A12406:1440
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.
A Letter written to ones friend in his sickness.
A Letter written to ones friend in his sicknes.
Beloved, I marvel not that you have pain, for you are sick: but I marvel that you cover it not for offence, because the wisdom of a man is to bite in his grief, & always to show more comfort in God, than pain in suffering. Now God calleth to repetitions, to see whether you have learned more constancy than others: if sickness be sharp, make it not sharper with frowardness, but know this is a great favour to us when we die by sickness, which maketh us ready for him that calleth ⟨image 514⟩us: •ow you have nothing to think upon but God, & you cannot think upon him without joy: your grief passeth, but your joy will never pass. Tell me (patient) how many stripes is heaven worth? Is my friend only sick it the world, or his faith weaker than others▪ You have always prayed Thy will be done, & now are you offended that Gods will is done? How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things (even death) turn to the best, to them that love God? Teach the happy (O Lord) to see his happiness through troubles. Every pain is a prevention of the pains of hell, and every ease in pain, is a fore-taste of the ease, and peace, and joys in heaven.
BEloued, I maruel not that you haue paine, for you are sicke: but I maruel that you couer it not for offence, because the wisdome of a man is to bite in his griefe, & alwaies to shew more comfort in God, than pain in suffering. Now God calleth to repetitions, to see whether you haue learned more constancie than others: if sicknes be sharpe, make it not sharper with frowardnes, but know this is a great fauour to vs when we die by sicknes, which maketh vs ready for him that calleth ⟨image 514⟩vs: •ow you haue nothing to think vpon but God, & you cannot think vpon him without ioy: your griefe passeth, but your ioy will neuer passe. Tell me (patient) how many stripes is heauen worth? Is my friend onely sicke it the world, or his fayth weaker than others You haue alwayes prayed Thy will be done, & now are you offended that Gods wil is done? How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things (euen death) turne to the best, to them that loue God? Teach the happy (O Lord) to see his happines through troubles. Euery pain is a preuention of the paines of hell, and euery ease in paine, is a fore-taste of the ease, and peace, and ioyes in heauen.