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

Thus Satan is ever crossing, tempting, enticing us when we are or should be addressing our selves to do the will of our God. So was Moses, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, ¹Nehemiah, Christ himself tempted, being about most notable works. What said our Saviour to Peter? Satan hath desired to sift and winnow you as wheat. Who are these whose peril satan so earnestly desireth? Even Peters, and James, and Johns. No marvel, for Christ himself, though acknowledged the Son of God, was most fiercely assaulted of the tempter forty days, and then indeed was left, but it was only for a season, Luke. 4. 13. Therefore never dream of a truce with Satan, whosoever thou be, whatsoever thou art about to do. For the enemy, the envious foe, the tempter, the false accuser goeth about continually seeking whom he may devour. Now his manner of tempting is, first and most usually with flattering, but yet very often with most terrible threatening. For whatsoever we do or feel, cometh from one of these three spirits, the spirit of satan, the Spirit of God, or our spirit. Now our own spirit of it self is always occupied about worldly things, seeking delights in pleasures, not disquiet by threats. The spirit of God is gentle, loving, and meek, not forcing, nor threatening. Therefore Christ saith, If any will follow me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, &c. ²And mark his spirit, he saith not, you shall follow me, but ⟨image 61⟩you shall deny your selves, and take up your cross, but if any will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross: Let him. The same is to be seen in the Canticles, ³where he saith: Open unto me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled. For mine head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. For ⁴when she opened not unto him, making most unmeet excuses, though he had most lovingly prayed, and lively urged her to open, and she most unkindly, most unworthily had denied, yet the went his way mildly without ⁵