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 fourth property is to keep within our calling, he which meddleth with that he hath not to do, is compared to one that catcheth a dog by the ears, and dare neither hold him still, nor let him go, so he can neither ⟨p. 995⟩go forward for want of skill, nor backward for shame. Paul saith, he was set a part to preach the Gospel, so to every work God hath set some men apart, and fitted them to that work, as he did Bezalred to the building of the tabernacle, & therefore unless a man set himself apart to this work, he should think of Peter, which when he stroke with the sword was bid to put up his sword again, for the sword was not committed to him, but the •eies. In Exod. 17. 11. we find Joshua fighting, and Moses praying,¹ and Aaron and Hur holding up his hands, so every man should have a several work. God hath given certain gifts to certain callings, as no man can exceed his gifts, so no man should exceed his calling. It is not meet that he should be a free man, which was never a prentice, nor that he should leap into Moses chair, that never sat at Gamaliel's feet: If thou doest never so well, and be not called to it, the Scripture saith straight, Who hath required this of thee? thou art an usurper of another's Office. A fool (saith Solomon) is meddling, showing that a wise man meddleth not, but where he hath to do. We are compared to a body, some men are like the head, and they must rule: some are like the tongue, and they must teach: some are like the hand, and they must work: when this order is confounded, then ⟨p. 996⟩that cometh to pass which we read of Eve, ²When the woman would lead her husband, both fell into the ditch. ³Therefore as Christ said, Who hath made me a judge over you? so they which are not Judges should say, who hath made me a Judge? he which is not a teacher should say, who hath made me a teacher? he which is not a ruler should say, who hath made me a ruler? And this is a better peacemaker than the Lawyer.