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 he hath received grace, let us examine his thankfulness. If you mark how every thing comes in his order, you shall see a marvellous consequence observed both in his Fall & Restitution. When he looked upon his palace, then he waxed proud; when he waxed proud, then God threatened him; when he was threatened, then God banished him; when he was banished, then he lift up his eyes to heaven; when he lift up his eyes to heaven, his understanding came unto him; when his understanding came unto him, then he gave thanks to God: showing us the use of our understanding, why God hath given reason unto men, viz. to serve him and praise him upon earth: as Nebuchadnezzar worshipped God so soon as he came to understanding; so, so soon as we come to years of discretion, and begin to understand, we should begin a new life, and serve him whom all creatures do serve with us, or else our understanding is vain, and we are beasts still: for by this Nebuchadnezzar shows that he had understanding, and was like a man, because he gave praise to God, & was moved in heart to worship him which made him, according to that definition that ⟨p. 418⟩David maketh of understanding, in the tenth verse of the one hundred and eleventh Psalm. They which observe them have a good understanding: they which observe the Commandments have a good understanding; not they which speak of the Commandments, nor they which write of the Commandments, nor they which preach of the Commandments, but they which keep the Commandments, have a good understanding. The rest have a false understanding, a vain understanding, an understanding, like that of the Scribes & Pharisees which was enough to condemn them, but not to save them.

Now he hath receiued grace, let vs examine his thankfulnes. If you marke how euery thing comes in his order, you shall see a marueilous consequence obserued both in his Fall & Restitution. When he looked vpon his pallace, then he waxed proud; when he waxed proud, then God threatned him; whē he was threatned, then God banished him; when hee was banished, then he lift vp his eyes to heauen; when he lift vp his eyes to heauen, his vnderstanding came vnto him; when his vnderstanding came vnto him, then he gaue thanks to God: shewing vs the vse of our vnderstanding, why God hath giuen reason vnto men, viz. to serue him and praise him vpon earth: as Nabuchadnezzar worshipped God so soone as he came to vnderstanding; so, so soone as we come to yeres of discretion, and begin to vnderstand, we should begin a new life, and serue him whom all creatures doe serue with vs, or else our vnderstanding is vaine, and wee are beasts still: for by this Nabuchadnezzar shewes that hee had vnderstanding, and was like a man, because hee gaue praise to God, & was moued in heart to worship him which made him, according to that definition that