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…

Now let us see how to put this Garment on. Many fumble about it, like children which ⟨p. 326⟩had need of one to put on their clothes. Some put on Christ like a precious head tire, which all day is worn, beautified with jewels, and beset with gems, to make the face seem more amiable: but at night, that riches is laid aside, and the head muffled with some regardless tyre. Thus do our curious women put on Christ, who when they hear the messengers of grace offering this Garment, and preparing to make the body fit to be garnished with so glorious a vesture, as Paul did the Romans, first washing away drunkenness and gluttony, then chambering and wantonness, then strife and envy, and so sin after sin, they seem like the stony ground to receive it with joy, and think to beautify their head with this precious ornament: but when he tells them there is no communion between Christ & Belial, that if this Garment be put on, all other vanities must be put off; they then turn their day into darkness, and reject Christ, that would be an eternal crown of beauty to their heads, and wrap their temples in the uncomely rags and refuse of every Nations pride: and in these toys they cause their servants to spend many hours on every day in the week, but especially on the Sabbath day to deck their bodies, as if they were but little children, which ⟨p. 337⟩had need of one to put on their clothes. Some put on Christ as a cloak, which hangeth upon their shoulders, & covereth them: when they go abroad to be seen of men, they can cast on the cloak of holiness, and seem for a while as holy as the best; but so soon as they come home, the cloak goeth off, & the man is as he was, whose visor was better than his face. Thus Hypocrites put on Christ, as many retain unto Noble men, not to do them any service, but to have their countenance. Many put on Christ like a hat which goeth off to every one which meets them: so every temptation which meets them, makes them forget what they heard, what they promised, what they resolved, and change their way, as though they had not repented at all.

Now let vs see how to put this Garment on. Many fumble about it, like childrē which ⟨p. 326⟩had neede of one to put on their cloathes. Some put on Christ like a precious head tire, which all day is worne, beautified with iewels, and beset with gemmes, to make the face seeme more amiable: but at night, that riches is layd aside, and the head muffled with some regardlesse tyre. Thus do our curious women put on Christ, who when they heare the messengers of grace offering this Garment, and preparing to make the bodie fit to bee garnished with so glorious a vesture, as Paul did the Romanes, first washing away drunkennes and gluttony, then chambring and wantonnes, then strife and enuie, and so sinne after sinne, they seeme like the stonie grounde to receiue it with ioy, and thinke to beautifie their head with this precious ornament: but when hee tels them there is no communion between Christ & Belial, that if this Garment be put on, all other vanities must be put off; they then turne their day into darknesse, and reiect Christ, that woulde bee an eternall crowne of beautie to their heades, and wrap their temples in the vncomely rags and refuse of euerie Nations pride: and in these toyes they cause their seruants to spend manie howers on euerie day in the weeke, but especiallie on the Sabboth day to decke their bodies, as if they were but little children, which