A16573:624
The complaint of verity, madeThe complaynt of veritie, made
The complaint of verity, made by John Bradford. An exhortation of Matthew Rogers, unto his children. The complaint of Raufe Allerton and others, being prisoners in Lollers tower, & written with their blood, how god was their comfort. A song of Cain and Abel. The saying of master Hooper, that he wrote the night before he suffered, upon a wall with a coal, in the new In, at Gloucester, and his saying at his deathThe complaynt of veritie, made by Iohn Bradford. An exhortacion of Mathewe Rogers, vnto his children. The complaynt of Raufe Allerton and others, being prisoners in Lolers tower, & wrytten with their bloud, how god was their comforte. A songe of Caine and Abell. The saieng of maister Houper, that he wrote the night before he suffered, vppon a wall with a cole, in the newe In, at Gloceter, and his saiyng at his deathe
London: printed for Owen Rogers?, 1559
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But if yet thy heart be so hardened, that all this gear will not move thee, surely thou art in a very evil estate, and remedy now I know none. What, said I, none? Know I none? Yes, there is one, which is suresby, as they say, to serve, if any thing will serve. You look to know what this is. Forsooth, the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. You know, the cause why Christ became man, and suffered as he suffered, was the sins of his people, that he might save them from the same. Consider the greatness of the sore, I mean sin, by the greatness of the Surgeon, and the salve. Who was the Surgeon? No Angel, no Saint, no Archangel, no power, no creature in heaven nor in earth: but only he, by whom all things were made, all things ⟨image 43⟩are ruled also, even Gods own darling, and only beloved Son, becoming man.
But if yet thy heart be so hardened, that all this geare will not mooue thée, surely thou art in a very euill estate, and remedie now I know none. What, said I, none? Know I none? Yes, there is one, which is suresby, as they say, to serue, if any thing will serue. You looke to know what this is. Forsooth, the Passion and death of Iesus Christ. You know, the cause why Christ became man, and suffered as he suffered, was the sinnes of his people, that he might saue them from the same. Consider the greatnesse of the sore, I meane sinne, by the greatnes of the Surgion, and the salue. Who was the Surgion? No Angell, no Saint, no Archangell, no power, no creature in heauen nor in earth: but onely hée, by whom all things were made, all things ⟨image 43⟩are ruled also, euen Gods owne deareling, and onely beloued Sonne, becomming man.
Oh what a great thing is this, that could not be done by the Angels, Archangels, Potentates, Powers, or all the creatures of God, without his own Son? who yet must needs be thrust out of heaven, as a man would say, to take our nature, and become man. Here have ye the Surgeon: great was the cure, that this mighty Lord took in hand.