I Have chosen this story of Nebuchadnezzar, wherein is laid down his Pride, his Fall, and his Restitution. This Nebuchadnezzar was a wicked King, and therefore God warned him by a dream, and by Daniel, to amend his life, but all would not serve, he made many shows, but he revolted again, therefore at the last GOD gave him over for a time, and he became like a beast, until he acknowledged ⟨p. 361⟩his power to come from God. A warning to all rulers, to put them in remembrance that one ruler is above, which must be served of them all, or else all their buildings and treasures, and guard, will not shield them from judgement when the stroke cometh, no more than they could save Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months (saith Daniel) this king walked in his royal palace. The Prophet showeth that he had deserved this punishment before, and that his dream which he had, did tell him that his kingdom should depart from him for his Pride, yet this respite of twelve months was granted him, like the forty days which were granted to the Ninevites, to try what he would do upon his warnings, and whether he would repent as the Ninevites did, therefore the holy Ghost showeth how the time ran, and how he lived after: as if he should say, If he will return yet, and be warned by the dreams, or by the Prophets which I sent him, I will stay my hand, and his kingdom shall not depart from him. But here he showeth, that he forgot his dream like a dream, and was more desirous to know what it meant, than to be warned by it. The twelve months ran month after month, yet Nebuchadnezzar is all one. Now his dreams are gone, he thinketh that all is ended, therefore he getteth him up into ⟨p. 362⟩his palace amiddest his delights, to beak himself, as it were, in the sun of all his pleasures, where indeed he hastened God to take away all his pleasures and delights from him, when he should have repented, as the Prophet Daniel willed him, and ripped up his sins, and bewailed his wicked life, and poured forth tears, and prevented his judgement with prayer upon his knees, then was he stalking in his galleries, and thinking what sin should be next, to fill up the number of his rebellions, that GOD might not spare him when he judged:
I Haue chosen this storie of Nabuchadnezzar, wherein is laide downe his Pride, his Fall, and his Restitution. This Nabuchadnezzar was a wicked King, and therefore God warned him by a dreame, and by Daniel, to amend his life, but all would not serue, hee made many shewes, but hee reuolted againe, therefore at the last GOD gaue him ouer for a time, and he became like a beast, vntill he acknowledged ⟨p. 361⟩his power to come from God. A warning to all rulers, to put them in remembrance that one ruler is aboue, which must bee serued of them all, or else all their buildings and treasures, and guard, will not shield them from iudgement when the stroake commeth, no more than they could saue Nabuchadaezzar. At the end of twelue moneths (saith Daniel) this king walked in his royall pallace. The Prophet sheweth that hee had deserued this punishment before, and that his dreame which he had, did tell him that his kingdome should depart from him for his Pride, yet this respite of twelue moneths was granted him, like the fortie dayes which were granted to the Niniuites, to trie what hee would doe vpon his warnings, and whether hee would repent as the Niniuites did, therefore the holy Ghost sheweth how the time ranne, and how he liued after: as if he should say, If he will returne yet, and be warned by the dreames, or by the Prophets which I sent him, I will stay my hand, and his kingdome shal not depart from him. But here he sheweth, that he forgot his dreame like a dreame, and was more desirous to knowe what it meant, than to bee warned by it. The twelue months ranne moneth after moneth, yet Nabuchadnezzar is all one. Now his dreames are gone, he thinketh that all is ended, therefore hee getteth him vp into ⟨p. 362⟩his pallace amiddest his delights, to beake himselfe, as it were, in the sunne of all his pleasures, where indeede hee hastened God to take away all his pleasures and delightes from him, when hee should haue repented, as the Prophet Daniel willed him, and ripped vp his sinnes, and bewailed his wicked life, and poured foorth teares, and preuented his iudgement with prayer vpon his knees, then was hee stalking in his galleries, and thinking what sinne should bee next, to fill vp the number of his rebellions, that GOD might not spare him when he iudged:
