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…

Therefore let no man vaunt though he were a king of his house or land, or farm or children, but know that he should have nothing, if GOD did not regard him more than other, and think when thou doest read this story, whether thou be not as proud of thy wealth, as Nebuchadnezzar was of his palace: whether thou be not as proud of thy children, as Nebuchadnezzar was of his kingdom: ⟨p. 399⟩whether thou be not as proud of thy parentage, as Nebuchadnezzar was of his honour: whether thou be not so proud of thy learning, as Nebuchadnezzar was of his train. If thou be not so proud, then God doth say no more, O King, to thee be it spoken, O subject to thee be it spoken, these blessings shall be taken from thee. For, hath God taken no mans kingdom from him but Nebuchadnezzars? hath he taken no mans office from him but Judas? hath he taken no mans riches from him but Jobs? how did Antiochus, and Julian, and Herod, and Saul, and Athalia, and Jezebel, & Richard the third go from their thrones, as if God had pulled them out by the ears? he had no respect unto their persons, but used them like beasts as he did Nebuchadnezzar, and fulfilled his threatening: The candle of the wicked shall be put out. Therefore as Christ saith unto them which turn back: Remember Lots wife: so I may say to them which bear high minds, and proud looks, & stout words, remember King Nebuchadnezzar, how God resisted the proud. Now if any man long to be resolved, how this king was changed to a beast, he must not imagine any strange metamorphosis, or popish transubstantiation, as though his shape were altered, or his manhood removed, or that he put on horns ⟨p. 400⟩and hoof, as the Poets feign of Actaeon, for the voice doth not say that he should become a beast, but that he should dwell with the beasts. Daniel doth not say that his head or arms, or legs were transformed: but that the hair of his head and the nails of his fingers did grow like Eagles feathers, and like birds claws, as every mans hair and nails will do, if he do not pare them.

Therefore let no man vaunt though hee were a king of his house or land, or farme or children, but know that hee should haue nothing, if GOD did not regarde him more than other, and thinke when thou doest read this storie, whether thou be not as proude of thy wealth, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his pallace: whether thou be not as proud of thy childrē, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his kingdome: