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…

Her friends dare not defend her for her enemies. What shall I say? We had rather be whole sinners than half Christians. White is counted no colour: so zeal is counted no virtue. But mere hypocrisy is counted true Christianity: and true Christianity is counted by hypocrisy. Our wealth is in an Epha, our zeal is in a Gomer. Our sin like an Oak, our faith like a Mustard seed. They which have no religion are counted honest men: for they count it as easy a matter to be a Christian as to say the Lords prayer, the Apostles Creed, the ten Commandments, and go to the church, this is country Divinity, this is City Divinity, and I may say Saint Clements Divinity. He which can swear that the Pope is Antichrist, and that flesh is good on Fridays, is a protestant at least, a Christian every inch: he hath zeal, knowledge and religion in Folio. This ⟨p. 936⟩is the rampier in our days, like a Lion in the passages. Almost standeth in the way before we can come to altogether: and they which will go beyond Almost, are counted curious, factious, precise, fantastical, as though Almost were more than altogether, and altogether were not so much as almost. If his righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees which is but Hypocrisy, he shall be punished for his righteousness,¹ as if it were a fault, as Cain persecuted Abel because his sacrifice was better than his. Our saviour saith, Learn of me to be humble & zealous and righteous: ²But now we must learn of other, and set a crooked pattern before us, lest we go too straight. We may preach like John, as in Matthew. 3. Bring forth fruits, But we may not preach like Christ: Bring forth much fruits. John. 15. For that is counted an unreasonable service of God. If we give him the seventh day, the seventh part, the tenths or tithes of our life, and of our thoughts, and of our speeches, and of our works, it is enough: so we define Altogether out of measure. Thus we dodge with GOD, and draw back from our promise which we made in baptism, as though he were not worthy of such a goodly creature, to have that which he gives. Ever since we were borne we have served two masters ⟨p. 937⟩