For in tribulation (which cometh,
you know, in sundry kinds) any man that is not a dull beast or a
desperate wretch calleth upon God, not hoverly but right heartily,
and setteth his heart full whole upon his request, so sore he
longeth for ease and help of his heaviness. But when we are wealthy
and well at our ease, while our tongue pattereth upon our prayers
apace--good God, how many mad ways our mind wandereth the while!
Yet I know well that in some tribulation there is such sore
sickness or other grievous bodily pain that it would be hard for a
man to say a longer prayer of matins. And yet some who lie dying
say full devoutly the seven psalms and other prayers with the
priest at their anointing. But those who for the grief of their
pain cannot endure to do it, or who are more tender and lack that
strong heart and stomach that some others have, God requireth no
such long prayers of them. But the lifting up of their heart alone,
without any words at all, is more acceptable to him from one in
such a state, than long service so said as folk usually say it in
health. The martyrs in their agony made no long prayers aloud, but
one inch of such a prayer, so prayed in that pain, was worth a
whole ell or more, even of their own prayers, prayed at some other
time.
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