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 God thinks the time long enough: & as he reformed the ground after the flood, with fruit, and herbs, and flowers again; so he reformeth Nebuchadnezzar with understanding, and beauty, and honour again. As when he repented himself, and said, I will drown the earth no more, Gen. 8. 21. so I will ⟨p. 412⟩chase Nebuchadnezzar no more: now he knows a king above him, he shall be king again now he seeks my honour, I will give him honour; now he magnifieth him which debased him, I will return to exalt him. So the voice which thundered from heaven, Thy kingdom is departed from thee: sounds again, Thy kingdom is restored to thee. For it was not told that he should be like a beast until he dyed, but until he knew that the most high beareth rule over the sons of men. Therefore when he knew this, nothing could stay him from his kingdom, no more then they could stay him in it before. Thus the displeasure of God is but an interim, until we know some thing that we should know, and then Nebuchadnezzar shall be king again, then the sick man shall be whole again, then the bondman shall be free again, then the poor man shall be rich again. His mercies are called everlasting, because they endure for ever. Psal. 136. 1, 2. But his anger is compared to the clouds, because it lasteth but a season, whom he loveth he loveth to the end, but whom he scourgeth he scourgeth to repent; as Hezekias was sick until he wept, Nebuchadnezzar was banished but until he repented. Now the first cure of the Kings restitution was of his mind, Mine understanding (saith Nebuchadnezzar) was restored unto me. To ⟨p. 413⟩show what an inestimable gift our understanding and reason is, whereby we differ from beasts, for which we cannot be thankful enough, therefore he records it twice, as though his heart did flow with gladness, and his tongue could not choose but speak often of it, as a man thinketh and speaketh of that which he loveth.

Now God thinkes the time long enough: & as he reformed the ground after the flood, with fruit, and hearbes, and flowers agayne; so hee reformeth Nabuchadnezzar with vnderstanding, and beauty, and honour againe. As when he repented himselfe, and sayd, I wil drown the earth no more,