A12406:857
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.
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.
Therefore the sage and beaten counsellors ⟨p. 463⟩advised Rehoboam when he began to reign:1 Show thy self loving to the people this day, and they will be thy servants for ever. As though all the days after could not do so much as the first: Such a victory it is to begin well, as our Proverb saith: he which hath begun well, is half his way, especially it is good for a man to begin his repentance, before he learn to be evil: For herein our minds do follow our bodies. If our children be deformed in their youth, we never look to see them well savoured: so if the mind be planted in sin, seldom any goodness buddeth out of that stock. For virtue must have a time to grow, the seed is sown in youth, which cometh up in age.
Therefore the sage and beaten counsaylers ⟨p. 463⟩aduised Rehoboam when he beganne to raigne:1 Shew thy selfe louing to the people this day, and they will be thy seruants for euer. As though all the dayes after could not doo so much as the first: Such a victorie it is to beginne well, as our Prouerbe saith: hee which hath begunne well, is halfe his waye, especiallie it is good for a man to beginne his repentance, before he learne to be euill: For herein our minds do follow our bodyes. If our children bee deformed in their youth, we neuer looke to see them well sauored: so if the minde be planted in sinne, sildome any goodnesse buddeth out of that stocke. For vertue must haue a time to growe, the seede is sowne in youth, which commeth vp in age.
And if we can say of others, when we see a graceless boy, thou wilt prove a wagstring, if thou live to be elder, why should we, if we begin as ill as he, think that we shall be better and better, which judge that he will be worse and worse; as the arrow is directed at the first, so it flieth all the way, over, or under, or beside, but it never findeth the mark, unless it be levelled right in the hand; so they which make an evil beginning forespeake themselves as it were at the first, and wander out all their race, because when