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…

We will give him little, if we will not give him that which he asks for love toward our selves:¹ though he say,² Give it, yet indeed he hath bought it, and that dearly, with the deerest blood that ever was shed. He gave thee his heart before he desired thy heart, but a heart for a heart, a living heart for a heart which died: thou doest not lose thy life, as he did for thee, but thou bestowest thy life to glorify him: thou dost not part from thy hart when thou givest it, but he doth keep it for thee, lest the Serpent should steal it from thee,³ as he stole Paradise from Adam when it was in his own custody. He can keep it better than we,⁴ and he will keep it if we commit it to him,⁵ and lay it in a bed of peace, and lap it with joy, and none shall take it out of his hands. Therefore, if ye ask me, why you should give your hearts to God? I do not answer like the disciples which went for the Ass and the Colt,⁶ The Lord hath need: but we have need: for unless we give our souls, how can he have them? and unless he have them, how can he save them? Therefore we have need. If ever the saying were true,⁷ (It is more blessed to give than take:) more blessed are they which do give their hearts to God,⁸ than they which take possession of the world. Abigail did not gain so ⟨p. 284⟩much by her gift to David, as we for our gift to God: for she was married unto David, but we are married unto Christ, of whom the Church doth sing in the fifth of Canticles, that no well beloved is like her beloved: what heart would not be loved of him, though it do not love him? Who can assoil this riddle? We would have Christ our bridegroom, and yet we will not be his spouse; I would have him take my heart, and yet I will not give it. How should he keep it, or save it, or glorify it, if I hide it away, like the servant that buried his talent in the earth?