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 godly man hath found that which all the world doth seek, that is, enough. Every word ⟨p. 224⟩may be defined, and every thing may be measured, but enough cannot be measured, nor defined, it changeth every year: when we had nothing, we thought it enough if we might obtain less than we have: when we came to more, we thought of another enough: now we have more, we dream of another enough: so enough is always to come, though too much be there already. For as oil kindleth the fire which it seems to quench, so riches come as though they would make a man contented, and make a man more covetous. Therefore seeing Contentation was never found in riches, the Apostle reacheth to seek it in godliness, saying; Godliness is riches: as though it did not only make a man contented, but make a man contented with it self. He speaks as though he had found a new kind of riches, which the world never thought of, that are of such a nature, that they will satisfy a man like the water that Christ spake of,¹ He that drinks of this water shall thirst no more: so they that taste of these riches shall covet no more:² but as the holy Ghost filled all the house, so the grace, and peace, and joy of the holy Ghost filleth all the heart, that as Joseph had no need of Astronomy,³ because he had the Spirit of prophecy; so he which hath Contentation, hath little need of riches, ⟨p. 225⟩he thinks not of the Philosophers Stone, nor the gold of Ophir,⁴ nor the mines of India; but he hath his quietus est, without suite of law, for he retaineth a peace-maker within, which would make all lawyers preachers, if men were so wise to take counsel of it. When the law is ended, if the man be not content, he is in trouble still; when his disease is cured, if he be not content, he is sick still; when his want is supplied, if he be not content, he is in want still; when bondage is turned into liberty, if he be not content, he is in bondage still; but though he be in law, and sickness, and poverty, and bondage, yet if he be content, he is free, and rich, and merry,