The Pride of Nebuchadnezzar, Religious tract
THE Pride of King Nabuchadnezzar. Dan. 4. 26. 27.
By Henrie Smith.
SIC CREDE
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Scarlet. 1591.
Dan. 4. 26.
26 At the ende of twelue moneths, hee walked in the royal pallace of Babel.
27 And the King ſpake and ſaid, Is not this great Babel that I hauehave built for the houſe of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie.
I HaueHave choſen this ſtorie of Nabucadnezer, wherin you may ſee his pride, his fal, and reſtitution. This Nabuchadneezer was a wicked king, and therefore God warned him by a dreame, and by Daniel to amende his life, but all would not ſerue: he made many ſhewes, but reuolted againe, therefore at the laſt GOD gaue him ouer for a time, and hee became like a beaſt vntill hee acknowledged his power to come from God. A warning to all rulers to remember that one ruler is aboue which muſt bee ſerued of them all, or elſe all their buildings and treaſures, and gard, will not ſhield them from iudgment when the ſtroke commeth, no more than they could ſaue Nabuchadneezer.
At the end of …welue moneths (ſaith Daniel) this king walked in his royall pallace. The Prophet ſhewes that he had deſerued this puniſhment before, and that his dreame which he had did tell him how that his kingdom ſhould depart from him for his pride: yet this reſpite was granted him, for twelue moneths, like the fortie daies which were granted to the Niniuites:Ionas. 3 4. 5 To try what he would do vponupon his warning, & whether hee would repent as the Niniuites did, therefore the holy Ghoſt ſheweth how the time ran, and how hee liued after. As if hee ſhould ſaie, if he wold returne yet, and be warned by the dreams, & by the Prophet which I ſent him, I will ſtaie my hand, and his kingdome ſhall not depart from him: but here he ſhewes that hee forgot his dreame like a dreame, and was more deſirous to knowe▪ what it meant, than to be warned by it the twelue moneths ranne monethmonth after monethmonth. Now his dreames are gone, he thinketh that all his ended, yet Nabuchadneezer is all one, therefore hee getteth him vp into his pallace amidſt his delightes, to beake himſelf as it were in the Sun of all his pleaſures, where in deede he haſtned God to take al his pleaſures from him, when hee ſhoulde hauehave repented, as Daniel willed him, and ripped vp his ſinnes, and bewailed his life, and poured forth teares, and preuented his iudgement with praier vppon his knees, then was hee ſtalking in his galleries, and thinking what ſinne ſhould be next, to fill vp the number of his rebellions, that GOD might not ſpare him when hee iudged.
So the wicked will not ſuffer the propheſies of God againſt them to be vaine, but they will put God in mind of their puniſhments and ſinne, till the puniſhment come to fulfill the threatninges due vntounto them.
Some thinke that Nabuchadneezer walked vponupon the roofe of his pallace, from whence he might ſee all parts of the Cittie round about him.Math. 4. 8. Like the mountaine whither the Tempter lead Chriſt, to ſhew him the beautie of the world.
This Daniel would ſignifie, that the King liued in eaſe as hee liued before, and pleaſed himſelfe in vanitie ſtill,Math. 3. 10 for all his warning, and turned his time of repentance to ſinne. Therefore the Lorde would defer no longer, but cut him down like the barren figge tree, to teach vsus to take mercy while it is offered, to repent while we hauehave time, and if God ſpeake but once to vsus, to lay it vp in our harts for euer: not look to bee ſpoken to againe, becauſe God is not bound to warne vsus at all. One would hauehave thought that Nabuchadneezer would hauehave remembred his warning while he liued, which had ſuch a ſtraunge and fearefull dreame, and after an other dreame to confirme it, and after ſuch a Prophet to expound it, and the expoſition of it threatening ſuch a downe-fall vntounto himſelfe. One would hauehave thought he could not hauehave forgotten it thogh he had liued vntil this day. But like a wonder, which laſteth but nine daies: ſo is the repentance of them that are accuſtomed to ſin. When ſinne is rooted, it ſtickes harde, and who ſhall weed it? Though God ſhould ſend vsus dreams, though he ſhould ſhew vsus viſions, though he ſhould raiſe vp Prophets, Daniell himſelfe cannot make this blacke Moore white, which hath beene euer blacke. We may ſee this in our ſelues, for what neede we to heare ſo often of repentāce, more than of anything els: but it is ſuch a thing that we can not frame ourſelues to. If we bee warned of any thing but of ſinne, one warning will ſerue: but we are ſo incorporate and inured with ſinne, that a thouſand Sermons wil not ſerue: ſo cuſtome hath made ſinne ſtronger in manie than the worde of God. Well remember, or conſider, or applie it how he will, after twelue moneths God will come, and take account of his dreames, and of his Prophet which hee ſent to ſee what Nabuchadneezer hath profited by them. Although lied hauehave leaden feete, which are long a… comming, yet he hath iron handes, which, when he commeth will ſtrike home.
Now God comes and findes Nabuchadneezer vponupon his Towers, when he ſhould hauehave caſt himſelf downe to the ground, & thought vponupon his dreames, and Daniel, to humble his pride. Hee was pearched vponupon his roofe, and there he begins to crowe of his wealth: Is not this great Babel, that I hauehave built for the houſe of my kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maieſty? See how the man ſtandeth in admiration of his vanity, like an vſurer which doteth of his money as though hee had deſerued immortall fame for ſpending his money vainely, to lay one ſtone vponupon another.
Is not this great Babel, &c. hee ſhould hauehave ſaide: Is not this Nabuchadneezers follie, which he hath built for a mocke to his name, and an impeachment to his wiſdome, for men to ſay when they paſſe by, looke how our King hath beſtowed his reuenewes, here lie our ſubſidies, & our tributes in theſe ſtone walles? But Nabuchadneezer thinketh that euerie man will prayſe him for his follie. Therefore as a woman when ſhee is prickt vp in her brauery, thinketh that all doe admire her, and hath as goodlie opinion of hir ſelfe, as the Pecocke hath of his feathers, and frameth al her trickes, and ſpeeches, and geſtures accordingly: So when Nabuchadneezer ſate in his pallace, and ſaw ſuch ſheeres about him, now, ſaith pride, thou muſt frame thy lookes, and geſtures, and ſpeeches accordingly, or elſe the Kings pallace will bee brauer than the King himſelf. So hee beginneth to exalt his minde higher than his pallace, and to looke & ſpeake ſtouter then he did before: the temptation was no ſooner in his heart, but it was in his mouth, and he pleaſed himſelfe therein ſo well, that he could not refraine, beeing alone, but as a foole, admires himſelfe in a glaſſe: ſo he, when hee was alone, and no bodie with him, yet he ſtrouted alone, and bragged by himſelfe, to thinke what a iolly fellow he was. Nowe men begin to talke of his buildings. By this we may ſee how wealth and honors chaunge manners, and howe a gay coate, or a wrought handkercher, or a golde ring can braue a mans minde, and make him looke and ſpeake after another faſhion than he did. It is a wonder to ſee what power theſe pettie vaine toyes hauehave ouer the minde, to alter and change a man ſodainely, when hee thinkes better of himſelfe that day hee weares them, than any day elſe.
Is not this great Babel, &c. Before the holy Ghoſt layeth Nabuchadneezers words, marke how he commeth vntounto them. The King ſpake & ſaid: was not one enough, but hee muſt ſay, ſpake & ſaide? This doubling of the words ſheweth, that he ſpake with a premeditated pride from his heart root, which ſhould out whether it were ſinne or no, come what will come. For the holie Ghoſt doth bring in other ſpeeches with He ſaid, and no more: but heere hee ſaith, He ſpake & ſaide, as though hee ſpake twiſe, not as hee ſpake at other times, but like a man at defiance, which could not recall anie worde that he ſaide, but if hee could ſay more, he would ſay it to anger him. Did I cal it great Babel? I may call it great Babel. Did I ſaie that I built it? I will ſay that I built it. Did I adde for the honor of my maieſtie? Let it goe for the honor of my maieſtie. Thus he ſpake and ſaid, as though he would bee conſtant in his pride, although he were conſtant in nothing elſe.
Is not this great Babel, which I hauehave built for the houſe of the kingdome by the might of my power, for the honor of my maiestie?
Three thinges I note in this ſaying.
Firſt, what a glorious opinion Nabuchadneezer had of his vaine buildings, out of theſe wordes, Is not this great Babel?
The ſecond, that hee tearmeth himſelfe the founder of it, as if hee had done all without an helpe, in theſe wordes, which I hauehave built by the might of my power.
The third is, that in al his worke he ſought nothing but vaine glorie out of theſe words, for the honour of my maiestie.
Theſe three ſinnes Nabuchadnezzer doth bewray in one bragge: and in all theſe three wee are ſo like him, that the beaſtes were not ſo like him, when hee became like a beaſt. Firſt wee hauehave not ſo wonderfull an opinion of God, or of his word, or of heauen, as we hauehave of our owne actes, although wee neuer be able to doe halfe that Nabuchadnezzer did then, yet this is our manner, to attribute all to our ſelues, whatſoeuer it bee, riches, or honors, or helth, or knowledg, as if all came by labour, or pollicie, or art, or nature: if we cannot drawe it to one of theſe, then we thinke it fortune, though wee vnderſtand not what fortune is: for if wee did count our ſelues beholding vntounto God for them, wee would finde ſome time to bee thankfull to him. Laſtly, when we ouer-viewe theſe matters, this is our ſolace and comfort, to thinke with ourſelues, theſe are the things that make vsus famous and ſpoken of, and pointed at, and there wee ende, as though it were enough to be pointed at. Is not this great Babel?
That which one loueth ſeemeth great and pretious aboue all which hee loueth not, although they are better then it: ſo do theſe buildings ſeeme vntounto Nabuchadnezzer. One would thinke, that a houſe, though it were a faire houſe, were not a matter for a King to be proud of: ſtone walles are not ſo pretious, that hee ſhould repoſe all his honor vponupon lime & morter. But this is a iuſt thing with God, that vaine men ſhould hauehave vaine proſperity, and vaine comfort, and vaine glorie, that they may deceiue them when they truſt to it. Therefore as the faithfull ſoule looketh vponupon the word, or vp to heauen, and ſaith to it ſelfe, is not this my ioy, is not this mine inheritance: ſo the carnall man, when hee looketh vppon his buildings, or his money, saith vntounto himſelfe, is not this my ioy, is not this my life: and while hee pores and gapes to long vponupon it, by little and little the louelove of it growes more and more in his heart, vntill at laſt he mindeth nothing elſe. This was the firſt dotage of Nabuchadnezzer.
The ſecond was, which I hauehave built by the might of my power. What a vant was this to ſay, that he built Babel, when al hiſtories record, that it was built by Semiramis before Nabuchadnezzer was. Wherefore doth hee boaſt of that which an other did? The anſwer is eaſie: why doe other ſo now? Wee ſee that eueryevery man doth labour to obſcure the fame of others, that they may ſhine alone, and beare the names, eſpecially in buildings. If they doe but adde or alter any thing in their ſchooles or hoſpitals, or colledges, they looke ſtraight to bee counted the founders of them.
And thus the firſt founders of many auncient places are forgotten: ſo it is like that Nabuchadnezzer did adde or alter ſome thing in this Cittie, and therefore he tooke all to himſelfe. But if Semiramis, or any other had not built it but Nabuchadnezzer had beene the founder of (as he would ſeeme) yet this had beene a proude and arrogant ſpeech to ſay, which I hauehave built: for it was not hee that could build Babel, no more than Nemrod could finiſh Babel:Pſal. 127. 1. but vnleſſe the Lord build the houſe, the builders build in vaine.
Therefore when hee ſayth, By the might of my power, hee ſhould hauehave ſaide, by the might of Gods power.
But by this you may plainelie diſcerne how harde and difficult a thing it is for him to hitte vppon a right worde, or a good woorke which hath not a good thought to bring it foorth. Therefore make the roote ſweete,Mat. 12. 33 or the fruit will be ſower, counterfaite as cunningly as he can.
Laſtly, where he putteth in for the honour of my maiestie: hee ſheweth that he was of Abſolons honor, though hee had deſerued ſhame, yet he would hauehave fame: becauſe hee had no children to keepe his name in remembraunce,2. Sam. 18. 18. therefore he erected a piller, which he called Abſolons place: ſo ſtately houſes in England, beare the names of the Lords that owe them, for the ſame vanitie.
Here Abſolon thought to be buried,2. Sam. 18▪ 17. as Nabuchadneezer thought to dwel in his pallace, but he was caſt into a pitte, as Nabuchadnezzer was turned into the wildernes:Eſay. 22. 16▪ 18 ſo Shebna made his ſepulcher in one cuntry, & was buried in another. For why ſhould pride hauehave the reward of humilitie. Honour (ſaith Salomon) goeth before humilitie,Prou. 18▪ 12 that is, honour is the reward of humilitie: and yet Nabuchadnezzer would bee honoured for his pride. What hath he done, or Sheba, or Abſolon, that they ſhould erect ſuch monumentes, to bee praiſed after death, which were not worthy to bee praiſed in their life? Before the building of Babel, hee had done nothing worth the ſpeaking, for becauſe he liued alway like a beaſt, therefore God puniſhed him like a beaſt.
And doth he deſerue nowe to bee ſpoken of in all ages, for heaping ſtones together? Hereby we may ſee a ſmall matter maketh great men proud, and they would be prayſed for eueryevery thing they doe.
But looke how God ouerthwarteth them: for in that wherein they looke to make their greateſt glorie, they ſhame themſelues the moſt of all: and that which they practiſe to exalt them, doth diſgrace and ouerthrowe them, getteth them hatred of ſuch, which otherwiſe would not meddle with them: ſinne ſo deceiueth them, like the blinde Ammorites, that they take a cleane contrarie waye vntounto their deſires, as wee mae ſee in the ſecond chapter of the book of Geneſis, they which built Babel, ſaide,Gen. 11. 4. that they would builde it to get vntounto themſelues a name: but they get to themſelues ſhame: for they could not finiſh it, when they had begun it, but were confounded in ſuch a wonderful ſort, to their ſeeming, that they knewe not what they did: ſo ſodainely likewiſe they vnderſtoode not a worde that one another ſpake. So when Nabuchadnezzer came vntounto himſelfe againe, hee ſheweth, that when hee ſought his owne honor and glory, honour and glory both departed from him, and hee was made like a beaſt: but when hee ſought the honour and glorie of GOD, his honour came againe, and he was made a king.
This would pull away manie toies from womens backes, if they did well weigh and conſider with themſelues, how God makes them ridiculous by that, which they do weare to make themſelues amiable. If they did thinke that the ſuperſluitie of apparel, which they clogge on to pleaſe the world, by the ſecrete iudgement of GOD, did not pleaſe but diſpleaſe, they would bee as much aſhamed of their attire, as Eue was of her nakedneſſe. Would they weare ſuch gardes like a Pedlers ſhoppe vponupon their backes, but to pleaſe. See nowe howe GOD doth mocke them: for they are not liked, but diſliked, and worſe thought of for it, then they that goe in Ruſſet, and ſeeke no prayſe at all. They thinke, am I not braue: others thinke, is ſhe not proude: they thinke, am I not ſweete: others thinke, is ſhe not light: yet they dreame that euerie one prayſeth them: as Nabuchadnezzer thought that euerie one would honor him for his pallace.
If their gorgeous buildings and brauerie condemne them before men, how will it condemne them before God? Therefore when Nabuchadnezzar ſayth, for the honor of his maieſtie, he ſhould hauehave ſaid for the honour of Gods maieſtie, and then this had beene recorded for his honour indeede, and his houſe had bene the houſe of God, for as we ſhould ſpeake, and ſtudie, and labour to Gods glory, ſo we ſhuld build alſo to Gods glorie, that our houſes may be like Temples, as Obadias was: but few ſeeke glorie that waie, they had rather pull downe then build in ſuch ſorte. Thus you hauehave heard what Nabuchadnezzer ſpake, as though GOD would deſtroie the thoughts and pride of ſuch builders. Theſe are the thoughts and meditations of princes and nobles, when they beholde their buildinges, and open their coffers, and looke vppon their traine ſwinging after them, they thinke as Nabuchadnezzer thought, Is not this greate Babel? Is not this greate glorie? Are not theſe the treaſures that ſhall make my children riche? Is not this the traine that maketh me reuerenced in the ſtreetes? Is not this the houſe that ſhall keepe my name, and cauſe mee to bee remembred, and make them that are children now to ſpeake of me heereafter, when they ſhall goe by and looke vpp, and ſee theſe antikes and knackes ouer their heades, they will ſaie, Oh hee that builte this was a greate man, hee did beare a greate ſwaie in Court and Countrie, who but hee while hee liued: although though this King bee dead and buried, yet his pride eſcaped and came to vsus. Nabuchadnezzer hath children yet aliue, which builde as highe as hee, goe as braue as hee, ſpende as vainely as hee, and are as proude and inſolent as hee, although they be not Kings nor Dukes, nor Knightes, nor yet good Squires. Looke vponupon their pallaces, and then conſider with thy ſelfe, and thinke whether they bee of Nabuchadnezzers broode, Is not this greate Babel? and is not Nabuchadnezzer Lorde of it? Oh if they might liue to walke in their galleries ſtill, they would neuer deſyre anye other heauen.
But Nabuchadnezzer hath ſhewed the waie before them, and they muſt all daunce after him, though they were as mighty, though they were mightier then he, death wil not take his kingdom for a ranſome. Now what is Babel and what is Nabuchadnezzer the king therof. Now Babel is deſtroied, and the king which built it is laid in duſt: had it not bene better to hauehave built an houſe in heauen, which might hauehave receiued him when he was dead. The name of theſe pallaces may well bee Babel, that is, confuſion, becauſe they propheſie confuſion to thē which build, them: for their foundatiō is pride, their wals extortion, theyr roofe ambition, and all the ſtuffings within them is vſurie, briberie, cruelty. Now if this be the beſt which Nabuchadnezzer hath to vant of, what is the worſt which he may bee aſhamed of? When I ſee how earneſt hee was about his dreame, and how looſe he ſate after in his pallace. Me thinks I ſee the image of the worlde in one man: how liuely doth Nabuchadnezzer reſemble the dreamers of our time? ſuch inquirie, ſuch diligence to know Gods will, that a man woulde hauehave ſworne, if the king met with a prophet from heauen that can tell him the truth & inſtruct him from God, that his dreame warned him to amend his life, he will reclaime himſelfe, and reforme his realme, and become ſuch a king as was neuer in this land before. But behold no ſooner reſolued of his dreame, but he was readie to bee warned againe, and was not ſo attentiue to the Prophet as he was to his dream, thogh hee cared for neither, for when hee vnderſtoode that his dreame went about to change the courſe of his life,2. Kin 5. 11. he went awaie like Naaman in a chafe, and cared no more for his dreame after. Before the dreame came, all would hauehave ſayd that ſuch a dreame woulde hauehave humbled his heart for euer. Before the Prophet came, all would hauehave ſaid, that ſuch a Prophet woulde hauehave conuerted thē with a word, but Nabuchadnezzer is Nabuchadnezzer, & if anie other dream come more fearefull then this, yet Nabuchadnezzer will bee Nabuchadnezzer, and louelove his pallace better than paradice: ſo we thinke if God would ſend a famine vponupon this land, that would make vsus feare him, but God hath ſenta famine & yet we doe not feare him. If God would ſend an Earthquake vppon this land that would make vsus feare him: but God hath ſent an Earthquake vponupon this lande, and yet we doe not feare him: If God would ſende a peſtilence vponupon this lande, that would make vsus feare him: but God hath ſent a peſtilence, and yet we do not feare him. If God would ſend warre vppon this lande, that would make vsus feare him: but God hath ſent warre, and yet we do not feare him: therfore what wil make vsus feare him? There be manie that dreame vppon Religion, as Nabuchadnezzer dreamed vppon his dreame. But hee deſired onelyonly to know what it meant: ſo doe they deſire only to know.Mar. 10. 17. Maister what ſhall I doe to come to heauen, ſaith the yong man to Chriſt: hee would faine know the way to heauen, but when Chriſt ſhewed him the way he would not take it: ſo they that goe from preacher to preacher, as Nabuchadnezer ſent from one wiſe man to another, to bee reſolued in pointes of Religion, hauehave ſuch a ſcruting, ſuch attention, ſuch heat, as though they would runne beyond the teachers, that a man would thinke they would doe anie thing, as the Iewes ſeemed to Moſes,Deut. 5. 27. and the young man vntounto Chriſt:Exod. 20. 19 & 19. 3. but when they hauehave heard what they can, they doe like Nabuchadnezzer, as they did before. Now they ſay it was but a dreame, becauſe the meaning doth not anſwere to his will:1. King. 2. 2 So Achab inquired of the prophet, to ſee what hee would ſay, but it appeareth that he neuer meant to followe him, vnles he would aunſwere as hee would hauehave him.
When it commeth to the acte, which is euerie mans triall: then ye ſhall ſee, who are like Nabuchadnezzer, which affect only to know: and who are like Zacheus, Luk. 19▪ 8.that is, which practiſe as they know. For as the truth is reuealed, ſo it muſt be witneſſed, or elſe the fall of Nabuchadnezzer ſheweth what will fall vppon it: becauſe hee would not do as the dreame warned him, and as the Prophet counſelled him, therfore GOD forſooke him, and his kingdome departed from him, and hee was thruſt out of his pallace, and turned like an oxe into the wilderneſſe, where hee liued in all pointes like a beaſt, vntill the time of ſeuen yeares were ended.
A warning vntounto all to take heede of the worlde: for it is the gentle warner, the next is rougher, the third and the fourth harder then it: like the nine plagues of Aegypt, which did exceed one an other. Who can weigh the wrath of God,Exod. 8. or the greeuouſnes of ſinne? Some would think that Nabuchadnezzer might hauehave ſpoken all this, without ſuch offence: for hee did but ſay that it was a faire houſe, & that hee builded and erected it for his honour. Many vnderunder Princes delight in worſe vanities then building, and ſpeake vainer oftner in a weeke. Therefore when you ſee how it diſpleaſeth God to vant of theſe earthly thinges, or to impute any thing vntounto our ſelues, thinke what ſhal be the doome of greater ſinnes. If Nabuchadnezzer became like a beaſt, and lodged in the wildernes for his pride, they which beare pride, and couetouſnes, and luſt, and wrath, and mallice, and all the legion of ſins in one breſt, ſhall lodge in hell, and become like Deuils, becauſe they are like beaſts alreadie. Therfore let this be in ſtead of Daniels warning. If God did take ſuch account of Nabuchadnezzer for his dream, what he had profited by it, what account will hee take of vsus, what profite wee hauehave made of Nabuchadnezzers fall & puniſhment.
Thus hauehave you heard what the voice ſpake from earth: now you ſhould heare what the voice ſpake from heauen, but the time will not permit, therefore heere I ende.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, The Pride of Nebuchadnezzar (1591)