Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 17 – Religious treatise 6
A GLASSE FOR DRVNKARDS.
22 And when Cham the father of Canaan ſaw the nakedneſſe of his father, he told his two brethren without.
23 Then tooke Shem and Iaphet a garment, and put it vponupon both their ſhoulders, and went backward, and couered the nakedneſſe of their father with their faces backward: ſo they ſawe not their fathers nakedneſſe.
24 Then Noah awoke from his wine, and knewe what his younger ſonne had done vntounto him:
25 And ſayd, Curſed be Canaan, a ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall he be vntounto his brethren.
26 He ſayd moreouer, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Shem, and let Canaan be his ſeruant.
27 God perſwade Iaphet, that he may dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his ſeruant, &c.
YOu hauehave here the Storie of Noah and his ſonnes. As Noah did well and euill, ſo he had good ſonnes and euill: but as his vertues were more notorious then his vices, ſo GOD bleſſed him more then he croſſed him: for he had two good ſonnes, and but one euill ſonne: his good ſonnes were Shem and Iaphet, his wicked ſonne was Chā: his good ſonnes were bleſſed, his wicked ſon was curſed. Firſt of the father, and then of his ſonnes. In Noah firſt you ſee his husbandrie, and then his drunkenneſſe, and after his nakedneſſe. In Cham firſt you ſee his mockerie, and after his curſe: in Shem and Iaphet firſt you ſee their reuerence, and after their bleſſing.
Of Noahs drunkenneſſe and his husbandrie we hauehave ſpoken: now a word of his nakedneſſe. Drinking of the wine he was drunke, and was vncouered in the midſt of his tent, &c. It is ſayd that drunken porters keepe open gates, ſo when Noah was drunken, he ſet all open: as wine went in, ſo wit went out: as wit went out, ſo his cloathes went off. Thus Adam which began the world at firſt,Gen. 3. was made naked with ſinne: and Noah which began the world agayne is made naked with ſinne, to ſhewe that ſinne is no ſhrowder but a ſtripper. This is one fruite of the Vine more then Noah looked for: in ſtead of being refreſhed and comforted, he was ſtripped and ſcorned.
There is a thing which followeth ſinne, which Iob calleth a rod,Iob. 9. 34. & 21. 9. 6 which the ſinner neuer thinketh of, before he hauehave done. When the childe hath faulted, then he is beaten: ſo now Noah hath ſinned, he muſt bee beaten: firſt he is ſtript naked, after he is ſcourged; wine putteth off his cloathes, and then Cham commeth & laſheth him: to ſhew, that wine can both cheere the hart, and grieue the hart. As the forbidden tree when it promiſed our parents knowledge,Gen. 3. 6. tooke their knowledge from them: ſo eueryevery ſinne giueth other wages then it promiſeth. Little thought Noah that wine would make him naked: but now hee is naked and ſtripped too, as though hee were firſt ſtripped and then whipped. Hee which beleeued the threatning (like Lot) when others mocked,Gen. 19. he which eſcaped the floud when others were drowned, he to whō all the fowles of the ayre, and the beaſts of the earth flocked in couples, as they did to Adam, hee which was reſerued to declare the iudgements of GOD,Gen. 2. and begin the world agayne; Noah, the example of temperance, the example of moderation, the example of ſobrietie, lyeth naked in his Tent for drinking the wine which hee himſelfe hath planted: the operation of wine was drunkenneſſe, the ſequell of drunkenneſſe was nakedneſſe, the effect of nakedneſſe was deriſion. As the Serpents ſting is in his taile, ſo the end of ſinne is bitterneſſe, leaſt he ſhould louelove the vice wherewith hee was once defiled, as they which are once drunke, hardly get out of the ſellar. God giueth him a Memorandum like Iacobs limping, that he was neuer drunken after, but learned temperancie of intemperancie: therefore it is good a little to feele the ſting of ſinne, that we may handle it like a hornet.
Now when Noah the father was drunken, Cham the ſonne becommeth a ſcorner: the father deſerued to bee deſpiſed of his ſonne, becauſe he had diſfigured the image of a father. Therefore it followeth, When Cham the father of Canaan ſawe the nakedneſſe of his father, he tolde his two brethren without, &c. Drunkennes was his fault, and ſhame muſt be his puniſhment. Wherby you may note, how God doth proportionate & match ſins and puniſhments together, that a man may looke vponupon his puniſhment like a glaſſe, and ſee his ſinne. Againe, by this you may ſee, how God doth bring forth the faults of the iuſt aſwel as the vniuſt, or els other would ſay as Chriſt ſaith, Ioh. 8. Who can accuſe me of ſinne? What a griefe was this to Dauid, that his ſon ſhould bee his traytor? So to increaſe the griefe of Noah, his ſonne was his ſcorner. He may ſay as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 54. 12. It is thou O man, euen my companion and familiar, which delighted together. If mine enemie had defamed me, I could hauehave borne it, or I woulde hauehave fled from him: but he whom I hauehave loued, nay he whom I brought into the world, made me a ſhame to the world, like the Viper which killeth the damme that beareth it. So, oftentimes the prophecie of Michaiah proueth true, A mans enemies are they of his owne houſe, Chap. 7. 6. As Iudas betrayed his Maſter. Who can reclaime a wicked diſpoſition? how deepe was the roote of euill hid in his heart, that Noah could neuer know it before he ſhewed it. Vntill now Cham ſeemed as good as Shem, and if Iaphet had ſaid, thou ſhalt be curſed, he would hauehave ſaid, thou ſhalt be curſed. Hipocriſie is ſpun with ſuch a fine thred, that we may liue as long with a man, as Noah did with Cham, and ſcarce diſcerne him.
Heere are two ſinnes, which goe before Chams curſe; one that he did ſee his fathers nakednes, the other, that he did reueale it vntounto his Brethren.
When he ſayth, that Cham ſaw his fathers nakednes: he meaneth that he looked vponupon it with a pleaſure,2 Sam. 11. as Dauid vponupon the nakednes of Bethſheba, for he might hauehave ſeene it by chaunce, and not offended, as a man ſeeth an Image and deteſteth it.
The Edomites are reproued for looking vponupon the affliction of their brethren,Obad. 11. becauſe they reioyced to ſee it. But the friends of Iob looked vponupon his afflictions, and are not reprooued becauſe they ſorrowed to ſee his ſorrowes. Therefore Cham did not ſinne in ſeeing, but in gazing, and reioycing, like the Edomites.
There is a wiſe eye,Eccl. 2. 14. and there is a fooliſh eye,Pro. 17. 24. the wiſe eye is like the Bee, which gathereth honie of euerie weede: the fooliſh eye is like the ſpider which gathereth poyſon of eueryevery flower. Therefore God licenſed Abraham to ſee the flames of Sodome, which he forbad Lot, becauſe that which teacheth one, tempteth another: it is a true Prouerbe, the eye is a ſhrew; although it ſhewe light, yet it leadeth many into darkeneſſe. If Eue had not ſeene, ſhe had not luſted, for it is ſaid, Seeing that the tree was pleaſant to the eyes, Gen. 3. 6.ſhe tooke and eate. Ioſu. 7. 21.If Achan had not ſeene, he had not ſtolne. For he ſaith, firſt I ſaw, and then I coueted. If Dauid had not ſeene, hee had not luſted, for it is ſayd firſt, That he did ſee her, and then hee ſent for her.2. Sam. 11. 2 So when Cham had ſeene the temptation, he was ſnared with the ſin: therefore it followeth, He told his brethrē which were without, &c. Thus ſin groweth of ſin from the eye to the heart, and from the heart to the tongue, a man may goe into a labyrinth eaſilie, but when he is in hee cannot get out: ſo Cham did ſee a temptation eaſily, but when he had ſeene it, he could not looke from it. Therefore when Eſayah ſpeaketh of vanitie,Eſa. 5. 18. he named Cart-ropes of vanitie, to ſhew how one ſinne draweth on another, as it were with Cart-ropes,Gen. 3. and one ſinner maketh another,1. Pet. 5. as Eue did Adam. When Sathan was caſt out himſelfe, hee ſought euer after whome hee might deuoure, ſo when Cham had ſtrained reuerence himſelfe, hee laboured to bring his brethren into the ſame diſobedience. All men ſeeke after fellowes, and we thinke it euill to be euill alone, therefore the theeues before they goe to ſteale, call their mates, and ſay, Come with vsus, Prou. 1. 10.1. Pet. 4. 3. It is enough (ſaith Peter) that we hauehave ſpent our former time in luſts: ſo it was enough that Cham had faulted himſelf, but when hee had ſeene, he would hauehave his brethren ſee too: When he was become a ſcorner, he would hauehave his brethren ſcorners too: therefore as Andrew called Simon, and Philip called Nathaniel,Iohn. 1. to ſee the Son of God: ſo Cham called his brethren to ſee the nakednes of his father. The ſins of men are like a plume of feathers, for itching eares, and an euil diſpoſition breedeth an euill ſuſpition: therefore Cham thinking that his brethrē had bin as ſhameles as himſelfe, thought this a merrie may-game to make them ſporte. Come with me ſaith he, and I will ſhew you my Father naked: they ſay it is an euill bird which will defile his own neſt: ſo it is an euill ſonne that will ſhame his owne father, he ſhould hauehave couered his fathers nakedneſſe ſo ſoone as he ſaw it, leſt his brethren ſhould ſee it too, but he was readie to make it worſe, like them which heare a ſuſpition and make it a report, he ſhould hauehave taken the beame out of his owne eye, when he ſpied a moate in his fathers eye: but as the eye ſeeth all things, and cannot ſee it ſelfe, ſo wee can ſee others mens faults but not our owne.Pro. 30. 1. When Agur had conſidered the follies of others, he conſidered his owne follies, and ſaid, I am more fooliſh then any man: When Iudah had conſidered Thamars ſinnes,Gen. 38. he cō ſidered his owne and ſaid, She is more righteous then I. But when Cham did ſee a fault in his father, al his owne faultes were hid vnderunder a buſhel, he cared not that he was his father, nor that hee was ſaued for his righteouſneſſe, nor that he had planted a Vineyarde for him and his brethren, nor that he was neuer drunken before, nor that he had committed greater ſinnes himſelfe, but like them which make their ſport, that which ſhould be their ſorrow, ſo he laughed at that which might make him weepe. Often did I well might Noah ſay, and thou didſt neuer honour me for that: but once did I euill, and for that thou wouldeſt ſhame me.
There is a kinde of men which are aſhamed of other mens faults, but not of their owne: they are like flies which alwayes light vponupon the ſore, if they finde any ſinne, there they talke, that is their ſporte, like a Tennis ball, when they come to their ordinaries, and though they did neuer well in all their life, yet that fault ſeemeth greater to them then all their owne, theſe men are ſo like the diuell, that in Reuelat. 12. 10. The diuel is called by their name, An accuſer of the brethren, and that you may knowe that ſuch tongues ſhall burne in the fire of hell, Saint Iames ſayth, That their tongues are kindled with the fire of hell already. Iames 3. 6. This was euer the propertie of bad men, to ſeek faults in good men, to obiect againe, that they may ſinne without reproofe of them.Tit…. 2. 8. Therefore ſaith Paul, So behaue your ſelues, that they which would ſlaunder you, may be aſhamed, hauing nothing to ſpeake euill of you: If Noah had not been drunken, Cham had loſt his ſporte.
Now becauſe this fact of Cham was ſo hainous, when he is accuſed of it, he is called the Father of Canaan, as if he ſhould ſay, think what he deſerueth, which being a father himſelfe, would ſo diſhonour his father. It was meete that hee which had Children ſhould knowe the duetie of a Childe, and euer think, that as he behaued himſelfe toward his Father, ſo his ſonnes would behaue themſelues to him againe, but all this did nothing moue him, therefore the greater was his ſinne.
To conclude then, as Cham was worſe then Noah whom hee derided, ſo if you marke▪ they which are wōt to ſpeake hardly of others hauehave greater faults thēſelues▪ which they cannot tell how to couer, but by diſgracing others. Thus much of the wicked ſonne, now of the good ſonnes it followeth.
Then tooke Shem and Iaphet a garment, and put it vponupon both their ſhoulders, and went backward, Pro. 1. 10.and couered the nakedneſſe of their father, &c. Salomon ſaith, If ſinners tempt thee, yet conſent thou not: So though Cham tempted them, they conſented not, but when he ſaid, Come and ſee, they went and hid: Noah ſtripped himſelfe, but hee could not couer himſelfe, ſo we can corrupt our ſelues, but wee cannot amend our ſelues. As Cham is accuſed of two faults, for beholding his fathers nakedneſſe, and for reuealing it: ſo Shem and Iaphet are commended for two things, that they would not ſee their fathers nakedneſſe and that they couered it. All came of one roote, and all had one duetie, & yet ſee what difference was between thē, one was glad of his fathers ſhame, and the other were ſorye for it: one publiſhed it, and the other ſmothered it. Theſe two, ſaith Moſes, ſawe not their Fathers nakedneſſe. Once it was no ſhame to be naked: for it is ſayd, that Adam and Eue were both naked,Gen. 2. 25. and were not aſhamed. But as ſinne made labour irkeſome, which was not irkeſome before, and made heate offenſiue which was not offenſiue before, and made colde hurteful, which was not hurtfull before, ſo it made nakedneſſe ſhamefull which was not ſhamefull before, that rather then a man would be naked now, he wil couer himſelfe, as Adam did with fig leaues. Therefore we neuer read that Noah was naked before he was drunken, ſhewing that a ſober man wil neuer open that which nature hath hid▪
This is a difference between men & beaſts; men are not only aſhamed to be ſeen naked themſelues, but vnles it be ſome Cham, they are aſhamed to ſee another naked. Shem and Iaphet ſaw not their fathers nakedneſſe, who is ſo blind as he which will not ſee? Nay who is ſo blinde as he which will ſee? the light of the eyes oftentimes draweth the ſoule out of light into darkeneſſe, knowing therfore that it was hard to ſee like Cham, and not to ſinne like Cham, they would not ſee leaſt they ſhould offende. As they would not ſee it themſelues, ſo they were carefull that none other ſhould ſee it, and therefore they couered it with their cloakes. For we muſt not only refraine ſinne, but reſtraine ſinne, according to that, Leuit. 19. 17. Suffer not thy brother to ſinne, ſo Shem and Iaphet ſeeing how their brother had ſinned, ſtopped the cauſe that no more might ſinne, they were loath that he ſhould ſee that which he would hauehave them to ſee, their griefe and modeſtie it was ſuch, that they did not ſtay to make him any anuſwere, or aske him any queſtion, but ſtraight they thought what was beſt to bee done, and as a Nurſe taketh the milke out of her own mouth to giuegive to the Childe, ſo they tooke off their cloakes from their backes to couer their fathers. Such a reuerence is in childrē toward their parents, if they hauehave but nature, that they will not ſuffer the maieſtie of their Father to waxe vile, but rather they will heare any reproch againſt themſelues, then abide a word againſt their Father. Now if wee doe ſuch reuerence to earthly Fathers which bring vsus into miſerie, that we had rather ſhame our ſelues then they ſhould beare any ſhame, why are wee ſo aſhamed and afraide to ſpeake for our father which calleth vsus out of miſerie into happineſſe: if Cham b… curſed for diſhonouring a man, let them feare which diſhonour God.
You knowe that the Papiſts doe couer the ſpottes of their Biſhoppes with this cloake of Shem and Iaphet, and not onelyonly they but others too, for if any ſpeake of corruption in Rulers, or briberie in Iudges, or Simonie in Biſhops, or non-reſidencie in Paſtors, he is ſaid to diſcouer his fathers nakedneſſe like Cham, but as we may not reueale all ſinnes, leaſt the vncircumciſed reioyce, ſo wee may not couer ſome ſinnes, leaſt the vncircumciſed encreaſe: For if ſome mens drunkenneſſe were not reprooued, they would bee drunken ſtill, and make a common weale of drunkards: therefore they which will bee conuerted, firſt let them prooue themſelues fathers, as Noah was, and after let them amend as Noah did, and they which couer them, let them diſtinguiſh betweene Noah and Cham, and betweene errour and obſtinacie. For ſome, Chriſt appointeth admonition, for others reprehenſion, for others Excommunication, and for others correction: therefore euerie mans nakedneſſe muſt not bee couered as Noahs was: wee will couer the firſt drunkenneſſe, as Shem and Iaphet did, if they will repent as Noah did, and bee drunken no more. But ſhall wee followe them like a blinde mans Boye, to ſtay them ſo often as they fall, when they ſay that they ſtumble not, though they lye on the ground? This is not the cloake of reuerence, but the cloake of flatterie. Therefore as Chriſt ſaid, Let the dead burie the dead: So I may ſay, let the wicked couer the wicked; the Wolues are not the Lambes fathers, but the Lambes Butchers, therfore if they would bee couered, let them ſpeake to their Children to couer them, for this is our rule, They which ſin openly, reprooue openly, that the reſt may feare, 1. Tim. 5. 20.
Thus you hauehave heard what the badde Sonne did, and what the good ſonnes did: now wee come to Noah againe: Then Noah awoake and knew what his yonger ſonne had done vntounto him, and ſaid vntounto him, Curſed be Canaan, a ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall he be vntounto his brethren. He ſaid moreouer, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Shem, and let Canaan bee his ſeruant, &c.
Firſt he ſheweth, how Noah commeth to himſelfe, then how he knew what his ſonnes had done vntounto him; then how he curſeth one and bleſſeth another. As his ſonnes were aſhamed of his nakednes when he was drunken, ſo now he is ſober, he is aſhamed of it himſelfe, therefore he is ſaid to awake from his wine, as though hee had beene a ſleepe; for The drunkard (ſaith Salomon) is as one that ſleepeth, Prouerbs 23. 34. When the belly is full, the boanes are at reſt, ſo when Noah was full, his thoughts were at reſt: therefore beeing as it were lulled a ſheepe, with ouermuch wine, hee may be ſaid to awake. Here Moſes would exhort all them that ſleepe with Noah, to awake with Noah. Noah was once intemperate, and many follow him in that, Noah was but once intemperate, and few follow him in that: Dauid was once incontinent, and many follow him in that; Dauid was but once incontinent, and few follow him in that: Peter was once vnfaithfull, and many follow him in that; Peter was but once vnfaithfull, and few follow him in that. This the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked, both fall, and but one riſeth againe. It followeth. He knew what his yonger ſonne had done vntounto him: either by the ſpirit of God, which ſuggeſted him, or els by ſome other that tould him; for a drunken man dooth not remember what is ſaid or done: and therefore the drunkard ſaith, I was beaten, but when I awaked, I knew it not, Pro. 23. 35. Therfore when Lot was drunken, his daughters laye with him, and it is ſaid, Gen. 19. 33. that he perceiued not when they lay downe, nor when they roſe vp: therefore Noah knew either by the ſpirit which informed him, or by others which told him.
Now, as Moſes (declaring Chams ſinne) called him the father of Canaan: ſo Noah repeating his ſinne againe, called him his younger ſonne. He diſdaineth to name him, but calleth him a younger ſonne; to aggrauate his fault, becauſe we will ſuffer our elder ſonnes to bee more familiar with vsus, but of the younger wee looke for more reuerence; or elſe becauſe parents are woont to make more of the youngeſt, and dandle them, as Iacob did Beniamin, and ſo hee might ſay, My yonger ſonne, which for his yeares ſhould hauehave ſhewed mee moſt duetie, and for my affection ſhould hauehave borne mee moſt louelove; my younger ſonne hath ſought my diſhonour; and not content to ſcorne mee himſelfe, hath publiſhed my ſhame, and as much as in him lay, prouoked his brethren to ſcorne me too.
Of whome is a man ſo often deceaued, as of his neereſt friend? Lightly the younger ſonne is better than the elder, as Ioſeph was better than his elder brethren, Dauid was better than his elder brethren, Abell was better than his elder brother, Iſaac was better than his elder brother, Iacob was better than his elder brother; but here the youngeſt is worſt: ſo neither vertue nor vice goeth by age. Now, as Chriſt when he awoke, rebuked the windes, and comforted his Diſciples: ſo Noah when he awoke, curſed the ſcorner, and bleſſed the other. Moſes doth not ſet downe his wordes of choller, but bringeth him in, ſpeaking by the ſpirite of prophecie, what ſhould come vponupon all his ſonnes. It is like that the good Patriarch had bewailed his owne ſinne before, and now hauing repented, and got pardon for it, he commeth forth like a proclaymer of Gods iudgement, and thundreth againſt this mocker. What a griefe was this to the father, to bee conſtrained to condemne his owne ſonne, and with his own mouth to pronounce him baniſhed from the Church of God: for though Cham had not the nature of a ſonne, yet Noah had not loſt the nature of a father, and he ſaw what a ſmall number was left vponupon earth, like Adams children for to repleniſh the whole world againe: therefore it grieued him to curſe his ſonne, as much as it reioyced his ſonne to ſcorne him. Yet as Abraham would ſacrifice his ſonne, rather then diſpleaſe GOD; ſo Noah did curſe his ſonne, rather then he would diſpleaſe GOD: ſhewing that wee ſhould not ſpare our owne bowels, when God would hauehave them puniſhed, but doe as the fathers and mothers of Idolaters and blaſphemers did in the law,Dan. 13. who brought the firſt ſtone to preſſe their ſonnes to death, ſhewing that as the ſonne of God died for them, ſo their ſonnes ſhould die for God, if they would not ſerue him. Now the curſe goeth foorth: Curſed be Canaan, that is, curſed be ſcorners, curſed be all they wich diſhonour their father and mother, A ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall hee be: this is the firſt mention of ſeruants in all the ſcripture, man was not made to ſerue but to rule, but ſinne maketh them ſerue which ſhould rule: therefore as you ſaw ſinne bring in the firſt nakednes, ſo you ſee ſinne bringing in the firſt ſeruant, A ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall he bee. This curſe is denounced with great vehemencie: for he ſaith not ſimplie, A ſeruant ſhall he be, but A ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall he be: as if he ſhould ſay, a ſeruant, and more than a ſeruant, that is of a ſeruile condition, and ſeruile minde. As the Sabbaoth of Sabbaoths ſignifieth a high Sabbaoth; and as the Song of Songs, ſignifieth an excellent Song; and as the Holie of holieſt ſignifieth the holieſt place, and as the Lord of Lords ſignifieth the chiefeſt Lord: ſo Vanitie of Vanities ſignifieth the greteſt Vanitie, and ſeruant of ſeruants, ſignifieth the vileſt ſeruant. Seeing then that the Pope taketh this name vntounto him, and writeth himſelfe The ſeruant of ſeruants, in all his Indulgences, as thogh he did ground vpō this curſe of Cham it ſeemeth that the Lord would ſhew thereby, who is like Cham, and who is curſed: therefore let not vsus denie him that which the holy Ghoſt dooth giuegive him, but as hee taketh Chams name, ſo let him take his curſe too, Curſed be Canaan, &c. It was not Canaan which tempted Shem and Iaphet, to gaze vponupon their fathers nakedneſſe, but it was Cham. How commeth it then that Noah dooth curſe Canaan, and not Cham? In the 22. verſe Cham is called the father of Canaan, ſo that Canaan was Chams ſonne, therefore God not content with the puniſhment of Cham alone, ſaith, Curſed be Canaan alſo; ſhewing, that both Cham and Canaan, the father and the children, ſhall bee curſed for this impietie: becauſe Cham had ſhewed himſelfe a rebellious childe to Noah, God ſheweth that his children ſhall doo the like by him. Heere is to bee noted, that whereas Cham had elder ſonnes then Canaan, and Canaan was his yongeſt, yet God for a purpoſe nameth the yongeſt in the curſe, ſhewing that his wrath ſhould laſt, euen to the yongeſt, and be a great while before it were forgotten. Here is to be noted againe, that whereas the countrey of Canaan was ſo fruitfull, & ſo bleſſed a countrey, that it was called the land that floweth with milk & honny, yet vnderunder the name of Canaan, Chams youngeſt ſonne (of whome the countrey of Canaan tooke the name) God ſheweth that the Canaanites ſhall be curſed in this bleſſed land, as Cain was a vagabond vppon his owne ground:Gen. 4. to ſhew, that the ioye of heart, and peace of conſcience commeth from God, and nothing elſe. Now the iſſues which followed vponupon this curſe, doe ſhew that Noah ſpake not from the ſpleen, but from the ſpirite of God: For firſt you read how the Canaanites, who came of Canaan, were ſlaine of the Iſraelites; then you reade how the Gibeonites which came of Canaan were made ſlaues to the Iſraelites; then you reade how the Egyptians and Ethiopians which came of Canaan, were taken captiue by the king of Aſhur:Eſay 20. 4. then you reade, how Nemrod and his complices, that came of Canaan, were confounded at Babel, when they went about to exalt themſelues. Beſide, where as length of daies, is a bleſſing to them which honour their father, Cham which diſhonoured his father,Gen. 27. had not one ſonne of his line which liued aboue an hundreth yeares: ſo, as Iſaac ſaid, Iacob hauehave I bleſſed, Gen. 28. 1.and hee ſhallbee bleſſed, ſo Noah may ſay, Cham hauehave I curſed, and he ſhall be curſed, for he was curſed indeede; curſed in himſelfe, and curſed in his children, curſed in heauen, and curſed in earth, curſed with God, and curſed with men: for after this he began to bee abhorred, and they that came of him. Therefore Abraham commaunded his ſeruant, that hee ſhould not chooſe a wife for his ſonne, of the Canaanites, Iſaac giueth the like commaundement to his ſonne Iacob, becauſe they were a curſed nation, and hated of God euer ſince Noah ſaide, Curſed bee Canaan. Thus when Cham ſaide vntounto his brethren, Come and I will ſhew you my father naked: he might hauehave ſaide; Come and I will ſhew you my ſelfe accurſed. If GOD hauehave ſuch wrath againſt a ſcorner, think whether thou followeſt not ſome ſinne worſe then ſcorning.
Now after Noah had curſed Cham, hee bleſſed his brethren, Bleſſed bee the Lord God of Shem, &c. Of Shem came the Iewes which had the firſt bleſſing, and therefore Shem is bleſſed firſt: of Iaphet came the Gentiles, which had the latter bleſſing, and therefore Iaphet is bleſſed after: the forme of Shems bleſſing is; Bleſſed be the Lord God of Shem, &c. One which heareth this bleſſing would thinke that Noah did not bleſſe Shem, but that hee bleſſed God, for he ſaith not, bleſſed be Shem, but bleſſed bee the Lord God of Shem. This is to ſignifie that as curſed Canaan came of Cham, ſo the bleſſed Meſſias ſhould come of Shem, which though he were Shems ſonne, yet heere hee is called Shems Lord, as hee was called Dauids ſonne, and Dauids Lord. Then to ſhew that Noah dooth not bleſſe Shem, but God dooth bleſſe him, and Noah prayed that hee might bee bleſſed, as Chriſt gaue the ſpirite, and Iohn miniſtred but the water. Thirdly, to ſhew that God for bleſſing vsus, ſhould be bleſſed of vsus; and therefore Noah ſaid, Bleſſed bee the Lord God of Shem, &c. as if hee ſhould ſay, bleſſed bee the Lord which bleſſeth Shem. Further this ſheweth the difference betweene Shems bleſſing, and Iaphets bleſſing, that is the Iews and the Gentiles, for he ſaith, God perſwade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem, as though Iaphet were not bleſſed yet, but ſhould bee bleſſed; but he ſaith of Shem, Bleſſed bee the Lord Gods of Shem: as if hee ſhould giuegive him poſſeſſion, and ſay, take thy bleſſing: for to aſſure him of Gods bleſſing, he calleth God Shems God: As were ſay, my landes, or my goods, ſo hee might ſay, my God, and my Lorde: ſuch a propertie the faithfull hauehave in God. As Paul ſaith, God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing: ſo I may ſay, God is not the God of the wicked, but of the righteous, and therefore he is called, The God of Abraham, the God of Iſaak, and the God of Iacob, which were all good and righteous and holy men. The next bleſſing is Iaphets, the forme of his bleſſing is, God perſwade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem, that is, God perſwade the Gentiles which come of Iaphet, to imbrace the Religion of the Iewes, which come of Shem. See how God counteth it for a bleſſing, to be in the true Religion, and how men ſhould bee perſwaded vntounto it, becauſe it is louelove which cannot bee forced: this is the firſt prophecie in ſcripture of the calling of the Gentiles, that is of our calling to Chriſt. And to put vsus in minde that we were once out of the couenant, and but added to the couenant, the name of Iaphet, which was the father of the Gentiles, dooth ſignifie, perſwaded or inlarged, as it were added to the Church, as though the time were when wee were out of the Church: therefore firſt wee are indebted to our good mediatour, which added vsus to the kingdome, when we were out of the kingdome; and then that hee did it by perſſwaſion, not by compulſion. As Noah prayed God to perſwade Iapheth, ſo he hath perſwaded vsus by his word, and not forced vsus by his roddes: ſhewing how wee ſhould perſwade one another to the truth, in the ſpirite of mildnes, remembring that wee come of Iapeth, which ſignifieth, perſwaded. Nowe after Shems bleſſing, and after Iaphets bleſſing likewiſe, hee ſaith, Let Canaan bee his ſeruant; this is thrice repeated in three verſes together, as if God had ratified it, & ſworne it with a treble verelie. For when Ioſeph told Pharaoh why his dreame was doubled, he gaue this reaſon, becauſe it ſhould ſurely come to paſſe,Gen▪ 41. 22. ſo Cham might be ſure his curſe would come to paſſe. Heere is a ſweete obſeruation beſide, how Shem and Iaphet are bleſſed in Chams curſe, and how Cham is curſed in their bleſſing: for when he ſaith, Let Canaan be Shem and Iaphets ſeruant; he implieth this, that beſide they were bleſſed in their owne children, becauſe they were obedient to them, they ſhould be bleſſed in Chams children, becauſe they were ſeruants to them: ſo Shem and Iaphet were bleſſed in Chams curſe. Againe beſide that Cham was curſed in his owne children, becauſe they were rebellious to him, he is curſed alſo in Shems & Iaphets children, becauſe they were Lordes ouer hym, according to this ſaying, Let Canaan be their ſeruant; ſo Cham is curſed in Shem and Iaphets bleſſing, as the Egyptians were drowned in the waters which ſaued the Iſralites. Theſe are the notes which I could picke out of this ſtorie: heere you ſee how Cham was curſed but for dooing euill, and how Shem and Iaphet were bleſſed but for dooing well; therefore as the Angell ſayd to them which ſought Chriſt at the ſepulcher; Feare not you, ſo I may ſay to all which ſeeke Chriſt, feare not you, for when Cham is curſed Shem and Iaphet are bleſſed; ſo when the wicked are curſed, the godly ſhall bee bleſſed, as the ſheepe went to the right hand, when the goates went to the left hand. This is enough to ſhew what wee are, that when God ſaued but eight perſons in the flood, yet you ſee one of them drinke vntill he bee drunken; and another ſcorne vntill he be curſed. If two among ſo few did ſo, when the flood was by them, what meruaile though ſo many do ſo now the flood is gone, and the weather calme: As there was a Cham in the Arke, ſo looke alwaies to hauehave Cham in the church. Shem did not go out of the Arke, becauſe Cham was in the Arke, neither let the faithfull go out of the church, becauſe wicked are in the church. As Cham ſcorned, and Noah was ſcorned: ſo there ſhall be alwaies one that perſecuteth, and one which is perſecuted: if the ſonne perſecute the father, thinke it not ſtrange to be perſecuted of any, for they which are not perſecuted, lightlie are perſecutours themſelues. Thus you hauehave ſeen Noah drunken and ſcorned, Cham ſcorning and curſed, Shem and Iaphet reuerencing and bleſſed. In this ſtorie is the firſt mention of planting of Vineyardes, the firſt ſpeech of drinking of wine, the firſt example of drunkennes, the firſt bleſſing and curſing of parents, the firſt name of ſeruant, and the firſt prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles. Noah is a warning to all drunkards, Cham is a warning to all ſcorners, Shem and Iaphet are an example for all ſubiects to reuerence their rulers, and for all children to reuerence their parents. Now as Noah prayed, God perſwade Iaphet to dwell with Shem, ſo God perſwade vsus to dwell with Chriſt.
FINIS.
The Arte of Hearing, in two Sermons:
Teaching a way to remember Sermons or counſell afterward as wel as preſently, and how eueryevery Sermon ſhall take away ſome corruption from the hearer.
TO THE READER.
BY the eare commeth knowledge, and therefore it is likelie that many would profit by Sermons, if they were taught to heare. But before they can tell how to heare, that is, what things to obſerue, and the way to remember them, it is not poſſible that they ſhould learne much, though they heare often: for this I knowe by tryall, euen of thoſe which are counted amongſt the beſt and auncienteſt bearers in Londō, that they might learne more in a monethmonth, thā they hauehave gathered in twenty yeres, for they vnderſtand neither the Lordes Praier, nor the Creede, nor the ten Commādements, but hauehave a fewe notes in their heades of ſome Sermons that they hauehave heard, and that is all their knowledge, except ſome fewe, which hauehave kept the order laide downe in this booke. Therefore that eueryevery man may bee able not onelyonly to make a confeſſion of his faith, but to giuegive a reaſon of his faith too, that which I hauehave preached, here I hauehave written, as a Catechiſme for hearers to begin at: Deſiring all my brethren, that they would tell their flockes at the first, that they ſhall neuer profite much, vnleſſe they record their Sermons ſo ſoone as they are gone, and that they as Teachers would ſtudie to deliuer that which is worthy to be recorded.