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…

tell one of us that all other shall die, we believe it, tell one of us we shall die, and we believe it sooner of all than of one, though we be sore, though we be weak, though we be sick, though we be elder than those whom we follow to the ground. So they thought which lie in this mould under your feet as you do. If wisdom, or riches, or favour, could have entreated death, those which have lived before us would have kept our possessions from us, but death would take no bale, we are all Tenants at will, and we must leave this Cottage whensoever the Landlord will put an other in our room, at a years, at a months, at a weeks, at a days, at an hours warning, or less: the clothes which we wear upon our backs, the graves which are under our feet, the Sun which sets over our heads, and the meats which go into our mouths, do cry unto us, that we shall wear, and set, and die like the beasts, and fowls, & fishes which now are dead in our dishes, and but even now were living in the Elements. Our Fathers have summoned us, and we must summon our children to the grave. Every thing every day suffers some Eclipse, nothing standeth at a stay, but one creature calls to another, Let us leave this world. While we play our Pageants upon this stage of ⟨p. 816⟩short continuance, every man hath a part, some longer, and some shorter, and while the Actors are at it, suddenly death steps upon the stage like a hawk which separates one of the Doves from the flight, he shoots his dart, where it lights, there falls one of the Actors dead before them, and makes all the rest against, they muse and mourn, and bury him, and then to the sport again: While they sing, play, and dance, death comes again, & strikes another, there he lies, they mourn him, and bury him as they did the former, and play again: so one after another, till the players be vanished like the accusers which came before Christ, and Death is the last upon the stage, so the figure of this world passeth away. ¹Many which stand here, may lie here or elsewhere within this twelve month. But thou thinkest, It is not I, and he thinketh, It is not he: but he which thinks so, cometh soonest to it.

tell one of vs that all other shall die, we beleeue it, tell one of vs we shall die, and we beleeue it sooner of all than of one, though we bee sore, though wee bee weake, though we be sicke, though wee bee elder than those whome wee follow to the ground. So they thought which lie in this mould vnder your feete as you doe. If wisedome, or riches, or fauour, could haue intreated death, those which haue liued before vs would haue kept our possessions from vs, but death would take no bale, wee are all Tenants at will, and we must leaue this Cottage whensoeuer the Landlord will put an other in our roome, at a yeares, at a moneths, at a weekes, at a daies, at an houres warning, or lesse: the cloathes which we weare vpon our backes, the graues which are vnder our feete, the Sunne which sets ouer our heades, and the meates which go into our mouthes, doe crie vnto vs, that we shall weare, and set, and die like the beastes, and fowles, & fishes which now are dead in our dishes, and but euen now were liuing in the Elements. Our Fathers haue summoned vs, and wee must summon our children to the graue. Euerie thing euerie daie suffers some Eclipse, nothing standeth at a stay, but one creature cals to another, Let vs leaue this world. While wee play our Pageants vpon this stage of