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…

therefore he comes with authority like an ambassador from GOD, and saith, By the grace of GOD which is given to me, that is, by the virtue of mine Apostleship, which I have not received from men, but from GOD, nor from earth but from heaven, I charge you that no man among you, whether he be learned or unlearned, whether he be an hearer or a teacher, presume to know above that which is meet to know: that is, make himself wiser than he is, or boast of the graces which GOD hath given him, or despise the gifts of God in other, or roam beyond his calling, or trouble his head with curiosities, but that he be wise according to sobriety, that is, walk within his vocation, be humble in his knowledge, and use his gifts to the profit of other, as GOD hath given to every man the measure of faith: that is, remembering that it is a gift of God, which hath dealt gifts to other as well as to him, that they might do him good, as he may do them good, so that if you ask Paul as the Jews asked Christ, By what authority doest thou this? he showeth his letters Patents from the King himself, by the ⟨p. 980⟩Grace of God, &c. Well doth he call his Apostleship the grace of God: for he was a persecutor of the same doctrine which he preached, and therefore if it had not been Gods marvellous grace, he should never have bin an Apostle. It was as strange to hear that persecuting Saul was among the Apostles, as to hear that King Saul was among the Prophets,¹ but by the grace of God (saith Paul) so it is. I did not usurp this calling, but it was given me. I came not from men, as I did before when I persecuted, but I am sent from God. do not count mine office a labour or a burden, but I esteem it a grace, The grace of God both to me and to you. By this Paul teacheth us to receive the ministry of the word as a grace from God: For if Paul speak by grace, then you hear by grace, as he said, I speak by the grace of God which is given to me: so you may say, We hear by the grace of God which is given to us: and therefore I exhort you, as he did the Corinthians. Receive not the grace of God in vain.²

therefore he comes with authoritie like an ambassadour from GOD, and saith, By the grace of GOD which is giuen to mee, that is, by the vertue of mine Apostleship, which I haue not receiued from men, but from GOD, nor from earth but from heauen, I charge you that no man among you, whether he be learned or vnlearned, whether he bee an hearer or a teacher, presume to knowe aboue that which is meete to knowe: that is, make himselfe wiser than he is, or boast of the graces which GOD hath giuen him, or despise the giftes of God in other, or rome beyond his calling, or trouble his head with curiosities, but that hee bee wise according to sobrietie, that is, walke within his vocation, be humble in his knowledge, and vse his gifts to the profite of other, as GOD hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith: that is, remembring that it is a gift of God, which hath dealt gifts to other as well as to him, that they might doe him good, as he may do them good, so that if you aske Paul as the Iewes asked Christ, By what authoritie doest thou this? he sheweth his letters Patents from the King himselfe, by the