A12406:1353
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 sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.
London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man, 1593
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Wherefore (beloved in Christ) if Paul have planted you in the true faith, desire also an Apollo to water you: If the foundation be laid by a master builder: seek ⟨p. 1017⟩out a skilful workman, who may roof it also: if ye have received one grace, speedily desire the preaching of the word, that it may increase and grow up by dressing and manuring unto a double grace: for even the best gifts will wither and decay in you, unless they be presently watered with the word.
Wherefore (beloued in Christ) if Paule haue planted you in the true fayth, desire also an Apollo to water you: If the foundation be layde by a maister builder: seeke ⟨p. 1017⟩out a skilfull workeman, who may roofe it also: if ye haue receiued one grace, speedily desire the preaching of the word, that it may increase and grow vp by dressing and manuring vnto a double grace: for euen the best giftes will wither and decay in you, vnlesse they be presently watered with the word.
Again we know, that children are so greedily carried with a desire of the food, that when hunger assails them, they neither regard leisure, nor necessity, nor willingness of the mothers, but all excuses & business set apart, so soon as they cry for it, they must be fed; Even so we must not think it enough to desire the word, but we must be earnest and fervent, and importunate in calling and crying for it. A notable parable is in Luke,1 how one called for bread in the night, the other answered that he was in bed; which seemed a reasonable answer, and yet it would not serve: So we have long called (my brethren) and we have a great while craved the bread of life, though it may seem a reasonable answer, that they cannot give it us without impoverishing themselves and their children, who are fat and enriched with the Ministers maintenance: yet we ought not to be daunted and discouraged so, but to continue asking still, as Peter continued knocking till the door was opened.