The pride of King Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.26.27The pride of King Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.26.27

Now God comes and finds Nebuchadnezzar upon his Towers, when he should have cast himself down to the ground, & thought upon his dreams, and Daniel, to humble his pride. He was perched upon his roof, and there he begins to crow of his wealth: Is not this great Babel, that I have built for the house of my kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? See how the man standeth in admiration of his vanity, like an usurer which doteth of his money as though he had deserved immortal fame for spending his money vainly, to lay one stone upon another.

Now God comes and findes Nabuchadneezer vpon his Towers, when he should haue cast himself downe to the ground, & thought vpon his dreames, and Daniel, to humble his pride. Hee was pearched vpon his roofe, and there he begins to crowe of his wealth: Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiesty? See how the man standeth in admiration of his vanity, like an vsurer which doteth of his money as though hee had deserued immortall fame for spending his money vainely, to lay one stone vpon another.

Is not this great Babel, &c. he should have said: Is not this Nebuchadnezzar's folly, which he hath ⟨p. 9⟩built for a mock to his name, and an impeachment to his wisdom, for men to say when they pass by, look how our King hath bestowed his revenues, here lie our subsidies, & our tributes in these stone walls? But Nebuchadnezzar thinketh that every man will praise him for his folly. Therefore as a woman when she is pricked up in her bravery, thinketh that all do admire her, and hath as goodly opinion of her self, as the Peacock hath of his feathers, and frameth all her tricks, and speeches, and gestures accordingly: So when Nebuchadnezzar sate in his palace, and saw such sheers about him, now, saith pride, thou must frame thy looks, and gestures, and speeches accordingly, or else the Kings palace will be braver than the King ⟨p. 10⟩himself. So he beginneth to exalt his mind higher than his palace, and to look & speak stouter then he did before: the temptation was no sooner in his heart, but it was in his mouth, and he pleased himself therein so well, that he could not refrain, being alone, but as a fool, admires himself in a glass: so he, when he was alone, and no body with him, yet he strutted alone, and bragged by himself, to think what a jolly fellow he was. Now men begin to talk of his buildings. By this we may see how wealth and honours change manners, and how a gay coat, or a wrought handkerchief, or a gold ring can brave a mans mind, and make him look and speak after another fashion than he did. It is a wonder to see what power these