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…

There be two trades in this Land, without which the Realm cannot stand; and one is the Queens soldiers, and the other is the Lords soldiers, and the Lords soldiers are handled like the Queens soldiers, for from the Merchant to the porter, no calling is so despised, so contemned, so derided, that they may beg for their service; for their living is turned into an alms. One saith, that Moses is Quis, that is, the Magistrate is some body: but Aaron is Quasi quis, that is, the Minister is no body, because no body is despised like him. Receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet: nay, Receive a Prophet ⟨p. 305⟩in the name of an enemy, as Ahab received Elijah;¹ Art thou here mine enemy? If Paul had lived in our days he would not have said, Despise not the Prophets, but persecute not the Prophets, for he should have seen not only despisers of the Prophets, but mockers of them, not only mockers, but slanderers of them, not only slanderers, but hunters and biters,² and smiters of them. Joseph was troubled so soon as he began to feed his Fathers sheep, so the Pastors are troubled so soon as they begin to feed their fathers sheep, every man thinks to find friends against them, and though there be no law to hurt them, yet no man fears to accuse them, because authority doth disfavour them, they cannot tell how to preach, nor what to say, because there be so many Ahabs which would have them say that which pleaseth them,³ though it be not true. Charm the charmer never so sweetly, let his song be never so pleasant, yet many adders are ready to stop their ears, & stop his mouth, like a bird which was smitten in her song, of the Archer whom she singeth unto,⁴ even as Saul let his spear fly at David, while he played upon his harp to solace and comfort▪ and drive the evil spirit from him: so while we play upon Davids harp to solace and comfort, & drive ⟨p. 306⟩the evil spirit from you, many let the darts of reproach, and the arrows of slander fly at us;