Certeine comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. Iohn Hooper, Bishop of Glocester and Worcester written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment, vpon the XXIII. LXII. LXXIII. and LXXVII. Psalmes of the prophet Dauid.

¶The second part of the Psalme.

Wherein the life and saluation of man consisteth.

THE SECOND VERSE.

He shall feede me in pleasant pastures, and he shall leade me by the riuers side.

HE shal set me in the pastures most plea∣sant and rich of his doctrine, and in the contemplation of heauenly thinges, wherewithall the minds of godly men are nourished, and fed with vnspeake∣ble ioy, & néere vnto the plentious flouds of the holy Ghost, and the swéete waters of the holy Scriptures he will féede me: in the which places the shéepe of the Lord are nourished to eternall life, abounding with milke, and bringing foorth most blessed fruite.* 1.1 The Scripture of God vseth this word (feede) in many significations. Sometime to teach and instruct,* 1.2 some time to rule and gouerne,* 1.3 as magistrates rule their people as wel by lawe,* 1.4 as by strength.* 1.5 Sometime to punish and correct,* 1.6 &c. But in this place, the Prophet vseth (feeding) as wel for instruction by Gods word, as also for defence and safegard of Gods people, by Gods most mightie power.* 1.7 He vseth this word (pa∣sture) for the word of God it selfe,* 1.8 as a thing which is the onely foode of a mans soule to liue vppon,* 1.9 as the meate and drinke is for the body.* 1.10 He vseth this word (leade) for conducting, that the man which is ledd,* 1.11 at no time goe out of the way,* 1.12 but alwayes may know where he is, and whither he is going: as in many other of his Psalmes, he vseth the same manner of speaking. The (riuers of refection) he vseth, for the plentifull giftes of the holy Ghost, wherewithall the faithfull man is replenished. His saying therefore is as much,* 1.13 as if he had spoken without Allegorie or Translation thus, He instructeth me with his word,* 1.14 and conducteth me with his holy spirite,* 1.15 that I can∣not erre nor perish.* 1.16

In this part of the Psalme be many things wor∣thie to be noted. First, it is declared, that the life of man consisteth in the foode of Gods word: then, that

there is none that giueth the same to be eaten, but God our heauenly shepheard: the next, that none can eate of this meate of Gods word, but such as the ho∣ly Ghost féedeth with the word.* 1.17 Our sauiour Christ declareth, that Man liueth not by bread alone, but of euery woord that proceedeth out of the mouthe of God.* 1.18 Whereby he teacheth vs, that as the body li∣ueth by externall meates, so doeth the soule by the word of God. And no more possible is it for a man to liue in God without the word of God, then in the world without the meate of the world. And S. Pe∣ter confesseth the same. For when the Capernaites, and many of Christes owne disciples had satisfied their bodies with externall meates, they cared not for their souls, neither could they abide to be fed nor to heare the meate of the soule spoken of, althoughe Christ did dresse it most holsomely with many godly and swéet words: they would not tarrie vntil Christ had made that meate readie for them: they could be contented to féede their bellies with his meates, but their soules they would not commit to his diet, but departed as hungrie as they came, thorough their owne follie. Christ was leading them from the fiue barlie loaues and two fishes, wherwith they had fil∣led their bellies, vnto the pleasaunt pastures of the heauenly word, that shewed neither barlie loaues nor fishe, but his owne pretious bloud and painefull passion to be the meate of their soules: how be it, they could not come in to this pasture, nor tast in any case of the swéet herbes and nourishment of their soules. When Christ perceiued they would not be ledd into this pleasaunt pasture, he let them goe whither they would, and to féede vppon what pasture they would, And then he asked of his twelue that tarried, saying: Will ye depart also? Peter, as one that had fedd both

body and soule, as his fellowes had, perceiued that the body was but halfe the man, and that béeing fed, there was but halfe a man fedd, and also that such meates as went into the mouth, satisfied no more then the body, that the mouth was made for: he felt moreouer, that his soule was fedd by Christes doc∣trine, & that the hunger of sinn, the ire of God, the ac∣cusation of the lawe, and the demaund and claime of the diuel, were quenched and taken away: he percei∣ued likewise, that the meat which brought this nou∣rishment, was the heauenly doctrine that Christe spake of, touching his death and passion: and he vn∣derstoode also, that this meate passed not into the bo∣dy by the mouth, but into the soule by faith, and by the presence of Gods spirite with his spirite, that the body also should be partaker as wel of the grace that was in it, as of the life. So that he felt himselfe not onely to haue a body and a soule aliue, but also that they were gratiously replenished with the pastures & food of Gods fauour. Wherefore he said vnto Christ, To whom shal we go? thou hast the words of euerla∣sting life. Which wordes in effecte sound no other thing then this Psalme doeth, where Dauid saith: The Lord feedeth me and I shal want nothing, for he leadeth mee into his pleasant pastures, and pastureth mee by the riuers side. Wherein it appeareth mani∣festly, that the word of God is the life of the soule.

The Prophete Dauid doeth meruellously open this thing, in the repeating so many times the word of God, in a Psalme worthie much reading, and more marking of the thinges conteyned therein. For he intreateth all the Psalme thorough, that a godly life doeth consist in the obseruation of Gods lawes, and therefore doth he so many times in the Psalme,* 1.19 pray God to illuminate and indue his spirite and

hearte with these two vertues, Knowledge and Loue of his word, wherewith he may both knowe howe to serue God, and at all times to be acceptable vnto him. And our sauiour Christ himselfe in Saint Luke saith vnto a woman,* 1.20 Blessed be they that heare the word of God and kepe it. And in S. Iohn,* 1.21 Christ exhorteth all men to the reading and exercising of the Scripture.* 1.22 For the ignorance of Gods word brin∣geth with it a murren and rott of the soule: yet for the sinnes of the people, God said, He would sende a hunger and famine amongst men, not a hunger of bread nor water, but of hearing Gods word. King Dauid therefore, as one assured both of the Authour of life, & also of the foode wherewith the life is main∣teyned, stayeth himselfe with Gods benediction and fauour, that he is assured God féedeth him with his word. And he sheweth also that none is the authour of this word, neither can any giue it, but God alone. For when the first fall of Adam and Eue by eating forbidden meates, had poysoned & infected both bo∣dy and soule with sinne and Gods displeasure, so that he was destitute both of Gods fauour & wisedome: none but God could tell him where remedie and help lay, nor yet could any deliuer him the help but God. For till God made promise that the séed of a woman should make whole, and saue that which the diuel and man had made sicke and lost, by reason of sinne, and also made open the remedie vnto Adam, and in∣clined his heart to beléeue the remedie: Adam was dead in sinne and vtterly cast away. Then the pittie of the heauenly shéepheard said, He should notwith∣standing in time be brought into the same pasture a∣gaine, * 1.23 and none should deceiue him, nor bring him any more out of the pastures of life.

But onely God gaue this meate, which was his

holy word and promise,* 1.24 and also the mouth of fayth to eate these promises of Gods onely gift. And the same appeareth throughout the whole Bible, that onely God, by sending of his worde and preachers, brought knowledge of euerlasting life, to the people that were in ignoraunce. As Saint Paule sayth:* 1.25 God before time spake vnto our fathers by the Pro∣phets, and in these latter dayes vnto vs, by his sonne, and after the ascension of his sonne, by his Apostles and Euangelistes,* 1.26 in so much that none of the Pro∣phetes-euer spake of Gods worde, that mainteined the life of the soule, otherwise then they receiued it of the high shepheard, almightie God, as Saint Pe∣ter saith:* 1.27 Prophesie came not by the wil of man, but the holy men of God spake as they were taught by the holy Ghost. So that God is the onely authour and founteine of his true word,* 1.28 the foode of all mens soules. In like manner, he is the onely giuer of the same: as he is the giuer of it, and none but him selfe: so none can eate it, but such as haue the same deliue∣red vnto them by the holy Ghost. So our Sauiour Christ likewise in the Gospell of Saint Iohn telleth Nichodemus,* 1.29 that it was not possible to vnderstand and to knowe the grace of redemption, except he were borne from aboue. And when Saint Paule preached the worde of God at Philippos, amongest the women by the water side, the Lorde opened the heart of Lidia, to vnderstande the things spoken of by Paule.* 1.30 And when Christe preached among the Iewes, and wrought wonderfull miracles, yet they vnderstoode nothing, neither were they anything the better. And Christe sheweth the cause, Proptereà vos non auditis,* 1.31 quia ex Deo non estis, that is to say, Therefore ye heare not, bicause ye be not of GOD. But the fault was not in God, but in the obstinacie

and frowardnesse of their owne heartes, as ye may sée in Saint Matthewe.* 1.32 Christ offered him selfe, but yet the malice of man rebelled at all times. Sainte Paule to the Corinthians wonderfully setteth foorth mans vnablenesse,* 1.33 and saith: The naturall man is not able to comprehend the thinges that be of God.* 1.34 And in Saint Iohn, Christ saith, No man can come vnto him, except the heauenly father drawe him, for they must be all taught of God. Nowe as the Pro∣phete sawe these things for him selfe and his salua∣tion in Gods worde: euen so must euery Christian man take héede, that he learne the same doctrine, or else it were no commoditie to haue the scripture of God deliuered and taught vnto vs. And euery rea∣der and hearer must learn of this Psalme, that there is none other foode nor meate for the soule, but Gods word, And who so euer doe refuse it, when it is offe∣red or preached: or when they knowe the truth ther∣of, doe yet of malice, feare, lucre and gaine of the world, or any other way repugne it, they be vnwor∣thy of al mercy and forgiuenesse. Let euery man and woman therefore examine their owne conscience, without flattering of them selues, and they shal find that the most part of this realme of England in the time of our holy and blessed king Edward the sixt, were fed with this holy foode of Gods worde, or else might haue bene fed with it. For it was offered and sent vnto them, as well by most godly statutes and lawes of Parleament, as by many Noble men, and vertuous learned Preachers. If they fed not vpon it accordingly, or now their téeth stand on edge, and their stomachs be cloyed with it, to their perill be it. Thus Christ saith:* 1.35 They haue nothing wherby iust∣ly to excuse them selues of their sin. And likewise he faith, that Whosoeuer hateth him, hateth also his fa∣ther.

By which words it appeareth manifestly, that no man can hate Christes doctrine, but he must hate Christe him selfe: and no man can hate Christe, but he must also hate the father of heauen. Wherefore, it is expedient for euery man to marke such places. For it was not Christes name, nor Christes person, that the Iewes hated so mortally Christe for: but they hated him to death for his doctrine sake, and it was Christes doctrine that condemned the world, and shewed the life and learning of the worlde to be euill,* 1.36 and could not abide the light of Gods worde, and therefore in no case they could abide to heare of it: as ye sée the like in his poore Preachers.* 1.37 For his wordes sake they be lesse passed of, then dogges or brute beastes: for they be hated to death, and more fauour doeth Barrabas the murtherer finde, then Peter the preacher of Christe, that would leade the flocke redéemed with Christes pretious bloud, into the pastures of Gods word with the Prophete Da∣uid: and yet in this hatred of Gods worde the foode of Gods shéepe, they would be séene, and none but they, to loue and honour God, but it is not so in their heartes: for they haue a contempt of God, as their fruites well declare. And Christe saith, They hate both him and his father, yea, and that without cause.

But thou (Christian reader) sée thou féede thy* 1.38 soule with no other meate,* 1.39 then with the holesome pastures of Gods word, what so euer the world shal say or doe.* 1.40 Looke vppon this text of Saint Iohn: When the comforter shall come, whome I shall send from my father, euen the spirit of trueth, which doth proceede from the father, he shall testifie and beare recorde of me. Weigh that place, and thinke, wherefore the sonne of man referred him selfe to the witnesse of the holy Ghoste, and ye shall knowe,

that it was for no vntruth that was in the authour being Christe, or in the doctrine that he preached: but only to make the disciples to be of good comfort, and that they should not estéeme the Gospel he prea∣ched vnto them any thing the lesse, although it had many aduersaries and enimies, and was spoken a∣gainst in maner euery where: for against the furie and false iudgement of the world that cōtemned the Gospell, they should haue the testimonie of the holy Ghoste, to allowe and warrant the Gospell. Let vs therfore pray to the heauenly shepheard, that he will giue vs his holy spirit, to testifie for the word of God the only foode of our soules, that it is true that God saith, and onely good that he appointeth to féede vs. And this we may be assured of, that in this heauie and sorrowfull time, there is nothing can testifie for the truth of Gods word, and kéepe vs in the pleasant pasture thereof, but the very spirite of God, whiche we must set against all the tumults and daungers of the world. For if we make this veritie of GOD subiect to the iudgement of the world, our faith shall quaile and faint euery houre as mens iudgements varie. Wherefore, let vs pray to haue alwayes in vs the spirite of adoption, whereby when our faith shall be assaulted, we may cry, Father, father, and the same helpe for the maintenaunce of trueth, God promised by his holy Prophete Esaie, saying:* 1.41 This is my couenant with them (saith the Lord,) my spirit which is in thee, and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouthe, nor from the mouth of thy seede, nor from the mouth of the seede of thy seede, from hencefoorth vntill the world end.

Here doth the almightie God set foorth, what a treasure and singular gift his worde is, and that it

shall not depart from his people, vntill the worldes end. And in these wordes is this parte of Dauids Psalme meruellously opened and set foorth. It is the Lorde alone that feedeth and instructeth (saith Esaie the Prophet.) It was not mans owne imagination and intention, nor the wisedome and religion of his fathers (what so euer they were:) but it was the Lord that spake, and made the couenant with man, and put his spirite in man, to vnderstande the coue∣naunt, and by his worde, and none other worde, he instructed man and saide, that by this meanes all men should till the worldes ende,* 1.42 féede and eate of Gods blessed promises. For in his word he hath ex∣pressed and opened to euery man what he shal haue, euen the remission of sinne, the acceptation into his fatherly fauour, grace to liue well in this life, and at the end to be receiued into the euerlasting life. Of these things the reader may knowe what maintei∣neth life, euen the word of God,* 1.43 as Christe saith:* 1.44 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you,* 1.45 aske what ye will, and ye shall haue it.* 1.46 He shall learne also, that it is not Generall counsell, Prouinciall counsell,* 1.47 the determination and agréement of men, that can be the authour of this foode, but only God.* 1.48 And as God is the only authour of this foode: euen so is his holy spirite, he that féedeth the poore simple soule of the Christian man with his blessed pasture,* 1.49 and not the wisedome of man,* 1.50 mens sacrifices, or mens doings. But as touching the foode of mans soule,* 1.51 to be the only word of God, I will (if it be Gods blessed plea∣sure, to whom in the bitter and painefull passion of Christe, I commit my will, with my life and death) open vnto the shéepe and lambes of God at large in an other booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn. 20.
• * 1.2

  Actes. 20.
• * 1.3

  Ieremi. 3.
• * 1.4

  Ezech. 34.
• * 1.5

  2. Reg. 57.
• * 1.6

  Mich. 5.
• * 1.7

  Iohn. 10.
• * 1.8

  Psalm. 74. 79. 95.
• * 1.9

  Ieremi. 3. ••••.
• * 1.10

  Ezech. 34.
• * 1.11

  Ioel. 1.
• * 1.12

  Matth. 4.
• * 1.13

  Psalme. 60. 73. 7.
• * 1.14

  Apoc. 7.
• * 1.15

  Esaie. 55.
• * 1.16

  Ioan. 4.
• * 1.17

  Matth. 4.
• * 1.18

  We can no more liue in GOD without GODS word, then in the wor∣lde with∣out world∣ly foode. Iohn 6.
• * 1.19

  Psalm 119.
• * 1.20

  Luke 11.
• * 1.21

  Iohn. 5.
• * 1.22

  And yet our blinde guids say, that igno∣raunce is the mo∣ther of godlines. Amos. 8.
• * 1.23

  Iohn. 10.
• * 1.24

  Ephes. 2.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 1.
• * 1.26

  Matth. 28.
• * 1.27

  2. Pet. 1.
• * 1.28

  Iames. 1.
• * 1.29

  Iohn. 5.
• * 1.30

  Actes. 16.
• * 1.31

  Iohn. 8.
• * 1.32

  Matth. 23.
• * 1.33

  1. Cor. 2.
• * 1.34

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.35

  Iohn. 15.
• * 1.36

  Iohn. 3.
• * 1.37

  Mark whi¦the prea∣chers of God are contem∣ned of the world.
• * 1.38

  Psal. 35.
• * 1.39

  Iohn. 15.
• * 1.40

  Iohn. 15.
• * 1.41

  Esaie. 59.
• * 1.42

  What thin¦ges we re∣ceiue by feeding vp¦pon Gods promises in this life.
• * 1.43

  Matth. 4.
• * 1.44

  Psal. 19. 119
• * 1.45

  2. Tim. 3.
• * 1.46

  Heb. 1.
• * 1.47

  1. Pet. 1.
• * 1.48

  Gala. 1.
• * 1.49

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.50

  Esaie. 54.
• * 1.51

  Iohn. 15.