A12406:1095
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…
The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.
London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man, 1593
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I have said ye are Gods, &c. How can he call them Gods, which calls himself the only God, and saith, There are no more Gods but he? Esa. 44. 5. and 45. 21. I have made thee Pharaoh his God, saith God to Moses. Exod. 7. 1. because he had given him power to speak unto Pharaoh in his name, and to execute his judgements upon him: so he calleth Magistrates Gods, because he hath given them power to speak to the people in his name, and to execute his judgements upon them. Out of this name, Rulers may learn how to govern, and subjects how to obey. As the inferior Magistrates do nothing but as the superior Magistrate prescribeth: so they which rule under God for God, must rule by the prescript of God, and do nothing but as their conscience tells them, that God ⟨p. 698⟩would do himself. Therefore they which use their power against GOD, which bear the person of GOD, and execute the will of the Devil, which make laws against Gods Law, & be enemies to his servants: are worse than Balaam,1 which would not curse whom God blessed: and so much as in them lieth, make God a liar,2 because they cannot so well be called Gods, as devils: such Gods go to hell.
I haue said ye are Gods, &c. How can he cal them Gods, which calles himselfe the onely God, and saith, There are no more Gods but hee? Esa. 44. 5. and 45. 21. I haue made thee Pharao his God, saith God to Moses. Exod. 7. 1. because he had giuen him power to speake vnto Pharao in his name, and to execute his iudgements vpon him: so hee calleth Magistrates Gods, because hee hath giuen them power to speake to the people in his name, and to execute his iudgements vpon them. Out of this name, Rulers may learne howe to gouerne, and subiects how to obey. As the inferiour Magistrates doe nothing but as the superiour Magistrate prescribeth: so they which rule vnder God for God, must rule by the prescript of God, and doe nothing but as their conscience tels them, that God