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 the anchor of the righteous. As he looks upon his troubles, the promise cometh in like a messenger from Christ, while he is praying, and weeping, and saith, The Lord will deliver thee out of all. Then he resolveth like Nehemiah,¹ and saith, Shall such a ⟨p. 503⟩man as I fly? Shall such a man as I recant? If I be faint in the day of adversity,² Solomon saith, my strength is small: as if he should say, I was never strong, but did counterfeit like Demas: if I want comfort in trouble, Solomon saith,³ A good conscience is a continual feast. As if he should say, that I have not a good conscience, if I have not comfort in the Cross. Therefore I will wait the Lords leisure,⁴ because Isaiah saith, Faith maketh no hast. I will not break his bands, because then I am like the Heathen. I will not flatter the Judge,⁵ because Solomon saith it is vain. I will not betray the cause, because GOD hath appointed it to try me.⁶ I will not offend my brethren,⁷ because Paul had rather dye than do so. I will not charge my conscience, because it can vex me more than their bands. I will not turn from my profession, because I learned it of GOD, and vowed to leave all for it, in the day that I was baptized a Christian. Though my friends tempt me, like Jobs wife: though my flesh flatter me, like Eve: though my persecutors would bribe me, like Balaac: though they which suffer with me, should revolt for fear:⁸ yet I will be as Joshua which stood alone:⁹ and as Elkanah was in stead of children to Annah, so Christ shall be in stead of comfort, in stead of wealth, and health, and liberty to me. For many were