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…

I was thrice beaten with rods, I was once stoned, I suffered thrice shipwreck, &c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ, that he might be out of trouble. Yet he will not dissolve himself, but desireth to be dissolved: that is, that he which brought him into this world, would take him out of the world: neither doth he wish or pray, or make any petition to God to take away his life, but tells him his desire, desiring to be dissolved: to desire is not to pray, but shows what we approve: neither doth he desire so to be dissolved, as though he were weary of his labours, & would suffer no more for Christ, but he is content to live as he saith in the 24. vers. Nevertheless for me to abide in the flesh were better for you, as if he should say, to do you good I am content to suffer evil, and stay still from Christ, whom I long to be with. Seeing then that he will not dissolve himself, nor pray to be dissolved, but is content to live still: why doth he say, I desire to be dissolved? Only to show what he preferreth in his desire, if he might ⟨p. 524⟩choose life or death for his own respect, he could be content to leave friends and riches, and pleasures, and life, and all, only to be with Christ. This seems to be a good lesson for sick men, when they can live no longer, then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton, which never thought of heaven till he was in hell:¹ but Paul was not sick nor sore when he desired to be dissolved: therefore this is not only for the sick, but for the whole. If he had wished to live & stay still in the world, no man need to be taught to say after him, for young & old desire not to be dissolved, but few are content to be dissolved. To a natural man in this life, nothing is so sweet as life it self, and he which is in love with this world, seldom dyeth quietly upon his bed: but to a mind which misliketh this world, nothing can come so welcome as death, because it takes him out of the world. This it is which Paul would have us learn, that nothing in this world is so precious or pleasant, that for it we should desire to live or stay from God one hour:

I was thrise beaten with rods, I was once stoned, I suffered thrise shipwrake, &c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ, that he might be out of trouble. Yet he wil not dissolue himself, but desireth to be dissolued: that is, that he which brought him into this world, would take him out of the world: neither doth he wish or pray, or make any petitiō to God to take away his life, but tels him his desire, desiring to be dissolued: to desire is not to pray, but shewes what we approue: neither doth he desire so to be dissolued, as though he were weary of his labors, & would suffer no more for Christ, but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers. Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you, as if he should say, to do you good I am content to suffer euil, and stay still from Christ, whom I long to be with. Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself, nor pray to be dissolued, but is content to liue stil: why doth he say, I desire to be dissolued? Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire, if hee might