The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

In the seventeenth Chapter and the fifth verse of Saint Mathews Gospel, the Father teacheth you how to hear, now the Son teacheth you how to hear: showing (as James saith) that hearers only are not blessed, for many shall say unto Christ, Have not we heard thee in our Synagogues? whom he will answer, with I know you not: and therefore it is not enough to hear, but you must care how ⟨p. 631⟩how hear, it is not enough to pray, but you must care how you pray, it is not enough to receive, but you must care how you receive, it is not enough to suffer, but you must care how you suffer, it is not enough to give, but you must care how you give, it is not enough to believe, but you must care how you believe: for God hath appointed the way as well as the end. Because Cain regarded not the manner,¹ God regarded not his Sacrifice. It is better to do well than to do good: for a man cannot offend in doing well, but he may offend in doing good, if he do not well. Therefore Christ (whom the Father bade us hear) teacheth us not only to hear, ²but how to hear: in the fourteenth chapter of Mark and the four and twentieth verse, teacheth us not only to read, but how to read: in the four and twentieth of Saint Matthew, and the fifteenth verse, teacheth us not only to suffer, but how to suffer: in the fifth of Matthew, and the tenth verse, teacheth us not only to receive, but how to receive: Luke 22. 19. teacheth us not only to pray, but how to pray: Luk. 11. 1. signifying, that more sin in hearing, and reading, and praying, and suffering, & receiving, amiss, than in not hearing, reading, praying, suffering, or receiving at all. Therefore Paul takes the Christian before his race, and gives him this watch-word. So run that thou ⟨p. 632⟩mayst obtain. 1. Cor. 9. 24. that is, so seek that thou mayst find, so ask that thou mayst obtain, so knock that it may be opened, so give that thou mayest do good, so suffer that thou mayest have comfort, so hear that thou mayst profit. How many have fasted, and watched and prayed more than we, and yet lost all their devotion? because they thought not of this rule, to do good in a good sort. The Papists so they pray, care not how they pray, for they think it enough to pray: and therefore when they have gone over their beads, their prayer is done, although they never thought what they asked.