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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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