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…

Now Paul shows what this Sacrifice is, it is your reasonable service of GOD, lest they should grudge to sacrifice their bodies, he showeth that he meaneth but the sins of their bodies. For this sacrifice (saith Paul) is your service, your reasonable service. He calleth it a reasonable service, because it is not in ceremonies like the Jews service, but in spirit (as Peter saith:) then because it is that service, which every mans reason and conscience doth tell him that he oweth unto God, wherefore it may well be called a reasonable service, because it is so reasonable. Therefore if we will not serve God thus, that is, as our reason teacheth us: Then we serve him not like men, but like beasts void of reason, whom God may be said to rule, but they cannot be said to obey, because they are ruled perforce. All ⟨p. 970⟩things do yield a service to God, but all things do not yield a reasonable service, which he requireth of man: here was no reason why Christ should serve us, but there is great cause why we should serve Christ, because he served us without cause, so that I may say, Christ requireth but a reasonable sacrifice, for an unreasonable sacrifice, a living sacrifice, for a dead sacrifice, a cheap sacrifice, for a precious sacrifice, counting us as it were like the poor widow, of whom he is content to take a mite, because we are needy, thus much of our reasonable service.

Now Paul shewes what this Sacrifice is, it is your reasonable seruice of GOD, lest they should grudge to sacrifice their bodies, hee sheweth that he meaneth but the sins of their bodies. For this sacrifice (saith Paul) is your seruice, your reasonable seruice. He calleth it a reasonable seruice, because it is not in ceremonies like the Iewes seruice, but in spirit (as Peter saith:) thē because it is that seruice, which euery mans reason and conscience doth tell him that he oweth vnto God, wherefore it may well be called a reasonable seruice, because it is so reasonable. Therefore if we will not serue God thus, that is, as our reason teacheth vs: Then we serue him not like mē, but like beasts voide of reason, whome God may be sayd to rule, but they cannot be sayd to obey, because they are ruled perforce. All ⟨p. 970⟩thinges doe yeeld a seruice to God, but all things doe not yeeld a reasonable seruice, which he requireth of man: here was no reason why Christ shoulde serue vs, but there is greate cause why we should serue Christ, because he serued vs without cause, so that I may saie, Christ requireth but a reasonable sacrifice, for an vnreasonable sacrifice, a liuing sacrifice, for a dead sacrifice, a cheape sacrifice, for a precious sacrifice, counting vs as it were like the poore widdowe, of whome he is content to take a mite, because wee are needie, thus much of our reasonable seruice.