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…

As God pulled down his temple when it became a den of thieves, so he forsaketh the temple of the soul, & taketh his graces with him (as from a divorced spouse) when it lusteth after other loves. With any Talent he giveth this charge, Use & increase it until I come: being left, at last the cometh again to see what we have done. The seed was sown, this year the Lord calls for fruit & none will come, the next year, & the next after, and none comes: at last the curse goeth forth, Never fruit grow upon thee more. Then as the figtree began to wither: so his gifts begin to pair, as if a worm were still gnawing at them: his knowledge loseth his relish like the Jews Manna; his judgement rusts like a sword which is not used: his zeal trembleth as though it were in a Palsy, his faith withereth as though it were blasted, and the image of death is upon all his religion. After this, he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did, and speak as he did, and hath no power, but wondereth like zedekias how the spirit is gone from him. Now when the good spirit is gone, then cometh the spirit of blindness, and the spirit of error, and the spirit of fear, and all to seduce ⟨p. 688⟩the spirit of man. After this, by little and little first he falls into error, then he comes unto heresy, at last he plungeth into despair: after this if he enquire, God will not suffer him to learn: if he read, God will not suffer him to understand, if he hear, God will not suffer him to remember, if he pray, God seemeth unto him like Baal, which could not hear: at last he beholdeth his wretchedness, as Adam looked upon his nakedness, and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children, because they were not. All this cometh to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Whosoever hath not from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to have. As the ship sinketh upon the Sea, while the merchant sporteth upon the Land and makes him a banquerout when he thinketh that his goods are coming in: so while we are secure, and the heart spendeth, and the ear bringeth not in, by little and little the stock decayeth, and moe become bankrupts in Religion, than in all trades beside.

As God pulled downe his temple when it became a den of theeues, so he forsaketh the temple of the soule, & taketh his graces with him (as frō a diuorsed spouse) when it lusteth after other loues. With any Talent he giueth this charge, Vse & increase it vntill I come: being left, at last the commeth againe to see what we haue done. The seede was sowen, this yeere the Lord cals for fruite & none will come, the next yeere, & the next after, and none comes: at last the curse goeth foorth, Neuer fruit grow vpon thee more. Then as the figtree began to wither: so his giftes begin to paire, as if a worme were still gnawing at them: his knowledge leeseth his relish like the Iewes Manna; his iudgement rustes like a sworde which is not vsed: his zeale trembleth as though it were in a Palsie, his faith withereth as though it were blasted, and the image of death is vpon all his religion. After this, he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did, and speake as he did, and hath no power, but wondereth like zedekias how the spirit is gone from him. Now when the good spirit is gone, then commeth the spirit of blindenesse, and the spirit of errour, and the spirite of feare, and all to seduce