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 first property is not to be curious in searching mysteries: this Paul meaneth, when he saith, let no man presume to understand, above that which is meet to understand: the star when it came to Christ stood still & went no further, so when we come to the knowledge of Christ, we should stand still & go no further: for Paul was content to know nothing but Christ crucified: It is not necessary to know that which God hath not revealed, and the well of Gods secrets is so deep, that no bucket of man can sound it: therefore we must row in shallow waters, because our boats are light & small, & soon overturned. They which have such crotchets and circumstances in their brain, I have marked this in them, that they seldom find any room for that which they should know, but go too and fro, seeking and seeking like them which sought Elijah▪ body and found it not.

The first propertie is not to bee curious in searching mysteries: this Paul meaneth, whē he saith, let no man presume to vnderstand, aboue that which is meet to vnderstand: the star when it came to Christ stood stil & went no further, so when wee come to the knowledge of Christ, we should stand still & go no further: for Paule was content to know nothing but Christ crucified: It is not necessarie to know that which God hath not reuealed, and the well of Gods secrets is so deepe, that no bucket of man can sound it: therfore we must row in shallow waters, because our boats are light & small, & soone ouerturned. They which haue such crotchets and circumstances in their braine, I haue marked this in them, that they seldome find any roome for that which they should knowe, but goe too and fro, seeking and seeking like them which sought Elias▪ bodie and found it not.

Let men desire knowledge of God, as Solomon did, but not desire knowledge as Eve did. For these aspiring wits fall again like Babel, and run into doubts, while they seek for resolutions. As the Jews when they hard the Apostle preach, burnt their curious books, and had no more delight to study such toys, so as men come to the truth, they are content to leave these fancies, and say with Paul, I know nothing but Christ crucified, Curious questions and vain speculations are like a plume of feathers, which some will give any thing for, and some will give nothing for. Paul rebuked them which troubled their heads about Genealogies, how would he reprove men and women of our days, if he did see how they busy their heads about vain questions, tracing upon the pinnacles where they may fall, while they might walk upon the pavement without danger? Some have a great deal more desire to learn where hell is, than to know any way how they may escape it: to hear what God did purpose before the world began, rather than to learn what he will do when the world is ended: to understand whether they shall know one another in heaven, than to know whether they belong to heaven: this rock hath made many shipwrecks that men search mysteries before they know principles,