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…

Here is the rule now, if you live by it, then are you kin to Christ: as other kindreds go by birth, and marriage, so this kindred goes by faith and obedience. Hearers are but half kin, as it were in a far degree; but they that hear and do, are called his Mother, which is the nearest kindred of all. Therefore if you have the deed, then you are kin indeed; there is no promise made to hearers, nor to speakers, nor to readers: but all promises are made to believers, or doers.

Here is the rule nowe, if you liue by it, then are you kinne to Christ: as other kinreds go by birth, and marriage, so this kinred goes by faith and obedience. Hearers are but halfe kin, as it were in a farre degree; but they that heare and do, are called his Mother, which is the nearest kinred of all. Therfore if you haue the deed, then you are kin indeed; there is no promise made to hearers, nor to speakers, nor to readers: but all promises are made to beleeuers, or doers.

If you ask God who shall dwell in the holy Mountain;¹ he saith, The man which walketh uprightly. Here are none but doers: If you ask Christ who shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,² he saith; Not they which cry Lord, Lord, (though they cry twice Lord) but they which do the will of my father: here are none but doers. If you ask him again, how you may come to heaven, he saith,³ Keep the Commandments: here are none but doers. If you ask him again, who are blessed?⁴ he saith; Blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it: here are none but doers. If you ask an Angel, who are blessed, he saith; Blessed are they which keep the words of this book: here are none but doers. ⟨p. 253⟩