A16573:644
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.
Howbeit, if this gear will not serve, i• yet thou feelest no faith, no certain persuasion of Gods love: then unto prayer and diligent considering of the free and ⟨image 48⟩universal promises of the Gospel: Thirdly, set before thee those benefits which God hath to forgiven thee, and presently giveth thee. Consider how he hath made thee a man or a woman, which might have made thee a Toad, or a Dog. And why did he this? Verily, because he loved thee. And trowest thou, that if he loved thee when thou wast not, to make thee such a one, as he most graciously hath made thee: will he not now love thee, being his handy work? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there unablenesse with him? Doth he love for a day, and so farewell? No forsooth, he loveth to the end, his mercy endureth for ever. Say therefore with Job: Operi manuum tuarum, porrige dexteram, that is: To the work of thy hands, put thy helping hand.
Howbeit, if this geare will not serue, i• yet thou féelest no faith, no certaine perswasion of Gods loue: then vnto prayer and diligent considering of the frée and ⟨image 48⟩vniuersall promises of the Gospell: Thirdly, set before thée those benefits which God hath to foregiuen thée, and presently giueth thée. Consider how hee hath made thée a man or a woman, which might haue made thée a Toade, or a Dog. And why did hée this? Verily, because he loued thée. And trowest thou, that if hee loued thée when thou wast not, to make thée such a one, as he most graciously hath made thée: will he not now loue thée, béeing his handy worke? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there vnablenesse with him? Doth he loue for a day, and so farewell? No forsooth, he loueth to the end, his mercie endureth for euer. Say therefore with Iob: Operi manuum tuarum, porrige dexteram, that is: To the worke of thy hands, put thy helping hand.
Again, hath he not made thee a Christian man or woman, where if he would, he might have made thee a Turk or Paynim? This thou knowest he did of love. And dost thou think his love is lessened, if thou lament thy sin? Is his hand shortened for helping thee? Can a woman forget the child of her womb? And though she should do it, yet will not I forget thee,