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…

so the chamber that received God, the hart which should lodge knowledge must be trimmed, and all the sinful corners swept;¹ or else, as Samuel would not come to Saul, so Wisdom will not come to that host. There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God, to prepare the house, & this is love, the bond of perfection.² They which have love (saith John) know GOD, but they which have not love know not God, though they have never so much knowledge beside. Unto good Nathaniel, Christ said, Thou shalt see greater things than these: but unto the obstinate Jews he said,³ Seeing, ⁴you shall not see; like Hagar, which had the well before her, and did not see the water. He which cannot say with Paul, We have the spirit of Christ, ⁵cannot say with Paul,⁶ We have knowledge.

so the chamber that receiued God, the hart which should lodge knowledge must bee trimmed, and all the sinfull corners swept;¹ or else, as Samuell would not come to Saul, so Wisedome will not come to that hoste. There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God, to prepare the house, & this is loue, the bond of perfection.² They which haue loue (saith Iohn) knowe GOD, but they which haue not loue know not God, though they haue neuer so much knowledge beside. Vnto good Nathaniell, Christ saide, Thou shalt see greater things than these: but vnto the obstinat Iewes he saide,³ Seeing, ⁴you shall not see; like Hagar, which had the wel before her, and did not see the water. He which cannot saie with Paul, We haue the spirit of Christ,