A12406:737
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…
The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.
London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man, 1593
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Is not this great Babel, which I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
Is not this great Babel, which I haue built for the house of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my maiestie?
Three things I note in this saying. First, what a glorious opinion Nebuchadnezzar had of his vain building, out of these words, Is not this great Babel? The second out of these words, which I have built by the might of my power; wherein he termeth himself the founder of it, as if he had done all without a helper. The third is, that in all his work, he sought nothing but vain-glory, out of these words; for the honour of my Majesty. These three sins Nebuchadnezzar doth bewray in one brag, and in all these three we are so like, that the beasts were not so like him when […] became like a beast.
Three things I note in this saying. First, what a glorious opinion Nabuchadnezzar had of his vaine building, out of these words, Is not this great Babel? The second out of these words, which I haue built by the might of my power; wherein he tearmeth himselfe the founder of it, as if he had done all without a helper. The third is, that in all his worke, hee sought nothing but vaine-glory, out of these words; for the honour of my Maiestie. These three sinnes Nabuchadnezzar doth bewraie in one bragge, and in all these three we are so like, that the beasts were not so like him when 〈…〉 became like a beast.
First we have not so wonderful an opinion ⟨p. 368⟩of GOD, or of his word, or of heaven, as we have of our own acts, although we be never able to do half that Nebuchadnezzar did. Secondly, this is our manner, to attribute all to our selves whatsoever it be, riches, honour, health, or knowledge; as though all came by labour, or policy, or art, or literature: if we cannot draw it to one of these, then we think it fortune, although we understand not what fortune is. If we did count our selves beholding unto God for them, then we would find some time to be thankful unto him.