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…

In this latter and better birth, God is our Father to beget us, the Church his spouse our mother to conceive us,¹ the seed whereby we are bred and borne again,² is the word of God,³ the Nurses to feed, and to wean,⁴ and to cherish us, are the Ministers of the Gospel, and the food whereby we are nourished, and held in life, is the milk of the word, as in this place. And therefore in as much as children which are new borne, cannot increase in growth and stature, but must needs die, and come to dissolution, unless they be continually fed and nourished with wholesome food: it behooveth all the faithful and godly, who are quickened and revived in the life of ⟨p. 1004⟩God, as new borne babes to desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow by it. I think we need not many words to clear the general drift and scope of this Scripture, as we need not many fingers to point at the shining sun. Let us now therefore descend to the particular doctrines which issue and spring from the several branches of this scripture.

In this latter and better birth, God is our Father to beget vs, the Church his spouse our mother to conceiue vs,¹ the seede whereby we are bredde and borne againe,² is the worde of God,³ the Nurses to feede, and to weane,⁴ and to cherish vs, are the Ministers of the Gospell, and the foode whereby we are nourished, and held in life, is the milk of the worde, as in this place. And therefore in as much as children which are newe borne, cannot increase in grouth and stature, but must needes die, and come to dissolution, vnlesse they bee continuallie fedde and nourished with wholesome foode: it behooueth all the faithfull and godlie, who are quickened and reuiued in the life of