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…

vanity is put for destruction, but it is never put for salvation. If other creatures are subject to a kind of destruction for the sin of man, as Paul showeth, what destruction shall light upon man for his own sin? Therefore let our sentence run with Solomon, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. We could afford the world better words and fairer titles, than Vanity of vanities: but call it what we will, Solomon shows what it is, and what we will say in the end when we have tried it, then Vanity of vanities: yet it is comfort of comforts, glory of glories, and life of lives. But as Laban showed himself at parting:¹ so at parting you shall see how it will serve you, They seem pleasant vanities, and honest vanities, and profitable vanities: ²but David calls them deceitful vanities. ³Jonah comes after & calls them lying vanities, that is, which promise pleasure, and profit, and all, but deceive all, when they should perform. They play Laban which gave Leah for Rachel. If they be lying vanities and deceitful vanities, then are they woeful & miserable vanities. Therefore, if we be not come to Solomons conclusion, to think that All is vanity, it is because our own vanity will not suffer us to see the vanity of other things. When we have proved ⟨p. 844⟩like Solomon, as fast as every man groweth in knowledge, and experience, so he begins to cry vanity, and after Vanity of vanities, and at last, All is vanity: so we contemn not all at once, but one sin after another, one pleasure after another, till at last we count All is vanity, and then we are come home with Solomon and may be Preachers unto other. Thus I have showed unto you as it were a limb of vanity, you may look about you and see the whole body: for if she be any where in this land, this is her pontifical seat, where she is never nonresident: now I will leave you to examine these sayings, whether all things have not been in vain unto you yet. If they have been vain to you and yet are good in their own nature, then think how vain you are who have turned so many good things to vanity. Yet to set you in the way before I end, I will answer them which ask, if All things be vanity: As Solomon saith,⁴