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…

If thou believest almost, thou shalt be saved almost. As a pardon comes while the thief hangs upon the gallows, he is almost saved, but the pardon doth him no good: So he which is almost a Christian, almost zealous, almost righteous, which doth almost love, almost believe, shall be almost saved: that is, if he had been a Christian, altogether, he should not be damned. Thus every man is a Christian almost, before he be a Christian altogether.

If thou beleeuest almost, thou shalt bee saued almost. As a pardon comes while the theefe hangs vpon the galowes, hee is almost saued, but the pardon dooth him no good: So he which is almost a Christian, almost zealous, almost righteous, which dooth almost loue, almost beleeue, shall bee almost saued: that is, if hee had been a Christian, altogether, hee should not bee damned. Thus euery man is a Christian almost, before he bee a Christian altogether.

Now I must lead you from almost to altogether, as it were to Christians from the figure of Christians. This is the step which we must tread at this time. I would to God (saith Paul) that thou wert not almost but altogether ⟨p. 940⟩as I am. When he saw Agrippa coming on, and said almost, then Paul cast up his lure again: Comest thou Agrippa? Come Agrippa, I will not have thee stay at almost, if any thing will bring thee to altogether I did not ask thee whether thou didst believe the Prophets, that thou mightest be a Christian almost but a Christian altogether. Art thou come thus far, and stayest thou at almost? Nay Agrippa thou must take out this lesson, for there is no measure in Christianity. Come unto me saith Christ, not come toward me, yet he was glad like the father to see his son coming toward him, for it was a sign that he would come to him: he was comforted with almost, but he was not satisfied without altogether. Is this thy offering Almost? it will not serve Agrippa: it is light, it is soldered, it is cracked, correct it again: For our master saith, Be ye holy as I am holy: Therefore almost a Christian will not please him. But if thou be almost a Christian already, how easy is it for thee to be a Christian altogether. Therefore come Agrippa, let us go forward to heaven. The seed is sown to grow. Every thing must increase and multiply. Almost is thy first answer, and altogether thy last. I must not take this for an answer. Shall I tell Christ, that Agrippa is almost a Christian? O Agrippa,