A12406:515
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.
He was not content to call Godliness gain, but he calleth it Great gain, as if he would say, gain, and more then gain: riches, and better then riches, a kingdom, and greater then a kingdom. As when the Prophets would distinguish between the idol Gods, and the living God, they call him the Great God: so the gain of godliness, is called Great gain. 1The riches of the world are called earthly,2 transitory,3 snares, thorns, dung, as though they were not worthy to be counted riches:4 and therefore to draw the earnest love of men from them, the holy-Ghost brings them in with such names of disdain, to disgrace them with their lovers: but when he comes to Godliness,5 which is the riches of the soul,6 he calleth it great riches, heavenly riches,7 unsearchable riches, everlasting riches, with all the names of honour, and all the names of pleasure, and all the names of happiness. As a woman trims and decks her self with an hundred ornaments, only to make her amiable, so the holy-Ghost setteth ⟨p. 221⟩out godliness with names of honour, & names of pleasure,8 and names of happiness, as it were in her Jewels, with letters of commendation, to make her to be beloved. Lest any riches should compare with godliness, he gives it a name above other, and calleth it great riches, as if he would make a distinction between riches and riches: between the gain of covetousness, & the gain of godliness: the peace of the world, and the peace of conscience: the joy of riches, and the joy of the holy Ghost. The worldly men have a kind of peace, and joy, and riches, but I cannot call it great, because they have not enough, they are not contented as the godly are, therefore only godliness hath this honour, to be called great riches. The gain of covetousness is nothing but wealth: but the gain of godliness is wealth, and peace, and joy, and love of God, and the remission of sins, and everlasting life: Therefore only godliness hath this honour to be called Great gain. Riches make bate,