A16573:657
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.
If I thought these, which I have before recited, were not sufficient to confirm your faith, of Gods love towards such as do repent, I would tarry longer herein. But because I have been both long, and also I trust, you have some exercise of conscience in this daily (or else you are too blame) I will but touch & go. Consider with your selves what we are, misers, wretches & enemies to God. Consider what God is, even he, which hath all power, majesty, might, glory, riches, &c. perfectly of himself, & needeth nothing, but hath all things. Consider what Christ is: concerning his Godhead, coequal ⟨image 53⟩with his Father, even he by whom all things were made, are ruled and governed: concerning his manhood, the only Darling of his Father, in whom is all his joy. Now Sir, what a love is this? that this God which needeth nothing, would give wholly his own self to thee his enemy, wreaking his wrath upon him self, in this his Son: as a man may say, to spare thee, to save thee, to win thee, to buy thee, to have thee, to enjoy thee for ever. Because thy sin hath separated thee from him, to the end thou mightest come eftsoons into his company again, and therein remain: he himself became, as a man would say, a sinner, or rather sin it self, even a malediction or curse: that we sinners, we accursed by our sin, might by his oblation or offering for our sins, by his curse, be delivered from sin, and from malediction. For by sin, he destroyed sin, killing Death, Satan, and Sin, by their own weapons, and that for thee and me (man) if we cast it not away by unbelief. Oh wonderful love of God. Who ever heard of such a love? the Father of Heaven for us his enemies, to give his own dear Son, Jesus Christ, and ⟨image 53⟩that not only to be our Brother, to dwell among us, but also, to the death of the Cross for us? Oh wonderful love of Christ to us all, that was content and willing to work this feat for us. Was there any love like to this love?
If I thought these, which I haue before recited, were not sufficient to cōfirme your faith, of Gods loue towards such as do repent, I would tarie longer herein. But because I haue béene both long, and also I trust, you haue some exercise of conscience in this daily (or els you are too blame) I wil but touch & goe. Consider with your selues what we are, misers, wretches & enemies to God. Consider what God is, euen hée, which hath all power, maiestie, might, glory, riches, &c. perfectly of himselfe, & needeth nothing, but hath all things. Consider what Christ is: concerning his Godhead, coequal