A12406:650
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…
The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.
London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man, 1593
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.THE TRVE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITES.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
a Prophet was amongst us, but when he was despised in Jerusalem, he was sent to Nineveh. Is not judgement begun already? Doth not the Gospel stand at the door, as if she were ready to take her leave? Are we not come from despising of Prophets almost to the despising of Prophesying too? Do not many run unto the rulers, as young Joshua ran to Moses, and cry master, forbid them to prophesy? Do not many walk in the streets while we preach in the Temple?1 The beasts came to the ark […] save themselves, and men will not come to the Church to save themselves: but we may cry unto them as the Children did to their fellows in the market;2 We have piped unto you and you would not dance, we have lamented unto you, and you would not mourn. Some come to hear us, as Naaman came to Elisha, when the Prophet had told him what he should do, he mocked him for it, he thought that he knew a better way than that himself.3 So they come to hear us: but they think they can teach us, but they must remember that Paul saith,4 God hath chosen ⟨p. 309⟩the foolish to confound the wise; therefore if they think them selves wise, let them think us those fools whom God hath chosen to confound them. For although at all other times we are plain and simple as Jacob, yet at this time we have a promise, and it is given to us for your sake, to speak sometime that which we conceive not our selves, because the hour is come wherein God hath appointed to call some of you, as he hath done some of you before, therefore as the princely Spirit came upon Saul when he should reign,5 to teach him how he should rule, so the prophetical spirit cometh upon Preachers when they should teach, to teach them how they should speak:6 therefore as Christ was content to be baptized of John, so be you content to be instructed of us, that (if we be more simple than you) the glory of God may appear more in converting you by us.