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,…

and as prayer bringeth experience of God his love, so also it proveth our knowledge, faith, and repentance. For if we will be suitors at God his hand, we must not willingly displease him. For we see, that when we would obtain a suite of a man, we will be careful not to offend him, least we should suffer repulse: and likewise when we pray, we must address our hearts to obedience: and therefore the Scripture speaketh of cleansing our hearts of hypocrisy, and unfaithfulness. If this care be had in suites for things corruptible, that willingly we will not offend him, to whom we sue; then must we know, that God is Lord of the spirits: and therefore to pray unto him without avoiding things displeasing him, and doing things pleasing him, is but gross by pocrisie. He must needs be a godly man then that prays often, and if we be so bold to pray, nourishing some sin in us, besides that we are dull in prayer, we are inwardly both accused and accursed. Hereof comes such plentiful acknowledging of our sins in prayer, with a purpose to avoid them, hereof come such vows and protestations of obedience: so that prayer doth not only continue repentance, but also breedeth thankfulness. For it is our corruption, when we know that we obtained a thing any other ways than by prayer, that then we ascribe it to the means: but when we see God hath heard our prayers, it sealeth our faith, it confirmeth our thankfulness. True it is, that God giveth many mercies without praying: yet this must the more make us thankful, and nothing slack us in using the means which God hath appointed. That prayer further confirmeth love to God, it is manifest already: now we must show how it worketh love even to our brethren. When a man comes to pray, and hath this choke-pear, that he must forgive, or else not be forgiven, he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer, or cease from prayer, or forgive his enemies. It is palpable hypocrisy to desire God to forgive us many and great sins, and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences. If we will take a view of the weight, height, length, depth, and breadth of our sins, we will confess it hypocrisy to crave pardon for so many sins, being hardly brought to forgive others a few trespasses. And for ⟨p. 239⟩this cause the Scripture saith: If ye forgive not others, ye cannot be forgiven.

and as prayer bringeth experience of God his loue, so also it proueth our knowledge, faith, and repentance. For if we will be suiters at God his hand, wee must not willingly displease him. For we see, that when we would obtaine a suite of a man, we will be carefull not to offend him, least we should suffer repulse: and likewise when we pray, we must addresse our hearts to obedience: and therefore the Scripture speaketh of clensing our hearts of hypocrisie, and vnfaithfulnes. If this care be had in suites for things corruptible, that willingly we will not offend him, to whom we sue; then must wee know, that God is Lord of the spirits: and therefore to pray vnto him without auoyding things displeasing him, and doing things pleasing him, is but grosse by pocrisie. Hee must needes be a godly man then that prayes often, and if wee be so bold to pray, nourishing some sinne in vs, besides that we are dull in prayer, wee are inwardly both accused and accursed. Hereof comes such plentifull acknowledging of our sinnes in prayer, with a purpose to auoide them, hereof come such vowes and protestations of obedience: so that prayer doth not onely continue repentance, but also breedeth thankfulnes. For it is our corruption, when we know that we obtaiened a thing any other waies than by prayer, that then we ascribe it to the meanes: but when we see God hath heard our prayers, it sealeth our faith, it confirmeth our thankfulnes. True it is, that God giueth many mercies without praying: yet this must the more make vs thankfull, and nothing slacke vs in vsing the meanes which God hath appointed. That prayer further confirmeth loue to God, it is manifest alreadie: now we must shew how it worketh loue euen to our brethren. When a man comes to pray, and hath this choake-peare, that he must forgiue, or else not be forgiuen, he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer, or cease from prayer, or forgiue his enemies. It is palpable hypocrisie to desire God to forgiue vs many and great sinnes, and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences. If we will take a view of the weight, height, length, depth, and breadth of our sins, we will confesse it hypocrisie to craue pardon for so many sinnes, being hardly brought to forgiue others a fewe trespasses. And for