Two sermons preached by Master Henry SmithTvvo sermons preached by Master Henry Smith

Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous and terrible throne of God: the dead shall rise, the trump shall blow, and all the world shall be in an uproar, and they shall stand quaking; when their hearing without profiting shall be laid to their charge, and they shall say: O we have known no such thing: but surely if the Jews could come out of hell, they would admonish us to take better heed how we hear: for we hear as though we did not hear at all, our minds are otherwise occupied. Now when we see any thing come to ⟨image 43⟩pass as it is fore-told in the scriptures, then we must say as Christ said. This prophecy is fulfilled; for all things that are written, are come to Scriptum est, & factum est, that is, as sure as it is written, so surely doeth it come to pass. It prophecieth nothing but that which truly is fulfilled in due time, and the more often it speaks of a thing, the more certain, the more excellent, and the more to be believed it is. Like a Jewell that is beset with pearl, so is our calling adorned with Scriptures, for so doeth God tender our calling, which is often in his mouth, and we so often in his remembrance, that he speaketh of us in every book throughout the whole Scriptures, like a kind spouse whose love is in a strange country, and he delighteth himself with thoughts and meditations of her: so he did long until the Gentiles were come to him again, like the prodigal child, whose Father did long until he had embraced him. When shall my prodigal son come home again, saith he? ¹I will put my best garment on his back, and my gold ring on his finger, and his fare shall be the daintiest morsel. And thus God longeth for our salvation, and he knocketh at our doors; Is faith here? is love here? is one called the fear of God in this place?

Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous and terrible throne of God: the dead shall rise, the trumpe shall blow, and all the world shall be in an vproare, and they shall stand quaking; when their hearing without profiting shall bee laid to their charge, and they shall say: O wee haue knowne no such thing: but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell, they would admonish vs to take better heed how we heare: for we heare as though we did not heare at all, our mindes are otherwise occupied. Now when wee see any thing cometo ⟨image 43⟩