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…

We have a weight of all kind of metals, a touchstone for gold, a measure for grain, and we will not take one jot less than measure of any man, only we cut GOD of his weight and measure, and weigh our service in half balances: This I will do, and this I will not do, God shall have one part, and the the world shall have another part, and the flesh shall have another part, and the devil shall have another part. Thus we have brought GOD to his stint: ask while he will, he shall have no more but almost: Almost zealous, almost faithful, almost righteous, as though almost were better than altogether: that is, the counterfeit than the ⟨p. 934⟩truth, the shadow than the body. Paul saith that the Athenians were too religious in worshipping an Idol. Act. 17. 22. But where doth Paul find that excess in worshipping God: we are not too diligent, but too negligent where we should be diligent. James speaking of our sins calls them the superfluity of our maliciousness, whereby he showeth that though our wickedness be a superfluous and vain thing, yet it overfloweth, and exceedeth the banks. But Christ speaking of his Disciples progress in righteousness, calls them all by this name, O ye of little faith, &c. So he may say of little love, of little zeal, &c. for all our virtues are little ones, and the waters of life are at such an ebb, that the least temptation may wade over them and not be drowned. God hath a controversy with us, as he saith with Israel: and this is it, we were borne when wisdom cried in the streets, and yet she may call us fools and say: How long wilt thou hate knowledge? Pro. 1. For what could God do more unto this vineyard, that he hath not done? Thirty years we have been dressing, and pruning, and watering, and yet what is in Jerusalem more than in Samaria? In the Vineyard than in the Mountains, which were never tilled nor dressed, Howe long shall he dress a barren fig tree, which is dead at the root? ⟨p. 935⟩Our Church is in a consumption: her heads are sick, her members weak, her Physicians fearful. From little to little, our zeal is come to the last gasp, ready to take her leave of all, because she see not that we love religion, but chase it from us. Her enemies are placed about her: she grows amongest thorns: she is fed with checks: she mourneth in a corner: she speaks on a reed. Her garments are clipped: