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…

Now the decree goeth forth, that Nebuchadnezzar shall be King no more, Thy kingdom is departed from thee. This is such a saying, as if Nebuchadnezzar had thought of it before, he would have wept when he vaunted, to think that his honour was going from him, when he thought it was coming to him: and yet his kingdom was departed from him, and yet God saith, Thy kingdom is departed from thee, because the decree was past, which should as surely come to pass, as if it were past already. Therefore because we care not so long as the Prophet saith, we shall die, we shall suffer, we shall answer, he leaveth Shall, and saith Now, as God said to Abimelec: Thou art a dead man, not thou shalt dye, but thou art dead, which roused him more, then if he had threatened him an hundred ⟨p. 397⟩deaths, because he thought that he should die presently: So the holy Ghost is forced as it were to exceed, and speak more then we think he should speak, for the hardness of our hearts, which hear like stones, and go like snails. If we have but a week to repent we will defer it to the last day, that we may sin all the rest.

Now the decree goeth foorth, that Nabuchadnezzar shall be King no more, Thy kingdome is departed from thee. This is such a saying, as if Nabuchadnezzar had thought of it before, he would haue wept when he vanted, to thinke that his honor was going from him, when hee thought it was comming to him: and yet his kingdom was departed from him, and yet God saith, Thy kingdome is departed from thee, because the decree was past, which should as surely come to passe, as if it were past already. Therefore because we care not so long as the Prophet sayth, we shal die, we shal suffer, we shal answere, he leaueth Shall, and saith Now, as God said to Abimelec: Thou art a dead man, not thou shalt dye, but thou art dead, which roused him more, then if hee had threatned him an hundred ⟨p. 397⟩deaths, because he thought that he shuld die presently: So the holy Ghost is forced as it were to exceede, and speake more then wee thinke he should speake, for the hardnesse of our hearts, which heare like stones, and goe like snayles. If we haue but a weeke to repent we will deferre it to the last day, that we may sinne all the rest.