The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

or else if he live, he shall have strength to pass through them, and by them take his voyage to heaven, even as the wicked by them make a way to the hells. We stand on this point the rather, because most men nowadays are of this mind, that, if they come to the Church to pray a little, all is well, they have bin very religious, not thinking it in the mean time so necessary a thing to come to the word preached, which may breed in them faith and repentance. And therefore in that all will grant prayer, some few forlorn persons excepted; we say there is no true prayer, where is no faith, and no faith without the word: and therefore without the word neither faith, nor prayer, nor repentance. Now, if we will ask on the contrary, why the Lord rather nameth prayer, than hearing of the word: I answer, that naturally men had rather hear than pray, and then we are fit truly to pray, when we have reverently heard, because the hearing of the word inferring prayer, when we have heard, we are most ready to pray. We shall see, that ignorant and superstitious persons much commend prayer, but not preaching: but come to them that have knowledge, and they on the contrary are more ready to hear, than to pray, and they will longer continue in hearing than in praying. The holy Ghost then not respecting Turks, Papists, or such like, but professed Christians, which will brag of their worship to Godward, teacheth us, that all is nothing without prayer, knowing that neither foundation, nor continuance of repentance can be without prayer, the word and Sacraments are unfruitful without prayer, without which we are unworthy of any thing, because we will not vouchsafe once to ask it of the Lord. I appeal to the consciences of God his children, who, that I might pass by other loathsome persons loth for to pray, know, that prayer is not a thing of the mouth, but of the mind; not a sounding of the voice, but a yearning of the spirit; not a labour of the lips▪ but a travailing of the heart: and therefore will confess, giving God the glory to their own shame, that they had rather ⟨p. 238⟩hear the word two hours, than thus seriously strive in prayer one quarter of an hour. And why? It is a small thing to lend the ears in hearing, it is easy to feed our delight with hearing a man renewing our knowledge:

or else if he liue, hee shall haue strength to passe thorow them, and by them take his voyage to heauen, euen as the wicked by them make a way to the hels. We stand on this point the rather, because most men nowadaies are of this mind, that, if they come to the Church to pray a little, all is wel, they haue bin very religious, not thinking it in the meane time so necessarie a thing to come to the word preached, which may breede in them faith and repentance. And therefore in that all will graunt prayer, some few forlorne persons excepted; we say there is no true prayer, where is no faith, and no faith without the word: and therefore without the word neither faith, nor prayer, nor repentance. Now, if wee will aske on the contrarie, why the Lord rather nameth prayer, than hearing of the word: I answere, that naturally men had rather heare than pray, and then wee are fit truly to pray, when wee haue reuerently heard, because the hearing of the word inferring prayer, when we haue heard, we are most readie to pray. We shall see, that ignorant and superstitious persons much commend prayer, but not preaching: but come to them that haue knowledge, and they on the contrarie are more readie to heare, than to pray, and they will longer continue in hearing than in praying. The holy Ghost then not respecting Turkes, Papists, or such like, but professed Christians, which will bragge of their worship to Godward, teacheth vs, that all is nothing without prayer, knowing that neither foundation, nor continuance of repentance can be without prayer, the word and Sacraments are vnfruitfull without prayer, without which wee are vnworthie of any thing, because wee will not vouchsafe once to aske it of the Lord. I appeale to the consciences of God his children, who, that I might passe by other lothsome persons loth for to pray, know, that prayer is not a thing of the mouth, but of the minde; not a sounding of the voyce, but a yerning of the spirit; not a labour of the lips but a trauailing of the heart: and therefore will confesse, giuing God the glorie to their owne shame, that they had rather