward letter, consolation promised unto all Abra-
ham's children ; but none received the advantage thereof,
but such as in spirit followed the faith of Abraham. The
scripture saith in the letter, that God would have all men to
be saved ; yet we see that such as follow not the spirit offered,
he damned. God, by his word, in the time of the holy
and blessed king Edward the sixth, offered consolation to
all this realm ; yet none enjoyed it but such as in their
spirits learned, kept, and followed the word of consolation.
So our Saviour Christ, in St. Matthew, saith, " Not every
man that calleth me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king-
dom of God ;" but he that followeth in Christ God's com-
mandments.

There are a great many at this day, as there were before
Our time, that know and speak of such consolation, as is
contained in the letter and outer bark of God's word ; but
in their consciences they feel not indeed the consolation
thereof. As Judas preached abroad, with the rest of his
companions, consolation to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel ; but he showed unto others that he felt it not him-
self. So did the pharisees, when the scripture was read
every Saturday in their synagogues, show that Messiah
should come to redeem the world ; yet they themselves,
for the most part, felt not the consolation which the scrip-
ture testified of Christ. Even so, at this present, many
.read this psalm almost daily, whereof if it be in English,

v. 3.] Exposition of the Seventy seventh Psalm. 371

he that understands only the English tongue perceives
great consolation in the letter of it, and also in the pro-
phet Asaph, that used the psalm ; yet when need should
be, the inward consolation of the psalm, by many is not
felt. The cause is, that either they understand it not, or
else mark it not : either they think, as the papists teach,
that to say or sing the psalm without understanding and
feeling of it in the spirit, is sufficient for the work itself;
and thus it pleases God, ex opere operate,* as they
term it.

It is too evident, and also most horrible, that men are
contented only with the external consolation contained in
the word of God. For if they hear that God's command-
ments are true, and full of consolation, they are contented
to hear of them in the letter or by speech, and never learn
them or feel them in the heart. The like is in the articles
of our christian religion. They are thought to be true
and godly ; and yet the most part that so judge, neither
learn them nor feel them in their consciences ; wherefore
they do outwardly and inwardly as much idolatry, contrary
to their creed, by the commandment of men, as can be
devised : for their consolation of faith is only such an
outward knowledge, as most men hold withal, without any
proper judgment, or singular feeling of their own spirits.
The same is likewise in prayer ; for in the external letter
there is as much consolation as may be ; but in the heart
of him that prayeth, there is no understanding nor feeling
of the consolation that outwardly is spoken and talked of.
Therefore, mark the method of Asaph. He said that his
spirit could take no consolation in all the night-time,
whilst he held up his hands. And as there is not only dis-
comfort and unquietness spoken of, but also felt ; it is not
only noted and written in the letter of the psalm, but also
thoroughly felt inwardly in the spirit, with heaviness and
anguish, without comfort and consolation. So in this verse
there is consolation mentioned in the letter, in the voice,
and in the mouth, and inwardly the same consolation is
felt in the spirit. And as outwardly God's displeasure
troubled him, so inwardly God's holy name and promises
comforted him. And this is to be noted, lest we should
hear of consolation outwardly, or read it in the book of the
holy Bible ; and yet inwardly neither feel nor know any
consolation at all.

* For the work which is performed.

372 Hooper.

In the end of this verse is put this word "Selah.' Ant!
it notes unto the reader or hearer, what a miserable and
comfortless thing man is in trouble, if God be not present
with him to help him. It is also put as a spur and prick
for every christian man and woman to remember and call
upon God in the days of their troubles.. For, as the Jews
say, wheresoever this word ' Selah' is, it admonishes and
stirs up the reader to mark what was said before it ; for
it is a word always put after very remarkable sentences.

Then follow the rest of such pains and troubles, as this
prophet suffered whilst the Lord laid his cross upon him,
after this sort :

Verse 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so feeble
T cannot speak.

Before, he said that his spirit could take no consolation,
which was a grief unspeakable, for no thought is able to
comprehend the anguish of the mind, much less is the
tongue able to express it. But now he shows a further
increase, of discomfort, and saith, that the terror of his
mind was such, that he was not only comfortless, but the
Lord also, to the increase of his sorrow, kept sleep from
him. And as the greatness of God's punishment suffered
him not to sleep ; so it would not permit him to speak,
but made him speechless : such was the great punishment
of God towards him.

Here is the tyranny and violence of sin to be perceived
and seen, which is the first thing to be noted in this verse.
It takes all mirth from the spirit, and brings in heaviness
and discomfort. It takes away sleep, and places for it
tediousness and sorrowful watching. It takes away also
the speech of the tongue, and leaves the man mute and
speechless.

If sin can do such painful things in the body and soul,
while they are yet conjoined together, and there is hope of
remission of sin : what can it do, when the one is in the
earth, and the other in hell, separated, or both of them
conjoined again in the resurrection of the wicked, where
there is no hope of redemption, but assurance of everlast-
ing pain ? Besides this, is to be noted in this verse con-
taining the increase of the prophet's heaviness, what a
precious jewel a man or woman hath, that has a quiet
heart and a peaceable conscience. For wheresoever they
are, there are all the members wholly bent unto the service

v. 4.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 373

and honouring of God. The eyes shall never be tamed
from their service ; neither shall the tongue cease, if it be
able to speak, to sound forth always the glory of God, as
David saith : " Mine eyes be always towards the Lord.''
(Psalm xxv.) Again, " I lifted up mine eyes unto the Lord,
As the eyes of the handmaid attend upon her mistress ; so
our eyes attend upon the Lord." (Psalm cxxiii.) Again,
" Mine eyes, Lord, be not proud." (Psalm cxxxi.) And
in another psalm he saith, there should come neither sleep
nor slumber in his eyes, until he had provided a place for
the ark of God to rest in. In case the spirit is troubled,
or in a contempt of God's laws, not liking his holy
devices, the eyes are either troubled with overmuch watch--
ing, as we see in this psalm, or else are bent to see vanity,
the lusts and concupiscence of the flesh and the world.
Wherefore David prayed the Lord to turn his eyes, that
they looked not upon vanity. (Psalm cxix. Prov. xxvii.)
For the eye of him that has not a right spirit, is insatiable.
And many times the eye, where the spirit is without the
favour of God, abhors God's own good gifts. As the eyes
of the Israelites loathed manna in the desert, saying, " Our
eyes see nothing but manna," (Numb, xi.) ; even so the
tongue also of the godly-spirited man will sound the glory
of God, as king David used his tongue, and will not
hinder it by naughty speech. (Psalm xxxv. xxxix. Ixxi.)

If the spirit be void of God's fear, then it speaks mali-
ciously, to slander the good falsely, as king David de-
clares ; or else it can speak nothing at all for trembling or
quaking, as you may perceive by Asaph in this place.
(Psalm vi. xii. xiv. cxl.) He that will therefore consider
accordingly the greatness of this fear in the spirit, and
how it takes away the office of every external member,
doubtless must labour to have the spirit that David prayeth
for : " Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew in
me a right spirit !" (Psalm li.) In which verse the pro-
phet prayeth, first, to have such a heart as, by faith in
Christ, may be clean and purged from sin ; and next, to
have a certain and sure spirit, that doubts not of God's
promises towards him. For such a spirit within the body
of man or woman, makes the heart so joyful, that no
sorrow can molest it ; and it strengthens every member :
so that they will be given to nothing so much as to the
service of God. But if the spirit be wicked, doubtless the
outward members will serve nothing but iniquity ; if it be

374 Hooper.

troubled, the outward members cannot be quiet. For as
the soul gives life to the body ; so the virtue of God in
the soul, draws the outward parts of the body unto the
obedience of virtue. And contrariwise, the vice of the
soul draws the members of the body unto the service of
sin and iniqjiity. (Rom. vii. viij.' xii.) And as the ears and
eyes of man were made by God, to be instruments to hear
and see God's will and pleasure, and that by them, sine*!
man fell in paradise, knowledge might come into the soul
and spirit of man, by hearing God's word preached, and
seeing his sacraments ministered ; so by them when
abused in hearing and seeing sin and abomination, there
enters much vile filthiness and transgression into the soul.
(Rom. x.) Asaph, therefore, admonishes us to beware
that we bring not our spirits into discomfort by sin and
transgression of God's laws ; for if we do, whether the
offence be done in the spirit, by the evil that naturally is
in it, by original sin, by the temptation of the devil, or by
the means of any member of the body ; doubtless the
trouble of the spirit shall not only take away the office of
the members — as you see in this place the speech of the
tongue, and the closing of the eyes, are taken away — but
at length also, God shall make the same body and the
same members to rise again at the general resurrection,
(1 Cor. xv.) and they shall suffer eternal pains with the
wicked spirit. Let this doctrine, therefore, teach all men
to know and feel the cruelty of sin, which so painfully
disquiets both body and soul ; and think that if these
grudgings, discomforts, terrors, and fears are so great that
death itself is more tolerable and easy to bear ; how much
more intolerable and unspeakable are the pains of hell,
which God hath ordained for all impenitent sinners ? (Isa.
Ixvi. Matt, xxv.)

After this verse of trouble and anguish, where we see
sleep was taken from the eyes, and speech from the tongue,
next follows how these great sorrows were mollified and
somewhat diminished.

Verse 5. I have considered the days of old, and the years

that be past.
6. In the night I called to remembrance my song, and

communed with mine own heart : and my spirit searched

diligently.

" I did," saith the prophet, " in this great discomfort and

v. 5, 6.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 375

heaviness," consider with myself the times and days of
old, wherein the Lord had helped and delivered my fathers
before my time, from such troubles as I am in, and also
from greater. And in the night, while I was sleepless, I
remembered that many times I lauded and exalted the
goodness of God in my psalms and hymns, giving him
thanks for his great mercy and goodness used towards his
church at all times ; and in remembering God's accustomed
clemency and pity, my spirit was much given to debate
things."

Out of these two verses we may note divers doctrines
for our consolation in the days of our trouble. And the
first shall be concerning the two brightnesses and the two
darknesses in the word of God. The one brightness is in
the letter outwardly, and the other brightness is in the
spirit and heart of the reader of the scripture. This
brightness or clarity of the letter is, when by reading,
hearing, or thinking of God's word, men learn and know
that God made all things, and that he preserves all things,
and that Jesus Christ his only Son is the Mediator between
God and man, and that he pacified God's just wrath against
man by his bitter death and passion. Also he knows by
the external histories of the scripture, that God has many
times delivered his people from dangers and perils which
appeared impossible to be helped.

This clarity and brightness of the scripture, although
it be necessary, yet it is not sufficient ; for it stands only
in bare and naked knowledge, which before God saves not,
nekher illuminates the man that has the knowledge) in
sufficient clarity and brightness of faith, arid of God's pro-
mises due in Christ unto faith. As we may see how the
children of Israel had the external clarity and brightness
of God's promises unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that
they and their posterity should inherit the land of Canaan,
which flowed with all plenty and abundance ; (Gen. xii. xiii.
xv. xvi. xvii.) yet, notwithstanding, such as came out of
Egypt, for the most part perished in the desert and wilder-
ness. (Numb, xiv.) The pharisees and learned men amongst
the Jews had the clearness and brightness of Christ's coming,
and of the place he should be born in, and they told in that
respect the truth unto Herod ; (Mic. v. Matt, ii.) yet for all
this knowledge and clarity, they abhorred Christ when he
came, and put him to death most wrongfully. The people,

876 Hooper',

in like manner, saw an external brightness in Christ, so that
by his miracles and wonders they thought him worthy to
be made a king ; and yet, for all this, they cried out
against him, " Crucify him, crucify him." The devil him-
self said he knew who Christ was, the Son of the Most
High ; and yet, for all this knowledge and clearness, he
shall never be saved. (Matt, xxvii. Mark xv. Luke xx.
John xix. John vi. Luke iv.) And Christ himself also
perceived that this external brightness was amongst a great
many that called him Lord, Lord ; yet notwithstanding he
said, they should not enter into the joys of heaven. (Matt,
vii.) So likewise there are very many at this present
time, who see the clarity and brightness of Christ put-
wardly in the letter, and yet follow it not here in living;
neither shall they have the effect of their knowledge in the
^ife to come : for their clearness is only knowledge, with-
out feeling or practice of the brightness inwardly, which
deserves more stripes than obscurity or darkness. (Luke
xii.)

There is another clarity or brightness, which is an inward
understanding arid spiritual knowledge and sight of God's
truth, which no man has but he that is possessed with the
Spirit of God, so that whatsoever he reads in God's word
himself, or hears preached of other men, he understands
it, and consents unto it gladly and willingly. As for ex-
ample ; God spake unto Adam, and his words made him
afraid, so that he trembled for fear. (Gen. iii.) Christ
spake unto Paul, and he fell down flat, and could not abide
Christ's voice. (Acts ix.) So that as the law rebuked sin
in the voice and letter, it wrought also rebuke and discom-
fort in the hearts of Adam and Paul, and made them
afraid inwardly, as the voice and letter were terrible out-
wardly. Wherefore they had not only an external clear-
ness of God's hatred against sin, but also an internal sight
and feeling of the same, as the scripture .records.

The like also is in the promises of God, when they are
preached or read, that promise remission of sin. The in-
ward clarity and brightness of the same is for every man
and woman to feel privately in his own conscience through
faith in Christ, that the same promises do appertain and
belong unto himself. As the prophet Habakkuk saith:
" The just man liveth by his own faith." (Hab. ii. Rom. i.)
Also when Christ said unto the woman of Canaan, that it
was not good to cast the bread that appertained to the

v. 5, 6.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 377

children unto dogs, she said, " Yea, Lord ; for the doga
do eat of the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
(Matt, xv.} And so Christ himself used the brightness of
his promises to Mary Magdalen : " Thy sins be forgiven
thee ;" (Luke vii.) applying the clearness of the letter
unto the inward comfort of her soul.

The same is likewise marvellously expressed in the
common creed, where every man saith, he believeth in
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,
and that he believeth the remission of sins— meaning, that
whosoever saith his creed, should see and feel in his soul
the clarity and brightness of his salvation, which is con-
tained in the letter and words of the creed. But this
clearness is not seen of all men, nor yet of the most part
of men, as Christ declared: "Many be called, and few
chosen." (Matt, xx.) Many say, Lord, Lord, and few do
the Lord's will. (Matt, vii.) Therefore Christ said mar-
vellously concerning the clarity and brightness of God's
word inwardly, in St. Luke : " Blessed be they that hear
the word of God, and keep it ;" (Luke xi.) by which
words he declared, that many hear and see the outward
light and truth of God's word, but very few there are that
see the inward light and profit thereof. Of this is learned
what is the cause that christians bear the name of Christ,
and yet are not Christ's indeed — because a great many are
contented with the name, and few understand what the
name truly and verily contains in it.

And as there is in the scripture this double brightness,
whereof the one lieth in the letter, and many see what it
means by the external word ; and the other lieth in the
meaning of the letter, and is perceived only by such as
have the Spirit of God ; so there are two kinds and sorts
of darkness and obscurity in the scripture ; the one in the
letter, and the other in the sense and meaning of the letter.
The outward obscurity is to be seen in such as contemn
the word of God, and will not read it nor hear it ; as the
Turks and heathen ; and also the common sort that bear
the name of Christ, are christened in Christ's name, and
outwardly are thought to be christians indeed, and yet
they know not so much as the letter of Christ's laws,
which prescribes them what they should do, and what they
should not do. And this' obscurity is a brutish and ex-
ternal darkness. The other is obscurity or darkness in-
wardly in the text ; for although the letter is well known,

378 Hooper.

and the sound thereof seems to be plain, yet the sense is
not so common nor so manifest as the letter soundeth.

Whereupon St. Paul binds all men in the understanding
of the letter, unto the analogy and proportion of faith;
that no one place be taken contrary to many places ;
whereof was gathered the abridgement of our common
creed, accepted at all times and of all christian men for an
infallible truth ; so that whosoever believed it, was
accounted a good christian man. And of this obscurity
of the scripture in the sense and spirit, is risen this trouble-
some contention about transubstantiation of bread and
wine in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood ; for the
ungodly sort would have no substance of bread and wine
to remain in the sacrament, and yet a corporeal presence
of body and blood, contrary not only to the articles of our
faith, which tell us he is in heaven, and shall abide there
until he come to judge the quick and the dead, but also
contrary to many other places of the seripture. (Matt.
xxvi. Mark xiv. Luke xxii. 1 Cor. x. xi. Acts iii. Coloss.
iii.)

And it is no new thing, to have and record the text and
letter of the scripture, and yet lack the effect and the real
consolation of the scripture indeed. For here in these
two verses Asaph records and remembers God's doings
mercifully in time past, and yet takes no more consolation
thereof than he finds in the bark of the letter, or in the
rehearsal of the histories. And the same he does of his
own psalms and hymns, whereof he makes mention ; and
yet by the same mean his spirit is brought into no further
consideration of God's truth than it was before, with much
heaviness and sorrow, as the verses following do declare.
So that in the affliction of the spirit he could repeat and
call to his remembrance the truth, how God had dealt
mercifully with his forefathers, but felt not at that time the
like mercy of God towards himself; neither could he see
nor feel for his consolation, the cure and succour of God's
promises, which he saw in others, as all the elect of God
at length doubtless shall feel. As it is said by the prophet,
" As we have heard, so have we seen ;" and at length, as
the psalm saith, he felt himself. (Psalm xlviii.) Whether
he wrote the psalm of his own sorrows and troubles, or of
the sorrows and troubles of the Israelites, it makes no
difference ; let every man in that case use his own judg-
ment, so that he mark the doctrine of the psalm.

v. 5, 6.] Exposition of the Seventy -seventh Psalm. 379

There is to be noted from these verses also this doctrine,
that whatsoever trouble the spirit was brought unto, what-
soever watch had taken his eyes, and whatsoever vehe-
mency of disease had taken his speech from him ; yet
under all these crosses he cursed not God, nor grudged
against his plagues, but, as a contented man, he gave
himself to record and to call to memory how God was
wont to be unto afflicted men, and took account how, in
times past, he had spent his years, and found that he had
made certain psalms or hymns to the glory of God, and
to the praise of his holy name. Of which we learn not
only patience in the time of trouble and persecution, but
also how to spend our youth and transitory life, in doing
or making some things that may be records and remem-
brances when we are gone, that we lived here to serve
God, and not to serve ourselves. And it is a great help
and no small consolation for a man that is in trouble and
heaviness, to think that he in this life has sought the glory
of God ; and that testimony of conscience is more worth
in the time of trouble, than all other men's deeds for him.
Not that his seeking God's glory and setting forth the same
can be his gage and ransom before God, but because
it is a real testimony, that God once loved him, and gave
him of his blessed Spirit, to indite something to God's
praise and honour. And as godly psalms and virtuous
hymns are testimonies of a virtuous spirit; so wanton
and adulterous ballads are records of a vicious and sinful
spirit. And as the remembrance of good and virtuous
works in the time of sickness and trouble are joyful and
comfortable, so the remembrance of wicked doings is sor-
rowful and painful.

We therefore are taught by this prophet to be circum-
spect and wary, how we accumulate and heap upon our
souls infidelity, and the wicked works thereof; for as they
are the only cause of trouble, so they not only work
trouble, but also increase trouble, and augment the heavi-
ness of the spirit and pains qf the body, as is declared
marvellously by the grave and profound sentences follow-
ing ; wherein he declares what it was that his spirit
searched so diligently for. It was this :
Verse 7. Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will

he be no more entreated ?
8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever, and is his promise.

come utterly to an end for evermore?

380 Hooper.

9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious for ever, and will he
shut up his loving kindness in displeasure ?

10. And I said, It is mine own weakness, but the right
hand of God can change these things.

These verses declare what cogitations come to men
that are in sickness or trouble, and how grievous they are
unto the patient.

In these verses, first, we see a general statement of the
great terror and fear of the feeling of God's displeasure
and anger, in the spirit sorrowing for sin.

The first meditation of the sinful spirit was this : " Will
the Lord absent himself for ever?" This may be under-
stood two ways ; for the word we call " ever" in English,
has two meanings in the Hebrew tongue: sometimes it is
taken for continuance and time everlasting; sometimes for
a certain number of years, and the life of men. If it be
taken in this place for time everlasting, the sorrows of the
prophet were the greater, when he revolved with his spirit
that God for sin might justly cast him into everlasting
pains, the remembrance whereof is greater pain than the
mortal death of the body. If this word " ever" be taken
for a certain time, and the life of man, then the prophet
means thus • " Will God as- long as I live absent himself,
and thus continue me in heaviness of spirit and sorrows
as long as I live ?" Which sense soever is taken, there
are profitable things to be learned of it. But I suppose
the latter sense lo be the better, for divers causes : first, be-
cause the psalm contains the complaint and prayer of the
prophet, a man of God, that cannot be brought to this
desperation, that he should be cast away for ever from the
favour of God unto eternal pains. And the text that
saith, " It is mine own infirmity, and the right hand of the
Lord can change this," bears this latter sense and expla-
nation. For the words are of great weight, and of mar-
vellous wisdom and consolation ; and declare, that although
the prophet felt the judgment of God against sin, and was
in a marvellous terror and fear with the horror and sight
of his sins ; yet the Spirit of God testified with his spirit,
that he was the child of God, and that it was a pain and
punishment of the soul and body, and not a desperation
and thorough casting away and absenting of God's mercy.
(Rom. viii.) For the very elect of God are so chosen, so
ordained, so preserved and kept, that nothing is able to
take them out of God's hand. (John vi. x.) For the

V. 7 — 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 381

godly men in the scripture rejoiced with the assurance of
God's certain promise, and did not presume to do evil, as
St. Paul in sundry places gives testimony. As to the
Romans, where he felt and perceived the filthiness of sin,
and the just judgment of God against the same ; as
appears by his wofiil cry and complaint, " Oh ! wretched
man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this body subject
unto death ?" (Rom. vii.) He felt, as we may perceive,
the he"avy burden and weight of God's displeasure, and yet
in the midst of terror and fear, he stayed assuredly in the
mercy of God through Christ. And he writes the same
also to the Corinthians, and to his disciple Timothy, that
his death was at hand, and that he knew that he of him--
self was a sinner, and by sin deserved rejection and cast-
ing away from God ; yet he said that Christ had in keeping
for him a crown of justice,* which he should assuredly
receive at the day of his death. (1 Cor. xv. 2 Tim. iv.)

God is contented that his chosen people should suffer
and bear the burden and heaviness of temptation and fear
of everlasting pain, as Adam did first in paradise, (Gen. iii.)
David did many times, (Psalm xlii. xliii.) Job, (chap, iii.)
and others, yea, Christ himself, who said his soul was
heavy even unto death, which made him sweat both
water and blood. (Matt, xxvi.) But these temptations
and terrors shall never overcome and cast away the person
that has his faith in Christ ; for none is able to take his
sheep out of his hand. (John x.) Yet God withdraws
his hand many times, and suffers his to be tempted, and
to be comfortless, and, as it were, quite overthrown. Not
that, indeed, their election can be altered, or they them-
selves left comfortless until the end of their lives, but for
a time, as we may see by Job, who spake as horrible
words, and as desperately as might be. Yet see in the
end' of his book, and mark what a joyful outgoing his
grievous temptations had. (Job iii. xlii.) What pitiful cries
were those of Christ our Saviour upon the cross ! " My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Yet the
end was, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
(Matt, xxvii. Mark xv. Luke xxii. John xx. Psalm xxxiv.
Acts xiv.)

It is written, that we must enter into heaven through
many troubles. Now, of all troubles, the trouble of the
mind and of the spirit is the greatest. Who, then, can
* Righteousness.

382 Hooper.

enter into heaven without such troubles ? Doubtless, no
man ; for the judgment of God must begin at his house,
as St. Peter saith ; that is to say, none shall in this life
more feel God's displeasure for sin in the spirit, or suffer
more adversity in the body, than such as are of God's own
household and the very elect. (1 Pet. iv. Prov. iii. Heb.
xii.) Wherefore we are admonished, by the troubles and
sorrows which Asaph sustained in his soul that could not
rest, and in his body that could not sleep nor speak, that
good men are not free from adversity.; and that adversities,
be they ever so great, shall not separate men from God for
ever, but for a time he punishes sin, and hides the conso-
lation of God from us: as the scripture saith: "For a
time, a little while, I have forsaken thee ; but I will
gather thee together in wonderful mercies. In a short
time of my wrath, I hid my face awhile from thee, but I
will have mercy upon thee for ever, saith the Lord thy
Redeemer." (Isaiah liv.)

All men that shall profitably know and feel the certainty
of God's promises in this life, and enjoy them in the life
to come, shall be troubled with some pain of doubtfulness
of them, before they come to .perfection. For as by sin
death entered into the flesh, and also the flesh is subject
unto sickness and adversity ; so great imperfection is
entered into the soul and powers thereof, by reason of
sin. (Gen. iii. Rom. v.) As the minds of all men are
burdened with ignorance, the heart with contumacy, and
the will with frowardness ; (Rom. vii. viii. Eph. ii.) so
that as they are stark blind in all godly matters before
regeneration and knowledge of God, very obstinate, and
naturally altogether froward ; (Psalm liii.) even so after
regeneration and the knowledge of God, they continually
resist and fight against the spirit, not only of man, in
whom these powers dwell, but also against the Spirit of
God, who teaches and leads the spirit of man to eternal
salvation. (Rom. viii. John iii.) So it is not man that is
able to overcome the wickedness of his own soul. (Philip,
i. ii.) And, therefore, seeing life, through grace, dwelt in
a body naturally full of sin, St. Paul said, " I do live ; yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me.'" (Gal. h\) So Asaph
seems in words to be stark dead from grace, but it was not
for ever ; (Psalm lxxxviii.) for he felt the Spirit of God,
that told him such heavy and ungodly thoughts of his
spirit came of his own infirmity, and that God's right

v. 7 — 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 383

hand could alter and change them. And this is the dif-
ference between the affliction of the godly and ungodly, as
is wonderfully set forth in the psalm next before this
saving one, where it is said, " There is a cup in the Lord's
hand full of red wine, and he poureth out of it, but the
wicked shall drink the dregs thereof, and the ungodly of
the earth shall receive the bottom of it." (Psalm Ixxv.)
The cup in the scripture is taken many times for adversity,
whereof God fills a quantity and a certain measure unto
all his elect and chosen servants ; but the wicked shall
drink the bottom and all, and never come to rest nor ease.
(Matt. xxvi. Mark xv. Isaiah lxvi. Matt, xxv.)

Out of this temptation we may learn how foolish and
how impatient we are. When God sends troubles, we
think such are best at ease as want them ; whereas the
Lord's book declares, that it is necessary, and also very
expedient, that we should have them. (Prov. iii. Rev. iii.
Heb. xii.) Again, there is to be noted how the prophet
in the cogitations of his mind makes no mention of the
grief of the body, whereof he spake before at the begin-
ning of his troubles. For in the second and fourth verses
he declares how he held up his hands all night, and cried
with his voice until he was speechless, and lay waking,
and could not sleep. Which sorrows now he does not
repeat, but saitli, his spirit was searching and inquisitive
whether God would absent himself or ever, with divers
like interrogatories respecting God's nature, as follow in
the psalm. Whereof we learn the vileness of our own
nature, and also the treason and subtlety of the devil ; for
as long as we sin, we have such delight and pleasure
therein, as though it were but a play to transgress and
break God's holy commandments. But when sickness and
frouble lay the wicked body abed, and make it weak and
teeble, our conscience is waked by the law of God, and we
are put in such terror and fear, that nothing can quiet us.
(Rom. viii. Gal. ii. iii,)

Also, as long as we sin, the devil tries to persuade us,
that God is so merciful, do what we will, that he will not
be angry ; but when sickness or death invades, then the
devil turns his tale, and persuades us that God is only
extreme just, and not at all merciful. And this grief of
the mind is so sore and vehement, that all the pains of the
body seem nothing in comparison thereof, as we see iiK
this place by the holy prophet Asaph, who was very sorely

384 Hooper

disquieted in his body, yet his spirit made no account of
it ; but he still stayed and staggered, trembling and
quaking at the heaviness and sorrow of the spirit, that
could not feel, during the time of his trouble, any certainty
or consolation in the promises of God.

Of this we are admonished, that whatsoever we have,
if God's favour be wanting, we have nothing able to re-
joice us. And of the other side, that if we lack all things,
yet assuredly have God's favour, there is nothing able to
make us heavy and sorrowful : as we see king Saul, having
a noble kingdom, and lacking the favour of God, was
always disquieted. Poor David, having the grace and
favour of God, was quiet and contented with all things,
saying, " If God will, he may restore me ; if he will not,
his will be done." (1 Sam. xvi. xxiv. 2 Sam. xv.)

The assurance of God's promises made Paul glad to die ;
(2 Tim. iv.) and the mistrust and despair of God's
promises made Judas weary to live. (Matt, xxvi.) The
certainty of God's truth made St. Stephen die quietly, in
the assurance of eternal life. (Acts vii.) The uncertainty
and doubtfulness of God'3 mercy caused Savil to die in the
fear of eternal death, (i Sam. xxxi.) Riches of this
world are treasures much esteemed and valued, friends
and lovers are much sought for and warily kept, and health
of body is highly regarded and preserved with much care ;
yet, if the soul be destitute of the assurance of God's
grace, the rest seem to be of no value at all. As we see,
Saul in his. kingdom, with riches, strength, and friendship,
yet his mind was vexed, still an evil spirit, and God's
Spirit departed, his sorrows were incomparable. (1 Sam.
xvi.) So that we learn, that not only the goods apper-
taining to the body are nothing worth, where the spirit
wants the grace of God, but also where the spirit is trou-
bled, the goods of the body are little felt, and nothing
yalued, as we see by this prophet in this psalm.

The other part of his cogitations in the time of his
sickness was this : " Will he be no more entreated ?" This
grievous temptation, whether God would be entreated to
forgive sin any more, may have two meanings ; the one
generally, and the other particularly ; generally, as thus —
whether God, once offended, will be merciful and forgive,
or not ? Particularly — whether God, whose nature is
merciful, will forgive the man that now seeks for mercy by
faith ; as he has in time past forgiven all men that asked

v. 7 — 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 385

it with repentance in faith ? The first sense and taking of
the text generally, is exceedingly wicked and blasphemous
— to think that God once offended with any man, will never
forgive again ! Of this opinion was Cain, when he said
his sins were greater than they might be forgiven, (Gen.
iv.) ; and he thought God would be no more entreated,
because he judged his fault greater than the mercy of God
that forgiveth faults. And wheresoever this judgment, of
the spirit is, this sentence is verified ; God will be entreated
no more.

And as every man who is thus minded, that his own
sins are greater than can be forgiven, even so has he the
like mind and judgment also of all other men's sins that
are like unto his, thinking them to be greater than that
they may be forgiven ; for he that despairs of his own
faults, cannot think well that other men's faults as great as
his own are remissible. As Judas, who hanged himself
for betraying of Christ, could not think well of Peter that
denied Christ, but judged of Peter as he did of himself,
saying, God will be entreated no more. (Matt, xxvii. xxvi.)

Of this wicked judgment of God's mercy, whether he
will be entreated any more by a sinner, after he hath
sinned, I will speak no more ; but they that desire to read
how horrible a thing it is, may have many psalms that do
declare it ; namely, Psalms x. and lxxiii. In one of them
it is said by the wicked, that God has forgotten the earth,
and cares neither for the godly life of the godly and vir-
tuous, nor the ungodly life of the ungodly and wicked.
And in the other psalm they make a doubt, whether
there be any knowledge in God, of man and of his life, 01
not. But these sorts of people are too horrible and blas-
phemous, and not to be rehearsed, or much spoken of.

The other sense of this place, which is more particular,
is the better sense for the argument and meaning of the
psalm ; that is, to ask whether God will be entreated no
more, as touching the remission of his own sin ; or else
whether God will no more be merciful to help him out of
trouble, who especially and particularly suffers the trouble.
And this question so asked is very common and familiar
to christians, and puts them to great trouble and heaviness.
As we may see that this prophet Asaph considered the
years before him, and what God did to his elders, and
found that they received remission of their sins, and great
benefits in this world at God's hand.' So do a great

386 Hooper.

number of men ; in hearing- and reading the scripture of
God, they see and perceive the remission of many men's
sins, and how mercifully God dealt with them ; yet when
they feel their own sin, and suffer their own cross and
trouble, they have much ado, and with great difficulty do
they believe that God will be as good unto them, being
each of them sinners, and each afflicted, as he was unto
the great number of those, of whom they read in the scrip-
ture, that God forgave them their sins, and preserved them
in most horrible and dangerous troubles.

Therefore, this is a common wisdom and daily experi-
mented sentence : " When other men are sick, we can
give good counsel patiently to bear it." When other men
are afflicted and troubled, we can speak of many means
to quiet them. When they are in any mistrust of God's
promises, we can comfort them with many arguments of
faith ; but most commonly* if we are sick ourselve's, trou-
bled, or in mistrust of God's promises, we can ease or
comfort ourselves very little. And good cause why ; for
God that giveth of his own gift and only free liberality,
wisdom, knowledge, learning, and consolation, giveth also
the grace that the said virtues may work their operation,
and expel the infirmities and diseases wherefore these
wisdoms and virtues were ordained. As it is marvellously
noted of St. Paul, " I bfeve planted, and Apollos hath
watered, but God gave the increase." (1 Cor. iii.)

The word of God is a means to teach truth, and to
condemn falsehood ; to place virtue, and to remove vice ;
to give consolation, and to banish and put away diffidence
and distrust, but God giveth and worketh the effect thereof.
(Rom. i. Matt. x. xxviii.) Meat is made to preserve the
body, but if God give not strength, it misses the pur-
pose. (Acts xvi.) The horse and the man are means to
overcome, but in battle God giveth the victory. (Prov. xxi.)
The preacher preaches God's word, but God opens and
teaches the mystery thereof : man heareth, but God
giveth the understanding. Asaph remembered God's
works, and had in mind his own godly psalms, but God
must give the consolation. He saw the truth, and knew
that God was faithful; but the joy and profit thereof was
in the distribution and gift of God, as we may well per-
ceive by this sorrowful interrogatory : " Will he be en-
treated no more ?"

From this part we learn how we ought to pray, when

■v. 7—10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 387

we read or hear God's promises for our salvation, and
how necessary the prayer is which godly men made in the'
scripture : " Lord, help my unbelief; Lord, increase our
faith." (Mark ix.) The poor man that heard and saw
Christ's mercy and liberality in healing of others, desired
also health for his own child. Chrisft said, If he believed,
all things were possible. The poor man said, " I believe,
Lord ; help mine unbelief." (Luke xvii.)

The apostles, when they heard Christ speak of forgive-
ness of one another, said, " Increase our faith, good
Lord;" as though they had said, Except thou give us
strength to believe and credit thy godly lessons, we shall
take no advantage or profit by them. Therefore, let the
preacher of God, the reader of God's word, the hearer of
God's word, and the thinker upon the same, many times
before, also while they are speaking, thinking, reading, or
hearing of God's word, pray in their spirits, that the word
of God may work in them the thing wherefore the word
was instituted and appointed of God ; or else we shall be,
as St. Paul saith, always learners, and yet never come to
the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim. iii.)

And I do verily think, and am truly persuaded, that for
lack of earnest and continual prayer, with lifting up of my
heart unto God, whilst I preached his most holy word unto
the people, God judged me not worthy to see such fruits'
of my labours as I hoped for. And, also, because the
people did not heartily pray to understand God's pleasure
by his preached word, they are accounted unworthy of
such salvation as God offered them by his word, and the
true preaching of his mysteries. Let all men, therefore,
pray to God in Christ, that they may be the better for the
hearing, recording, remembering, or reading of God's
word ; for notwithstanding they have amongst them the
book of God, yet without God's singular grace, they shall
be troubled with one of these two evils : either to mock
and scorn at the scripture, caring not whether they learn
it or no ; or else, when they have learned it, to doubt
whether it be true or no. And then follow these questions :
" Will God absent himself for ever ?" and, " Will God be
no more entreated ?" with such other doubts as follow in
this psalm: with much heaviness unto the spirit where
such demands rest and have place.

Then follows the third demand by this troubled prophet,
" Is his mercy clean gone for ever ?"

3S8 Hooper.

Here in this demand are two things to be noted ; the
one declaring a fault in the prophet's faith, and the other
expressing a verity in the prophet's knowledge. The fault
in his faith was to doubt or to stand in a mammering* of
God's mercy, which is most sure, and endureth for ever
and ever ; and to ask this question, whether bis mercy
were clean gone for ever ? The verity of his knowledge
was, to judge and say that it was God's mercy that for-
gave sins, and not his or any other men's merits that could
deserve the pardoning of sin ; as you may see how sinful
Saul for his sin thought to have appeased God with sacri
fice, (1 Sam. xv.) and the proud pharisee with his pre-
tended good works. (Luke xviii.) Rut here in this
knowledge, that the prophet complained of the departure
of God's mercy, is set forth, that mercy alone appeases
God's wrath in Christ for the sin of man. And what
works .soever are done, except God's mercy pardon the
sin, they all can neither please God, nor quiet the con
science and troubled spirit of him that doeth the works .
(Exod. xxxiv. Deut. v. yii. Psalm xxxiii. li. lvi. Ixxxv. cxxx.
cxliii.) ; as may be seen in the example of St. Peter, and
the rest of the apostles. When St. Peter walked upon the
sea coming towards Christ, and felt the wind strong and
tempestuous, he began to fear ; and when he began to
sink, he cried, " Lord, save me." And the Lord put forth
his hand and took hmi> and said unto him, " Thou of little
faith, why doubtest thou?" (Matt, xiv.)

Here we see, if God helped us of his mercy no more
than our own merits deserved, or else no more than the
gifts of God, faith, hope, and charity are become qualities
in us, we should surely perish. Therefore, this place of
the prophet Asaph, where he demanded this question,
Whether God's mercy be gone for ever ? teaches us, that
of all things we should be roost assured of this, that
mercy only is the help of man's troubles and damnation.
But as I said before, that there were two manner of
clarities and brightness in the word of God ; so now I
say, there are two manner of mercies of God mentioned
in the scripture : the outward mercy is in the letter which
men read and sing every day, and speak and talk of ; but
the other is inward.

When men cannot feel God's mercy in their conscience,.
9S they hear it spoken of, and as they read it in the book,
• Hesitating about.

v. 7 — 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventk Psalm. Be9

they are troubled and full of anguish and pain ; and as 1
long as they are in this case, without God's mercy, they
can do nothing that pleases God, nor content themselves.
But as soon as the spirit is assured, and feels that God for
his mercy forgives and forgets the iniquity that the spirit
and body have committed and done against God, it re-
joices and is so glad, that it will do nothing but that
which pleases and is acceptable unto God, and in Christ
shall content and quiet his own conscience. As for ex-
ample : Adam, before he inwardly felt the mercy of God
promised in Christ, to forgive and remit his sin and offence,
in what heaviness was the poor man ! He hid himself,
and could not abide the voice of the living God, (Gen.
iii.) for he felt that his doings pleased neither God nor
himself. But when grace had assured him of God's
mercy, he fell in the spirit to quietness : for where the
Spirit of God testifies and bears record with the spirit
of man, that he is the child of God, there is joy and
consolation, with this joyful song and melody : " Father,
Father." (Rom. viii.) So that wheresoever this song is
felt in the spirit, there are such joys as no tongue can
express, as all the book of Solomon's Song marvellously
declares.
« And where the mercy of God is not, there is either the
abomination of sin, and continuance therein, without any
fear or'grudge of conscience at all ; or else such heavi-
ness of spirit, that despair quails and oppresses the spirit
for ever. Yet shall the spirit and soul of man feel this for
a time, while God hides his merciful face : " Is his mercy
clean gone for ever ?" which cogitations of the mind are
very bitter and sorrowful, as all men of God do know who
have felt them, and as the prophet declares in the process
of his psalm, in this sort : " And is his promise come
utterly to an end for evermore? Hath God forgotten to
be gracious ? And will he shut up his loving kindness
in displeasure ?" These demands and questions of his
own mind and spirit that was troubled, are no more in
effect than troubles which he named before. But his
calling the trouble by so many names declares that his
spirit was, for the time, so disquieted, that the pains, in a
manner, could not well be named or expressed. As it is to
be seen always when the mind of man is brought into an
excellency and profoundness of mirth or sorrow, then it is
so ravished with the vehemency of them both, that the

390 Hooper.

tongue is not able to express the inward joy nor the in-
ward sorrow, as it is to be seen as well in profane writers
as in the holy word of God. Read the eighteenth psalm
of king David, which he sung to the Lord when he was
free and delivered from all his enemies, and you will see
what a change of words he used to name God, and to ex-
press what he thought of God in his heart, and with what
metaphors he expresses the strength of God, which over-
came all his enemies. The psalm is to be read and
marked. Again, read the sepsalms, xlii. xliii., where you
will perceive the prayer of David, wherein is described a
vehement agony and most bitter battle between faith and
desperation ; and there mark what words he hath found
out to express the sorrows of his heart, that was so sorely
put in doubt by desperation and weakness of faith. " The
hart being wounded, was never more desirous to come to
the water, than my. soul desireth to come to thee, O God !"
And at length, when he can find no more words to utter
the pensiveness of his heart, he turns his words inward to
his own soul, and asks why she is so heavy and sad.
You may see also the very same joyful and sorrowful spi-
rits in the Song of Solomon, and in the Lamentations of
Jeremiah the prophet. In the one, it seems that the soul
united unto Christ is in such joy as the tongue cannot
express ; and in the other, for sin the soul is afflicted in
such a sort, that it cannot tell how to express the heavi-
ness thereof.

Also in these demands of the prophet, which he made to
himself in his spirit — for as the text saith, he revolved the
matter with his own spirit — there is to be considered this
doctrine : How easy a thing it is to teach and comfort
other men, and how hard a thing it is for a man to teach
and comfort himself in the promises of God. St. Paul
found fault therewith, and said to the Jew : " Thou
teachest another man, and teachest not thyself." (Rom. ii.)
And Judas went forth with the eleven other of his fellows,
to teach God's mercy in Christ unto the lost sheep of the
house of Israel ; but he neither followed his own doctrine,
nor yet took any comfort of remission of sins in the pro-
mises of God, but hanged himself desperately. (Matt. x.
xxvii.) Wherefore it is very expedient for every man and
woman that hath learned, and doth know the truth of God,
to pray that they themselves may follow the truth ; and for
such as know and teach others the consolation of the

v. 7 — 10.1 Exposition of the Seventy seventh Psalm 39 L

scriptures of God, that they may, with knowledge of them,
feel them indeed, and with speaking of them to others tor
their learning, they may speak them to themselves for their
own edifying.

But, doubtless, it is an easy matter for a man to speak
of comfort and consolation to others, but a hard thing to
feel it himself. Virtue is soon spoken of for other men's
instruction, but the putting thereof in practice and use is
very hard ; yea, not only in the scholar that is taught, but
also in the master that instructs. Beware of despair,
every man can say ; but to eschew* despair in great con-
flicts of the mind, is a hard matter. Read the book of
psalms well, and you will see the experience thereof is
most certain and true. In the sixty-second psalm you
shall have this commandment to all men : " Trust ye
always in Him, ye people :" yet when it came to the trial
in himself, you may see with what heaviness and great
trouble of mind he came to the trust in the Lord. You
may learn by these psalms, indited by king David, that he
easily taught God's religion, and how men should put
their trust in the Lord ; (Psalm xli. xliii.) and yet how
hard it was to do and practise himself, that which he taught
unto others. Asaph also declares the same ; for in the
seventy-third psalm he teaches what men should think and
judge in adversity — that God would be good unto Israel.
But in this psalm, (lxxvii.) he himself being under the rod
and persecution of God, is come to questioning and de-
manding ; ,c Will God absent himself for ever ? Will he
be no more entreated ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ?"
with many other demands, declaring unspeakable troubles
and difficulties of the mind, before it is brought to a per-
fect consent and full agreement unto the promises of God.
So that we see the excellent prophets and most virtuous
organs and instruments amongst sinful men, knew it was
an easy matter to speak of faith and virtue, and yet a very
hard thing to practise true faith, and to exercise virtuous
living.

St. Paul shows to the 'Romans the same was in him-
self; (chap, viii.) for he had more ado, in Christ, to get
the victory over sin in himself, than to speak of the victory
unto others by his mouth ; and more ado to mortify and
kill the flesh, and to bring it in subjection to the spirit,
than to practise the death of the flesh in himself, and to
* Escape, avoid.

392 Hooper

follow the Spirit. He spake and uttered with his mouth
most godly doctrine, for the destruction of sin ; but with
what prayers, tears, -and clamours to God, he did the same
in himself, read 2 Cor. xii. Rom. xii. viii. 2 Cor. vi.
Gal. v. Eph. v.

The old saying is, ' Knowledge is no burden,' and in-
deed it is a thing easy to be borne ; but to r put knowledge
in experience, the body and the soul shall find pain and
trouble. And yet Christ's words, where he saith, " My
yoke is light, and my burden easy," (Matt, xi.) are most
true to such as have wrestled with sin, and in Christ got
the upper hand. To them I say, the precepts of virtuous
living are easy and sweet, as long as the Spirit of God
bears the overhand in them. But when faith waxes faint,
and the flesh strong, then the Spirit of God cannot com-
mand nor desire any thing, but both body and soul are
much offended with the hearing thereof, and more grieved
with the doing of it. (Rom. vii.) St. Peter likewise makes
mention of the same ; for when Christ bade him follow
him, meaning that he should die for the testimony of his
word, he liked not that, but asked Christ what John should
do ; being, doubtless, in great perplexity when Christ told
him that he should suffer the pains of death. But here
are to be noted two things ; the one, that as long as afflic-
tion is talked of generally, and other men's pains are
spoken of, so long can every man and woman hear of
affliction, yea, and commend the persons that suffered
affliction, as we see at this day. All men are contented to
hear of the death of Christ, of the martyrdom of his saints,
and of the affliction and imprisonment of his godly mem-
bers ; but when the same or the like should be tried and
practised by ourselves, we will none of it, we refuse it, and
we abhor it. Yea, so much that although Christ and those
saints, whose names are most common and usual in our
mouths, suffered the vilest deaths that could be devised,
we will not suffer as much as the loss of a friend, or of the
deceivable goods of this unstable and transitory world.
So that in the generality we are very godly, and can com-
mend all godly martyrs and sufferers for God's sake ; but,
alas! in the particularity we are very ungodly, and not
willing to follow any martyr or suffer at all. Also, as long
as we are without danger for Christ's sake, we can speak
of great dangers, and say, that we will suffer all extremity
and cruelty. But when it cometh to pass, that an enemy to

v. 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 393

God and his word shall say indeed, ' Forsake thy religion,
or else thou shalt die,' as Christ said unto Peter, " When
thou art old, another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither
thou wouldest not:" (John xxi.) then a little threaten-
ing of another man wholly affrights this man that said he
would suffer all troubles : as Peter said, if he should lose
his life, he would not deny his Master ; but when another,
yea, a poor maid, asked him, whether he were one of
Christ's servants, and made no mention at all of loss of
life or goods, he would not hazard himself to bear so much
as the name of Christ's disciple ! (Matt, xxvi.)

Thus we see the vileness and frailty of our own nature,
how weak we are to suffer indeed, when of necessity we
must bear the cross, and can, by no means, avoid it. How
troublesome also it is both to body and soul, this psalm
and place of the scripture declares ; and therefore at the
end of these temptations is put, " Selah :" a word that
makes, as it were, an outcry against the corrupt nature of
man for sin. As St. Paul said, " I know that there
dwelleth in my flesh no good thing." (Rom. vii.) There-
fore, to admonish man thereof indeed, and to show him his
own condemnation, the word is put there to cause the rea-
der or hearer of the place to mark and bewail the wretched-
ness thereof. As the prophet himself does in the next
verse.

THE FOURTH PART.

HOW A MAN TAKES CONSOLATION IN TIME OF HIS TROUBLE.

Verse 10. And I said, this is my infirmity: but these
things the right hand of God can change. '

Here are life and death, and the occasions of both,
marvellously set forth. He said that it was his infirmity
that caused him to question and doubt of God's mercy ;
whereby he has disburdened God, and charged himself
with sin and doubtfulness : and so much all men see and
find in themselves — that damnation is of ourselves, and sal-
vation only of God. (Hosea xiii.) There is also to be
noted in this infirmity, that it occupies not only the body,
but also the soul; for he saith, these cogitations and
questions, as touching the doubtfulness of God's mercy,
were the devices and acts of his mind ; so that both his
s3

394 Hooper.

body and soul were comfortless ; and good cause why ;
for in both of them were sin and abomination against God.
Andqf these two parts of man, the body and the spirit,
came these dubitations of God and of his promises : which
fruits of corruption engender eternal death, except sin be
forgiven.

And here the wisdom of the flesh is seen to be very en-
mity unto God, working continually the breach of God's
commandments, and the destruction of man's salvation*
as much as in it lies. (Rom. viii.) But in the second part
of the verse is life, and the occasion thereof, which is a
sure trust that God can remove despair, and put in place
thereof faith, hope, and sure confidence. And the occa-
sion of this help is not man's merits, but the right hand of
God; that is to say, God's power inclined to save man by
mercy.

Of this doctrine certain things are to be marked by
every reader and hearer of this psalm. First, in this verse
is declared how man takes consolation in time of his trou-
ble, which is the fourth part of the psalm ; and in the same
part the psalm ends. He saith, it was his" infirmity that
made him to question and demand in his spirit such doubt-
ful things of God, and of his promises ; whereof we learn
that consolation begins where sorrow and heaviness are
first felt ; for the spirit can take no solace by God's pro ■
mises, until such time as it feels by God's law how sinful
it is for the transgression thereof. Therefore Solomon
saith : " The just man is the first accuser of himself."
(Prov. xiii.) And so the prophet Asaph in this place
confesses, that these cogitations and profound thoughts
against God came of his own infirmity and sin. And the
knowledge of a man's own wickedness from the bottom of
the heart — although it be a shame to speak or remember
the vileness of sin, wherewith the sinner hath most griev-
ously transgressed God's commandments — yet is this
knowledge and confession of our sin and iniquity \etj
necessary, and is, as it were, an induction* to the remis-
sion thereof, as it is to be seen in this prophet, and in the
prophet David. For here is first confessed, that all sins
in him came of his own infirmity, and all consolation
against sin came of God's right hand. And the prophet
David saith, when he was in like trouble for sin, " I deter-
mined to confers against myself mine own iniquity ; and
• Introduction, a leading unto.

v. 10.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 395

thou, Lord, forgavest the wickedness of my sin." (Psalm
lxxiv. xxxii.) But here is to be noted in this, that the con-
fession of sin is, as it were, an induction and beginning of
consolation ; that confession of sin is not the beginning of
consolation, except he that makes the confession be assured
in his heart of God's promises in Christ, that of mercy in
Christ's death, his sins be forgiven ; as you may see in
these two prophets. The one said, " It is mine infirmity
that worketh this doubtfulness in my soul." And the other
said, " I determined to condemn myself for sin."

Thus far to feel sin, to bewail sin, to speak of sin, and
to remember sin, is death ; and an increase of diffidence in
God's promises ; and an induction to desperation. But as
knowledge and confession have a certainty and assurance
of God's forgiveness annexed unto them, there is in con-
fession and knowledge of sin, partly a beginning of conso-
lation against sin. I call it partly, or as an occasion,
because, first of all, God by his word, or by his punish-
ments, through the operation of the Holy Ghost, opens
the soul of the sinner, to see and know his sin, also to
tremble and quake at sin, rather than to hate and abhor
sin. (Rom. vii. 1 Sam. xv. 2 Sam. xii.) And from these
principles and originals comes th? humble and lowly con-
fession of sin, not to man, but unto God ; except it be
such an open sin done against man, as the man knows of,
whom the sin is committed against. Then must the
offender of man also reconcile himself to the man that is
offended, according to the commandment of God. There-
fore we must mark what confession and acknowledging of
our own infirmities is : (Mark v. xviii. James v. Luke
xvii.) for every confession is not acceptable before God,
nor the beginning of consolation, as these examples de-
clare. Judas said openly in the face of the court, where
Christ our Saviour was arraigned, that he had offended in
betraying innocent blood ; but there followed no faith nor
hope of forgiveness : (Matt, xxvii. Mark xv.) so that, for
lack of faith in Christ's blood, desperation and hanging of
himself followed his confession ; whereby it is evident that
confession of sin without faith is nothing worth, but a
testimony of a desperate man's damnation.

King Saul, after being long urged by the prophet
Samuel, was brought to confess that he had offended in
preserving alive Agag, king of the Amalekites, and the
fattest of his cattle. (1 Sam. xv.) " I have offended,"

396 Hooper,

said Saul, " for I have broken and transgressed the com-
mandment of God." But what followed? Did there
follow, " God's right hand can remedy my sin," as this
prophet Asaph saith : (Psalm lxxvii.) or " God hath for-
given the iniquity of my sin," as David said, (Psalm
xxxii.) or else, " God be merciful unto me a sinner," as
the publican said ? (Luke xviii.) No ; but this ensued :
" I pray thee," said Saul to Samuel, " bear thou my sin."
In this man's confession of sin there was not the begin-
ning of consolation, but of more sorrows ; for his heaviness
from that day more and more increased with his sins, until
he was slain. (1 Sam. xxxi.) And the cause thereof was
this: he would that Samuel, being but a man, should
have pardoned his sin ; whereas none can do it but God,
(Matt. ix. Luke v. Mark ii.) as it is notably to be seen
in king David ; for when he said he had offended the Lord,
Nathan the prophet said, " And God hath taken away thy
sins."(2 Sam. xii.) Wherein is declared, that the minister
can but pronounce to the sinner, that God in Christ forgiveth
sin. So that we see Judas's confession of sin was nothing
worth, because he found no faith nor trust for the remis-
sion thereof, and Saul's confession was of no value, because
he trusted and desired consolation at man's hand, and not
at God's.

Yet in Saul's confession there was something good, in
that he confessed his fault to God, although it were long
first, and in a manner wrested out of his mouth by the
prophet Samuel ; and in that point he did as David did,
who said, " I have offended the Lord." (Psalm li. 2 Sam.
xii.) And this is to be noted, because now-a-days men are
taught to confess their sins to the departed saints, that
know not what the outward works of men are upon the
earth, much less the inward and sinful cogitations of the
heart. (Isaiah lxiii. Eccles. ix. 1 Kings viii.) So that in
this part the papists' confession is worse than Saul's, and
in the other part it is like it : for as Saul trusted to the
merits of Samuel, and would have him to bear his sin ;
(1 Sam. xv.). so do people trust, that the priest's hand
upon their head, and the penance enjoined them by the
priests, shall be a clean remission and full satisfaction for
all their sin ; but their sins are as much forgiven them
before God as Saul's, that is to say, nothing at all.

But where sin is known and confessed from the very
heart unto Gpd, (1 John it) although it be a bitter thing,

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy -seventh Psalm: 397

and also a shameful thing, to feel and bear God's displea-
sure for sin, the burden whereof is very death, and more
grievous than death itself; (Psalm cxxx.) yet where confi-
dence and trust in the mercy of God is annexed with it,
there follows great consolation and comfort ; as it is to be
seen in this prophet, who spake with a strong faith boldly:
" The right hand of God can change these things ;" so
that the latter part of this verse has more comfort than the
first part has discomfort. And it is a plain doctrine, that
although the sins of man are many and horrible, yet they
are fewer and less in estimation many thousand times than
God's mercies. (Isaiah i.) Death is declared in the first
part of the verse in this, that man's infirmity is not only
sinful in body and soul, but also to be doubtful of God's
mercy and holy promises : yet in the second part by grace
is set forth life, and entire deliverance from the tyranny of
the devil, the servitude of sin, the accusation of the law,
and the infirmity of nature, by the strong and mighty
power of God, whose mercy in Christ is always ready to
help poor, afflicted, and troubled sinners. (Ezek. xviii.
1 John i.) After this confession of sin, and the great con-
fidence that the prophet had in God for his mighty power
and mercies' sake, who was both able by power, and ready
with will, to help and remedy the troubled spirit and
great adversities of the prophet, he goes forth in the con-
solation, and takes yet more and more of God's benefits,
used in times towards such as were afflicted, in this
manner.

Verse 11. I will remember the works of the Lord, and call
to my mind thy wonders of old time.

12. / will think also of thy works, and my talking shall
be of thy doings.

13. Thy way, God, is holy ; who is so great a God as
our God ?

14. Thou art the God that doest wonders, and hast de-
clared thy power amongst people.

15. Thou hast mightily delivered thy people, even the sons
of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16. The waters saw thee, O God : the waters saw thee,
and were afraid : the depths also were troubled.

17. The clouds poured out water, the air thundered, and
thine arrows went abroad.

18. The voice of thy thunder was heard round about; the

S98 Hooper.

lightnings shone upon the ground ; the earth was moved,
and shook withal.

19. Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great
waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20. Thou leddest thy people like sheep, by the hand of
Moses and Aaron.

From the means by which men take consolation in ad-
versity, which the prophet now mentions, first, we learn
what difference there is between the consideration of God's
works advisedly and by faith, and the. consideration of
God's works rashly and without faith ; which diversity is
to be seen in this psalm. For of the one part, as touching
the remembering of God's works out of faith and in faith,
he spake before in the second verse ; and in the fourth
verse, how that he considered the works and old doings of
the Lord when he was troubled. But as you have heard,
because his spirit was in a doubtfulness and mammering*
as to the certainty of God's doings, he felt no consolation
thereof, but much heaviness and anguish of mind. For
those demands, " Will God absent himself for ever ? Will
he be no more merciful ?" and such like heavy and doubt-
ful complaints, would never proceed but from a sorrowful
and much troubled conscience. But now, after God's
Spirit hath wrought in his spirit this assurance and judg-
ment, that God can change in him the conditions of his
miseries, as you may, see, he makes no more complaint of
doubtfulness, neither remembers any more the fearfulness
of his conscience, but goes forth with the repetition and
rehearsal of all things comfortably, how God, in time past,
helped troubled spirits and afflicted persons, that put their
trust in him. So that of this we learn, that whosoever has a
sure faith in God, takes consolation from God's word and
works. And such as have not first true faith in God, can-
not, in .the spirit, receive comfort of God's word or works.
Outwardly, men may marvel at God and his works ; but
inwardly, it eases not the heaviness, nor yet quiets the
grudge of conscience.

Wherefore it behoves us all, that we pray earnestly unto
God to give us faith to believe his word and works, when
we hear, read, or see them. For the word and works of
God do not comfort the unfaithful, as we may see by the
scripture, where God saith, he stretched forth his hand all
* Hesitation.

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy -seventh Psalm. 399

day long to a people that believed not ; for such as have
ears and hear not, eyes and see not, are rather the worse
for God's word and works than the better. (Isaiah lxv,
Rom. x. Isaiah vi. John xii.) You shall see where the
spirit of David was replenished with faith ; he was so
assured and ascertained of God's present help, that he
said he would not fear, although a thousand men envi 7
roned and compassed him round about. (Psalm iii.) No,
he would not fear, though he should walk in the shadow
of death. (Psalm xxiii.) At another time, when faith
quailed and waxed faint, he was trembling in his spirit,
and fearful in his body : as we may see when he felt his
spirit wax faint, he said, " My soul is troubled very sore,
and my bones be weakened." (Psalm vi. xxxviii.) And in
others of his psalms, he shows that his soul was very
heavy and comfortless, and could take no consolation.
(Psalm xlii. xliii.)

Also when the spirit is assured of God's grace, then the
eyes cannot look upon any work of God, but the mind, by
the contemplation and sight hereof, takes unspeakable
consolation : as David declares in his psalms, and saith,
he would see the heavens, the works of God's fingers, and
would mark how one day was an induction to another,
and how the heavens praised the Lord. (Psalm viii. xix.
cxlviii.)

At another time, when the consolation and life of the
spirit was overwhelmed with troubles, he could not see at
all with his eyes, but cried and complained that he, was
stark blind. (Psalm xxxviii.) And also in that marvellous
psalm, (lxxxviii.) wherein prayer is made to be delivered
from the horror and feeling of sin, the prophet saith, that
his eyes waxed dim and blind. The same is to be seen
likewise in the crosses and afflictions that God sends. As
long as true faith and confidence remain in the heart, all
troubles are welcome and thankfully taken ; as we read,
when Job had news that his goods and children were
taken from him suddenly, he most patiently said, " Gad
gave them, and God hath taken them away ; as God
would, so it is done." (Job i. ii.) But when faith quailed,
and the spirit was troubled, then followed these impatient
words : " I would my sin were laid in one balance, and
my pain in another;" (Job vi.) as though God had laid
more upon him than he had deserved. When the spirit
was quieted, notwithstanding all his poverty and nakedness,

400 Hooper*

he rejoiced, and was contented with his birth and
toming into the world, and also with the state in the
world appointed unto him by God, saying, " Naked I
eame out of my mother's womb, and naked I shall depart
hence again." (Job i.) But when faith fainted, then came
out these words : " The day, the night, and the time, be
cursed wherein I was born," (Job iii.) with many more
horrible words, as the text declares. So that we see,
where God's Spirit is wanting, there is no learning nor
consolation to be had of any thing ; as it is opened in this
psalm, in that, at first the prophet recorded God's works,
and was so troubled in his mind, that he occupied his
cogitations thus : " Will God be no more merciful ? Hath
God shut up his mercy in his wrath ?" But now in the
second record of God's works, he begins his entrance quite
contrary, and saith, God's right hand can change his sor-
row, and turn his heaviness into mirth. And upon this
ground and sure hope of God's promises, he proceeds to
a consideration and deep record of God's- facts in this
sort : " I will remember the works of the Lord," &c.

In this verse and in the next following are contained
three kinds of words ; remembrance, meditation, and
speech. By the first we learn, that it profits nothing to
read or hear God's word, except we remember it, and bear
it away with us. By the next we learn, that it avails us
not to learn and bear the word of God in remembrance,
except, by meditation and thinking upon it, we understand
what it means. And by the third we learn, that neither
the remembrance of it nor the understanding profits, ex-
cept we teach and instruct others in the same, of whom
we have charge, if we may.

Now to consider further, we see how the prophet begins
with this word " remembrance," whereof it appears that he
had before learned out of God's word, God's nature to-
wards penitent sinners, to forgive them ; and towards wil-
ful, obstinate, and impenitent sinners, to be a just judge
to punish them. Here is the ignorance of all people con-
demned, that never learn to know God's word in sickness
nor in health ; but when they are troubled or sick, they
send for such as they think and fancy have learned and;
remember how God's word comforts in adversity. And
then, if he that is sent for is not learned in God's word,
he cannot remember how God is wont to comfort the
troubled or sick : then all that the sick man hears of ai»

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 401

ignorant comforter or counsellor, is as wholly void of con-
solation or counsel, as though he had never sent for a
counsellor or comforter. For no man can have more of
another, than the other has himself, which is neither know-
ledge, counsel, nor consolation out of God's word : there-
fore he is not able to give knowledge, consolation, nor
comfort to another.

If Asaph had been as the most part of the people now-
a-days are, that fall sick and into many kinds of trouble,
and had sent for an ignorant fool, such as commonly is
called a ghostly father, he had been in as great trouble as
these wretched souls are who, being comfortless, seek
comfort where none is to be had, seek knowledge where
none is, and seek counsel where ignorance abounds. Let
all men therefore remember this verse, that when the
prophet was in trouble, he remembered the wisdom and
marvellous works of God, for he knew them before. So
let all men and women learn, before they come into
trouble, a true knowledge of God, that in the time of
trouble they may remember it to their consolation. But
now to the second word, where he saith, he will meditate
in all the works of God.

Here is another notable doctrine, that neither the learn-
ing of God's word nor the remembrance thereof profits
any thing, except it is understood and applied to the use
that God has appointed it for. And here two sorts of
people are wonderfully condemned. The one sort are
those, who, for custom or bondage to their profession,
learn without the book a great part of the scripture ; or
else by daily use in singing or saying their service, as it is
called, they learn to sing and say a great part of the Bible.
But this avails nothing, for they understand it not in the
sense and meaning that the Holy Ghost appointed it for,
nor perchance even the grammatical construction thereof.
And these remembrances of God's word are nothing but
lip-labour, and honouring of God with the mouth, but the
heart is far away, which before God is in vain, and of no
estimation. (Isaiah xxix. Matt, xv.) The other sort of
people are such as profess the gospel, who have learned
much, and can remember much, but follow very little ; so
that they are nothing the better for it.

The third word is, that the prophet saith, he will speak
of God and his works, as outwardly and inwardly he re-
members them, .and with his spirit meditates on them, as

402 Hooper.

it is likewise the part and duty of all christian men so to
do. For as they believe in the heart to justice,* so they
will confess it tp salvation, as St. Paul saith to the
Romans. (Chap, x.)

Here in this word three sorts of people are condemned :
the one will not confess and teach the truth, for fear of
losing their advantage; the second will not confess
and teach the truth, for sluggishness and sloth ; and the
third will not confess and teach the truth, for timidity and
fear.

In the first sort are such as know doctrines for the soul,
or medicines for the body, and yet because they get gain
thereby, they would not have too many know thereof, lest
their own gains should be the less. As we see, such a
one as knows a_ good method and order to teach, would
be loth it should ' be common, because his estimation and
gain, as he thinks, should diminish and decrease. The
excellent physician would not have his skill made common,
lest many men, as skilful as he, should part his gains
amongst them.

The second sort of men are those that come to great
livings by their learning, and when they have the reward
of learning, they teach no more, as bishops and ministers
of the church, whom the prophet calls " dumb dogs that
cannot bark," (Isaiah lvi.), their mouths are so choked
with the bones of bishoprics and benefices. I speak of
such as know the truth and love it, and not of such as
neither know it nor love it : for although those men speak
but seldom, yet it is too much, for better it were never to
speak, than to speak falsely.

The third sort are our Nieodemus's, that can speak of
Christ in the night, or to their friends, but openly they will
confess nothing with the mouth, nor do any thing out-
wardly, that should sound to God's glory, for fear of the
world. And these men are assured they shall have their
reward, that Christ will deny them before his Father
which is in heaven. (Matt, x.)

Of this we learn wherein our prpfession consists : first,
to learn God's word ; secondly, to bear it in our heart and
remembrance ; thirdly, to understand it ; and fourthly, to
speak of it to the glory of God, and the edifying of our
neighbours ; and God's word this way used shall keep us

* Righteousness.

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 103

humble and lowly in prosperity, and patient and strong in
adversity.

But in these two verses are more words necessary to be
considered, if we would take consolation in adversity. The
first, " I will remember the works of the Lord, and that
of old time," or from the beginning. The second, " I will
think also of all the works of the Lord," &c.

In that the prophet saith, he will remember the works
of the Lord of old time, or from the beginning, we learn
that it is expedient to know, or at the least, not to be
ignorant of any book in the scripture : for when we find
not consolation in the one, we may find it in the other.
And where he saith, he will remember all the works of the
Lord, meaning as many as the scripture makes mention
of, we are instructed, that we cannot see these works for
our erudition, neither yet give the almighty God thanks,
except we learn them from one of his books. And here is
to be noted, that seeing we are bound to know and be
thankful for all the works of God contained in the scrip-
ture, we are much in danger, as well for ignorance as un-
thankfulness, that we know not the principal works of our
own creation or redemption. We are therefore admo-
nished to have books to read the works of God, and to be
diligent to ask better learned than we are, what God's
works mean. As the children by God's law are bound
to ask the parents, and the parents bound by the same to
teach them : then shall both fathers and children find com-
fort and consolation against all temptations in the time of
trouble and heaviness, (Deut. iv. vi. xxxi.), as we see this
man's remedy by the Spirit of God arose from recording,
meditating, and speaking of God's word and works.

Here has this prophet marvellously opened, how a man
in trouble comes to consolation and comfort. First, that
the spirit and heart of man must have such strong faith,
as may credit God's power, and also his good will, and
believe that God both can and will for his truth's sake
help the troubled conscience. Therefore Solomon gives
a godly and necessary commandment : " Keep thy heart
with all circumspection, for of it proceedeth life." (Prov.
iv.) So did David, when the prophet Nathan had made
him afraid for the murder of Uriah, and the adultery with
Bathsheba, his conscience was in great anguish and fear,
and among other things that he prayed for to" God, he de-
sired that God would create and make him a new heart

404 Hooper.

(Psalm li.) ; that is, to give him such a steadfast and
burning faith, that in Christ his sinful heart might be
cleansed. And secondly, he prays to have so right and
sure a spirit, that should not doubt of God's favour to-
wards him. Thirdly, that God would always preserve his
Holy Spirit with the heart regenerated, that from time to
time the heart might be ruled in obedience towards God.
Fourthly, he prays to be led with a willing spirit, that he
may obey God in adversities, quietly and patiently with-
out impatience or grudge against God. And, where this
knowledge and feeling of the favour of God is in the
spirit, there follows the recording and remembrance of
God's works, meditating and thinking upon heavenly
things, and the tongue ready also to speak forth the glory
of God, to God's honour and praise, and to the edifying
of God's people and congregation, after this manner :
" Thy way, O God, is in holiness : who is so great a God
as God, even our God ?" (Ver. 13.)

Here is a consolation very worthy to be learned and re-
ceived of all troubled men ; and it is this, to understand
and perceive, that all the doings and acts of almighty God
are righteous, although many times the flesh judges, and
the tongue speaks the contrary, that God should be too
severe, and punish too extremely : as though he did it
rather of a desire to punish, than to correct or amend the
person punished. As we see by Job's word, lhat wished
his sins laid in one balance, and his punishment in another
balance, as though God punished more extremely than
justly. (Chap, vi.) The same it seems king David also
felt, when he said, " How long, Lord, wilt thou forget me ?
for ever?" (Psalm xiii.), with like bitter speeches in the
scripture, complaining of God's justice, judgment, and
severity. The same we read of Jeremiah the prophet :
he spake God's word truly, and yet there happened unto
him wonderful great adversities, the terror whereof made
him curse the day that he was born in. And doubtless,
when he said, " Why hast thou deceived me, Lord ?"
(chap, xx.), he thought God was rather too extreme, than
just in his punishment, to afflict him in adversity, and to
suffer Pashur the high priest and his enemv to be in
quiet and tranquillity.

Asaph was before in great trouble, as you heard, and
especially of "the mind, that felt not a sure trust and confi-
dence in God's mercy, and thought that of all extremities

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 405

a mind desperate and, doubtful of God's mercy is the great-
est, as it is indeed ; yet now he saith, ** God is holy in
his way, and all that he does is right and just.''

We learn hereby, that the pot cannot say to the potter,
" Why hast thou made me after this sort ?" (Jer. xix.
Rom. ix.) Neither may the mortal man, in whom is
nothing but sin, quarrel with the Lord, and say, What
layest thou upon me ? But think, that although he had
made us both blind, lame, and as deformed as monsters,
yet had he made us better than ever we deserved. And
in case be laid all the troubles of the world upon one man,
yet are they less than one sin of man deserves. Thus the
prophet had learned and felt, and said, " The doings of God
are holy and right, and there is none to be compared unto
him ;" and shows the cause why none is to be compared
unto God. In the declaration whereof, he continues for
seven verses, and so makes an end of the psalm.

The first cause why he saith none is be compared unto
God is this : " Thou art the Lord that doest wonders, and
hast declared thy power amongst people." (Verse 14.)

First, he notes generally, that God is the doer of won-
ders and miracles, and afterwards he shows wherein God
has wrought these miracles. Of this we learn three in-
structions : the one, that some men know generally, that
God works all things marvellously ; the second, that others
know that God works in some men marvellously ; the
third, that others also know that God works in themselves
marvellously.

Of the first sort are such as know by God's works
generally, that God hath and doth dispose all things upon
the earth, and nothing hath its beginning nor being but of
God, of whom St. Paul speaks to the Romans, that by
God's works they knew God, and yet glorified him not.
(Rom. i.) Of the second sort are such as more particu-
larly know and speak of God's miracles ; as such are that
read how God of his singular favour preserved Noah and
his family, and drowned all the world besides, (Gen. vii.) :
how he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, (Exod.
xiv,)> and delivered the people from the captivity of Baby-
lon, with such-like. And yet when they are in troubles
themselves, these marvellous works and mercies, shpwed
unto others, cannot comfort them. Of the third sort are
such as know generally the marvellous works of God,
and perceive that in some, God is particularly merciful ;

406 Hooper.

and from some he finds in himself singularly the mercy of
God ; and from the remembrance of God's benefits unto
others he finds in himself the working of God's mercy,
and finds in his conscience such comfort indeed, that he
remembers others before him, that had of God's mercies
in their time of troubles.

The most part of men consider generally, that God is
the worker of miracles : the common sort of christians
consider, that God has wrought, miracles particularly upon
others ; but the true elect a,nd christians indeed, see the
miracles of God wrought particularly upon others, and
each take consolation of God's mercies themselves. As
we see this prophet marvellously declares God's wonders,
and puts the general working of God's miracles between
a singular working of wonders and a particular working
of wonders.

The general expression is this : " Thou art God that
doest wonders, and hast declared thy power amongst peo
plei." The singularity and particularity of God's working
of wonders, one is before, and the other behind. The sin-
gularity is in this, that he perceived it was his own infirmity,
that made him doubt of God's promises ; and yet God's
singular grace made him singularly feel and perceive that
God singularly would be good unto him. The particularity
is in this, that he saith, " With God's right hand God de-
livered the posterity of Jacob and Joseph from the servi*
tude of Egypt," &e. The way to consider the marvellous
works of God is in a profitable consideration and sight of
them, as well to know them as to be the better for them :
for there is no man who can take advantage or profit by
God's goodness showed unto a multitude, except he sin-
gularly receive gain thereby himself. As we see, when a
whole multitude, almost five thousand people, were fed
marvellously with a few loaves and fewer fishes, (John vi.),
he taught the consolation and health of man's soul in his
own blood ; but none was the better for it, but such as
believed every man for himself that which Christ spake.
The miracles and merciful help of Christ unto others, had
not profited the poor woman of Canaan, except she her-
self had been partaker of the same. (Matt. xv.). And as
it is in the works of God which comfort the afflicted man ;
so is it in the works of God which bring men into heavi-
ness and sorrow for sin.

Generally; the word of God rebukes sin, and calls sin-

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 407

ners to repentance ; particularly it shows unto us, how
David, Peter, Mary Magdalen, and others, repented. But
to us those sorrows and repentance do no good, except we
every man singularly* repent and are sorrowful for his sins.
For it is not another roan's sickness that makes me sick,
nor another man's health that makes me whole. No more
is any other man's repentance my repentance, or any other
man's faith my faith. But I must repent, and I must be-
lieve myself, to feel sorrowfulness for sin by the law, and
remission thereof by faith in Christ : so that every private
man must be in repentance, sorry with the true repentant
sorrow, and faithful with the true faithful. For as God
himself is towards man, so are all his works and promises ;
for look, to whom God is merciful, to the same are all his
promises comfortable ; and to whom God is severe and
rigorous, to the same God's threatenings are terrible, and
his justice fearful. As king David saith, " With the holy
thou wilt be holy, and with the innocent thou wilt be inno-
cent ; with the chosen thou wilt be chosen, and with the
perverse thou wilt be perverse." (Psalm xviii.)

Such as follow virtue and godliness, God increases
with gifts and benefits ; and such as have wicked manners,
and by false doctrine decline from the. truth, to those God
is severe and sharp. And except such persons repent,
God will spoil them from all judgment of truth ; and
being blind and destitute of knowledge, suffer them to be
in the power and dominion of most filthy lusts and abo-
minable desires. So that such as would not love the
beauty and excellency of virtue, shall tumble and wallow
like swine, in the filth of sin ; of which abominations and
just judgments of God, St. Paul speaks in the epistle to
the R.omans ; for this is to be noted — look, as every man
is, even so he thinks of God. And as the good and godly
man thinks well of God, so does the evil and wicked man
think evil of God.

Some think that man and all worldly things are ruled
and governed by God, with great justice and inscrutable
wisdom, with all mercy and favour. Others think that
God rules not this world and worldly things ; and in case
they think he does, yet they condemn his administration
and rule as unjust and partial, because God does as it
pleases himself, and not as man would have him do. And
upon these diversities of judgments in men's minds God
* Individually.

408 Hooper.

is to the godly merciful ; and to the ungodly, severe and
rigorous.

If the spirit of man judge truly and godly of him, hy
and by the spirit of man shall perceive and feel the hea-
venly influence of God's Spirit stirring and impelling his
spirit to all virtue and goodness. If the spirit of man be
destitute of the Spirit of God, and judge perversely and
wickedly, the spirit of man shall feel that the want of God's
Spirit and true judgment blinds the eyes of his mind,
and shall cast himself into all abomination and sin, as the
iniquity of man justly has deserved — of which comes, that
as the virtue and godliness of godly men daily increase,
even so do the iniquity and abomination of the ungodly
also increase. And look what place and preeminence God
obtains with any man, in the same place and preeminence
is the man with God. And such as according to God's
word, do godly honour and reverence the almighty God ;
judging aright of God's might and providence, they give
most humble thanks unto the mercy of God, who alone — ■
and none but he — can teach or instruct the mind of man
in true knowledge, or incline his will to godly doings, or
inflame the soul with all her powers to the desire and
fervent love of godliness and virtue. As we see by this
prophet Asaph in this place, that as long as his spirit
wanted the help of God's Spirit, it judged doubtfully of
God's mercy and promises : but when the Spirit of God
had exiled and banished doubtfulness, and placed this
strong fortress of confidence, " The right hand of God
can change this my woful and miserable state," with the
judgment and feeling thereof, he was rapt and stricken
with a marvellous love of God's wonders, and repeated
with great joy and consolation, what God had done gene-
rally to all men. After that, what he had done to some
particular men and private nations, naming Jacob and
Joseph, whose offspring and succession he brought out
of the land of Egypt, as follows in the psalm :

Verse 15. "Thou hast mightily delivered thy people,
even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah."

Of this verse we learn two consolations. The one, that
.every troubled christian may see his elders, and also his
betters troubled. Not that it is a comfort to a man that
is afflicted to see another in trouble, but to mark that God
loved none so well, but in this world he sent trouble unto
them, and excepted not his dear Son. Wherefore, it is a

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 409

consolation to the afflicted to be made by tribulation like
unto the godly fathers, that were before his time, and to
remember, that although all christian men are not brought
under the captivity of Pharaoh in Egypt, nor under Nebu-
chadnezzar in Babylon, yet there is an Egypt and a Baby-
lon for every christian member. That is to say, the
captivity of sin, the bondage of the flesh, the severity of
the law, the danger of the world, the enmity of infidels,
the treason of dissembling friends, the wickedness of evil
and devilish ordinances, the dissimulation of hypocrites,
the perjury of inconstant persons, the breach of faithful
promises, the inconstancy of the weak, the cruelty of
papists, the love of man, and the hatred of God, with
many others ; — such as the ignorance of God's law, the
rebellion of the heart against it, frowardness of the will to
consent unto it, diffidence and mistrust of God's mercy,
1 boldness to sin in the time of health, faintness and mis-
trust of the remission thereof in sickness, love of vice and
sin, hatred of virtue and godliness, sudden fallings from
grace, slow rising unto it again, unwillingness to die,
readiness to live wickedly, sorrowfulness to forsake this
world, great delight to use it evil whilst we have it, being
loth to seek heavenly things, glad to seek earthly things;
not feeling the poverty and trouble of the soul, always
grudging at the poverty and trouble of the body, with
innumerable other captivities which every christian is en-
tangled with, as every man may judge by his own life.

The next consolation is to see that the truth of God's
help promised to all men, when they are troubled, has
been declared, opened, and verified in others, in time past.
For this is the greatest consolation that can be to any man,
in trouble or in sickness, when he is assured of such help
and such medicines as never were used, but they helped
the afflicted and healed the sick.

Now against all the troubles of man, and also against
all the sickness of man, God has promised his present and
helping mercy; which medicine and help never failed,
but helped as many as put their trust therein. Therefore
Asaph establishes and assures himself of God's help
against his grievous temptations and troubles which he
suffered, by recording that his griefs were no greater, nor
his troubles more dangerous, than Jacob's, Joseph's, and
their posterity's, nor yet so grievous ; insomuch that, see-
ing the mercy of God could help the greater troubles in

HOOPER t

410 Hooper.

his predecessors, he could help and ease the lesser in him
that was then troubled. And being 1 so assured of God's help
he spake at the end of this verse, " Selah." As though he
had said, It is most true that God can help and comfort me,
as he helped and comforted my forefathers. And for the
better consolation and more firm assurance, he shows how
marvellously he did help the posterity of Jacob and Joseph.

Verse 16. "The waters saw thee, O God, the waters
saw thee, and were afraid ; the depths also were troubled."

In that he saith, The waters were afraid, when they saw
God : first, the manner of speech in the scripture is to be
noted, which attributes unto insensible things sensible
qualities, as in this place, sight and fear are attributed
unto the water, whereas, indeed, properly the water cannot
see nor fear. But when the scripture uses any such phrase
or speech, there are to be marked divers doctrines of edi-
fying. First of God; then, insensible creatures; and
thirdly, man, for whose sake the scripture sometimes
speaks unto insensible creatures, as though they were
sensible, and works miracles in them, for the instruction
and amendment of sensible and reasonable man.

The learning* touching God is, that he works his will,
and uses his creatures, as it seems unto his inscrutable wis-
dom most proper and convenient; as here he troubles
and alters the condition of the seas and waters. These
waters were appointed by God, in the third day of the
creation, to be in one place, and were called the sea, a
pleasant element, and a beautiful thing to behold ; and God
said, It was good, (Gen. i.) as the effect thereof shows
indeed ; for it nourishes' the earth with necessary moisture,
by private veins and secret passages secretly passing
through the earth. And when the floods that moisten
the earth have done their office, they return into their old
lodging, the sea, again, from whence rise the showers and
rain to moisture from above, that floods beneath cannot be
conveyed unto. And it serves for transporting the neces-'
saries of one realm to the other, suffering the ships to pass
with great gain and pleasure.

These and many more advantages God works by this
insensible creature, when it is calm and navigable ; but
when he moves it with his winds and tempests, it is so
horrible in itself, that no man may, without peril and
death, travel on it, so raging and fearful is that pleasant
* Instruction.

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy -seventh Psalm. 411

element of the water, when God moves it. It has, by
God's appointment, its time of calm, and time of storm ;
time to profit men, and time to undo men ; time to be a
refuge for men in the days of peril, and time to be a grave
and sepulchre for men ; time to conjoin strange nations
together, and time to separate them again, as it pleases
the Creator, almighty God, to appoint and direct it*

The learning that concerns the insensible creature itself
is, that it can be no longer calm, nor any longer troubled,
than it pleases the heavenly Governor to dispose it to be
so. And here is to be noted against such men as attri-
bute storms and calms to fortune ; whereas, only the voice
of the Lord moves tempests and sends fair weather.
(Psalm xxix.) It is also a doctrine against all men, that
think the waters and seas may be moved, and cease, at
their own pleasure ; which is contrary to this prophet's
doctrine, who saith, " The waters saw the Lord, and
were afraid." So that their trouble rises from the com-
mandment of the Lord, and they cannot do what they lust,
but what God biddeth them to do. It is godly set forth
afterwards in another psalm, (cxiv.) wherein the passage
of the children of Israel is mentioned, as it is in this.

The doctrine touching man in this verse is a declaration
of man's obstinacy and stubbornness. The insensible
creature, the waters, that lack both life and reason, at
every commandment, are as the Lord their Maker com-
mands them to be. With every tempest they are troubled,
and with every calm they are so plain and quiet, that it
seems rather a stablished land, than a variable sea. But
let God send his word unto man, and the contents thereof
threaten the tempest of all tempests, eternal death, hell
fire, and God's everlasting displeasure ; yet man will not
hear nor see them, nor yet be moved at all ; or let God
gently and favourably offer his mercies unto man, and by
his word exhort him ever so much to repentance, it is for
the most part in vain. Therefore, God, by his prophets
Moses and Isaiah, called heaven and earth to witness
against man's stubbornness and hardness jf heart. (Deut.
xxxii. Isa. i.)

There is also this doctrine to be learned from this
trouble of the water, how to receive consolation, and how
to learn fear — by the creatures of God that bear no life,
and yet are thus troubled. Consolation in this sort, when
the penitent man that suffers affliction and trouble, sees

T 2

412 Hooper.

insensible things moved and unquieted that never offended,
he shall the less wonder at his own trouble. When he
sees that a sinner and a wretched offender of God is
punished, he shall learn fear. When he sees that God, for '
the sin of man, punishes his creatures that never offended,
what punishment is man worthy to have, that is nothing
but sin itself? And what fear should this bring into chris-
tian men's consciences, to know that no creature deserves
punishment, no creature disobeys God, but the devil and
man? Oh! what man or woman can with faith look
upon the least flowers of the field, and not hate himself?
In summer-time, when men see the meadows and gardens
so marvellously apparelled with flowers of every colour,
so that they shall not be able to discern whether their
beauty better please the eye, or their sweet savour the
smell, what may they learn, in thinking of themselves, as
the truth is, that there is nothing in them but filth and sin,
that are most heinously offensive before the face of God ?
And when man shall perceive that flowers which never
transgressed, fade, and lose both beauty to the eye, and
sweet savour to the smell, what may miserable man think
he is worthy to lose, who is nothing but sin, and ever
offends ? Again, when man shall perceive that God thus
marvellously, after long winter and great storms, raises
out of the vile earth such beautiful flowers, plants, and
trees, what consolation may the man take, that has his
faith in Christ-^to think that all his sins be forgiven in
his precious blood, and that after long persecution and
cruel death, he shall come to eternal life. After this manner
did the prophet consider the works of God, and the trou-
bles of his creatures, and received great consolation thereby.
In the end of this verse the prophet saith, " The depths
were troubled.'' In which words he has aptly showed the
mighty power of God, and perceives how the record of
God's fact may be his consolation. In that he saith,
" The depths were troubled," there are divers things to be
understood. If he mean of the seas, when they are trou-
blesome and tempestuous by foul weather, he speaks rather
according to the judgment of such as suffer the trouble 1
and peril of the waves, and think that at one time they
fall to the bottom of the sea, and at another time they are
rather upon high mountains than upon the waters, the
rages thereof are so extreme : yet, indeed, the bottom of
the sea is not felt, neither does the ship that is saved

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm, 413

descend so far ; but the tempests are so sore, that it seems
to the sufferers thereof that no extremity can be greater.
In this sense it serves marvellously th'e prophet's purpose ;
for as they that endure the tempest of the sea, think there
could be no extremity greater than that which they sustain,
so do they that for a time suffer the tempest of mistrust
and despair of the conscience, think they could endure no
more extremity of conscience. Whereas, indeed, if God
should suffer them to feel the extremity, it were eternal
death, as the extremity of the sea in tempests is shipwreck
and loss of men and goods. But if it be understood as
it stands in the letter, then the prophet refers to the
mighty hand of God, that divided the Red Sea even unto
the very bottom, and also the water of Jordan, that his
people might have both a nigh way, a safe way, and a
glorious way, towards the land which the Lord had pro<-
mised them. . (Exod. xiv. Joshua iii.) And then in this
sense we learn, that although water and wind, with all
other troubles, cover the face of the earth, as if it were in
the bottom of the sea, and were not possible to come to
the use of man, even so the troublesome temptations and
great terror of God's wrath against sin cover the soul of
man, that, according to the judgment of the flesh, it shall
never come to have the use and enjoyment of God's holy
favour again.

But now, as we see by a miracle, God makes dry the
depth of horrible seas, and turns the bottom of them to
the use of man, so does he, in the blood of Christ, by the
operation of the Holy Ghost, dry up and quite lade- out
the ponds and deep seas of mistrust and heaviness out of
the soul, and turns the soul itself to the use of his own
honour, in joys everlasting. And as the water covers the
beauty of the land, so do sin and temptation cover the
image and beauty of man's soul in this life. But as with
a word God can remedy the one, so with the least of his
mercies he can redress the other. And for the better ex-
perience and more certainty thereof, we see it proved by
Asaph in this place.. For the ground was never more
overwhelmed with water, nor the bright sun with dim
clouds, than was this poor prophet's spirit with heaviness
and sorrow of sin and temptations. Therefore he feels
how God eases the heart, and records how he banished
floods and waters, to make his people a way to rest and
tranquillity.

414 Hooper.

Verse 17. " The clouds poured out water, the air thun-
dered, and thine arrows went abroad."

The prophet remembers the marvellous inundation and
drowning of the world in the days of Noah, which
drowned all the world for sin, saving such as were in the
ark or ship with Noah. And he remembers also the hor-
rible thunder that was heard by the people, when God
gave his law unto them upon mount Sinai. Likewise, he
calls to remembrance the plagues of Egypt, wherewithal
God punished Pharaoh, his people, and the whole land ;
(Gen. vii. Exod. xix.) which pains and plagues he calleth,
after the phrase of scripture, "arrows and darts." (Exodus
v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi.) These remembrances may be
comforts to the hearers and to the readers two ways.
First in this, that God, when he punishes, punishes justly,
as he did the whole world for sin : whereof the prophet
gathers, " If sin justly merited, do trouble all the genera-
tion of man, it is no great marvel, though sin trouble me,
who am but one man, and a vile sinner. If sin brought
all flesh unto death, saving those that were in the ship,
is it any marvel, though sin make me to tremble and
quake ? Again, if God, when he gave the law to Moses
and to the people, spake out of thunder, declaring what a
thing it was to transgress that law, insomuch that all the
people were afraid to hear the Lord speak, and desired
that Moses might supply his place ; (Exod. xx.) what
marvel is it that my conscience trembles, feeling that my
soul has offended the laws of God? And if Pharaoh
and his realm were sore afraid of God's outward plagues,
what cause have I to fear the inward dread and sorrowful
sight of sin, showed unto me by God's law ! So that we
may take this consolation out of this place — that God is
a just Judge to punish sin, and not a tyrant, that punishes
for affection or wilful desire. And so said David, " When-
soever or howsoever thou punish, let men say and judge
as they list, thou art just, and righteous are all thy doings."
(Psalm li. x. cxxx.)

The other consolation is, that in the midst of all adver-
sities, God preserved penitent and faithful sinners ; as in
the time of the universal flood, the water hurt not Noah,
nor such as were in the ship. In the time of Pharaoh's
plagues, the Israelites took no harm. At the giving of the
law, the Israelites perished not with lightning and thunder.
Even so, sorrows and anguish, diffidence and weakness of

v. 10 — 20.] Exposition of the Seventy-seventh Psalm. 415

faith, are plagues and punishments for all men by reason
of sin ; yet penitent sinners, by reason of faith in Christ,
take no hurt nor condemnation by them,' as appears by
this prophet, who was troubled in the spirit and' in the
body, as marvellously as could be, but yet in Christ
escaped the danger, as all men shall do that repent and
believe. (Rom. viii.) Whereof we learn, that as the rain
falls generally, «nd yet betters no earth to bring forth her
fruit, but such as is apt to receive the rain, stony rocks
and barren ground being nothing the better ; even so, the
plagues and rain of God's displeasure plague all mankind,
but none are the better therefore, but such as repent and
bewail their sins, which gave God just occasion thus to
punish them. (Heb. vi. x.) The same is to be considered
also of the verse that follows, which is this :

Verse 18. " The lightning shone upon the ground, the
earth was moved, and shook therewithal."

By these manner of speeches, "The lightning shone,
and the earth quaked," the prophet sets forth the strength
and might of God's power, and would have men to love
him and to fear him ; for he is able to defend and preserve
his faithful, and to punish and plague the wicked. And
the like he saith in the verse following.

Verse 19. " Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the
deep waters ; and thy footsteps are not known."

He takes comfort of this miracle, that God brought the
Israelites through the Red Sea, in that the waters knew
the Israelites, and gave place unto them, that they might
go through them dry-footed. But when king Pharaoh
and his people would have followed in the same path, and
persecuted God's people, the sea would make no way for
him, nor yet show the steps where the Israelites trod, but
overwhelmed them in most desperate deaths. So in the
seas of temptations, such as put their trust in the Lord,
pass, and never perish by them. (Psa. cxxi. cxxv. xiii.
xlvi. liv. lxxi.) Whereas, such as put not their trust in
the Lord, perish in temptations, as Pharaoh and his
army did by water. (Exod. xiv.) And the next verse that
concludes the psalm shows by what means the Israelites
were, under God, saved in the Red Sea, by the hands of
Moses and Aaron, as it appeared.

Verse 20. " Thou leddest thy people like sheep, by the
hand of Moses and Aaron."

From this verse the afflicted may learn many consolations.

416 Hoopei.

First, that the best people are no better able to resist
temptations,* than the simple sheep is able to with-
stand the brier that catches him. The next, that man is
of no more ability to beware of temptations,* than the
poor sheep is to avoid the brier, being preserved only by
the diligence ' of the shepherd. The third, that as the
shepherd is careful of his entangled and briered sheep, so
is God of his afflicted faithful people. And the fourth
is, that the people of Israel could take no harm from the
water, because they entered the sea at God's command-
ment. Whereof we learn, that no danger can hurt, when
God commands us to enter into it, and all dangers over-
come us, if we choose them ourselves, without God's com-
mandment. As Peter, when he went at God's command-
ment upon the water, took no hurt ; (Matt, xiv.) but when
he entered into the high-priest's house, upon his own pre-
sumption, he was overcome, and denied Christ. The
Israelites, when they fought at God's commandment, the
peril was nothing ; but when they would do it of their
own heads, they perished. (Numb, xiv.) So that we are
bound to attend upon God's commandment, and then no
danger shall destroy us, though it pain us.

The other doctrine is in this, that God used the ministry
of Moses and Aaron in the deliverance of his people, who
commanded them to do nothing but what the Lord first
bade. Whereof we learn, that such as are ministers
appointed of God, and do nothing but as God commands,
are to be followed, as St. Paul saith, " Follow me, as I
follow Christ." (1 Cor. xv. xi.) And these men can by
the word of God give good counsel and great consolation,
both for body and soul ; as we perceive this prophet, in
marking God's doings unto the Israelites, applied by
grace the same wisdom and helping mercy unto himself,
to his eternal rest through Jesus Christ in the world to
come. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be
ail laud and praise world without end. Let all christians
say, Amen.

* The word temptations is frequently used tor ' trials.

EXTRACTS

A BRIEF AND CLEAR CONFESSION

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

CONTAINED IN AN HUNDRED ARTICLES ACCORDING TO THE ORDER

OF THE APOSTLES' CREED,* WRITTEN BY THAT LEARNED AND

GODLY MARTYR

JOHN HOOPER.

VII. I believe, that man was ordained of the Lord God
a master and ruler over all his creatures : which thing
he hath lost through his sin, as well for his own part, as
also for all his posterity : which rule and lordship, I be-
lieve, doth chiefly appertain unto Jesus Christ, verily God
and man, and to those unto whom he will communicate
the same, as unto his own faithful, and not unto the infi-
dels and damned.

IX. I believe, that the disorder and corruption of nature
was not only in Adam, because of his sin, but is also in all
men generally, which come of him, Jesus Christ only ex-
cepted : and that in such sort, that all men after their own
nature are corrupt, unjust, liars, ignorant, unkind, and im-
perfect in all things, and have no power of their own na-
ture to do, think, speak, or will any thing that may please
God; until they are regenerated and renewed by the
Spirit of the Lord.

X. I believe, that this corruption of nature, otherwise
called original sin, is the fountain and root of all other sins —
for which all the miseries and adversities that we endure
in this present life, as well in body as soul, do come unto
us ; yea, and in the end double death, that is to say, both
of body and soul. These are the fruits and rewards of
sin. But although the same are due and common to all
men generally, nevertheless, the Lord through his mercy

* Having already inserted a confession of faith by bishop Hooper
at length, only extracts from this second confession, which was a
posthumous nublication. arc sriven in this collection.

418 Hooper. — Extracts

hath reserved to himself a certain number (which are only
known to himself,) which he hath drawn from this cor-
rupt heap, and hath sanctified and cleansed the same in
the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, and by means thereof
hath made them vessels of election and honour, apt unto
all good works.

XIV. I believe and confess Jesus Christ to be the ful-
ness, the end, and accomplishment of the law, to the jus-
tification of all that believe, through whom and by whom
only, all the promises of the Father are accomplished, yea
even to the uttermost. Who also alone hath perfectly
satisfied the law in that which no other amongst men
could perform ; as the law doth command things impossi-
ble, .which nevertheless man must accomplish, not by
working, but through believing. For so is the law accom-
plished through faith, and not through works ; and by
this means shall man find the righteousness of faith to
be available before the Lord, and not the righteousness of
works^, which leadeth nothing unto perfection.

XXL I believe, that the same Jesus Christ is verily
Christ; ; that is to say, the Messiah anointed by the Holy
Ghost, because he was the very King, the Prophet, and
great Sacrificer, that should sacrifice for all that believe :
which also is promised in the law, and is the same of whom
all the prophets have spoken. This anointing of Christ is
not corporeal, of a material and visible oil, as was that of
the kings, priests, and prophets in times past : but it is
spiritual, of an invisible oil, which is the grace and gifts of
the Holy Ghost, wherewith he is replenished above all
others. So that this anointing is descended even unto
us, who have felt and proved the sweetness thereof: and
by it also we bear the name of christians, that is to say,
' anointed.'

XXI. I believe, that this sacrificing of Jesus Christ
Was not levitical or carnal, to immolate, offer up, and to
sacrifice beasts, kine, and other sensible things, as Aaron
and his successors did ; but spiritual, to offer and sacrifice
himself, that is to say, his body and blood, for the remis-
sion of the sins of the whole world. Even as likewise his
kingdom is not of this world, carnal, but spiritual ; which
consists in the guiding and governing of his own by his
Holy Spirit, over whom he reigneth by his. word, and that
for the destruction of all his adversaries, which are sin,
death, hell, Satan, and all infidels, wicked, and reprobate.

XXV, I believe, that all this (the; oilffprin<ra of Hhriotx

from his Confession of Christian Faith. 419

was done, not for himself, who never committed sin, in
whose mouth was never found deceit nor lie ; but for the
love of us poor and miserable sinners, whose place he oc-
cupied upon the cross, as a pledge, or as one that repre-
sented the person of all the sinners that ever were, now
are, or shall be, unto the world's end. And because they
through their sins have deserved to feel and taste of the
extreme pains of death, to be forsaken of God and of all
creatures, and to feel the wrath and severe judgment of
God upon them ; Christ, who was their pledge, satisfying
for them upon the cross, hath felt and endured all the
same, and that altogether to make us free, to deliver us
from all these pains, from the wrath and judgment of God,
from condemnation and eternal death.

XXVI. I believe and consider this death and passion,
even as I do all other mysteries of Jesus Christ, not only
as touching the history, as a pattern and example to follow,
as was that of the holy men and women who are dead for
the Lord's cause : but also principally as touching the
cause, fruits, and uses thereof; thereby to know the great-
ness of my sins, the grace and mercy of the Father, and
the charity* of the Son, by whom we are reconciled unto
God, delivered from the tyranny of the devil, and restored
to the liberty of the Spirit. This is the glass without spot,
to teach us to know our filthiness, the laver or clear foun-
tain to wash and cleanse us, the infinite treasure to satisfy
all our creditors : of whom and by whom only, the divine
justice is fully satisfied for all the sins of all that have
been, be now, or shall be, unto the end of the world.
And therefore I do believe and confess, that Christ's con-
demnation is mine absolution ; that his crucifying is my
deliverance; his descending into hell is mine ascending
into heaven ; his death is my life ; his blood is my cleans-
ing, by whom only I am washed, purified, and cleansed
from all my sins. So that I neither receive, neither be-
lieve any other purgatory, either in this world or in the
other, whereby I may be cleansed, but only the blood of
Jesus Christ, by which all are purged and made clean for
ever.

XXVII. I believe, that JesUs Christ, by the sacrifice of
his body, which he offered upon the tree of the cross, hath
defaced and destroyed sin, death and the devil, with all his
kingdom ; and hath wholly performed the work of our

* Love.

420 . Hooper. — Extracts

salvation, and hath abolished and made an end of all other
sacrifices. So that from thenceforth there is* no other pro-
pitiatory sacrifice, either for the living or the dead, to be
looked for or sought for, than the same. For by this one
only oblation hath he consecrated forever all those that
are sanctified.

XLII. I believe, that the Holy Ghost is a divine per-
son, distinct from the Father and the Son, proceeding
from them both, in and through all things equal and co-
eternal with them ; by which Holy Ghost the church hath
always been, is now, and shall be ruled, guided, directed,
and governed unto the end of the world. By whom also all
the. saints, patriarchs, prophets, and apostles of our Lord
Jesus Christ have spoken. And therefore I do neither
believe- nor receive any other vicar or lieutenant to Christ
upon earth within his church, than the Holy Ghost, who
cannot be received of the wicked.

XLIII. I believe, that the Holy Ghost is the pledge
and earnest of our heavenly heritage, by which we are
assured, ascertained, and certainly persuaded in our consci-
ences that we are the children of God, and brethren adop-
tives to Jesus Christ, and consequently coheirs of eternal
life. The same Holy Ghost also is the finger of God,
which imprinteth in our hearts and spirits the faith of these
things aforesaid. He sealeth and confirmeth the promises
of the Lord within our hearts through his goodness and
grace, because we should in no wise doubt.

XLIV. I believe, that this Holy Spirit, dwelling in us
through his grace and virtue, doth regenerate us into a
newness and change of living, mortifying in us all that is
of us and of the old man, of the flesh and of the world,
and quickening all that is his in us. So that we live not
thenceforth after our own lusts, but according to the will
of God ; which Holy Ghost also worketh in us all good
works, and doth reprove, rebuke, and condemn the world
of sin, of righteousness, and judgment.

XLV. I believe, that the Holy Ghost is the teacher of
the ignorant ; who teacheth, guideth, and leadeth us unto
the knowledge of the truth ; and by him only are we
brought and delivered out of the darkness, and set in the
perfect light. Likewise I believe, that he is the comforter
of the poor, afflicted, and persecuted ; and in all their
troubles, vexations, and adversities, doth so help, strengthen,
comfort, and assist all such, that he will not suffer them

from his Confession of Christian Faith. 421

to despair, as the wicked and reprobate do, but makes
them to taste and feel the sweetness, goodness, and mercy
of God the Father, which by persecution and divers tribu-
lations leadeth his own unto eternal glory.

XLVII. I believe and confess one only catholic and
universal church, which is a holy congregation and assem-
bly of all faithful believers, which are chosen and predes-
tinate unto everlasting life, before the foundations of the
world were laid ; of whose number I count myself, and
believe that I am, through the only grace and mercy of the
Father, and by the merits of my good Lord and Master
Jesus Christ, and not by means of my good works and
merits, which indeed are none.

XLVIII. I believe, that this church is invisible to the
eye of man, and is only known to God, and that the same
church is not set, compassed, and limited within a certain
place or bounds, but is scattered and spread abroad,
throughout all the world ; but yet coupled together in
heart, will, and spirit, by the bond of faith and charity,
having and altogether acknowledging one only God, one
only head and mediator Jesus Christ, one faith, one law,
one baptism, one spiritual table, wherein one meat and
one spiritual drink is ministered unto them, unto the end
of the world. This church contains in it all the righteous
and chosen people, from the first righteous man unto the
last that shall be found righteous in the end of the world:
and therefore I call it universal. For, as touching the
visible church, which is the congregation of the good and
of the wicked, of the chosen and of the reprobate, and
generally of all those which say they believe in Christ, I
do not believe that to be the church, because that church
is seen of the eye, and the faith thereof is in visible things,

LIV. I believe, that the word of God is of a far
greater authority than the church ; which word alone
sufficiently shows and teaches us all those things that in
anywise concern our salvation ; both what we ought to
do, and what to leave undone. The same word of God is
the true pattern and perfect rule, after which all faithful
people ought to govern and order their lives, without turn-
ing either to the right hand or to the left hand, without
changing anything thereof, without putting to it, or taking
from it, knowing that all the works of God are perfect, but
most chiefly his word.

LV. I believe, that as Jesus Christ alone amongst all

422 Hooper. — Extracts

men is holy and true, and that ' all others are sinners and
liars ; even so, likewise, the doctrine of the same Jesus
Christ alone is hply and true, and all other doctrines are
impure and false- This doctrine of Jesus Christ is a well,
a fountain of life, a lamp, or pillar of fire to guide us, the
bread of the soul, and the power of God unto salvation,
to all that believe. And, therefore, whatsoever happens,
the same only ought to be advanced, preached, heard,
understood, and received of all the world, to the comfort
and salvation of those that believe, and to the greater
damnation of the unbelievers, the wicked, and reprobate,
that believe not. For, as the manna in the desert was to
some sour, and to other some a good and pleasant meat ;
and as Christ is to some a stumbling-stone to be offended
at, and is appointed for the fall of the wicked, and the
rising up of the godly : even so the word of the gospel to
some is a savour of death unto death, and to other some a
savour of life unto life. The which word of the gospel I
receive and take to be my only guide, according to the
same to die and to live.

LVI. I believe, that the reading of the same word and
gospel ought not, neither can it be prohibited and forbid-
den from any manner of person, what estate, sort, or
condition soever the same are of; but it ought to be
common unto all the world, as well to men as women ;
yea, and that in a vulgar or common language, which all
do understand, because it is ordained and appointed for
all. And, likewise, the promises of God, which are
therein contained, do appertain unto all. And, therefore,
antichrist and his members do exercise great and cruel
tyranny upon the faithful children of God, as well in that
they take from them and utterly do forbid them to read
the same word, and instead thereof set before them
dreams, lies, canons, and damnable traditions ; as, also,
because upon pain of deadly sin and eternal damnation
they both forbid and command things that, indeed, are
but indifferent, which manner of theirs is the only note
and mark to know antichrist by.

LXXXVIII. I believe, that all those that are come and
shall come of the race and line of Adam, generally, are
conceived and born in iniquity and corruption, (except
Jesus Christ only,) and that they are all sinners, trans-
gressors, and breakers of the law and will of the Lord ;
and according to their nature they are corrupt, the

from his Confession of Christian Faith. 42S

children of wrath, worthy of God's judgment, of condemna-
tion, and eternal death, all needing the grace and mercy of
God and of Christ's blood - shedding. For God hath
wrapped all under sin, to the intent he would have mercy
upon all through Jesus Christ our Lord.

LXXXIX. I believe, that the knowledge of sin pro-
ceedeth of the law, but the remission and forgiveness oS
sin cometh of the gospel, and is given us only by the
grace and mercy of God in the blood of Jesus Christ,
through the faith we have therein ; whereby we are
counted righteous before God, not through our good works
or deservings, neither by the merits of any other creature,
either in heaven or in earth. For I know not, neither do
I allow any other merits, but the merits of my good Lord,
Master, and only Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath merited
and sufficiently satisfied for us, and hath paid for his own
their debt, in wiping out the handwriting and obligation
which was against us ; and in taking the same from us,
hath fastened it unto the cross.

XC. I believe, that this justifying faith is a mere and
singular gift of God, which is commonly given by the
hearing of God's word, whereupon alone it is built, and
not upon the doctrines and traditions of men. I call a
justifying faith a certain assurance and earnest persuasion
of the goodwill, love, grace, bounteousness, and mercy of
God towards us, whereby we are assured and verily per-
suaded in our hearts of the mercy, favour, and goodwill
of God the Father ; that he is on our side, and for us,
against all that are against us, and that he will be a mer-
ciful Father unto us, pardoning our sins, and will give us
his grace, make us his children by adoption, and admit us
for heirs unto eternal life ; and all this freely in his Son,
and by his only Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and not for
our merits or good works. This faith can do all things,
and to it nothing is impossible ; which faith is never per-
fect nor great enough in us, and therefore ought we always
to pray with the apostles, saying, Lord, increase our faith,
help our unbelief. For that faith only doth comfort us,
makes us holy, and makes us righteous and acceptable
before the Lord ; it declares us to be the children of God
and heirs of eternal life : which faith, also, is the mother,
the spring, and root of all good works, like as infidelity is
the fountain and root of all wickedness.

XCI. I believe, also, that, good works are not superfluous,

424 Hooped. — Extracts.

vain, and unprofitable, but necessary to salvation. I
call good works, not those that are done after the fantasy
or commandment of men, but only those that God by his
word has commanded to be done ; which ought to be
done, not to deserve or merit anything thereby at God's
hand, or by the same to escape eternal condemnation ;
but only because God hath commanded them, and that
they may testify the love that we have unto our Lord, and
our obedience to his holy word and commandment ; and
to the intent that in us and by us he might be glorified,
and that our neighbours, as well the infidels and unbe-
lievers as the faithful, might thereby be edified. And, in
like manner, they are to show and to manifest the faith
that we have in God and in his word, as the good tree
shows itself, and is known by its fruit. Yea, and they
are to make sure and certain unto us our calling, election,
and predestination. To these ends all the good works
commanded by Gbd serve : and whosoever doeth them for
any other end, doth misuse them, sinneth, and doeth injury,
to the blood of Christ, and dishonoureth God and his
word, for in so doing he declareth Christ died in vain.

XCII. I believe, that there is none, either in this world
or in the other world, either in heaven or in earth, which
can forgive me and pardon my sins, but only God ; who
hath given power and authority to the ministers of his
word, to declare to all faithful believers, which are of a
contrite heart, and are truly penitent, that all their sins,
through the free mercy of God, are forgiven them through
the blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for them.
Yea, to declare unto them that they are pardoned of their
sins ; and that the same is done by the ministry of the
word of the holy church, in the which this remission is
exhibited and given, and not otherwise. But on our part
is required perfect repentance, which hath two parts ; the
first is contrition, that is to say, the acknowledging,
hating, and abhorring of sin ; which is administered by
the law, and brings us to despair, if on the contrary we
be not helped with a lively faith and the mercy of God the
Father through the blood of Jesus Christ, which pro-
ceedeth out of the gospel. This faith comforts us, makes
us steadfast, and causes us to find favour before the judg-
ment-seat of God.

LETTERS

OP

JOHN HOOPER,

BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER,

Where, after his long and cruel imprisonment, he was burned with

most terrible kinds of torments, for the defence of

the sincere truth of the gospel,

the ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord, 1555.

LETTERS.

LETTER I.

An exhortation to patience, sent to his godly' wife, Ann
Hooper :* whereby all the true members of Christ may
take comfort and courage, to suffer trouble and affliction
for the profession of his holy gospel.

Dearly beloved, and my godly wife, Our Saviour Jesus
Christ, in St. Matthew's gospel, said to his disciples, that
it was necessary slanderst should come : and that he per-
ceived they could not be avoided, as well by the condition
of those that should perish and be lost for ever in the
world to come, as also by their afflictions who should be
saved. For he saw that the great part of the people would
contemn and neglect whatsoever true doctrine or godly
ways should be showed unto them, or else receive and use
it as they thought good to serve their pleasures, without
any profit to their souls at all, not caring whether they
lived as they were commanded by God's word or not ; but
would think it sufficient to be counted to have the name
of a christian man, with such works and fruits of his pro-
fession and Christianity, as his fathers and elders, after
their custom and manner, esteemed and took to be good
fruits and faithful works, and will not try them by the word
of God at all.

These men, by the just judgment of God, are delivered
unto the craft and subtlety of the devil, that they may be
kept by one slanderous stumbling-block or other, that
they never come unto Christ, who came to save those that
were lost. As you may see how God delivers wicked men
up unto their own lusts, to do one mischief after another,
careless until they come into a reprobate mind, that
forgets itself, and cannot know what is expedient to be

* The wife of bishop Hooper was a native of Burgundy ; he mar-
ried her while at Zurich.
+ Scandals, offences.

428 Hooper. — Letters.

done, or to be left undone, because they close their eyes,
and will not see the light of God's word offered unto them ;
and being- thus blinded, they prefer their own vanities
before the truth of God's word. Where such corrupt
minds are, there is also corrupt election and choice of
God's honour: so that the mind of man takes falsehood for
truth, superstition for true religion, death for life, damn-
ation for salvation, hell for heaven, and persecution of
Christ's members for God's service and honour.

And as these men wilfully and voluntarily reject the
word of God, even so God most justly delivers them unto
blindness of mind and hardness of heart, that they cannot
understand, nor yet consent to any thing that God would
have preached, and set forth to his glory, according to his
own will and word : wherefore they hate it mortally, and
of all things most detest God's holy word. And as the
devil has entered into their hearts, so that they themselves
cannot, and will not come to Christ to be instructed by his
holy word : even so they cannot abide any other man
should be a christian man, and lead his life after the word
of God, but they hate him, persecute him, rob him, im-
prison him, yea, and kill him, whether he be man or
woman, if God suffer it. And so much are these wicked
men blinded, that they care for no law, whether it be God's
or man's, but persecute such as never offended, yea, d6
evil to those that daily have prayed for them, and wis,h
them God's grace.

In their Pharaonical and blind fury they have no respect
to nature. For the brother persecutes the brother, the
father the son ; and most dear friends, in devilish slander
and offence, are become most mortal enemies. And no
marvel ; for when they had chosen sundry masters, the
one the devil, the other God ; the one shall agree with the ,
other, as God and the devil agree between themselves.
For this cause, that the more part of the world choose to
serve the devil under cloaked hypocrisy of God's title,
Christ said, " It is expedient and necessary that scandals
should come," and many means are devised to keep the
little babes of Christ from the heavenly Father. But
Christ saith, " Wo be unto him by whom the offence
cometh :" yet there is no remedy, man being of such cor-
ruption and hatred towards God, but that the evil shall
be deceived, and persecute the good ; and the good shall
understand the truth, and suffer persecution for it until

i.J To his wife 429

the world'- end. For as he that was born after the flesh,
persecuted in times past him that was born after the
Spirit ; even so it is now.

Therefore forasmuch as we live in this life amongst so
many great perils and dangers, we must be well assured
by God's Word how to bear them, and how to take them
patiently, as they are sent to us from God. We must also
assure ourselves, that there is no other remedy for chris-
tians in the time of trouble, than Christ himself hath
appointed us. In St. Luke he gives us this commandment,
" Ye shall possess your lives in patience." In which
words he gives us both commandment what to do, and also
great comfort and consolation in all troubles. He shows
also what is to be done, and what is to be hoped for in
troubles : and when troubles happen, he bids us to be pa-
tient, and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our
persecutors. Because God has such care and charge of
us, that he will keep us in the midst of all troubles, even
the very hairs of our heads, so that one of them shall not
fall away without the will and pleasure of our heavenly
Father. Whether the hair therefore tarry on the head, or
fall from the head, it is the will of the Father. And see-
ing he has such care for the hairs of our heads, how much
more does he care for our life itself?

Wherefore let God's adversaries do what they lust, whe-
ther they take life, or take it not, they can do us no hurt;
for their cruelty has no further power than God permits
them, and that which comes unto us by the will of our
heavenly Father can be no harm, no loss, nor destruction
unto us, but rather gain, wealth, and felicity. For all
troubles and adversities, that chance to such as are of God,
by the will of the heavenly Father, can be none other but
gain and advantage.

That the spirit of man may feel these consolations, the
Giver of them, the heavenly Father, must be prayed unto
for the merits of Christ's passion. For the nature of man
cannot be contented, until it be regenerated and possessed
with God's Spirit, to bear patiently the troubles of the
mind or the body. When the mind and heart of a man
sees on every side sorrow and heaviness, and the worldly
eye beholds nothing but such things as are troublous and
wholly bent to rob the poor of that which he hath, and
also to take from him his life : except the man weigh these
brittle and uncertain treasures that are taken from him,

430 Hooper. — Letters.

with the riches of the life to come, and this life of the
body with the life in Christ's precious blood, and so for the
love and certainty of the heavenly joys contemns all things
present, doubtless he shall never be able to bear the loss
of goods, life, or any other things of this world.

Therefore St. Paul gives a very godly and necessary
lesson to all men in this short and transitory life, and therein
shows how a man may best bear the iniquity and troubles
of this world : " If ye be risen again with Christ, seek the
things which are above, where Christ sitteth . at the right
hand of God the Father." Wherefore the christian man's
faith must be always upon the resurrection of Christ when
he is in trouble ; and in that glorious resurrection he shall
not only see continual and perpetual joy and consolation, but
also the victory and triumph over all persecution, trouble,
sin, death, hell, the devil, and all other tyrants and perse-
cutors of Christ and of Christ's people; the tears and
weepings of the faithful dried up, their wounds healed,
their bodies made immortal in joy, their souls for ever
praising the Lord, and conjunction and society everlasting
with the blessed company of God's elect in perpetual joy.
But the words of St. Paul in that place, if they are not
marked, shall little profit the reader or hearer, and will
give him no patience at all in this impatient and cruel
world.

In the first part St. Paul commands us, to think or to
set our affections on things that are above. When he bids
us seek the things that are above, he requires that our
minds never cease from prayer and study in God's word,
until we see, know, and understand the vanities of this
world, the shortness and misery of this life, and the trea-
sures of the world to come, the immortality thereof, and
the joys of that life ; and so never cease seeking, until
such time as we know certainly and are persuaded what a
blessed man he is that seeks the one and finds it, and
cares not for the other though he lose it. And in seeking,
to have right judgment between the life present and the
life to come, we shall find how little the pains, imprison-
ments, slanders, lies, and death itself is in this world, in
respect of pains everlasting, the prison infernal, and dun-
geon of hell, the sentence of God's just judgment, and
everlasting death.

When a man. has, by seeking the word' of God, found
out what the things above are ; then must he, as St. Paul

i.] To his wife. 431

saith, set his affections upon them. And this command-
ment is more hard than the other. For man's knowledge
many times sees the best, and knows that there is a life to
come, better than this present life, as you may daily see
how men and women can praise and commend, yea, and
wish for heaven, and to be at rest there. Yet they set not
their affections upon it ; they more affect and love a trifle
of nothing in this world that pleases their affections, than
the treasure of all treasures in heaven, which their own
judgment saith is better than all worldly things. Where-
fore we must set our affections upon the things that are
above ; that is to say, when any thing worse than heaven,
upon the earth, offers itself to be ours, if we will give Our
good wills to it, and love it in our hearts ; then ought we
to see by the judgment of God's word, whether we may
have the world without offence of God, and such things
as are for this worldly life without his displeasure. If we
cannot, St. Paul's commandment must take place, " Set
your affection on things that are above."

If the riches of this world may not be gotten nor kept
with God's law, neither our lives be continued without the
denial of his honour, we must set our affections upon the
riches and life that is above, and not upon things that are
on the earth. Therefore this second commandment of St.
Paul requires, that as our minds judge heavenly things to
be better than things upon the earth, and the life to come
better than the life present ; so we should choose them
before others, and prefer them, and have such affection to
the best, that in no case we set the worst before it, as
the most part of the world doth and hath done, for they
choose the best and approve it, and yet follow the worst.

But these things, my godly wife, require rather cogita-
tion, meditation, and prayer, than words or talk. They
are easy to be spoken of, but not so easy to be used and
practised. Wherefore, seeing they are God's gifts, and
none of ours, to have as our own when we would, we
must seek them at our heavenly Father's hand, who seeth
and knoweth how poor and wretched we are, and how
naked, how spoiled, and destitute of all his blessed gifts
we are by reason of sin. He commanded therefore
his disciples, when he showed them that they should take
patiently the state of this present life, full of- troubles and
persecution, to pray that they might well escape those
troubles that were to come, and be able to stand before the

432 Hooper. — Letters.

Son of man. When you find yourself too much oppressed,
as every man shall be sometimes with the fear of God's
judgment, use the seventy-seventh psalm which begins, " I
will cry unto God with my voice, and he shall hearken
unto me." In which psalm is both godly doctrine and
great consolation unto the man or woman that is in an-
guish of mind.

Use also in such trouble the eighty-eighth psalm, wherein
is contained the prayer of a man who was brought into
extreme anguish and misery, and being vexed with adver-
saries and persecutions, saw nothing but death and hell.
And although he felt in himself, that he had not only man,
but also God angry towards him ; yet he by prayer humbly
resorted unto God, as the only port of consolation, and in
the midst of his desperate state of trouble put the hope of
his salvation in him, whom he felt to be his enemy. How-
beit no man of himself can do this, but the Spirit of God,, that
"strikes the man's heart with fear, prays for the man stricken
and feared,* with unspeakable groanings. And when you
feel yourself or know any other to be oppressed after such
sort, be glad : for after God has made you know what you
are, of yourself, he will doubtless show you comfort, and
declare unto you what you are, in Christ his only Son ;
and use prayer often, for that is the means whereby God
will be sought unto for his gifts.

These psalms are for the purpose, when the mind can
take no understanding, nor the heart any joy of God's
promises : and therefore were these psalms also made,
vi. xxii. xxx. xxxi. xxxviii, and lxix. ; from which you shall
learn both patience and consolation.

Remember, that although your life, as all christian
men's life is, be hid, and what it is appears not, yet " it is
safe," as St. Paul saith, " with God in Christ ; and when
Christ shall appear, then shall our lives be made open
in him with glory." But in the mean time with seeking
and setting our affections upon the things that are above,
we must patiently suffer whatsoever God shall send unto
us in this mortal life. Notwithstanding, it might happen
some would say, Who is so perfect, that can let all things
pass as they come, and have no care of them ; suffer all
things and feel nothing ; be tempted of the devil, the world,
and the flesh, and not be troubled ? Verily no man living.

But this I say, that in the strength of Jesus Christ
* Alarmed.

I.] To his wife. 433

things that come may pass with care ; for we are worldly,
and yet we are not carried with them from Christ, fcr we
are godly in him. We may suffer things, and feel them as
mortal men, yet bear them and overcome them as christian
men. We may be tempted of the devil, the flesh, and the
world ; but yet although these things pinch, they do not
pierce, and although they, work sin in us, yet in Christ no
damnation to those that are grafted in him.

Hereof may the christian man learn both consolation
and patience : consolation, in that he is compelled both in
his body and goods to feel pain and loss, and in the soul
heaviness and. anguish of mind: howbeit none of them
shall separate him' from the love that God bears him in
Christ. He may learn patience, forasmuch as his enemies
both of the body and soul, and also the pains they vex us
with for the time, though they tarry with us as long as we
live, yet when death comes, they shall depart, and give
place to such joys as are prepared for us in Christ. For
no pains of the world are perpetual, and whether they
shall afflict us all the time of our mortal life, we know
not ; for they are the servants of God to go and come, as
he commands them. "But we must take hefed we meddle
not forcibly nor seditiously to put away the persecution
appointed unto us by God, but remember Christ's saying,
* Possess you your lives by ,your patience."

And in this commandment God requires this patient
obedience in every man and woman. He saith not, It is
sufficient that holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, evange-
lists, and martyrs continued their lives in patience, and in
patient suffering the troubles of this world : but Christ
saith to every one of his people, " By your own patience
ye shall continue your life :". not that man hath patience
of himself, but that he must.have it forhimself of God, the
only giver of it, if he purpose to be a godly man. Now,
therefore, as our profession and religion requires patience
outwardly, without resistance and force; so it requires
patience of the mind, and not to be angry with God,
although he use us, that are his own creatures, as he
pleases.

Also we may not murmur against God, but say always:
that his judgments are right and just, and rejoice that it
pleases him to use us by troubles, as he used heretofore
such as he most loved in this world, and have a singular
ear to this commandment, " Be glad and rejoice :" for he

hooper. u

434 Hooper. — Letters.

showeth great cause why — "Your reward is great in
heaven."

These promises of Him that is the truth itself, shall, by
God's grace, work both consolation and patience in the
afflicted christian person. And when our Saviour Christ
hath willed men in trouble to be content and patient, be-
cause God in the end of trouble, in Christ, hath ordained
eternal consolation, he uses also to take from us all shame
and rebuke, as though it were not an honour to suffer" for
Christ, because the wicked world curses and abhors such
poor troubled christians. Wherefore Christ places all his,
honourably, and saith, " Even so persecuted they the pro-
phets that were before you."

We may also see with whom the afflicted for Christ's
sake are esteemed, by St. Paul to the Hebrews. Whereas
the number of the blessed and glorious company of saints
appear now to our faith, to be in heaven in joy, yet m
the letter, for the time of this life, they were in such pains
and contempt as were never more. Let us therefore con-
sider both them and all other things of the world, sinee
the fall of man, and we shall perceive nothing come to
perfection, but with such confusion and disorder to the eye
of the world, as though things were rather lost for ever,
than likely to come to any perfection at all. For of godly
men, who ever came to heaven, no not Christ himself, until
such time as the world had thought verily that both he
and all his had been quite destroyed and cast away ? As
the wise men say of the wicked people, " We thought
them to be fools, but they are in peace."

We may learn by things that nourish and maintain us,
both meat and drink, what loathsomeness and in a manner
abhorring they come unto, before they work their perfec-
tion in us. From life they are brought to the fire, and
quite altered from that they were when they were alive ;
from the fire to the trencher and knife, there to be hacked ;
from the trencher to the mouth, and ground as small as
the teeth can grind them ; and from the mouth into the
stomach, and there so digested before they nourish, that
whosoever saw the same would loath and abhor his own
nourishment, before it come to its perfection.

Is it then any marvel, if such christians as God delights
in, are so mangled and defaced in this world, which is the
kitchen and mill to boil and grind the flesh of God's people
in, till they achieve their perfection in the world to come ?

i.] To his wife. 435

And as man looks for the nutriment of his meat, when
it is fully digested, and not before : so must he look for
his salvation, when he has passed this troublesome world,
and not before. Raw flesh is not wholesome meat for
man ; and unmortified men and women are not creatures
meet for God. Therefore Christ saith, that his people
must be broken, and thoroughly torn in the mill of this
world, and so shall they be most fine meal unto the heavenly
Father. And it shall be a christian man's part, and the
duty of a mind replenished with the Spirit of God, to
mark the order of God in all his things, how he deals with
them, and how they suffer, and are content to let God do
his will upon them ; as St. Paul saith : " They weep until
the number of the elect be fulfilled, and never are at test,
but look for the time when God's people shall appear in
glory."

We must therefore patiently suffer, and willingly attend
upon God's doings, although they seem quite contrary,
according to our judgment, to our welfare and salvation ;
as Abraham did when he was bid to offer his son Isaac, in
whom God had promised the blessing and multiplying of
his seed. Joseph at last came to that which God pro-
mised him, although, in the mean time, according to the
judgment of the world, he was never likely to be lord over
his brethren, as God had said he should be.

When Christ would make the blind man to see, he put
clay upon his eyes, which, after the judgment of man,- was
a means rather to make him doubly blind, than to give
him his sight. But he obeyed, and knew that God could
work his desire, what means soever he used contrary to
man's reason ; and as touching this world, he uses all his
after the same sort. If any smart, his people are the first ;
if any suffer shame, they begin; if any are subject to
slander, it is those that he loves ; so that he shows jio
face nor favour, nor scarcely any love in this world to
them outwardly, but layeth clay upon their sore eyes that
are sorrowful. Yet the patient man sees, as St. Paul
saith, life hid under these miseries and adversities, and
sight under foul clay, and in the mean time he has the
testimony of a good conscience, and believes God's pro->
mises will be his consolation in the world to come, which
is worth more unto him, than all the world is worth be-
sides; and blessed is that man in whom God's Spirit
u2

436 Hooper. — Letters.

beareth record, that he is a son of God, whatsoever troubles
he suffer in this troublesome world.

And to judge things indifferently, my godly wife, the
troubles are not yet so general, as they were in our good
fathers' time, soon after the death and resurrection of our
Saviour Christ Jesus, whereof he spake in St. Matthew.
Of which place you and I have many times taken great
consolation, and especially from the latter part of the
chapter, , wherein is contained the last day and end of
all troubles, I doubt not, both for you and me, and for
such as love the coming of our Saviour Christ to judgment.
Remember, therefore, that place, and mark it again, and
you shall in this time see great consolation, and also learn
much patience.

Were there ever such troubles as Christ threatened upon
Jerusalem ? Was there since the beginning of the world
such affliction ? Who were then best at ease ? The apos-
tles, that suffered persecution in body, and gathered from
it ease and quietness in the promises of God. And no
marvel ; for Christ saith, " Lift up your heads ; for your
redemption is at hand ;" that is to say, your eternal rest
approaches and draws near. The world is stark blind,
and more foolish than foolishness itself, and so are the
people of the world. For when God saith, " Trouble shall
come," they will have ease. And when God saith, " Be
merry, and rejoice in trouble," we lament and mourn, as
though we were castaways. But this the flesh, which is
never merry with virtue, nor sorry with vice, never laughs
with grace, nor ever weeps with sin, holds fast with the
world, and lets God slip.

But, my dearly beloved wife, you know how to perceive and
to beware of the vanity and crafts of the devil well enough
in Christ. And that you may the better have patience in
the Spirit of God, read again the 24th chapter of St.
Matthew, and mark what difference there is between the
destruction of Jerusalem, and that of the whole world,
and you shall see, that then there were left alive many
offenders to repent ; but at the latter day there shall be
absolute judgment and sentence never to be revoked, of
eternal life arid eternal death upon all men ; and yet to-
wards the end of the world we have not so much extremity
as they had then, but even as we be able to bear. So does
the merciful Father lay upon us now imprisonment, and I

ii.] To certain godly Professors. 437

suppose for my part shortly death, now spoil of goods,
loss of friends, and the greatest loss of all, the knowledge
of God's word. God's will.be done. I wish in Christ
Jesus, our only Mediator and Saviour, for your constancy
and consolation, that you may live for ever and ever,
whereof in Christ I doubt not ; to whom for his blessed
and most painful passion I commit you. Amen.
Your brother in Christ,

John Hooper.
October 13, Anno 1553.

LETTER II.

A letter to certain godly Persons,Professors and Lovers of the
Truth, instructing them how to behave themselves in that
woful alteration and change of religion.

The grace, mercy, and peace of God the Father through-
bur Lord Jesus Christ, be with you, my dear brethren,
and with all those that unfeignedly love and embrace his
holy gospel. Amen.

It is told me that the wicked idol, the mass, is established
again by a law, and passed in the parliament-house.*
Learn the truth of it, I pray you, and what penalty is ap-
pointed in the act, to such as speak against it ; also
whether there is any compulsion to constrain men to be at
it. The statute being thoroughly known, such as are
abroad and at liberty may provide for themselves, and
avoid the danger the better. Doubtless there has not
been before our time such a parliament as this is, that as
many as, were suspected to be favourers of God's word,
should be banished out of both houses. But we must
give God thanks for the truth he opened in the time of his
blessed servant king Edward the sixth, and pray unto him
that we deny it not, nor dishonour it with idolatry ; but
that we may have strength and patience rather to die ten
times, than to deny him once. Blessed shall we be, if
God ever makes us worthy of the honour to shed our blood
for his name sake : and blessed then shall we think the
parents which brought us into this world, that we should
from this mortality be carried into immortality. If we

* The law by which the mass was re-established, was passed
in November 1553.

'438 Hooper. — Letters

follow the commandment of St. Paul, that saith, " If ye
then be risen again with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God,"
we shall neither depart from the vain transitory goods of
this world, nor from this wretched and mortal life, with so
great pains as others do.

Let us pray to our heavenly Father, that we may know
and love his blessed will, and the glorious joy prepared for
us in time to come, and that we may know and hate all
things contrary fo his blessed will, and also the pain pre-
pared for the wicked men in the world to come. There is
no better way to be used in this troublesome time for your
consolation, than many times to have assemblies together
of such men and women as are of your religion in Christ,
and there to talk and renew amongst yourselves the truth
of your religion. To see what you are by the word of
God, and to remember what you were before you came to
the knowledge thereof; to weigh and confer the dreams
and false lies of the preachers, that now preach, with the
•word of God that retains all truth. And by such'talk and
familiar resorting together, you shall the better find out all
their lies that now go about to deceive you, and also both
know and love the truth that God has opened to us. It
is very requisite, that the members of Christ comfort one
another, make prayers together, and confer one with
another;* so shall you be the stronger, and God's. Spirit
shall not be absent from you, but shall be in the midst of
you, to teach you, to comfort you, to make you wise in all
godly things, patient in adversity, and strong in persecution.

You see how the congregation of the wicked, by help-
ing one another, make their wicked religion and them-
selves strong against God's truth and his people. If you
may have some learned man, that can out of the scriptures
speak unto you of faith, and true honouring of God, also
that can show you the descent of Christ's church from the
beginning of it until this day, so that you may perceive,
by the life of your forefathers, that Christ's words, which
said that all his must suffer persecution and trouble in the
world, are true ; and that none of all his, before our time,
escaped trouble ; then shall you perceive that it is but a
folly for one that professes Christ truly to look for the
love of the' world.

* This advice was followed by the protestants when their mini-
sters were burned or in exile. — Strype's Memorials, 111. p. 364.

II.] To certain godly Professors. 439

Thus shall you learn to bear trouble, and to exercise your
religion, and feel indeed that Christ's words are true, " In
the world ye shall suffer persecution." And when you feel
your religion, indeed, say, you are no better than your
forefathers ; but be glad, that you may be counted worthy
soldiers for this war : and pray to God when you come
together, that he will use and order you and your doings
to these three ends, which you must take heed to ; the
first, that you glorify God ; the next, that you edify the
church and congregation ; the third, that you profit your
own souls. ,

In all your doings beware you are not deceived. For
although this time is not yet so bloody and tyrannical as
the time of our forefathers, that eould not bear the name
of Christ, without danger of life and goods ; yet is our time
more perilous both for body and soul.* Therefore of us
Christ saith, " Think you when the Son of man cometh,
he shall find faith upon the earth ?'' He saith not, Think
you he shall find any man or woman christened, and in
name a christian ? But he spake of the faith that saveth
the christian man in Christ : and doubtless the scarcity of
faith is now more, and will, I fear, increase, than it was
in the time of the greatest tyrants that ever were ; and no
marvel why. Read the sixth chapter of St. John's Reve-
lation, and you shall perceive, amongst other things, that
at the opening of the fourth seal came out a pale horse,
and he that sat upon him was called Death, and Hell fol-
lowed him. This horse is the time wherein hypocrites
and dissemblers entered into the church under the pretence
of true religion, as monks, friars, nuns, massing-priests,
with such others, that have killed more soul's with heresy
and superstition, than all the tyrants that ever were, killed
bodies with fife, sword, or banishment, as appears by his,
name that sits upon the horse, who is called Death ; for all
souls that leave Christ, and trust to these hypocrites, live to
the devil in everlasting pain, as is declared by him that
follows the pale horse, which is Hell.

These pretended and pale hypocrites have stirred the
earthquakes, that is, to wit, the princes of the world,,
against Christ's church, and have also darkened the sun,

* The burnings and cruelties practised towards the protestants in
the three last years of queen Mary's reign had not then commenced.
Soon after this letter was written " the time proved to be mare
bloody and tyrannical."

440 Hooper. — Letters. " • - .

and made the moon bloody, and have caused the stars to
fall from heaven. That is to say, they have darkened with
mists, and daily do darken, as you hear. by their sermons,
the clear sun of God's most pure word : the. moon, which
are God's true preachers, which only fetch light at the sun
of God's word, are turned into blood, prisons, and chains, so
that their light cannot shine unto the world as they would.
Whereupon it comes to pass, that the stars, that is to say,
christian people, fall from heaven, that is,' from God's most
true, word to hypocrisy, most devilish superstition and
idolatry. Let some learned man show you all the articles
of your belief and monuments of christian , faith, from the
time of Christ hitherto, and you shall perceive that. there
was never mention of such articles as these hypocrites
teach. God bless you, and pray for me as I do for you.
Out of the Fleet, by your brother in Christ,

John Hooper.

LETTER III.

To my beloved in the Lord, W. P.

The grace of God be with you. I have sent you letters
for my wife, who is at Frankfort, in Germany. I pray
you • convey them trustily and speedily,' and seal ,them
ciose, after the merchant's fashion, that they be not
opened. William Downton, my servant, hath " the first
copy of what I wrote concerning Master Hale's hurt.* I
would Master Bradford saw it,, and then the copy should
be well kept, lest any man- out of malice* should add' any
thing to the matter more or worse than I have made it. I
care not for what may come of it, I thank God ; and my
conscience bears me witness that I did it out of zeal for
the word of God, which the' bishop of Winchester called
the doctrine - of desperation. Not only my heart, but also
my mouth, my pen, and all my power shall be against
him, even till death, in this case, by God's help ; let God
do with the matter as it pleases his high majesty, to whom
I commend you.

Yours,

29th April, 1554. John Hooper.

* It is printed in the appendix to Strype s Memorials.

To Bishop Earrar and others. 441

LETTER IV.

To Master Farrar, bishop of St. David's, "Dr-: Taylor,
Master Bradford, and Master Philpot, prisoners in the
King's Bench in Southwark.

The grace of God be with you. Amen. I am informed
by divers, as well such as- love the truth, as also by such
as are not yet come unto it, that you and I shall be carried
shortly to Cambridge, there to dispute for the faith, and for
the religion of Christ, that we have and do profess, which
is most true. I am, as I doubt not you are, ready in
Christ, not only to go to Cambridge, but also to suffer,
by God's help, death itself in the maintenance thereof.
Weston and his accomplices have obtained the commission
already, and speedily, most likely, he will put it in execution.
Wherefore, dear brethren, I do advertise you of it before
for divers causes. The one, to comfort you in the Lord,
that the time draws near and is at hand, when we shall
testify Gpd's truth before God's enemies. The next, that
you should prepare yourselves the better for it. The third,
to show you what way I think we were best to use in this
matter, and also to hear of every one of you your better
advice, if mine be not good.

You know that such as shall be censors and judges
over us, breathe and thirst for our blood, and whether we,
by God's help, overcome according to the word of God,
or are overcome by the force and subtlety of our adversa-
ries, this will be the conclusion — our adversaries will say,
that they overcome, and you perceive how they report of
those great learned men and godly personages at Oxford.*

Wherefore I mind never to answer them, except I have
books present, because they use not only false allegations
of the doctors,f but also parts of the doctors against the
whole course of the doctors mind. The next, that we may
have sworn notaries, to take things spoken impartially;
which will be very hard to have, for the adversaries will
have the oversight of all things, and then make theirs
better than it was, and ours worse than it was. Then if
we see that two or three, or more, will speak together, or
with scoffs and taunts illude and mock us, I suppose it
were best to appeal, to be heard before the cnieen and the

• See the letters of bishop Ridley. t The writings of the Fathers.
u3

442 ' Hooper.'— Letters,

whole council, and that would much set forth the glory of
God. For many of them already know the truth, many of
them err rather out of zeal than malice, and the others
that are hardened should be answered fully to their shame,
I doubt not, although to our smart and blood-shedding-.
For of this I am assured, that the commissioners appointed
to hear us and judge us, mean nothing less than to hear
the cause indifferently;* for they are enemies unto us and
our cause, and are at a point already to give sentence
against us: so that, if it were possible, with St. Stephen
to speak so that they could not resist us, or to use such
silence and patience as Christ did, they will proceed to
revenging;

Wherefore, my dear brethren, in the mercy of Jesus
Christ, I would be glad to know your advice this day or
to-morrow ; for shortly we shall be gone, and I verily
suppose that we shall not company together, but be kept
one -separate from another. They will deny our appeal,
yet let us challenge the appeal, and take witness thereof
of such as are present, and require for indifferency* of
hearing and judgment, to be heard either before the queen
and the council, or else before all the parliament, as they
were used in king Edward's days.

Further, for my part I will require both books and time
to answer. We have been prisoners three quarters of a
year, and have lacked our books; and our memories by
close keeping, and ingratitude on their parts, are not so
present and quick as theirs be. I trust God will be with
us, yea, I doubt not- but he will, and teach us to do all
things in his cause godly and constantly. If our adversa-
ries, that shall be. our judges, may have their purpose, we
shall dispute one day, be condemned the next day, and
suffer the third day. And yet there is no law to condemn
us, as far as I know, and so one of the convocation-house
said this week to Dr. Weston. To whom Weston made
this answer ; " It matters not for a law ; we have a com-
mission to proceed with them ; when they are despatched,
let their friends sue the law."

Now how soon a man may have such a commission at
my lord chancellor' sf hand, you. know. It is as hard to
be obtained as an indictment for Christ at Caiaphas's hand '
Besides that, the bishops having the queen so upon their
side, may do all things both without the advice, arjd also
* Impartiality. j Bishop Gardiner.

v.] To certain godly persons. 443

without the knowledge of the rest of the lords of the tem-
poralty : who, at this present, have found out the mark
that the bishops shoot at, and doubtless are not pleased
with their doings. I pray you help that our brother
Sanders and the rest in the Marshalsea may understand
these things, and send me your answer betimes. Judas
sleeps not; neither know we the day nor the hour. Amen.
The Lord Jesus Christ with his Holy Spirit comfort and
strengthen us all. Amen. May 6, anno 1554.

Yours, and with you unto death in Christ,

John Hooper.

LETTER V.

Letter to certain godly persons, exhorting them to stick
constantly to the professed truth of the gospel in these
days of trial, and not to shrink from any trouble.

The grace of God be with you, Amen. I give our hea-
venly Father thanks, who moves you to remember your
afflicted brethren, and I do, as I am bound, pray for you,
that with your remembrance of me, you provide help, and
succour me with such goods, as God endues you with.
Doubtless if ever a wretch and vile sinner was bound unto
God, I am most" especially bound for these ten months
almost. Ever since my imprisonment, I have had no
living nor goods to sustain myself with, yet such has been
the favour of our heavenly Father, that I have had suffi-
cient to eat and drink, and the same paid for. Seeing he
is so merciful and careful for my sinful body, I doubt not
but he has more care of my wretched soul, so that in both
I may serve his Majesty, and be a lively and profitable
member of his poor afflicted church. I do not care what
extremity this world shall work or devise, praying you in
the bowels of Him that shed his precious blood for you,
to remember and follow the knowledge you have learned
of his truth.

Be not ashamed nor afraid to follow him ; beware of
this sentence, that it take no place in you: " No man,
saith Christ, that putteth his hand to the plough and
looketh backward, is fit for the kingdom of God." Re-
member, that Christ willed him that would build a tower,
to sit down first and look whether he were able to perform

444 Hooper.— Letters.

it, lest he should begin and leave off in the midst, and so
be mocked of his neighbours, and lose what 1 he had be-
stowed thereon. Christ told such as would build on him
eternal life, what the price thereof was,, even at the begin-
ning of" his teaching, and said they should be persecuted.
Also they should sometimes pay and bestow, both goods
and lands before the tower of salvation would be builded.

Seeing the price of truth in religion has been always the
displeasure and persecution of the world, let us bear it,
and Christ will recompense the charges abundantly. It is
no loss to lack the love of the world, and to find the love
of God ; nor any harm to suffer the loss of worldly things,
and find eternal life. If man hate, and God love, if man
kill the body, and God bring both body and soul to
eternal life, the exchange is good and profitable. For^the
love of God use singleness towards him. Beware of this
foolish and deceitful collusion, to think that a man may
serve God in spirit secretly to his conscience, although
outwardly with his body and bodily presence, he cleave for
civil order to such rites and ceremonies as now are used
contrary to God and his word. Be assured that whosoever
he be that giveth this counsel, shall be before God able
to do you no more profit than the fig-leaves did unto
Adam.

" Glorify God both in your bodies and in your spirits
which are God's." Take heed of that commandment — no
man is able to dispense with it. Such as are yet clear,
and have not been present at the wicked mass and idola-
trous service, let them pray to God to stand fast : such
as for weakness and fear have been at it, repent and
desire God's forgiveness, and doubtless he will have mercy
upon you. It is a fearful thing, that many not only thus
dissemble with God, but also excuse and defend the dissi-
mulation ; beware of that, dear brethren, for it is a sore
matter to delight in evil things. Let us acknowledge and
bewail our evil ; then God shall send grace to amend us,
and strength better to bear his cross.

I doubt not but you will judge of my writing as I mean
towards you in my heart, which is, doubtless, your eternal
salvation in Christ Jesus, to whom I heartily commend
you.

June 14, 1554. John Hooper.

vi.l To John Hall. 445

LETTER VI.

To my dearly beloved friend in Christ, Master John Halt.

The grace of God be with you. Amen.

It was much to my comfort, I assure you, when I
understood by the bearer of this, William Downton, my
faithful servant, that you and your wife were in health. I
had occasion to inquire for you many times before the
departure of my poor wife, that you should have helped
her out of the land from the hands of the cruel, but I could
not hear where you were. I was told you abode in .the
country, with your wife, to whom make my hearty com-
mendations, and to all the rest of your house that fear
God ; and my trust is, you do not forget your duty to-
wards God in this troublesome world. See that you tarry
with him in one hour of trouble, and, doubtless, he will
keep you for ever with him in everlasting joys. I would
write more, but this bearer can tell what need I have to
make haste. Fare you well as myself, and be strong in
Christ, for I thank him, that for my part I am not ashamed
of his gospel, neither afraid of the pope, the devil, nor the
gates of hell. — The Lord's will be done.

Written the 4th day of August, ] 554.

Your poor friend,

John Hooper.

LETTER VII.

To all my dear brethren, my relievers and helpers in the
city of London.

The grace of God be with you, Amen. I have received
from you, dearly beloved in our Saviour Jesus Christ, by
the hands of my servant, William Downton, your liberality,
for which I most heartily thank you, and I praise God
highly in you and for you, who has moved your hearts to
show this kindness towards me, praying him to preserve
you from all famine, scarcity, and lack of the truth' of his
word, which is the lively food of your souls, as you preserve
my body from hunger, and other necessities, which should

446 Hooper.— Letters.

happen unto me, were it not cared for by the benevo-
lence and charity of godly people.

Such as have taken all worldly goods and lands from
me, and spoiled me of all that I had, have imprisoned my
body, and appointed not one halfpenny to feed or relieve
me with. But I do forgive them, and pray for them daily
in my poor prayer unto God, and from my heart I wish
their salvation, and quietly and patiently bear their inju-
ries, wishing that no farther extremity be used towards us.
Yet, if the contrary seem best unto our heavenly Father, I
have made my reckoning, and fully resolved myself to
suffer the uttermost they are able to do against me, yea,
death itself; by the aid of Christ Jesus, who died the most
vile death of the cross for us wretches and miserable sin-
ners. But of this I am assured, that the wicked world,
with all its force and power, shall not touch one of the
hairs of our heads without leave and license of our hea-
venly Father, whose will be done in all things. If he will
life, life be it ; if he will death, death be it. Only we pray
that our wills may be subject unto his will ; and then,
although both we and all the world see no other thing but
death, yet, if he think life best, we shall not die, no,
although the sword be drawn out over our heads : as
Abraham thought to kill his son Isaac, yet, when God
perceived that Abraham had surrendered his will to God's
will, and was content to kill his son, God then saved his
son.

Dearly beloved, if we are contented to obey God's will,
and for his commandment's sake to surrender our goods
and ourselves to be at his pleasure, it makes no matter
whether we keep goods and life, or lose them. Nothing
can hurt us that is taken from us for God's cause, nor can
any thing, at length, do us good that is preserved contrary
to God's commandments. Let us wholly suffer God to
use us and ours after his holy wisdom, and beware we
neither use nor govern ourselves contrary to his will by
our own wisdom ; for if we do, our wisdom will, at length,
prove foolishness. That is kept to no good purpose which
we keep contrary to his commandments. It can by no
means be taken from us, which he would should tarry with
us. He is no good christian that conducts himself and
his as worldly means serve : for he that doth so shall have
as many changes as happen in the world. To-day with
the world he. shall like and praise the truth of God ; to-

vii.] To his relievers and helpers. 447

morrow as the world will, so will he like and praise the
falsehood of man ; to-day with Christ, and to-morrow with
antichrist. Wherefore, dear brethren, as touching your
behaviour towards God, use both your inward spirits, and
your outward bodies ; your inward and your outward man,
I say, not after the manner of men, but after the infallible
word of God.

Refrain from evil in both ; and glorify your heavenly
Father in both. For if you think you can serve him in-
wardly in the heart, and yet outwardly serve with the
world in external service the thing that is not God, you
deceive yourselves. For both the body and the soul must
concur together in the honour of God, as St. Paul plainly
teaches. (1 Cor. vi.) For if an honest wife be bound to
give both heart and body to faith and service in marriage ;
and if an honest wife's faith in the heart cannot stand with
harlotry, or a defiled body outwardly; much less can
the true faith of a christian in the service of Christianity
stand with the bodily service of external idolatry. For the
mystery of marriage is not so honourable between man
and wife as it is between Christ and every christian man,
as St. Paul saith.

Therefore, dear brethren, pray to the heavenly Father,
that as he spared not the soul nor the body of his dearly
beloved Son, but applied both of them, with extreme pain,
to work our salvation both of body and soul ; so he will
give us all grace to apply our bodies and souls to be ser-
vants unto him. For, doubtless, he requires the one as
well as the other, and cannot be mi scon tented with the one,
and well pleased with the other. Either he hates both, or
loves both ; he divides not his love to one, and his hatred
to the other. Let us not, therefore, good brethren, divide
ourselves, and say our souls serve him, whatsoever our
bodies do to the contrary for civil order and policy.

But, alas! I know by myself what troubles you, that is,
the great danger of the world, that will revenge, ye think,
your service to God with sword and fire, with loss of
goods and lands. But, dear brethren, weigh on the other
side, that your enemies and God's enemies shall not do so
much as they would, but as much as God shall suffer
them, who can trap them in their own counsels, and de-
stroy them in the midst of their fury. Remember you are
the workmen of the Lord, and called into his vineyard,
there to labour till evening tide, that you may receive your

448 Hooper. — Letters.

penny, which is more worth than all the kings of the
earth. But He that calls us into his vineyard has not
told us how sorely and how, fervently the sun shall trouble
us in our labour; but has bid us labour, and commit the
bitterness thereof unto Him, who can and will so mode-
rate all afflictions; that no man shall have more laid upon
him, than in Christ he shall be able to bear. Unto whose
merciful tuition and defence I commend both your souls
and bodies. September 2, anno 1554.

Yours, with my poor prayer,

John Hooper.

LETTER VIII.

A letter sent to the christian congregation, wherein is
proved that true faith cannot be kept secret in the heart
without confession thereof openly to the world, when
occasion serveth.

St. Paul, in the tenth chapter to the Romans, annexes
the faith of Christ in the heart, with the confession of the
mouth, so that the one can be no more without the other,
than fire can be without heat ; saying these words :
" With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and
with the mouth, he confesseth unto salvation." Wherein
he declares; that even as the cause of our acceptance
through Christ, is the confidence and faith of the heart in
the promises of God-; so is the confession outwardly of
the same faith by the mouth, the fruit that all christian
faithful hearts bring forth through the same gift of God*
And where this effect of confession of faith is not, there
wants also the cause of confession, which is true faith ;
for as the tree is known by her fruits, so is faith by her
effects. And as the want of fruit is a demonstration that
the tree is unprofitable ; so the want of true confession of
faith is a token that the faith is dead. The end of the un-
profitable tree is cutting down and casting into the fire;
the end of fruitless faith is death and casting into eternal
damnation.

Wherefore St. Peter requires us to make answer to
every man that demands of us, of such hope as is in us,
with gentleness and reverence, which is a real testimony
that we sanctify God in our hearts, as it is before ex-
pressed in the same chapter. For the greatest honour that

viii.] To the christian Congregation. 449

man can give to God, is to confess, in the time of trouble,
his holy word and faith, truly and faithfully. Wherefore it
is the duty of every christian to pray and study to have a
thorough knowledge of his faith in Christ; and as the
glory of God shall require, and the cause of his religion,
to be ready to make answer for the same, howsoever the
world, fear, displeasure, friendship, or other hinderances
shall move us to the contrary, upon pain, saith Christ in
the tenth of Matthew, that I will deny him before my
Father which is in heaven. But how hard a thing it is to
confess Christ in the day of trouble, not only the scripture,
but also daily experience in good men and women declares.
True confession is warded on every side with many dan-
gers, on the right hand and on the left, now with fair
means, then with foul threatenings, fearful and dangerous :
as it is said by Christ our Saviour, " They shall betray
you to the judges, and of them you shall be beaten and
judged to death." On the other side shall pull us back,
the love of wife, children, brother, sister, kin, friends, and
love unto ourselves. But he that is overcome by any of
these means, has his judgment ; " He is not fit for me,"
saith Christ.

These things are impossible unto men, yet to christian
men, in Christ, they are possible, and so necessary, that
Christianity and true religion cannot be in him, that is
afraid to confess Christ and his gospel in the time of per*
secution. The wisdom of the world says, " Although' I
accomplish the desire of my friends, and to the sight of
the world am present at the mass* and with my body do as
other men do, or as I may do ; yet my heart is quite con-
trary to their belief, and I do detest such idolatry, and
believe that the thing that I am present at, is mere idola-
try and abomination."

Here are fair words for an evil purpose ; and a pretended
excuse, for a just condemnation before God. For if it be
true that you know the thing which you resort unto to be
to the dishonour of God, why do you honour it with your
presence ? If you know it to be evil, why refrain you not
from it? If your conscience say, it is idolatry, why serves
your body such things as your faith abhors ? If in your
heart you know but one God, why with your exterior pre-
sence serve you the thing that you know is not God ? If
jour faith see idolatry, why does your silence confess and
allow the same ? God loves not two men in one. If the

450 Hooper. — Letters.

inward man know the truth, why does the outward man
confess a falsehood ? If your spirit be persuaded that the
mass is idolatry, why do you with your bodily presence
use it as a God and give godly honour to it ? Do you not
perceive that it is written, (Isaiah xxix. Matt, xv.) " These
people honour me with their mouths, but their hearts are
i'ar from me ?" The cause why God" was offended with
these people was, that outwardly they confessed him and
served him, but their hearts were far from him inwardly.
Wherefore, you may see what it is to bear two faces in one
hood, outwardly to serve God, and inwardly to serve the
devil. Now mark of this place, if it be so horrible and
damnable a thing to be false in the heart, which none
knows but God, and it is also worthy of damnation ; what
is to be judged of the outward and manifest use of idola-
try, which not only God, but also every good man knows
and abhors ?

There is no colour nor cloked hypocrisy that God can
away with. If the heart think not as the tongue speaks,
or else the- tongue speak otherwise than the heart thinks,
both are abominable before God. Read the third and
the sixth chapters of the first epistle of St. Paul to the
Corinthians, where St. Paul saith : " Know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost ?" If your
body be the temple of the Holy Ghost, what agreement
hath it with idolatry ? Can one body at one time be the
temple of the Holy Ghost, and also be present at such
idolatry as God abhors and detests ? Can a man serve
two masters? If he dd, he loves, as Christ saith, the one
and hates the other. As God requires of a faithful man
a pure heart ; even so he requires that his external pro-
fession in all things be according thereto, for both body
and soul are debtors unto God, and he redeemed them
both.

The word of God saith unto us, " Glorify and bear God
in your bodies." If we are present at such idolatry as
God forbids, and our own knowledge in our conscience is
assured to be evil, do we glorify God in our bodies ? No,
doubtless, we dishonour him, and make our bodies the
servants of idolatry, not only to God's dishonour, but also
to the great danger both of body and soul. For this is a
true saying of St. Augustin, " He that doth against his
conscience, buildeth to hell fire."

It is not enough for a christian man to say, I know the

viii.] To the christian Congregation 4b 1

mass is naught ; but to obey civil laws ana orders, I will
do outwardly as other men do, yet, in my heart, abhor it,
and never think it to be good. Doubtless, these two minds,
the spirit to think well, and the body to do evil, in this
respect are both naught, and God will cast the whole
man out of his mouth, as he did the minister of the con-
gregation of Laodicea. (Rev. iii.)

The eighth chapter, and the tenth of the first epistle to
the Corinthians, in this matter and in this time, are places
very expedient to lead and govern the judgment of every
christian man. There we may see that the Corinthians
indeed had knowledge, and perceived right well that nei-
ther the idols amongst them, neither the meat dedicated
unto the idols, were any thing, and thought as lightly of
both, as of things of nothing, and upon that knowledge
they used to be present, and also to eat at the feast, and
of the meats dedicated unto idols. Wherewithal Paul was
so sorely offended, that he gave this sentence : " If a man
see thee, which hast knowledge, sit at table in the idols'
temple, shall not the conscience of him that is weak, be
emboldened to eat those things which are sacrificed to
idols ? And through thy knowledge shall the weak bro-
ther perish, for whom Christ died. Now when ye sin so
against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience,
ye sin against Christ." This judgment of Paul is more to
be followed, than all our own feigned and wrested de-
fences, which would fain seem to do well, when we halt
on both sides, which God abhors. Paul had a profound
and deep consideration of that man's fault that has know-
ledge, and perceiveth his dissimulation to be dangerous
and perilous to all persons whom he dwells with.

First, such as are of a right and stayed judgment and
will not prostrate their bodies to an idol, condemn, and
needs must do so, such dissimulation. The very idolaters
themselves have a defence of their, abomination, by the
presence of him whom the christian congregation knows
to have knowledge. The weaker sort that would gladly
take the best way, by a dissembler halting and playing of
both hands, embrace both in body and in soul the evil that
he abhors in his heart ; and though he have knowledge, yet
with his presence he esteems it as others do which have
no knowledge. If St. Paul said, that the weak brother
perishes for whom Christ died, by him that abuses know-
ledge in meats and drinks that of themselves are indifferent:

452 Hooper. — Letters.

how much more by the knowledge of him that uses manifest
idolatry which is forbidden of God as a thing not indifferent !
Take heed what St. Paul means, and what he would
prove against this man who had knowledge that neither
the idols nor the meats dedicated to idols were any thing.
Forsooth this he would prove : that a poor man that wants
knowledge/ by the example of him that has knowledge,
doth there adventure to do evil, which he would not do in
case he saw not those that he had good opinion of, to go
before him as authors of the evil. And indeed the igno-
rant people, or those that are half persuaded in a truth,
yea, or else thoroughly persuaded what is evil, when they'
have any notable man or woman for an example to follow,
thev think in following of them they are excused, yea,
although peradventure they do it against their consciences ;
as you may see how many good men by the example of
Peter began to dissemble, yea, Barnabas himself.

But let the judgment of men reflect, and measure from
God's word how great offence this is before God, so to
make a doubtful conscience or striving against knowledge
to do any thing that is not godly. Christ saith, It were
better a millstone were hanged about such an ^offender's
neck, and, he cast into the sea. And doubtless the pain
must be the greater, because we give offence willingly, and
against our own consciences ; and this before God is a
wicked knowledge that causes another to perish. Wo be
unto him that is learned, to bring his brother to destruction.
Does a christian man know the truth to bring his brother
to a lie ? For these weaklings that we make to stumble,
Christ died, as St Paul saith. God forbid we should
confirm any man's conscience in evil. Let every. man. of
God weigh with himself the doctrine of St. Paul, that com-
mands us to flee idolatry. •

-And mark what St. Paul in that place calls idolatry. It
is to be seen plainly that he speaks not' of such, idolatry
as men commit, that lack knowledge in their hearts what
God is and what God is not. For in the eighth chapter,
before, he saith, that men know that the idols were no
gods, and that although by name the Gentiles had many
gods, yet they knew that there was but one God. There-
fore he means nothing by this commandment, " Flee ido-
latry," but to avoid such rites, ceremonies, and usages, as
outwardly were used in honour and reverence of the idols
that were no gods. And weighing the right use of the

viii.] To the christian Congregation. 453

Lord's supper and the dignity thereof, with the manner
and use of the gentiles towards their gods, he would bring
the church of the Corinthians to understand how that, as
the divine and sacred rites, ceremonies, and use of the
sacrament of Christ's body and blood, did sanctify him,
and declare him that used it, to be the servant and child
of God ; so the rites and sacraments of the gentiles defiled
the users thereof, and declared them to be the servants
and children of the idol, notwithstanding that they knew
in their hearts that the idol was nothing. God by his
sacrament unites us unto him ; let us pray, therefore, to
him that we pollute not ourselves with any rites, ceremo-
nies, or usages not instituted by God, and so divide our-
selves from him.

In this cause, if a faithfiil man should be at the mass, it
is to be considered with what mind those that he there
accompanies himself with, come thither, and what is the
end of the work that the priest doth. The people come to
honour the bread and wine as God, and the priest pur-
poses to consecrate both God and man, and so to offer
Christ to the Father for remission of sin. Now they, that
adjoin themselves unto these people, profess and declare a
society and fellowship of the same impiety, as St. Paul
laid to the Corinthians' charge. St. Paul was not offended
with the Corinthians because they lacked knowledge of
the true God, but because, contrary to their knowledge,
they associated themselves with idolaters. For this is
true, that in all rites, sacraments, and honourings, whether
they are of God or of the devil, there is a profession of a
communion ; so that every man protests to be of the same
religion that the rest are of, who are partakers with him.
I know there are many evasions made by men who judge
that a man may, with safeguard of conscience, be at the
mass. Bid forasmuch as Master Calvin, Master Bullinger,
and others, have thoroughly answered them : such as are
in doubt may- read their books. This is my conscience
according to God's word.* John Hooper.

* Thomas Sampson, then an exile, wrote thus to the inhabitants
of Allhallows, Bread-street, whose pastor he formerly had beeii.
" If they thought they could embrace both popery and the gospel,
they deceived themselves. For they could not both hold the taste oi
Christ's death in their consciences, and also allow that mass which
was the defacer of Christ's death. They could not embrace the
right use of the Lord's Supper, and also use and partake , the hor-
rible profanation of the same."— Stipe's Memorials, III. p. 349,

454 Hooper. — Letters.

LETTER IX.

To the faithful and lively members of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, inhabiting the city of London, grace and peace
from the heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus
Christ.

Your faith and firm hope of eternal life, dearly beloved,
which, of long time, you have learned and thoroughly per-
suaded yourselves in, by the truth and infallible verity of
the heavenly word, sealed with Christ's most precious
blood, is very sorely and dangerously assaulted, and by
all means possible, attempted to be taken from you, that
you should no longer credit God's truth, but believe man's
lies ; nor have your salvation by Christ that once died and
offered himself for sin once for all, but that you should
believe your salvation in Christ, to be many times offered
by Wicked men every day in the abominable mass ; to the
utter treading under foot and defacing of Christ's death,
as the wicked pope and his adherents would persuade you,
and not as Christ your Saviour hath taught you. But this
sudden and miserable change from the truth unto false-
hood, and from God and Christ to the devil and antichrist,
doubtless comes of God for our manifold sins towards the
heavenly Father our Shepherd, that taught us a long time
with his blessed word, and we were neither thankful for it,
nor yet put our trust in him, as in one that could alone
save and defend his own word. But we thought, in our
foolishness, that the world was so much and in so many
ways with the word of God, that even by man's strength
it might have been defended, whereas the truth of God's
word is permanent, and never fails, saying: " Cursed be
they that make flesh their defence and shield."

King David, when God had brought him to possess his
kingdom peaceably, said, foolishly, " I shall never more
be disquieted," but yet the Lord turned his face from him,
and he found straightway such an alteration as he never
found before, with increase of new dangers, and more
troubles than ever he had before. Even, likewise, when
God had given us a blessed and holy king, and such ma-
gistrates, although they were sinners, as wished the glory
of God. alone to be preferred, by true doctrine ; we, like
carnal men, thought ourselves so sure and so established,

ix.] To the faithful members of Jesus Christ. 455

that it had not been possible to have seen such a piteous
and miserable change, and the truth of God's word so
oppressed, as we see at this present day. But we are
most worthily punished, and even in the same ways that
we have offended. We put our trust in flesh, and where
God's Spirit in flesh dwelled, in our holy and blessed king
Edward the sixth — he is now dead in the flesh, and his
holy soul rests with the heavenly Father in joys for ever.
He is now, I say, taken from us, and cannot help us. And
such as in his time seemed much to favour the glory of
God, are become God's enemies, and can both hear others
proceed against the glory of God, and also set forth the
same themselves as much as they may ; so that such spi-
ritual and godly persons as sought God's glory in the
flesh, are taken from us, or else are in such case, that they
can do us no good. And such flesh as followed and loved
God in the sight of the world, and had great advantage
by his word, are become his enemies, and not only his,
but also enemies to his members.

But yet, as king David knew his foolish folly, and with
repentance repented and found grace ; so it may please
God to give us of his grace and Holy Spirit, to amend our
faults in the like offences, and help us, as he did him.
But, doubtless, great is our iniquity. For there never was
such great abomination read of, and so quickly to prevail,
as this abomination of the wicked mass has prevailed,
in England. And all christian men know that the Turks
and heathens neither have, nor yet ever had, any so sensi-
bly known and manifest an idol.

Wherefore, that almighty God of his mercy may pre-
serve his people in this noble city of London, I have
written upon the twenty-third psalm of king David, to
advertise men how they shall beware of heresies and false
doctrine, and live to his honour and glory. Albeit, I know,
dearly beloved, that all those who seek God's honour,
and the furtherance of his gospel, are accounted the
queen's enemies, although we daily pray for her grace,
and never think her harm : but we must be content to
suffer slander, and patiently to bear all such injuries.
Nevertheless, this is out of doubt, that the queen's high-
ness hath no authority to compel any man to believe any
thing contrary to God's word, neither may the subject
give her grace that obedience ; in case he do, his soul is
lost for ever. Our bodies, goods, and lives are at her

456 Hooper. — Letters.

highness's commandment, and she shall have them as of
true, subjects ; but the soul of man for religion, is bound
to none but unto God and his holy word,

John Hooper.

LETTER X.

An answer to a friend, for a woman that was troubled by
her husband in matters of religion, how she should be-
have herself towards him.

The grace and peace of God, our dear Father, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, be with you. Amen.

As concerning the party whom you wrote unto me of, I
have here sent you mine advice, and what I think is best in
this case to be done. First, she shall remember the counsel
of St. Paul, 1 Cor. vii. where he speaks to such as. are
coupled in matrimony, and are of two divers religions :
if the unbelieving man will dwell with the faithful woman,
the wife cannot forsake him. Or in case the unbelieving
woman will dwell with her believing husband, the husband
cannot forsake her. But if the unbelieving party, Whether
it be husband or wife, will depart, the believing party is at
liberty. Now in this time, to believe that the priest can
make God, or to believe that which was not God yester-
day, can be both God and man to-day, and so to honour
that which was mere bread yesterday, for the true God
that made both heaven and earth and all that are in them,
and for the body and soul of Christ that suffered for our
redemption, and took from us our sins upon the cross, is
very idolatry, and to be committed by no christian man ;
for the pain of it, without repentance, is everlasting dam-
nation.

In matrimony it is right, therefore, that, which party
soever be persuaded and knows the truth, be it the hus-
band or the wife, the truth be spoken, taught, and opened
unto the party that is not persuaded. For as St. Paul
saith, " How knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt
save thy wife? or how knowest thou, O woman, whether
thou shalt save thy husband ?" Therefore let the best and
more godly party be diligent in saving, by his or her la-
bours, the party that is not instructed nor persuaded in
the truth. If it prevail, then is the worse part amended

x.] For a woman troubled by her husband. 457

and the best part hath done his or her duty and office, as
it is commanded. (Ephes. v. Colos. iii. 1 Peter iii.)

In case the worse part will not be amended, but tarry
still in error, and so offend the almighty God, the author
of marriage, let the best part, that is persuaded and knows
the truth, as, in this case, the woman, labour with her
companions to be free and at liberty, and not to be com-
pelled to honour any false God, or to serve God otherwise
than she knows she may do with a good conscience, as; she
is taught by the word of God. And if she may thus ob-
tain to be at liberty, and be not compelled to do things
against her conscience, she may not in any wise depart
from him that she is married unto. If this woman cannot
win her husband to the truth, nor obtain to live freely and
at liberty in the faith of Christ herself, let her cause some
godly and grave man or woman to persuade with her hus-
band, as well for his own better knowledge, as for the free-
dom and liberty of herself, and let her, and whosoever
entreats of the matter, use modesty, soberness, and charity,
and pray unto God that their doings may have virtuous
and godly success.

In case, which God forbid, the husband would not re-
form himself of his error, nor suffer his wife to refrain from
the company and fellowship of such as are present at the
mass, where an idol is honoured for God, the wife must
make answer soberly and christianly, that she is forbidden
by God's laws to commit idolatry, and that God is more to
be obeyed than man, and so in any case beware she offend
not against the first commandment, which is, " Thou shalt
have no other gods but me."

It may come to pass, that when the husband shall per-
ceive the wife's love and reverence towards him, and also
her constancy and strength in the truth and true religion
of God, although he be not converted unto the truth by
her, yet he will be contented to suffer her to use the liberty
of her conscience, without compulsion to any religion that
she by God's word detests and abhors. But if there be
no remedy, but either the wife must follow her husband's
commandment in idolatry, or else suffer the extremity of
the law ; here must the wife remember and learn whether
there be any law or not, that can compel her ordinarily to
come to the mass, where idolatry is committed. If there
be no law or other means to compel her than her husband's
foul words, which are nothing else but threatenings to put

hooper. x

458 Hooper. — Letters.

her in fear, she must, if she can with wisdom and Woman-
hood, amend the same ; if she eannot, then must she
christianly and patiently bear them as a woman of God,
that for his sake must suffer as much as his pleasure is to
lay upon her.

In case there be a law to compel her and all others, if
otherwise she will not obey, to come to the mass ; first,
she must wisely and discreetly weigh her husband's nature,
whether he is wont to be in deed, works, and offers, cruel
as he is in words. If she can find that his nature is, as the
most part of men are, more churlish and cruel in words
than in works, then howsoever he threatens by dangerous
words, he will not accuse his wife to harm her, but rather
excuse her. In case either for lack of love, or. for fear of
losing of his goods, she perceive verily thaf he minds to
bring her into danger by law, then must she pray to God,
and use one of these extreme remedies. First, if she find
herself by prayer strong to abide the extremity of the law,
yea, though she should die, let her in no case depart from
her husband. In case she finds herself too weak to suffer
such extremity, then rather than to break company and
marriage between God and her, conjoined by the precious
blood of Christ, she must convey herself into some place
where idolatry may be avoided.

For if the husband love the wife, or the wife the hus-
band, more than Christ, neither he nor she is meet for
Christ. (Matt. x. xvi. Luke ix. xiv.) Yea, if a man love
his own life more than Christ, he is not fit for Christ. And
what does it avail a man to win all the world and to lose
his soul ? But here the woman must take heed, that in
case, for the keeping of the marriage between God and
her she depart from her husband, that she be always in
honest, virtuous, and godly company. So that she may
at all times have record for her godly behaviour, if any
thing should be laid to her charge, and let her live a sole,
sober, and modest life, with soberness and prayer to God,
that it may please him to banish such wicked laws and
wicked religion as make debate between God and man,
and husband and wife ; and then God shall from time to
time give counsel to every good man and woman what is
best to be done in such pitiful cases, for his honour and to
the salvation of our woful and troubled consciences.

Out of the Fleet, by the prisoner of the Lord,

John Hooper.

xi.] To Mrs. Warcop. 459

LETTER XI.

To my dearly beloved sister in the Lord, mistress Ann
Warcop.

The grace of God be with you. Amen. I thank you
for your loving token. I pray you, burden not yourself
too much. It were right for me rather to bear a pain,
than to be a hinderance to many. I rejoiced at the coming
of this bearer, to understand of your constancy, and that
you are fully resolved, by God's grace, rather to suffer ex-
tremity, than to go from the truth in God which you have
professed.

He that gave you grace to begin in so infallible a truth,
will follow you in the same unto the end. But, my loving
sister, as you are travelling this perilous journey, take this
lesson with you, practised by wise men ; whereof you may
read in the second of St. Matthew's gospel. Such as
travelled to find Christ, followed the star only, and as long
as they saw it, they were assured they were in the right
way, and had great joy in their journey. But when they
entered into Jerusalem, (whereas the star led them not
thither, but unto Bethlehem,) and there asked the citizens
for that which the star showed before ; as long as they
tarried iu Jerusalem, asking where Christ was born, they
were not only ignorant of Bethlehem, but also lost the
sight of the star that led them before.

Whereof we learn, while we are going in this life to
seek Christ that is above, to beware we lose not the star
of God's word, which is the only mark that shows us
where Christ is, and which way we may come unto him.
But as Jerusalem stood in the way, and was an impedi-
ment to these wise men ; so the synagogue of antichrist,
that bears the name of Jerusalem, which by interpretation
is called the vision of peace, and amongst the people now
is called the catholic church, stands in the way that pil-
grims must go by through this world to Bethlehem, the
house of saturity* and plentifulness, and is an impediment
to all christian travellers ; yea, and except the more grace
of God be, will keep the pilgrims still in her, that they
shall not come where Christ is. And to stay them
indeed, they take away the star of light, which is God's
* Fulness, repletion.

460 Hooper. — Letters.

word, so that it cannot be seen : as you may see how the
celestial star was hid from the wise men, when they asked
of the pharisees at Jerusalem where Christ was born.
You may see what great dangers happened unto these
wise men, while they were learning of liars where Christ
was. First, they were out of their way, and' next they
lost their guide and conductor, the heavenly star. Christ
is mounted from us into heaven, and there we seek him,
as we say ; and let us go thitherward by the star of his
word. Beware we happen not to come into Jerusalem,
the church of men, and ask for him. If we do, we go out
of the way, and lose also our conductor and guide that
alone leads us straight thither.

The poets write in fables, that Jason, when he fought
with the dragon in the isle of Colchis, was preserved by
the medicines of Medea, and so won the golden fleece.
And they write also that Phaeton, whom they feign the son
and heir of the high god Apollo, would needs upon a day
conduct the sun round about the world ; but as they feign,
he missed of the accustomed course : whereupon when he
went too high, he burnt heaven, and when he went too
low, he burnt the earth and the waters.

These profane histories shame us that be christian men.
Jason against the poison of the dragon used only the me-
dicine of Medea. What a shame is it for a christian man
against the poison of the devil, heresy, and sin, to use any
other remedy, than Christ and his word. Phaeton for lack
of knowledge was afraid of every sign of the zodiac, that
the sun passed by ; wherefore he went now too low, and
now too high, and at length fell down and drowned him-'
self in the sea. Christian men for lack of knowledge, and
for fear of such dangers as christian men must needs pass
by, go quite out of order, and at length fall into the pit of
hell.

Sister, take heed : you shall in your journey towards
heaven meet with many a monstrous beast ; therefore have
the salve of God's word ready. You shall meet with hus-
band, children, lovers, and friends, that shall, if God be
not with them, (but God be praisedjhe is, I would it were
so with all others,) be very lets and impediments to your
purpose. You shall meet with slander and contempt of
the world, and be accounted ungracious and ungodly. You
shall hear and meet with cruel tyranny to do you all extre^
mities ; you shall now and then see the troubles of your

xii.] To a godly widow. 461

own conscience, and feel your own weakness. You shall
hear that you are cursed by the sentence of the catholic
church, with such like terrors ; but pray to God, and fol-
low the star of his word, and you shall arrive at the port
of eternal salvation, by the merits only of Jesus Christ ;
to whom I commend you and all yours most heartily.
Yours in Christ,

John Hooper.*

LETTER XII.

To a certain godly Woman, instructing her how she should
behave herself in the time of her widowhood.

The grace of God, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and all them that unfeignedly love his holy
gospel. Amen.

I thank you, dear sister, for your most loving remem-
brance ; and although I cannot recompense the same, yet
do I wish with all my heart, that God would do it, requir-
ing you not to forget your duty towards God in these pe-
rilous days, in the which the Lord will try us. I trust
you do increase, by reading of the scriptures, the knowledge
you have of God, and that you diligently apply yourself to
follow the same ; for knowledge helps not, except the life
is according thereto. Further, I do heartily pray you,
to consider the state of your widowhood ; and if God shall
put in your mind to change it, remember the saying of St.
Paul, 1 Cor. vii. " It is lawful for the widow or maiden
to marry to whom they list, so it be in the Lord," that is
to say, to such a one as is of Christ's religion.

Dearly beloved in Christ, remember these words, for
you shall find thereby great joy and comfort^if you change
your state. Whereof I will, when I have better leisure, as
now I have" none at all, further advertise you. In the
mean time I commend you to God, and the guiding of his
good Spirit, who stablish and confirm you in all well
doing, and keep you blameless to the day of the Lord.
Watch and pray, for this day is at hand.

Yours assured in Christ,

John Hooper.

* Mrs. Warcop was a widow ; among her other good deeds has
received and concealed bishop Jewel till he could escape beyond
sea. — Strype.

462 Hooper. — Letters.

LETTER XIII.

To one that was fallen from the known truth of the Gospel
to antichrist and his damnable religion.

Grace, mercy, and peace of conscience, be multiplied
in all penitent hearts. Amen.

Dear brother in Christ Jesus, it is not long since I was
informed what love and fervent zeal you have heretofore
borne to God's true religion, appearing as well by your
life and conversation, as by absenting yourself from the
idolaters' temple and congregation of false worshippers.
But now, alas ! through the deyiljsh persuasions and wicked
counsel of worldly men, you have declined from your
former profession, building again that which before you
destroyed, and so are become a. trespasser, bearing a
stranger's yoke with the unbelievers. Of which ever since
I was informed. I have been marvellously moved with in-
ward affections, much lamenting so great and sudden a
change, as to be turned from Him that called you in the
grace of Christ, unto the dissimulation of wicked hypo-
crites, which, as St. Paul saith, is nothing else, but that
there are some which trouble you, intending to make you
like as they are, even lovers of themselves, whose hearts
are wedded to the perishing treasures of this world,
wherein is their whole joy and felicity, contrary to St. John,
who saith : " See that ye love not the world, neither
those things which are in the world." But they as men
without ears, and having hearts without understanding,
neither weigh the terrible threatenings of God against such
offenders, and the most woful punishment due for the
same, nor yet consider the loving admonition and calling
of God, who both teaches how to avoid his wrath, and also
by what means to attain salvation.

Wherefore, dear brother, I humbly beseech you, even by
the mercifulness of God, and as you tender your own sal-
vation, to give ear no longer to their pestilent persuasions,
but even now forthwith to repent : and have no longer
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, neither
fashion you yourself again like unto the world. Delight
not in the friendship thereof, for all such are the enemies
of God. Grieve not any longer the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

xiii.] To one fallen from the truth. 463

Acknowledge your offence, and from whence you are
fallen ; prostrate yourself before God, asking mercy for
Christ's sake. Mourn with Mary Magdalen, lament with
David, cry with Jonah, weep with Peter, and make no
tarrying to turn to the Lord, whose pitiful eyes always at-
tend to wipe away the tears from every troubled conscience.
Such is his entire love toward all those that turn unto
him, making them this sweet promise, confirmed by a
mighty and vehement kind of speaking : " Tell them as
truly as I live, saith he, I will not the death of a sinner,
but much rather that he turn from his evil ways and
live. Turn you, turn you from your ungodly ways, O ye
of the house of Israel ; O wherefore will ye die ?" Be-
hold, ye are here forgiven, your sin is blotted out, and the
most joyful countenance of God turned again towards
you.

What now remains ? Verily this, that you from hence-
forth keep circumspect watch, and become a follower of
Christ, sustaining for his name's sake, all such adversities
as shall be measured unto you by the sufferance of God
our heavenly Father, who so cares for us, that not one
hair of our heads shall perish without his will. Who also,
considering the tender and weak faith of his children, not
able as yet to stand against the force of antichrist's
tyranny, gives them this loving liberty ; " When ye be per-
secuted in one city, flee to another." O most tender com-
passion of Christ ! how careful is he over his people ;
Who would not now, rather than offend so merciful a God,
flee this wicked realm, as your most christian brother and
many others have done. Or else with boldness of heart,
and patience of spirit, bear manfully the cross even unto
death, as divers of our brethren have done before us,
as is declared at large in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews,
which I pass over, and come to our Saviour Christ, whose
example for our singular comfort St. Paul encourages us
to follow, saying : " Let us also, seeing that we are com-
passed with so great a multitude of witnesses, lay away
all that presses down, and the sin that hangs on, and let
us run with patience unto the battle that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ;
who, for the joy that was set before him, abode the cross
and despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God, &o." — " From whence he shali
come shortly," saith St. John, " and his rewards with him,

4§4 Hooper.-- Letters

to give every man according as his deed shall be. Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that their power may
be in the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
unto the city, where they, saith Isaiah, shall have their
pleasure in the Lord, who will carry them on high, above
the earth, and will feed them with the heritage of Jacob
their father, for the Lord's own mouth has so promised."

Thus I have been bold to write unto you for the chris-
tian ldve's sake that I bear to you, whose salvation I wish
as mine own, beseeching God that your whole spirit, soul,
and body may be kept faultless unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Your brother in Christ,

John Hooper.

LETTER XIV.

To Mrs. Wilkinson, a woman hearty in God's cause, and
comfortable to his afflicted members.*

The grace of God, and the comfort of his Holy Spirit,
be with you. Amen.

I am very glad to hear of your health, and do thank
you for your loving tokens. But I am a great deal more glad
to hear how christianly you avoid idolatry, and prepare
yourself to suffer the extremity of the world, rather than
endanger yourself to God. You do as you ought to do in
this behalf; and in suffering transitory pains, you shall
avoid permanent torments in the world to come. Use
your life, and keep it with as much quietness as you can,
so that you offend not God. The ease that comes with
his displeasure, turns at length to unspeakable pains ; and
the gain of the world, with the loss of his favour, is beg-
gary and wretchedness.

Reason is to be amended in this cause of religion : for
it will choose and follow an error with the multitude, if it
may be allowed, rather than turn to faith, and follow the
truth with the people of God. Moses found the same
fault in himself, and amended it, choosing rather to be
afflicted with the people of God, than to use the liberty of
the king's daughter, that accounted him as her son.

Pray for contentment and peace of the Spirit, and re-
joice in such troubles as shall happen unto you for the
* Mrs. Wilkinson afterwards died in exile at Frankfort.— Fox.

Xv -1 To a Merchant of London. 465

truth's sake : for in that respect Christ saith, " You be
happy.'' Pray also for me, I pray you, that I may do in
all things the will of our heavenly Father; to whose
tuition and defence I commend you.

John Hooper.*

LETTER XV.

To a merchant of London, by whose means he had received
much comfort in his great necessities in the Fleet.

The grace of God be with you. Amen. I thank
God and you for the great help and consolation I have
received in the time of adversity by your charitable
means, but most rejoice, that you are not altered from
truth, although falsehood cruelly seeks to distain her.
i Judge not, my brother, truth by outward appearance, for
truth now appears worse and is rejected more vilely than
falsehood. Leave the outward show, and see by the word

* Among many other memorable acts and notes worthy to be re-
membered in the history of master Hooper, this is also not to be
forgotten which happened between him and a bragging- friar, a little
after the beginning of his imprisonment : the story whereof here
followeth.

A friar came from France to England with great vaunt, asking
who was the greatest heretic in all England, thinking belike to do
some great act upon him. To whom answer was made, that master
Hooper had then the greatest name to he the chiefest ringleader,
who was then in Fleet prison. The friar coming to him, asked why
he was committed to prisoa
He said, " For debt."
" Nay," said he, " it was for heresy."

Which when the other had denied, "What sayestthou," quoth he,
to " This is my body i"

Master Hooper, being partly moved at the sudden question, de-
sired that he might ask of him again another, which was this :

" What remains after the consecration in the sacrament, any bread
or no ?'
" No bread at all," saith he.

" And when you break it, what do you break ; whether bread or
the body ?" saith master Hooper.
" No bread," saith the friar, " but the body only."
" If you do so," saith master Hooper, " you do great injury, not
only to the body of Christ, but also you break the Scriptures, which
say ; you shall not break of him one bone."

With that the friar, having nothing ready to answer, recoiled
back, and with his circles and crosses began to use exorcisms against
master Hooper, as though the devil had been present in the place.
This and more master Hooper wrote to mistress Wilkinson in a letter
which was read to her by John Kelke who is yet alive. (Fox, ed
157(5.)

v 3

466 Hooper. — Letters.

of God what truth is, and accept truth, and dislike her
not, though man call her falsehood. As it is now, so hath
it been heretofore — the truth rejected, and falsehood ret
ceived. Such as have professed truth, for truth have
smarted; and the friends of falsehood laughed them to
scorn. The trial of both has been by contrary success ;
the one having the commendation of truth, by man, but
the condemnation of falsehood by God, flourishing for a
time, with endless destruction ; the other afflicted a little
season, but ending with immortal joys.

Wherefore, dear brother, ask and demand of your book,
the Testament of Jesus Christ, in these woful and wretched
days, what you should think, and what you should stay
upon for a certain truth ; and whatsoever you hear taught,
try it by your book, whether it be true or false. The days
are dangerous, and full of peril, not only for the world
and worldly things, but for heaven and heavenly things.
It is a trouble to lose the treasure of this life, but yet a
very pain, if it be kept with the offence of God.

Cry, call, pray, and in Christ daily require help, succour,
mercy, wisdom, grace, and defence, that the wickedness
of this world prevail not against us. We began well, God
preserve us until the end. I would write more often unto
you, but I perceive you to be at so much charges with
me, that I fear you should think that when I write, I
crave. Send me nothing till I send to you for it ; and so
tell the good men your partners : and when I need, I will
be bold with you. December 3, 1554.

Yours with my prayer,

John Hooper.

LETTER XVI.

From Bullinger to the most reverend father, master John
Hooper, bishop of Worcester and Gloucester, and now
prisoner for the gospel of Jesus Christ, my fellow elder
and most dear brother in England.*

The heavenly Father grant unto you, and to all those
who are in bands and captivity for his name sake, grace

* Unto these letters of master Hooper, we thought not inconve-
nient, to annex another epistle, written to him by a famous learned
man, Henry Bullinger, chief superintendent in the city of Zurich.

xvi.1 From Btdlinger to Hooper. 4t»7

and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord, with wisdom,
patience, and fortitude of the Holy Ghost.

I have received from you two letters, my most dear
brother : the former in the month of September of the
year past ; the latter in the month of May of this present
year, both written out of prison. But I, doubting' lest I
should make answer to you in vain, whilst I feared that
my letters should never come unto your hands, or else in-
crease and double your sorrow, refrained from the duty of
writing. For which I doubt not but you will excuse me,
"especially seeing you did not vouchsafe, no, not once in a
whole year, to answer to my whole libels* rather than
letters, whereas I continued still, notwithstanding, writing
unto you ; as also at this present, after I heard that you
were cast in prison, I did not refrain from continual prayer,
beseeching our heavenly Father, through our only Media-
tor Jesus Christ, to grant unto you, and to your fellow-
prisoners, faith and constancy unto the end. Now is that
happened unto you, my brother, which we did oftentimes
prophesy unto ourselves at your being with us, should
come to pass, especially when we talked of the power of
antichrist, and of his felicity and victories. For you know
the saying of Daniel, His power shall be mighty, but not
in his strength, and he shall wonderfully destroy and make
havoc of all things, and shall prosper and practise, and he
shall destroy the mighty and the holy people after his own
will. You know what the Lord warned us of beforehand
by Matthew, in the tenth chapter, by John in the fifteenth
chapter, and the sixteenth, and also what that chosen
vessel St. Paul hath written in the second to Timothy, and
the third chapter. Wherefore I do not doubt, by God's
grace, of your faith and patience, whilst you know that
those things which you suffer are not unlooked for or come
by chance, but that you suffer them in the best, truest, and
most holy quarrel. For what can be more true and holy
than our doctrine, which the papists, those worshippers of
antichrist, do persecute? All things touching salvation we
attribute unto Christ alone, and to his holy institutions, as
we have been taught of him arid of his disciples. But they
would have even the same things to be communicated as

Of whose singular love and tender affection toward master Hooper,
ou heaid before in the beginning of master Hooper's life. JSow
ow lovingly he wrote unto him, you shall hear by this letter. — Fox.
* Small books.

I

n

468 Hooper. — Letters.

' well to their antichrist, and to his institutions. Such we
ought no less to withstand than we read that Elias with-
stood the priests of Baal. For if Jesus be Christ, then
let them know that he is the fulness of his church, and
that perfectly ; but if antichrist be king and priest, then
let them exhibit unto him that honour. How long do
they halt on both sides ? Can they give unto us any one
that is better than Christ ? or who shall be equal with
Chris-t, that may be compared with him, except it be he
whom the apostle calleth the adversary? But if Christ be
sufficient for his church, what needs this patching and
piecing ? But I know well enough I need not to use these
disputations with you who are sincerely taught, and have
taken root in Christ, being persuaded that you have all
things in him, and that we in him are made perfect,

Go forwards therefore constantly to confess Christ, and
to defy antichrist, bejng mindful of this most holy and
most true saying of our Lord Jesus Christ; "He that
overcometh, shall possess all things, and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son : but the fearful, and the unbe-
lieving, and the abominable, and the murderers, and whore-
mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev. xxi.) The
first death is soon overcome, although a man must burn
for th Lord's sake: for they say well that do affirm this
our fire to be scarcely a shadow of that which is prepared
for the unbelievers, and them that fall from the truth.
Moreover, the Lord grants uuto us, that we may easily
overcome by his power the first death, which he himself
did taste and overcome, promising such joys as never shall
have an end, unspeakable, and passing all understanding,
which we shall possess so soon as ever we depart hence.
For so again saith the angel of the Lord, " If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in
his forehead, or on his hand, the same shall drink of the
wrath of God, yea, of the wine which is poured into the
cup of his wrath, and he shall be tormented in fire and
brimstone before the holy angels, and before the Lamb :
and the smoke of their torments shall ascend evermore,
and they shall have no rest day nor night, who worship
the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the print
of his name. Here is the patience of saints ; here are
they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith

xvi.] From Bullinger to Hooper. 469

of Jesus." To this he adds soon after: " I heard a voice
saying unto me, Write : blessed are the dead that die in
the Lord, from henceforth, (or speedily they are blessed,
John v.) even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their
labours, but their works follow them :" for our labour shall
not be frustrate or in vain.

Therefore, seeing you have such a large promise, be
strong in the Lord, fight a good fight, be faithful to the
Lord unto the end. Consider that Christ, the Son of God,
is your Captain, and fighteth for you, and that all the pro-
phets, apostles, and martyrs are your fellow-soldiers.
They that persecute and trouble us are men, sinful and
mortal, whose favour a wise man would not buy with the
value of a farthing : and besides that, our life is frail,
short, and transitory. Happy are we if we depart
in the Lord, who grant unto you, and to all your fellow-
prisoners, faith and constancy. Commend me to the most
reverend fathers and holy confessors of Christ, doctor
Cranmer, bishop of Canterbury, Dr Ridley, bishop of
London, and the good old father, Dr. Latimer. Salute
them and all the rest of the prisoners with you for the
Lord's cause, in my name, and in the name of all my fel-
low-ministers, who speak unto you the grace of God, and
constancy in the truth.

Concerning the state of our church, it remains even as
it was when you departed from us into your country. God
grant we may be thankful to him, and that we do not only
profess the faith with words, but also express the same
effectually with good works, to the praise of our Lord.
The word of God increases daily in that part of Italy that
is near unto us, and in France.

In the mean while the godly sustain grievous persecu-
tions, and with great constancy and glory ; through tor-
ments they go unto the Lord. I and all my household,
with my sons-in-law and kinsmen, are in good health in
the Lord. They all salute you, and pray for your constancy,
being sorrowful for you and the rest of the prisoners.

There came to us Englishmen, students both godly and
learned : they are received by our magistrate. Ten of
them dwell together, the rest remain here and there with
good men. Amongst others, master Thomas Lever is dear
unto me, and familiar. If there be any thing wherein I
may do any pleasure to your wife and children, they shall
have me wholly at command : whereof I will write also

470 Hooper. — Letters.

to your wife, for I understand she abides at Frankfort.
Be strong and joyful in Christ, waiting for his deliverance,
when, and in what sort, it shall seem good unto him.

The Lord Jesus show pity upon the realm of England,
and illuminate the same with his Holy Spirit, to the glory
of his name, and the salvation of souls. The Lord Jesus
preserve and deliver you from all evil, with all them that
call upon his name. Farewell, and farewell eternally.
The 10th of October, 1554. From Zurich.

You know the hand,

H. B.

LETTER XVII.

To Buttinger, written out of prison.

Grace and peace from the Lord. Beloved father,
on the 11th of December, I received your letters dated at
Zurich the 10th of October. They were most pleasant
to me, because they were full of consolation; I readily
perceive in them your ancient love and affection towards
me ; I feel most thankful that you do not forget me in
these most difficult times. I always loved you, especially
on account of the many virtues, and the excellent gifts of
God manifest in you.
, You say that you have not received any letters from me
during the past year ; it is not that I have not written, but
that I intrusted my letters to persons who have not been
careful to deliver them. Nor have I received all that you
sent to me, they have either been lost or intercepted by
evil-disposed persons. The same has happened to the
letters and hook of Theodorus ; for I did not hear of his
book respecting our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, which
he sent me, till some days after the death of our holy king
Edward. I then saw it in the library of a pious man on
the borders of Wales, whom I had appointed to the
deanery of some churches. But what you have now writ-
ten, I will take care to communicate to all my brethren,
my fellow-prisoners.

I congratulate you all for the safety and constancy of
your church, and I pray to God, for the sake of his Son
Jesus Christ, that he would evermore fortify and defend it
against the tyranny of antichrist. Here, the wound which

xvii.] To Bullinger, written out of prison. 471

he received is quite healed ; and he is now accounted for
head of the church, who is not even a member of Christ.
From others you will learn the state of affairs in this
country. We are involved in the greatest dangers, as some
years ago : every day the enemies of the gospel are more
and more busy. We are imprisoned apart, and treated
with ignominy and scorn. We are daily threatened with
death, although we have done nothing to deserve it. But
in Christ Jesus we are enabled with fortitude to despise the
sword and the flames. We know in whom we have be-
lieved, and we are assured that we shall lay down our
lives in a good cause. Aid us with your prayers, that He
who has begun a good work in us may establish it to the
end. We are the Lord's — let him do what seemeth good
in his eyes.

I entreat you to comfort my wife by your letters, she is a
pious and most exemplary woman.* Exhort her to bring u.p
our children carefully — Rachel your god- daughter, a well-
disposed girl, and our son Daniel — and to educate them in
true religion, in the knowledge and fear of God. I also
send two books, which I wish you to read, consider, and
correct if they contain any thing which is not agreeable to
the word of God. The first is, " Concerning the true doc-
trine and use of the Lord's Supper," which I have dedi-
cated to the parliament of England, that we may publicly
reply to our adversaries. The other is, " For discerning
and avoiding false religion." I entreat you to cause them
to be printed as soon as possible. Both are approved by
the learned and pious in this country. I have also written
many other letters to the bishops, that they should bring
forward the books in parliament, and I wish them also to
be printed, that all may understand how unfairly and un-
justly we are dealt with. But I need not write to you at
length concerning this ; you will understand my wishes
from the letters and books themselves, and if your Fros-
cover is unable to print them, be pleased to send them to
Basle to Operinus, who prints well and correctly. I know
he will comply, if the books are sent to him with your re-
commendation. I earnestly entreat you to do this. Do not
be fearful for me, lest the enemies of the gospel should rage
more severely, and with greater cruelty, on account of the
publishing these books; I have a most faithful Keeper and

* Hooper had sent his wife to the continent ; she was at that time
at Frankfort, and corresponded with Bullinger. — Burnet.

472 Hooper. — Letters.

Defender in our heavenly Father for Christ's sake, to whom
I have wholly committed myself. To his faith and care I
commend myself; if my days are prolonged,, may he cause
it to be for the glory of his name ; but if he wills that my
short and evil life be ended, I can also say, " His will be
done." I write secretly, and therefore my letters are shorter
and less correct than yours, but consider them favourably
I entreat you.
Written in haste from prison, December the

11th, L554. I salute your wife and

all your family both abroad and at

home, also all others whom I know.

Yours most affectionately as I ought to be,

John Hooper.

LETTER XVIII.

To my dear friends in God, master John Hali and his wife.

The grace of God be with yon. Amen. I thank you
for your loving and gentle friendship at all times, praying
to God to show unto you such favour, that whatsoever
trouble and adversity happen, you go not back from him.
These days are dangerous and full of peril, but yet, let us
comfort ourselves in calling to remembrance the days of
our forefathers ; upon whom the Lord sent such troubles,
that many hundreds, yea, many thousands, died for the
testimony of Jesus Christ, both men and women, suffering
with patience and constancy as much cruelty as tyrants
could devise, and so departed out of this miserable world
to everlasting bliss, where now they remain for ever,
looking always for the end of this sinful world, when they
shall receive their bodies again in immortality, and see the
number of the elect associated with them in full and con-
summate joys. Suffering martyrdom as virtuous men,
and tarrying a little while in this world with pains, by and
by they rested in everlasting joys ; and as their pains
ended their sorrows and began ease, so did their constancy
and steadfastness animate and confirm all good people in
the truth, and gave them encouragement and desire to
suffer the like, rather than to fall with the world to con-
sent unto wickedness and idolatry.

Wherefore, my dear friends, seeing God of his part has
illuminated you with the same gift and knowledge of true
faith, wherein the apostles, the evangelists, and all martyrs

xix.] To John Hall and his wife. 473

suffered most cruel death, thank him for his grace in
knowledge, and pray unto him for strength and persever-
ance, that through your own fault you may not be
ashamed nor afraid to confess it. You are in the truth,
and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it, nor
antichrist with all his imps prove it to be false. They may
kill and persecute, but never overcome. Be of good com-
fort, and fear God more than man. This life is short and
miserable ; happy are they that can spend it to the glory
of God. Pray for me as I do for you, and commend me
to all good men and women. December 22, anno 1554.
Your brother in Christ,

John Hooper.

LETTER XIX.

In answer to a letter whereby he was informed of a godly
company, to the number of thirty, taken at prayer in
a house in Bow Church yard, and carried to prison,*

The grace of God be with you, Amen. I perceived by
your letter how that upon new year's day at night, there
were taken a godly company of christians while they were
praying. I do rejoice that men can be so well occupied
in this perilous time, and flee unto God for remedy by
prayer, as well for their own wants and necessities, as also
charitably to pray for them that persecute them. So doth
the word of God command all men to pray charitably for
those that hate them, and not to revile any magistrate
with words, or to mean him evil with force and violence.
They also may rejoice that in well doing they were taken
to the prison, wherefore I have thought it good to send
them this little writing of consolation; praying God to
send them patience, charity, and constancy in the truth of
his most holy word. Thus fare you well, and pray to God
to send his true word unto this realm again amongst us,
which the ungodly bishops have now banished. 4th
January, 1554 — 5.

* On new-year's day, in Bow church-yard, at night, was an as
sembly of men and women, to the number of thirty and above, who
had the English service and prayers used, and a lecture among
them, Thomas Rosse (or Rose) being their minister. They were
taken by the sheriffs, and their minister, after he had been brought
hefore the chancellor, was sent to the 'J ower, and the rest to the
Counter and other places. — Strype.

474 Hooper. — Letters.

LETTER XX.

To the godly and faithful company of prisoners in both
the counters, who were taken together at prayer in a
house in Bow church-yard.

The grace, favour, consolation, and aid of the Holy
Ghost be with you now and ever ; so be it.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, ever since your imprison-
ment, I have been marvellously moved with great affec-
tions and passions, as well of joy and gladness, as of
heaviness and sorrow. Of gladness, that I perceive how
yon are bent and given to prayer and invocation of God's
help, in these dark and wicked proceedings of men against
God's glory. I have been sorry, to perceive the malice
and wickedness of men to be so cruel, devilish, and tyran-
nical, to persecute the people of God for serving of God,
for saying and hearing of the holy psalms and the word of
eternal life. These cruel doings declare, that the papists'
church is more bloody and tyrannical than the sword of
the heathens and gentiles ever was.

When I heard of your taking, and what you were doing,
wherefore, and by whom you were taken, I remembered
how the christians in the primitive church were used by
the cruelty of unchristened heathens in the time of Trajan
the emperor, about seventy-seven years after Christ's
ascension into heaven. The christians were persecuted
very sorely, as though they had been traitors and movers
of sedition. Whereupon the gentile emperor Trajan re-
quired to know the true cause of christian men's troubles.
A great learned man, called Pliny the younger, wrote unto
him, and said, it was because the christians said certain
psalms before day unto one called Christ, whom they wor-
shipped for God. When Trajan the emperor understood
it was for nothing but for conscience and religion, he
caused by his commandments every where, that no man
should be persecuted for serving of God.* Lo ! a gentile
and heathen man would not have such as were of a con-
trary religion punished for serving of God !

But the pope and his church have cast yuu into prison,
being taken even in doing the work of God, and one of

• Trajan did not disapprove Pliny's putting the Christians to
death il brought before him and they refused to renounce theirfaith ;
but he ordered that they should not be sought after. In this re-
spect, " the papists were more bloody and tyrannical."

XX. J To the prisoners in the Counter 475

the most excellent works that is required of christian men ;
that is, whilst you were in prayer, and not in such wicked
and superstitious prayer as the papists use, but in the
same prayer that Christ has taught you to pray ; and in
his name only you gave God thanks for that you have re-
ceived, and for his sake you ask for such things as you
want. O glad may you be that ever you were born to be
apprehended whilst you were so virtuously occupied.
Blessed be they that suffer for righteousness' sake. For if
God had suffered them that took your bodies, then to have
taken your life also, now had you been following the Lamb
in perpetual joys, away from the company and assembly of
wicked men. But the Lord would not have you so to de-
part suddenly, but reserves you gloriously to speak and
maintain his truth to the world.

Be not careful what you shall say, for God will go out
and in with you, and will be present in your hearts and in
your mouths to speak his wisdom, although it seem fool-
ishness to the world. He that hath begun this good work
in you, confirm, strengthen, and continue you in the same
unto the end ; and pray unto him, that you may fear Him
only, that hath power to kill both body and soul, and to
cast them into hell fire. Be of good comfort : all the
hairs of your heads are numbered, and there is not one of
them can perish, except your heavenly Father suffer it to
perish. Now you are even in the field, and placed in the
fore front of Christ's battle. Doubtless it is a singular
favour of God, and a special love of him towards you, to
give you this foreward and preeminence, and a sign that
he trusts you before others of his people.

Wherefore, dear brethren and sisters, continually fight
this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most just and godly;
you stand for the true Christ, who is after the flesh in
heaven, and for his true religion and honour, which is
amply, fully, sufficiently, and abundantly contained in the
holy Testament sealed with Christ's own blood.

How much are you bound to God, to put you in trust
with so holy and just a cause ! Remember what lookers
on you have, to see and behold you in your fight,
even God and all his holy angels, who are ready always
to take you up into heaven, if you are slain in this fight.
Also you have standing at your backs all the multitude of
the faithful, who shall take courage, strength, and desire
to follow such noble and valiant christians as you are.

476 Hooper. — Letters

Be not afraid of your adversaries, for He that is in you is
stronger than he that is in them. Shrink not although it
be pajn to you. Your pains are not now so great, as your
joys shall be hereafter.

Read the comfortable chapters to the Romans, viii. x. xv.
Hebrews xi. xii. And upon your knees thank God that
ever you were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his
name sake. Read the second chapter of St. Luke's
gospel, and there you shall see how the shepherds that
watched their sheep all night, as soon as they heard that
Christ was born at Bethlehem, presently went to see him.
They did not reason nor debate with themselves who
should keep the wolf from the sheep in the mean time,
but did as they were commanded, and committed their
sheep unto Him whose pleasure they obeyed. So let us
do now, when we are called, and commit all other things
unto Him that calleth us. He will take heed that all things
. shall be well ; he will help the husband, he will comfort
the wife, he will guide the servants, he will keep the
house, he will preserve the goods ; yea, rather than it
should be undone, he will wash the dishes, and rock the
cradle. Cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you.

Besides this, you may perceive by your imprisonment,
that your adversaries' weapons against you are nothing
but flesh, blood, and tyranny. For, if they were able, they
would maintain their wicked religion by God's word ; but
for lack of that, they would violently compel such as they
cannot persuade by the holy scriptures, because the holy
word of God and all Christ's doings are quite contrary
unto them. I pray you, pray for me, and I will pray for you.
And although we are asunder after the world, yet we are
in Christ, I trust, for ever, joying in the spirit, and so
shall meet in the palace of heavenly joys after this short
and transitory life. is ended. God's peace be with you,
Amen. Fourth of January, 1555.

John Hooper.

LETTER XXI.

A letter written to certain of his friends, exhorting them to
cleave constantly to the professed truth of the gospel in
those days of trial, and not to shrink for any trouble.

The grace of God be with you. Amen. I wrote unto
you of late, and told you what severity the parliament

xxi.] To certain of his Friends. 477

had concluded upon concerning religion, suppressing the
truth, and setting forth the untruth ; intending to cause
all men by extremity to forswear themselves, and to take
again, for the head of the church, him that is neither head
nor member of it, but a very enemy, as the word of God
and all ancient writers do record. And for lack of law
and authority, they will use force and extremity, which
have been the arguments to defend the pope and popery
since his authority first began in the world. But now is
the time of trial, to see whether we most fear God or man.
It was an easy thing to hold with Christ whilst the prince
and the world held with him ; but now the world hates
him, it is the true trial who are his.

Wherefore in the name, and in the virtue, strength, and
power of his Holy Spirit, prepare yourselves in any case
to adversity and constancy. Let us not run away when it
is most time to fight; remember, none shall be crowned
but such as fight manfully; and he that endures to the
end shall be saved. You must now turn all your cogita-
tions from the perils you see, and mark the felicity that
follows the peril ; either .victory in this world over your
enemies, or else a surrender of this life to inherit the evei-
lasting kingdom. Beware of beholding too much the
felicity or misery of this world ; for the consideration and
earnest love or fear of either of them draws us from God.

Wherefore think with yourselves as touching the felicity
of the world, it is good ; but yet no otherwise than it
• stands with the favour of God. It is to be kept ; but so
far that by keeping of it we lose not God. It is good to
abide and tarry still among our friends here : but yet so
that we tarry not therewith in God's displeasure, and
hereafter dwell with devils in everlasting fire. There is
nothing under God but may be kept, so that God, being
above all things we have, be not lost.

Of adversity judge the same. Imprisonment is painful,
but yet liberty upon evil conditions is .more painful. The
prisons stink ;* but yet not so much as sweet houses
where the fear and true honour of God is wanting. I
must be alone and solitary. It were better so to be and
to have God with me, than to be in company with the
wicked. Loss of goods is great ; hut loss of God's grace
and favour is greater. I am a pool simple creature, and

* The prisons at tiiat time were very noisome. See Hooper's
account of his treatment in the Fleet prison, page 4.

478 Hooper. — Letters.

cannot tell how to answer before such a great sort of noble,
learned, and wise men ; but it is better to make answer
before the pomp and pride of wicked men, than to stand
naked in the sight of all heaven and earth before the just
God at the latter day.* I shall die then by the hands of
the cruel man — he is blessed that loses this life full of
mortal miseries, and finds the life full of eternal joys. It
is pain and grief to depart from goods, and friends'; but yet
not so much as to depart from grace and heaven itself.
Wherefore there is neither felicity nor adversity of this
world, that can appear to be great, if it be weighed with
the joys or pains of the world to come.

I can do no more but pray for you ; do the same for
me, for God's sake. For my part, I thank the heavenly
Father, I have made my accounts, and appointed myself
unto the will of my heavenly Father ; as he will, so will I,
by his grace. For God's sake, as soon as you can, send
my poor wife and children some letter from' you, and 1 my
letter also which I have sent of late to Downton. As it was
told me, she never had a letter from me since the coming of
master S. unto her ; the more are the messengers to blame,
for I have written divers times. The Lord ; comfort them,
and provide for them ; for I am able to do nothing in
worldly things. She is a godly and wise woman. If my
meaning has been accomplished, she should have had
necessary things ; but what I mean God can perform, to
whom I commend both her and you all. I am a precious
jewel now, and daintily kept, never so daintily ! for nei-
ther my own man, nor any of the servants of the house,
may come to me, but my keeper alone : a simple rude
man, God knows, but I am nothing careful thereof.
Fare you well. The 21st of January, 1554 — 5.

i Yours bounden, John Hooper.

LETTER XXII

A letter concerning the vain and false, reports which were
spread abroad of him, that he had recanted and abjured
that doctrine which he before had preached.

The grace and peace of God be with all them that un-
feignedly look for the coming of our Saviour Christ. Amen.

* Bishop Hooper was examined before Gardiner and other Ro-
manists the next day, and condemned a few days afterwards.

xxii.] Concerning vain and false reports. 479

Dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, and my fellow-
prisoners for the cause of God's gospel ; I do rejoice and
give thanks unto God for your constancy and perseverance
in affliction, wishing and praying unto him for your con-
tinuance therein to the end. And as I do rejoice in your
faith, and constancy in afflictions, that are in prison, even
so do I mourn and lament to hear of our dear brethren
abroad, that yet have not suffered nor felt such dangers for
God's truth, as we have, and do feel, and are daily like to
suffer more, yea, the very extreme death of the fire ! Yet
such is the report abroad, as I am credibly informed, that
I, John Hooper, a condemned mau for the cause of Christ,
now, after sentence of death, being in Newgate prisoner,
looking daily for execution, should recant and abjure that
which heretofore I have preached. And this talk arises of
this, that the bishop of London and his chaplains resort
unto me, Doubtless, if our brethren were as godly as I
could wish them to be, they would think, that in case I re-
fused to talk with them, they might have just occasion to
say that I were unlearned, and durst not speak with learned
men, or else proud, and disdained to speak with them.
Therefore, to avoid just suspicion of both, I have, and do
daily speak with them when they come, not doubting but
that they reported that I am neither proud, nor unlearned.
And I would wish all men to do as J do in th'is point. For
I fear not their arguments, neitheris death terrible unto me.
Wherefore I pray you to make true report of the same, as
occasion shall serve ; and that I am more confirmed in the
truth I have preached heretofore by their communications.

Ye that may, send to the weak brethren abroad, praying
that they trouble me not with such reports of recantations
as they do. For I have hitherto left all things of this world,
and suffered great pains and long imprisonment, and I
thank God I am ready even as gladly to suffer death for
the truth I have preached as a mortal man may be. Oh
Lord, how slippery the love of man, yea man himself is !
It were better for them to pray for us, rather than to credit
or raise such rumours that are untrue, unless they were
more certain thereof than ever they shall be able to prove.
We have enemies enough among such as know not God.
Truly this false report of weak brethren is a double trouble
and a triple cross. I do wish you eternal salvation in Jesus
Christ, and also require your continual prayers, that He
which hath begun in us may save us to the end.

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