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 here is noted a preparation, if we will be bettered and increased by the word, we must be as new borne bares. Secondly, our affection and duty when we are new borne we must desire. Thirdly the matter & object of our desire, the milk of the word. Fourthly, the quality of the milk, it must be sincere. Lastly, the end and use for which we desire it,¹ that we may grow thereby. For the first point we must be as new borne babes: ²Children we know are principally commended for simplicity and harmlessness: and therefore all those which will profit in the school of Christ and receive light and comfort by the preaching of the word, are here taught to become as babes, to lay aside all maliciousness, and to bring holy and sanctified hearts to the hearing of it.³ Suffer the little babes to come unto me (saith our saviour) and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven: as if we were never fit to hear & learn ⟨p. 1006⟩of Christ, till we be reformed & newly changed into little babes again. For the secrets of the Lord (as the Psalmist speaketh) is with them that fear him: ⁴to teach us, that as David would admit no vile person into his coū sell: So God will admit no sinful soul into his secretes. If any man will do Gods will, (saith our Saviour) he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no,⁵ because no man can learn this doctrine, but he that doth it,⁶ as no man could learn the Virgins song, but they which sang it. And Solomon to the same effect saith, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, ⁷as if the first lesson to be wise, were to be holy: & therefore Christ is said to have expounded all things to his Disciples apart, to show, that if we will have Christ to teach us, we must go a part from the world. So that as a man slippeth off all his clothes, when he goeth into a bath to wash him: So we must slip off all our sins, when we come to the word to feed us: for wisdom will not rest in the defiled soul, nor in a body that is subject unto sin. As the Devil would not dwell but in a house that was swept from godliness: