A12406:1132
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.
That is it, which maketh them profitable to us, which because it is wanting for the most part, therefore Solomon saith that all are vain to us, not vain of themselves, but because they are not sanctified as they should be, therefore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. ⟨p. 828⟩and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. he shows a way how we may make profit of all, and rejoice in our labours and find a lawful pleasure in earthly things, so often he calls to the use lest we should err as the Monks and Hermits have done before, mistaking these words, when he saith that All is vanity, they have forsaken all company, & government and office and trade, and got themselves into the wilderness amongst beasts, to live in quiet and silence, saying, that men could not live in the world, and please God, because All is vanity: so while they counted all things vain, they became vain themselves, and left those blessings which Solomon enjoyed after his knowledge, more than he did before. Therefore it is vain man which Solomon reproveth, which is not only called Vanity, but lighter than Vanity. 1If he did not things vainly, nothing should be vain in the world, whereas now by abuse we may see sometime as great vanity in the best things, as in the worst: For are not many vain in their knowledge, vain in their policies, vain in their learning, as other are vain in their ignorance? Was not the wisdom of Ahithophel a vain thing? The swiftness of Hazael a vain thing? The strength of Goliath a vain thing? The treasures of Nebuchadnezzar a vain thing? The honour of Ammon a vain thing? ⟨p. 829⟩The beauty of Absalom a vain thing? The knowledge of the Scribes a vain thing? The devotion of the Pharisees a vain thing. And so is the learning of all those a vain thing, that do no good with it, but either it lies under a bushel and moulds, or else it prattles like Tertullus always against Paul: 2striving to make war between them which love dearer than any brethren.
That is it, which maketh them profitable to vs, which because it is wanting for the most part, therfore Salomon saith that all are vaine to vs, not vaine of themselues, but because they are not sanctified as they should be, therefore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12.