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…

When the Apostle ends our Sacrifice, with this clause acceptable, he meaneth that this should be the level of all our thoughts, that whatsoever we think,¹ or speak, or do, be acceptable and liking unto God. As David thought to build the Temple, but would not build it,² when Nathan told him that God would not have him build it: As Ananias would not baptize Saul, ³but did baptize him when he understood that God would have him baptized:⁴ As Joseph would not take Mary to wife, so long as he thought God did disallow his marriage, but did marry her when the Angel told him that he should marry her: so a good man will do nothing before he do consult with Gods word: all that he doth he approveth unto God before he do it, if it be not his Word and Will, then he turneth back, as if the wind and weather were against him, always reforming his ⟨p. 970⟩own will to Gods will, that his thoughts, and words, and works may be acceptable. If reason teach us this, that when we offer unto God, we must give him an acceptable sacrifice, an acceptable honour, an acceptable service: then why do we not give him that which he asketh, for he knoweth what is acceptable to him. If he ask the first fruits, we must not offer him the last fruits, for the first is acceptable: So if he appoint his discipline, we may not set up our discipline, for that is not acceptable to him, but to us.

When the Apostle endes our Sacrifice, with this clause acceptable, hee meaneth that this should be the leuell of all our thoughtes, that whatsoeuer we thinke,¹ or speake, or do, bee acceptable and liking vnto God. As Dauid thought to builde the Temple, but would not builde it,² when Nathan tolde him that God woulde not haue him builde it: As Ananias would not baptize Saul,