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…

First of the Preface, and then of the counsel. In the first verse of this Chapter, Paul persuaded the Romans, by the mercy of GOD towards them, here he persuadeth them By the grace of GOD towards him. Paul speaks like a man in his deathbed. which is set to give good counsel, and goeth from one lesson to another, as though he would speak all with a breath. First he counselled them to make their bodies serve God, because the body is a servant as well as the ⟨p. 978⟩soul, then he forbade them to fashion themselves to the world, because no man can serve two contrary masters. Then he advised them to renew their minds, because except the mind be reformed, the body will serve but a while. And he setteth them to seek Gods will, because the will of man doth seduce him. And now to make up this Testament (as it were) he admonisheth them to rest in the knowledge of Gods will, and not to search further nor to be proud of their knowledge, but to use their knowledge to humble their pride. This lesson may seem vain to the Romans: for they were not yet come to be wise, and he counselleth them not to be too wise. Paul saith; That the Gentiles sought after wisdom: ¹but he saith there, That the preaching of the Gospel seemed foolishness unto them, which was wisdom: & therefore God calleth them a foolish nation, because they counted the true wisdom foolishness,² and their own folly wisdom. For this cause there was such emulation between the Jew and the Gentile, one despised another, because they did not accord what wisdom was, although both sought for it. Therefore that ye may not only seek wisdom as the Gentiles did, but find wisdom as Solomon did,³ Paul layeth a foundation for wisdom to stay upon, which he calls Sobriety. Be wise according to Sobriety, ⟨p. 979⟩which is this, By the grace of GOD which is given to me. Because he speaks to all, and his charge is of great moment, and they which think themselves wise, will hardly be persuaded but that they are wise:

FIrst of the Preface, and then of the counsell. In the first verse of this Chapter, Paule perswaded the Romanes, by the mercie of GOD towardes them, heere hee perswadeth them By the grace of GOD towardes him. Paul speakes like a man in his deathbed. which is set to giue good counsel, and goeth from one lesson to another, as though hee would speake al with a breath. First he counselled them to make their bodies serue God, because the bodie is a seruant as well as the