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…

Christ doth not bid them woe, because they were Pharisees as we are not, but because they were hypocrites as we are. God delights him self in giving,¹ and therefore he loveth a cheerful giver; but he cannot give cheerfully,² which gives not his heart. Therefore, as Judas thought the Oil spent which was poured upon Christ,³ and wished the price of it in his purse: so they grutch & grieve when they should do good, and think, Shall I ⟨p. 280⟩give it? Can I spare it? What will it bring? So the good work dieth in the birth, like a bird which droopeth in the hand, while the head considers whether he shall let her go, or hold her still: as easy to wring Hercules club out of his fists, as to wring a penitent tear from their eyes, a faithful prayer from their lips, or a good thought from their heart, which cannot afford the heart it self: all is too much, which they do, and they think God more beholding to them for blurting out a Pater noster, or staying a Sermon, or fasting a Friday, than they to him for all his benefits: and when they have done, what is their reward?⁴ Woe be unto you like the Scribes and Pharisees, because you give not your hearts but your mouths,⁵ therefore we do but vex our selves, and loose our labour, thinking to make God believe that we pray, when indeed our lips do but pray: whereby it comes to pass, as we serve him, so he serveth us, our peace is not in deed but in word, our joy is not in heart but in countenance, a false comfort, like our false worship: for he which giveth God his lips in stead of his hart, teacheth God to give him stones in stead of bread: that is, a shadow of comfort for comfort it self.

Christ doth not bid them wo, because they were Pharisies as we are not, but because they were hypocrites as we are. God delights him selfe in giuing,¹