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…

These are good remembrances for all hearers to think that the Word is an Epistle from God unto them, that it is the Will wherein their Legacies are written, that it is a charge from the Judge of life and death, that ⟨p. 656⟩it is the meat whereby they live, that it is the seed which if it grow they are fruitful, if it grow not they have no fruit, but these are general matters, my desire is to teach you a compendious way of hearing, which you have not heard before, that as the Word is called a brief word, so you may learn it briefly: for it is not gainful unto us as it is to Lawyers, Physicians and Surgeons, to keep you long in hand, but to heal you and dispatch you quickly as Christ healed the Lepers. This Age hath devised divers Methods to learn many things in shorter time than they were learned of old: A man may spend seven years in learning to write, and he may meet with a Scribe which will teach him as much in a month. A Prentice may spend nine years in learning a trade, and some master (if he were disposed) would teach him as much in a twelve month. A man may fetch such a compass that he may be a whole month in going to Berwick, and another which knoweth the way will go it in less than a week: so to every thing there is a farther way and a nearer way, and so there is to knowledge. You do not remember the hundred part of that which you have heard, & to morrow you will not remember the tenth note which you hear this day. It may be that some will remember more: and why not thou ⟨p. 657⟩as well as he? because one useth a help for his memory, which the other useth not. If you will use his policy, you shall remember as well as he: for let him neglect his help, and the best memory here shall not carry away half which he marketh now, until it be night. When the woman of Samaria heard Christ speak of a water, of which he that drinketh shall thirst no more, Oh (saith she) give me of that water: so now you hear of such a way, you would fain know it: but will you use it? I wish that I were such a messenger,¹ that I could compel you unto it: for truly until you use it, you shall never learn faster then you do. Now I think you have a desire to hear it, I will show it unto you.

These are good remembrances for all hearers to thinke that the Word is an Epstle frō God vnto them, that it is the Will wherein their Legacies are written, that it is a charge from the Iudge of life and death, that