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,…

Word preached.

1 Many come to prayer, and of custom resort to the Sacraments, who either do not¹ at all hear the word preached; or else they hear at their leisure; or else they do² it bu• in ceremony without understanding; or if they do understand it, they do not³ practise it; or if they practise it, it is done coldly, and not in power, and yet their own⁴ practise in some things is somewhat strange. They will grant that to come to the Sacrament⁵ requireth a more solemn preparation: and yet they dare boldly adventure on⁶ prayer and on hearing of the word, without any preparation at all. But certainly as the abuse of the Sacrament bringeth judgement; so the abuse of prayer and the word will procure it: for as the prayer of faith is a sweet oblation to the Lord; so the prayer of the unbeliever is an abomination to the Lord. We must not only bring the ear of understanding, but we must also bring the ear of remembrance, and of practise, and beware that the word by little and little wax not less precious unto us, as honey to the mouth that is satisfied.⁷ And this is sure, when & how much the word preached doth prevail, so much our prayers & sacrifices do prevail: look how much the word preached doth profit, so much do we profit in prayer, and in the Sacraments. And whensoever our delights in the word wax faint, our prayers and all good exercises are like shortly to decay. Prayer bringeth a