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…

But he which can go beyond all in shifts & policy, is counted the wisest man in Court & City. Oh, if Machavil had lived in our country, what a Monarch should be be? to what honour, and wealth, and power, and credit, might he have risen unto in short time, whether he had been a Lawyer, or a Courtier, or a Prelate? me thinks I see how many fingers ⟨p. 419⟩would point at him in the streets, as they do at his apes, and say, there goeth a deep fellow, he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole body. You talk of Sectaries how fast they grow, and how fast they breed; I warrant you where any Sectary hath one son, Machavil hath a score, and those not the brats, but the fatlings of the Land, which if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policy, they might go like Saints among men. But we speak to the belly that hath no ears.

But he which can go beyond all in shifts & policie, is counted the wisest man in Court & Citie. Oh, if Machauil had liued in our countrey, what a Monarch should be be? to what honour, and wealth, and power, and credite, might he haue risen vnto in short time, whether he had been a Lawyer, or a Courtier, or a Prelate? me thinkes I see how many fingers ⟨p. 419⟩would poynt at him in the streetes, as they doe at his apes, and say, there goeth a deepe fellowe, he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole bodie. You talke of Sectaries how fast they growe, and how fast they breed; I warrant you where any Sectary hath one sonne, Machauil hath a score, and those not the brats, but the fatlings of the Land, which if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policie, they might goe like Saints among men. But wee speake to the belly that hath no eares.

Now let us see the parts of this kings confession, that we may see how his thankfulness did answer to his sin: before he had robbed God of his honour: now, as though he came to make restitution, he brings praise, & thanks and glory in his mouth. First, he advanceth Gods power, and saith, that his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom: in which words he confesseth that God was above him, because that his kingdom was not an everlasting Kingdom, but a momentany Kingdom, like a spark which riseth from the fire, and falleth to the fire again. Therefore he showeth what a fool he was to vaunt of his Kingdom, as though it were like Gods Kingdom, which lasteth for ever.