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…

The law of this service is laid down in these words: Fashion not your selves to the world, the world followeth the world,¹ but I saith Christ to his Disciples, have chosen you out of the world, therefore do not you follow the world. The world is taken sometime for heaven & earth,² and sea which are parts of the world: sometime for the men of the world,³ sometime for the elect in the world:⁴ but most commonly it is taken for the wicked in the world,⁵ because the wicked are most common,⁶ like a man which by often faulting is grown to an evil name, so the world which doth not signify evil of it self, yet is taken for evil, because it is accustomed to do evil, and therefore the Devil is called the God of this world, ⁷because the worlds fashions are the Devils ⟨p. 972⟩fashions, Therefore fashion not your selves unto the world, lest you be in the Devils fashion. Then you must not prank up your selves like Players, for this is the fashion of the world: then you must not respect persons more than justice, for this is the fashion of the world: Then you must not flatter to Please, for this is the fashion of the world: Then you must not deceive to grow rich, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not seek revenge for every word, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not take scorn to be told of your faults, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not give alms to be seen, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not obey for fear of the law, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not receive the sacrament for order, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not come to church for custom, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not make religion but a table talk, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not turn with the time, for this is the fashion of the world, then you must not defer to do good till you die, for this is the fashion of the world. The world is a bad pattern to follow, because as the flesh followeth the devil: so the world followeth the flesh. Therefore say no more we must do as the