The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

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