A02178:646
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,…
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
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.
33 The cause why oft our hearts want liberty and comfort in prayer, is, because our consciences tell us, that we have been unthankful for the former benefits. And therefore we must be thankful, as we are ready to crave. For therefore is the Church often afflicted, that it may often pray, that often praying it may pull down many benefits from the Lord,1 that pulling down many benefits from God, it may return many praises unto him. In this duty the godly differ from others: for though others have the outward benefits, yet having no feeling of the favour of God in them, they cannot heartily praise him for them. Another cause why our prayers are feeble, is, because our faith is faint: but God can as well deny himself, and cast down his throne from heaven, as deny to hear us crying in2 faith, which if we were persuaded of, we should have more heart in prayer, yea every little want would set us a work in it. It is not a particular practise of God at one special time to receive our prayers, as it was of certain Princes once in the year sitting in the gate to accept freely the bills of request preferred unto them, but it is an unchangeable nature in God: so as no sooner than he can cease to be a God can he cease to hear our requests. Wherefore if our faith be weak in the assurance of our sins pardoned, we must know, that the Lord having chosen us, though our iniquities be as black as the devils, yet God is unchangeable, and maketh them white as snow; and as he loveth us not simply for any well doing, so he doth not cast off his love simply for any evil doing. We must often listen to that sweet Echo, which is between the Lord and our consciences. Sinner, saith the Lord, I am thy salvation: Father, saith the sinner, thou shalt be my salvation. That we may3 be assured hereof, it pleaseth the Lord even to admit us into his Tabernacle of conference, and will not only let us tread in the courts, but also giveth us a stool• to sit in his own presence before the Ark; yea and not only giveth us a room in his Church, but also divideth us our portion of heavenly consolation by his Spirit & truth, whereby not only our souls and bodies be holden together, but also we grow from glory to glory, from pleasure ⟨p. 57⟩