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…

This is because the remembrance of God which would wake sinners, is so chased from men, for fear it should curb them of their pleasures, that they dare not think of him, but strive to forget him, that they may sin without fear. Therefore he becometh a Schoolmaster for God, and calleth children unto him before they be corrupted, to teach them this one lesson for the guide of their life, Remember thy Creator. To which he draweth them as it were with two cords: the short slight of their youth, and the infinite infirmities of age. To show how soon our youth is gone, which we think will never have end: Solomon doth not reckon it by years, but by days, in the days of thy youth: so the Scripture numbers our life, by days and hours, and minutes, to teach us to make use of all our time, and every day to think upon the end. Yet least they should post over this remembrance unto age, which is the general day that all set to repent, after this verse Solomon brings in the old man deaf, and blind, and lame, and stammering, for the young man to behold, as if he should say: look my son, is this man fit to learn? which cannot hear, nor see, nor speak, nor go? Therefore remember ⟨p. 457⟩thou thy creator in the days of thy youth before this dotage come. This then is the level of our message, to hasten them forward which travel towards heaven, because there is a great space between God and us, and much a doe to aspire the top of mount Zion, but more a doe to aspire the top of the mount of heaven.

This is because the remembrance of God which would wake sinners, is so chased from men, for feare it should curbe them of their pleasures, that they dare not thinke of him, but striue to forget him, that they may sinne without feare. Therefore he becommeth a Schoolemaster for God, and calleth children vnto him before they be corrupted, to teach them this one lesson for the guide of their life, Remember thy Creator. To which he draweth them as it were with two cordes: the short slight of their youth, and the infinite infirmities of age. To shew how soone our youth is gone, which we thinke will neuer haue ende: Salomon doth not reckon it by yeares, but by dayes, in the dayes of thy youth: so the Scripture numbers our life, by dayes and houres, and minutes, to teach vs to make vse of al our time, and euery day to thinke vpon the ende. Yet least they should post ouer this remembrance vnto age, which is the generall daye that all set to repent, after this verse Salomon brings in the old man deafe, and blinde, and lame, and stammering, for the young man to behold, as if he should say: looke my sonne, is this man fit to learne? which cannot heare, nor see, nor speake, nor goe? Therefore remember