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…

Therefore many seem to wear this Garment which shall be thrust from the banquet,¹ because they wear it not: as those which will say, when the Lord shall come to judgement, We have seen thee in our streets,² we have heard thee in our Synagogues, we have prophesied, ⟨p. 328⟩we have cast out Devils, we have wrought miracles by thy name: as though if any had put him on, or borne his marks, they were the men which were marked like his servants: therefore who but they shall enter into Heaven?³ Yet Christ saith, I know you not: there is their reward, I know you not: as if he should answer, You wear not my livery, you bear not my cognisance for all your shows, therefore depart from me: so he put them off, because they had not put him on: for though they had seen his person, and heard of his virtues, yet they had no faith to apply his mercies, his merits, his death and his righteousness unto them, without which no man can put on Christ nor wear him. Faith is the hand which putteth him on, Faith taketh first his righteousness and covereth her unrighteousness, then she taketh his obedience and covereth her disobedience, then she taketh his patience, and covereth her impatience, then she taketh his temperance, & covereth her intemperance, then she taketh his continency, and covereth her incontinence, then she taketh his constancy, and covereth her inconstancy, then she taketh his faith, and covereth her diffidence: then she taketh his humility, and covereth her pride: then she taketh his love, and covereth her rancour: ⟨p. 329⟩and so taketh one robe after another, and tricketh her self, until she have put on Jesus Christ, that is, until she appear in the sight of God, like Jesus Christ, clothed with his merits and graces: that God hath no power to be angry with her, because she cometh so like his son. This is to put on Jesus Christ, as you shall see more lively, when you have taken a view of the Garment, for we are to speak of Christ the Garment, and of our putting it on. There be many fashions of apparel, but they are too light, or too heavy, or too sad, or too course, or too stale, and all wear out. At last the Apostle found a fashion that surpasseth them all: it is never out of fashion, meet for all seasons, fit for all persons, & such a profitable weed, that the more it is worn, the fresher it is. What fashion have you seen comparable to this?