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…

But what say you to profound Knowledge in deep mysteries, which makes men sought unto,¹ and called deep Clerks, and great Doctors? Knowledge is like the Letters which Uriah carried against himself: so Knowledge draweth a greater judgement, and oftentimes condemns the bearer. Knowledge without Virtue, leaves a man without excuse, and is a witness against him, because he understands what is good, and will not do it. Yet there is another darling of account behind:² what say you to Long life, which causeth a man to see his children's children, and makes him reverent before the people? Long life is like a long night, when a man cannot sleep: so age is wearisome with sickness, and strives with it self because it cannot walk, nor talk, nor hear, nor see, nor taste, nor sleep, as it was wont: therefore wisheth often the night were gone, that the pain were past. Indeed he that sees many days, sees many miseries: and therefore what is not vain in life, sith life it self is vain? Show me the light which will not darken, ⟨p. 836⟩show me the flower which will not fade, show me the fruit which will not corrupt, show me the garment which will not wear, show me the beauty which will not wither, show me the strength which will not weaken, show me the time which will not pass, and I will reclaim that All is vanity? but if all things vanish, then all things are vain, yet this will not go for truth, before men have smarted for the trial. Some are so vain that they count nothing vanity. but that which is vainer than the rest delights them most,³ for there is as it were a common weal of vain persons,⁴ and he which can be vainest, is like a King of the rest. Some are of this mind, that they think all is vanity but that which they love, and therefore they call them vain,⁵ and curious, and fantastical, which speak against their vanities, and say that it is necessary to be vain, for they cannot live unless they deceive, they cannot please unless they flatter, they cannot be believed unless they swear they cannot be esteemed unless they roist, as Demetrius thought that he should beg unless he might sell Images.