A16573:630
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.
From this and prayer cease not, till thou feel some hearty sorrow for thy sin. The which when thou feelest, then labour for the other part, that is, faith, on this sort.
From this and prayer cease not, till thou féele some heartie sorrow for thy sinne. The which when thou féelest, then labour for the other part, that is, faith, on this sort.
As first, in Contrition I willed thee not to trust to thy free will, for the attaining of it: so do I will thee in this. Faith is so far from the reach of mans free will, that to reason it is plain foolishness. Therefore, thou must first go to God, whose gift it is: thou must, I say, get thee to the Father of mercy, whose work it is, that as he hath brought thee down by Contrition, and humbled thee, so he would give thee faith, raise thee up, and exalt thee.
As first, in Contrition I willed thée not to trust to thy frée will, for the attayning of it: so doe I will thée in this. Faith is so farre from the reach of mans frée will, that to reason it is plaine foolishnes. Therefore, thou must first goe to God, whose gift it is: thou must, I say, get thée to the Father of mercie, whose worke it is, that as he hath brought thée downe by Contrition, and humbled thée, so hee would giue thée faith, rayse thée vp, and exalt thée.
On this manner therefore, with the Apostles, and the poor man in the Gospel, that cried: Lord increase our faith: Lord help my unbelief, pray thou and say: O merciful God and dear Father of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom as ⟨image 45⟩thou art well pleased, so hast thou commanded us to hear him, for as much as he often biddeth us to ask of thee,