godmother. But all that time I hid my pardon, and told her nothing of it, only exhorting her to confess the truth. At length I showed her the king's pardon, and let

her go.

This tale I told you by this occasion, that though some women are very unnatural, and forget their children, yet when we hear any body so report, we should not be too hasty in believing the tale, but rather suspend our judgment till we know the truth.

And again, we shall mark hereby the great love and loving kindness of God our loving Father, who shows himself so loving unto us, that notwithstanding women forget sometimes their own children, yet he will not forget us; he will hear us when we call upon him; as he saith by the evangelist Matthew, "Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," &c. (chap. vii.) Then he brings in a pretty similitude, saying, "Is there any man amongst you, which if his son ask bread, will offer him a stone? If ye then, being evil, can give your children good gifts," &c. In these words where he saith, "which are evil," he gives us our own proper name, he paints us out, he pinches us, he cuts off our combs, he plucks down our stomachs. And here we learn to acknowledge ourselves to be wicked, and to know him to be the wellspring and fountain of all goodness, and that all good things come of him. Therefore let every man think lowly of himself, humble himself and call upon God, who is ready to give us, not only bread and drink, or other necessaries, but the Holy Ghost. To whom will he give the Holy Ghost? To lords and ladies, to gentlemen or gentlewomen? No, not so: he is not ruled by affections; he hath not respect unto personages: "Unto those which call upon him," saith he, being rich or poor, lords or knights, beggars or rich; he is ready to give unto them when they come to him. And this is a great comfort unto those who are poor and miserable in this world; for they may be assured of the help of God, yea, and as boldly go unto him, and desire his help, as the greatest king on earth. But we must ask, we must inquire for it; he would have us to be importunate, to be earnest and diligent in desiring, then we shall receive, when we come with a good faith and confidence. To whom shall we call? Not unto the saints. Those that call upon him shall be heard, saith

he. Therefore we ought to come to him only, and not unto the saints.

But one word is left, which we must needs consider; "Our," he saith not my but Our; wherefore saith he “Our?” This word "Our," teaches us to consider that the Father of heaven is a common Father, as well my neighbour's Father as mine; as well the poor man's Father as the rich. So that he is not a peculiar Father, but a Father to the whole church and congregation, to all the faithful, though they are ever so poor, so vile, so foul and despised; yet he is their Father as well as mine: and therefore I should not despise them, but consider that God is their Father as well as mine.

Here may we perceive what communion is between us; so that when I pray, I pray not for myself alone, but for all the rest. Again, when they pray, they pray not for themselves only, but for me: for Christ has so framed this prayer, that I must needs include my neighbour in it. Therefore, all those who pray this prayer, pray as well for me as for themselves; which is a great comfort to every faithful heart, when he considers that all the church pray for him. For amongst such a great number there are some who are good, and whose prayer God will hear. As it appears by Abraham's prayer, which prayer was so effectual, that God would have pardoned Sodom and Gomorrah, if he had found but ten good persons therein. (Gen. xviii.) Likewise St. Paul in shipwreck preserved his company by his prayer. (Acts xxvii.) So that it is a great comfort unto us to know that all good and faithful persons pray for us.

*

There are some learned men who gather out of Scripture that the prayer of St. Stephen was the occasion of the conversion of St. Paul. (Acts vii.) St. Chrysostom saith, that the prayer which I make for myself is the best, and is of more efficacy than that which is made in common. Which saying I like not very well. For our Saviour was better learned than St. Chrysostom. He taught us to pray in common for all; therefore we ought to follow him, and be glad to pray one for another: for we have a common saying amongst us, Whosoever loveth me, loveth my hound. So, whosoever loveth God, will love his neighbour, which is made after the image of God.

And here is to be noted, that prayer has one property *With others.

before all other good works: for with my alms I help but one or two at once, but with my faithful prayer I help all. I desire God to comfort all men living, but specially "those which are of the household of faith." Yet we ought to pray with all our hearts for others, who believe not, that God will turn their hearts and renew them with his Spirit; yea, our prayer reaches so far, that our very chief enemy ought not to be omitted.

Here you see what an excellent thing prayer is: when it proceeds from a faithful heart, it far passes all the good works that men can do.

Now to make an end, we are admonished here of charity, and taught, that God is not only a private Father, but a common Father unto the whole world, unto all the faithful: be they ever so poor and miserable in this world, yet he is their Father. Where we may learn humility and lowliness, specially great and rich men shall learn here not to be lofty or to despise the poor. For when ye despise the poor miserable man, whom despise ye? Ye despise him who calleth God his Father as well as you; and peradventure is more acceptable, and more regarded in his sight than you are. Those proud persons may learn here to leave their stubbornness and loftiness. But there are a great many who little regard this; they think themselves better than other men are, and so despise and contemn the poor; insomuch that they will not hear poor men's causes, nor defend them from wrong and the oppression of the rich and mighty. Such proud men despise the Lord's Prayer; they should be as careful for their brethren as for themselves. And such humility, such love and carefulness towards our neighbours, we learn by this word "Our." Therefore, I desire you on God's behalf, let us cast away all disdainfulness, all proudness, yea, and all bibble-babble.* Let us pray this prayer with understanding and great deliberation, not following the trade of monkery, which was wholly without devotion and understanding. There are but few who can say from the bottom of their hearts, "Our Father." Neither the Turks, nor the Jews, nor yet impenitent sinners, can call God their Father. Therefore it is but vain babbling whatsoever they pray: God hears them not, he will not receive their prayers. The promise of hearing is made unto them only who are faithful and believe in God, who endeavour themselves to live according to his

* Chattering, idle talking.

commandments. For Scripture saith, "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears open unto their prayers." (Ps. xxxiii.)

But who are those righteous? Every penitent sinner who is sorry from the bottom of his heart for his wickedness, and believes that God will forgive him his sins, for his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake. This is called in Scripture " a just man," that endeavours to leave all wickedness. In such sort Peter and Paul were just, because they repented, and believed in Christ, and so endeavoured to live according to God's laws. Therefore, as they were made just before God, so may we too; for we have the self-same promise. Let us therefore follow their example, let us forsake all sins and wickedness, then God will hear our pray. ers, For Scripture saith, "The Lord fulfilleth the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and help them." (Ps. cxlv.) In another place he saith, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what ye will, and it shall be done for you." So we see, that the promises pertain only to the faithful, to those who endeavour to live according to God's will and pleasure; who can be content to leave their wickedness, and follow godliness: those God will hear at all times, whensoever they shall call upon him.

Remember now what I have said; remember what is meant by this word "Our;" namely, that it admonishes us of love and charity, it teaches us to beware of stubbornness and proudness; considering that God loves the beggar as well as the rich man, for he regards no persons. Again, what is to be understood by this word "Father;" namely, that he bears a good will towards us, that he is ready and willing to help us. "Heavenly"—that admonishes us of his potency and ability, and that he is ruler over all things. This, I say; remember, and follow it; then we shall receive all things necessary for this life, and finally, everlasting joy and felicity. Amen. Let us pray, "Our Father," &c.

THE

SECOND SERMON

UPON

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

MATTHEW vi.

Hallowed be thy name.

THESE few words contain the first petition of the Lord's prayer: the other words which go before this, are an introduction unto these petitions; and they are like a preface, or learned entrance to the matter, that the petitions might be the sooner and with more favour heard. For our Saviour being a perfect instructor, teaches us, as a learned and an expert orator, how we should begin our prayer that we might be speedily heard, and how to get favour at God's hand.

I have a manner of teaching which is very tedious to those who are learned. I am wont to repeat those things which I have said before, which repetitions are not pleasant to the learned; but it is no matter, I care not for them; I seek more the profit of those who are ignorant, than to please learned men. Therefore I oftentimes repeat such things as are needful for them to know; for I would speak so that they might be edified withal.

I spake some things this day in commendation of this prayer: and first I told you, that it was our Saviour's own making, who is a perfect instructor, put in authority by God the heavenly Father himself, who said, "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I have pleasure, hear him." (Matt. xvii.)

This prayer is a perfect prayer, an abridgment and compendious sum of all other prayers. There is nothing that we have need of, either to our souls or bodies, but it is contained in some of these petitions; nothing that God promises in his word to give us, but it is expressed in one of these seven petitions.