A12406:1245
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.
The Dialogue between Paul and Agrippa.The Dialogue betweene Paul and Agrippa.
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.
Shame of face was ordained for sin, but shame is turned from sin to righteousness, for they which are ashamed of no evil, are ashamed of any good, this is a bashful Devil.
Shame of face was ordained for sinne, but shame is turned from sinne to righteousnes, for they which are ashamed of no euill, are ashamed of any good, this is a bashfull Diuell.
Now when Paul had asked him, he answered himself, Doest thou believe? I know that thou believest, He asks Agrippa whether he believe, and saith he knoweth that ⟨p. 924⟩he doth believe. What need he ask that which he knows? Here you may see that we have need to suspect our judgment, when we conceive not the cause, when they which are wiser, and holier than our selves, do thus or thus, speak thus or thus. Let us remember that the Spiritual man judgeth all, and is judged of none, because no man knows the counsels of the Spirit, but he which hath it, wise men have large exceptions: and it becomes us to construe their sayings and doings better than others should construe ours. As the Disciples reverenced many sayings of Christ when they knew not his meaning: so we should rather think that we know not the reason, then that they speak without reason. Christ did know that Peter loved him, yet that he might get a confession of him and instruct him farther, he did ask him that which he knew, so Paul catechizing Agrippa, doth ask him that which he knew, to teach him that which he knew not. But why doth Paul say flatly, that he knows that which no man thought of this king before? Either because he did perceive that Agrippa did believe in part, and therefore he rejoiced like the Father to see his Son coming towards him: So he meets him in the way, and embraceth him as it were with this commendation: I know that thou believest, ⟨p. 925⟩that is, I know thou hast a kind of faith, & believest that the Prophets said truly, as many of the Gentiles did, though thou canst not apply it unto thy self: So to bring him from faith to faith, from knowledge to knowledge, from love to love: he commends those sparks in him, which served not to be called faith, but almost faith, as Agrippa saith.