that we have before angered Him by evil deeds;
but nevertheless we should not desist from that prayer,
until the compassionate God mercifully deliver us.
Moses had victory, and great succour,
the while he held up his hands in prayer;
and his will fainted not, but the weary body.
Now have we warfare against the fierce devil,
and he fighteth against us, because he is cruel;
how will it be then if we will not cry to the Saviour,
since the weariness of Moses might not be excused?
Verily he shall be overcome by the deceitful devil,
who will not call Christ to help him.
Every righteous man has had, even as we read in books,
succour and deliverance, when he, with full faith,
in his difficulties has cried to the Almighty.
There is nothing so hateful to the faithless devil
as that a man pray boldly to God;
because the deceiver knoweth that his weapons must
by holy prayers be soonest broken in pieces,
and he will be alway overcome by prayers.
Therefore he seeketh diligently, when we cry to God,
how he may destroy those prayers by temptations,
and turn our minds thereby from that work.
Either he will, at least, occupy us with negligence,
or subtly disquiet us with curious enquiries.
When we pray with simple-mindedness,
then speak we verily to God Himself thus ;
and when we read books, or hear them read,
