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…

Therefore, if you see a man contented with that which he hath, it is a great sign that godliness is entered into him: for the heart of man was made a Temple of God,¹ & nothing can fill it but God alone.² Therefore Paul saith after his conversion, that which he could never say before his conversion, I have learned ⟨p. 227⟩to be content. First he learned godliness, then godliness taught him contentation. Now (saith Paul) I have learned to be content, as though this were a lesson for every Christian to learn, to be content. For thus he must think, that as God said to Moses, when he could not obtain leave to go to Canaan.³ Let this suffice thee to see Canaan: so, whatsoever he giveth, he giveth this charge with it, Let this suffice thee. ⁴As Jeremiah saith, This is my sorrow, and I will bear it; so thou must say, This is my portion, and I will take it. This is the sign whether godliness be in a man, if he have joy of that which he hath; for the things that God giveth to the righteous,⁵ Paul saith he giveth them to enjoy, that is, if he have much, he can say with Paul,⁶ I have learned to abound: if he have little, he can say with Paul, I have learned to want: that is, if he have much, as Abraham, & Lot, & Jacob, & Job, & Joseph, yet it cannot corrupt his mind; but as the net was full of fishes,⁷ & yet did not rent, because they cast it at Christs commandment: so though the godly be full of riches, his hart is not rent, his mind not troubled, his countenance not changed, because he remembereth, these things were given him to do good,⁸ as Esther thought of her honour: if he have little, it is like the oil which served the widow as little as it was: