A73175:125
Six sermons preachedSixe sermons preached
Six sermons preached by Master Henry Smith at Clement Danes Church without Temple bar. With two prayers of the same author hereunto annexed.Sixe sermons preached by Maister Henry Smith at Clement Danes Church without Temple barre. VVith tvvo prayers of the same author hereunto annexed.
London: printed by Richard for Robert Dexter, 1592
THE SECOND SERMON OF THE SONG OF OLD FATHER SIMEON. › Which thou hast prepared.
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.
Is not the godly more despited for his godliness than the wicked for his wickedness?
Is not the godly more despited for his godlinesse than the wicked for his wickednesse?
Are not the members of Christ more hated, and worse entertained by us then the limbs of Satan? So dearly doth every one love sin and draws sin upon sin like a chain, or monsters drawn in a chain: pride showeth, drunkenness showeth every man his sin. They came unto us, and said, your fathers loved us well, and said unto us, if you will be fair, you shall be wise, if you will be drunk, you shall be rich, and so every one pointeth at, and showeth us the way which leadeth to destruction, and how few are the number of them which showeth us the way of virtue and godliness?
Are not the members of Christ more hated, and worse entertained by vs then the limmes of Sathan? So dearely doth euerie one loue sinne and drawes sinne vpon sinne like a chain, or monsters drawne in a chain: pride sheweth, drunkennesse sheweth euerie man his sinne. They came vnto vs, and said, your fathers loued vs well, and said vnto vs, if you wil be faire, you shall be wise, if you will be drunke, you shall be rich, and so euerie one pointeth at, and sheweth vs the way which leadeth to destruction, and how few are the number of them which sheweth vs the way of vertue and godlinesse?
And thus we are even as forward as those Jews which strive who shall come to hell ⟨p. 73⟩first. Who did ever thank God that he was not borne an hundred years ago, when ignorance spread over all, and all Egypt was smitten with darkness, or that the Lord hath not left him to himself to become an Atheist, or an Epicure which lives without God in the world? We have all Gods gifts offered us, but we have refused them. Christ brought light: but we had rather he had brought darkness, for we love darkness more then light. The Angels, the heavens, the word, the spirit, are light, and we which see it are darkness, for we can not abide light, but are like an Owl which flieth out of a hae field from the light of the day, such a death is day unto us. Faith is flown away, truth is become a pilgrim, and every string is out of tune. He which should weep and be sorrowful laughs, and truth is brought to the ground, yea poor truth is even persecuted to the death, therefore sinners are stubble, and their sentence is, burn them.