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,…

10 Moses prayed sometime very unperfectly, and yet then the Lord heard him, which teacheth us that the Lord doth greatly like of prayer, yea though it be after a stuttering manner, as Hannah prayed in the Temple; or if it he but a chattering, as Hezekiah prayed in¹ his sickness: yet if it be in the bitterness of the soul, and in the uprightness of the heart, the² Lord doth like of it very well. It is not the fine words, nor the well framed sentences that he delighteth in; he is then well pleased with our prayers, when in the uprightness of our hearts we offer them up unto him, and when the Spirit by working unspeakable groans in our hearts, doth make our requests known unto God. Only let us look for the perfection of our prayers in Christ, let us still rebuke our selves, and stir up our hearts to gather confidence, that we may come more cheerfully unto prayers, as David did, saying: Why art thou so heavy O my soul? And then may we be sure that such prayers are very well pleasing in his sight. And here there appeareth a special difference between the unbelieving Israelites and the faith of Moses, they looked on the dry earth and unto Moses, where they could have small hope of redress, but they forgot the Lord: therefore they murmured when they should have prayed. Contrariwise: Moses forgot them, and so escaped murmuring; he looked unto the Lord, and so fell to prayer. This is a certain note of true faith, when at the first time that trouble doth oppress us, we can yet pour out our complaints into the Lords bosom, and by prayer look for help from above. And although we can find no fruit of our prayers, yea though we think that our prayers be turned into sin, yet if we can continue in prayer and be diligent therein, if we can even then also hear the word, when we can receive no comfort thereby, yea though it ever rebuke us and seem to make our con damnation known unto us, if we can abide our selves to be touched, and continue our care to hear the word still, if we can do these things, it is a notable token of true faith and the great work of Gods good spirit doth show it self herein; yea and that more lively³ than when a man hath comfortable feeling.

10 Moses praved sometime very vnperfectly, and yet then the Lord heard him, which teacheth vs that the Lord doth greatly like of prayer, yea though it bee after a stuttering manner, as Hannah praied in the Temple; or if it he but a chattering, as Ezechias prayed in