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…

It is said, the Devil is very busy because his time is short, but an old mans is shorter. What haste should he make, that must go farther than the Mores, than the Sun in a year, or a mouth, or a week, which the Saints were going all their life. Therefore, if youth had need of legs, age had need of wings to fly unto God. But as Christ said, The poor receive the Gospel, though the rich be more bound; so we may say, the young men receive the Gospel, though the old men have more cause.

It is said, the Diuel is very busie because his time is short, but an old mans is shorter. What haste should he make, that must goe farther than the Mores, than the Sunne in a yeare, or a mouth, or a weeke, which the Saintes were going all their life. Therefore, if youth had neede of legges, age had neede of wings to flie vnto God. But as Christ saide, The poore receiue the Gospell, though the rich be more bound; so we may say, the yong men receiue the Gospel, though the olde men haue more cause.

The young men follow Christ, the young men hear the word, the young men sanctify themselves, the young men stand for the church, the young men bear the heat of this day: old Noah is drunk, old Lot is sleepy old Sampson hath lost his strength. Once the younger brother did steal the blessing from the elder, & now he hath got it again, as the malice of Esau shows, which persecutes ⟨p. 474⟩him for it. I speak it to their shame, they that wear the furs and scarlets, as though they were all wisdom, and gravity, and holiness even to the skirts, may say as Zedechias said to Micaiah, When did the spirit depart from me and go to thee? When did zeal depart from us, and go to you? They are so nousled to the world, and acquainted with sin, that it is too late now for the world to speak unto them; they may look upon the signs of wisdom, and gravity, and holiness, when they see their long beards, and grey heads, & side gowns, and ask why is this bush hanged out, and no wine within? What marvel then if they be not reverenced, but mocked and pointed at, when Shem and Japheth had need to come again, and cover their nakedness? What a shame was it to the Israelites, when Christ said by a Canaanite, I have not found so great faith in Israel? So what a shame is it to the elders, that Christ may say again, I have not found so great faith nor knowledge nor zeal in Masters, and Fathers, and Rulers, as in servants, and children, and prentices? Which made an old Father of this City say, which now is with God, that if there were any good to be done in these days, it is the young men that must do it, for the old men are out of date, their courage stoops like