Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 16
A LOOKING-GLASSE for Drunkards.
Gen. 9. 20. 21.
20 Noah alſo began to be an husbandman, and planted a vineyard.
21 And he drunke of the Wine and was drunken, and was vncouered in the midſt of his Tent.
FIrſt we are to ſpeake of Noah, then of Cham his wicked ſonne, & after of Shem and Iapheth his good ſons. In Noah, firſt of that which he did wel, & thē of his ſin. In Cham firſt of his ſinne, and then of his curſe. In his brethren, firſt of their reuerence, and then of their bleſſing. Nowe wee will ſpeake of the Father, and after of his Children. Then (ſayth Moſes) Noah began to bee an huſbandman. This is the firſt name which is giuen to Noah after the flood, hee is called an Husband-man, and the firſt worke which is mentioned, was the planting of a Vineyard. One would thinke, when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to poſſeſſe the earth but Noah and his ſonnes, that he ſhould hauehave found him ſelfe ſomething els to doe, than to plant Vineyards: and that the holy Ghoſt ſhould hauehave intituled him king of the world, and not an husband-man of the earth, ſeeing there bee no ſuch, men as Noah was, which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or ſhall hauehave to the worlds end: but hereby the holy Ghoſt would ſhew that God doth not reſpect kings for their titles, nor men for their riches as we doe, and therefore he nameth Noah after the worke which he did, not after the poſſeſſions which he had, an husbandman. It ſeemeth that there was great diuerſitie between their age and ours. For if we ſhould ſee nowe a King goe to plough, a Noble man driue the teame, a Gentleman keepe ſheepe, he ſhould be ſcorned for his labour, more than Noah was for his drunkennes: yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no ſcorne to play the husband-man, wee conſider nor his Princely calling, nor his auncient yeares, nor his large poſſeſſions, to commend his induſtrie, or modeſtie, or lowlie minde therein; which may teach vsus humilitie, though we learne to diſdaine husbandrie: of whom will we learne to be humble, if Kings giuegive examples, and the ſonne of GOD humbleth himſelfe from heauen to earth, and yet we contemne the example of Kings of the earth, and the example of the King of heauen?
The time was when Adam digged and delued, when Dauid kept ſheepe, and all the houſe of Iacob were called men occupied about cattell: but as they for this were abhominable to the Egyptians (as Moſes ſaith in the ſame verſe) ſo they which doe like them, are abhorred of their brethren: & they which liue by them, ſcorne them for their worke, which would be chaſtened themſelues, becauſe they worke not: There was no Arte nor Science, which was ſo much ſet by in former times, and is now profitable to the common-wealth, bringing leſſe profit vntounto it ſelf, that may ſo iuſtly complaine of her fall without cauſe, and her deſpight from them which liue by her, as this painfull Science of huſbandrie: that it is marueil that any man will take paine for the reſt, to be contemned for his labour, and be a ſcorne for the reſt, which might hunger and ſtarue, if he did not labour for them more then they do themſelues. No maruel then though many in the poore countries, murmure & complaine that other cannot liue by them, and they cannot liue themſelues: but it is maruell if their complaint doe not growe in time of rebell on, and pull other as lowe as themſelues: for why ſhould the greateſt payne yeeld the leaſt profit? yet this is their eaſe, for if you marke, you ſhal ſee that the husband-man doth bate the price of his fruits ſo ſoon as the dearth is paſt, though he rayſeth it a little, while the dearth laſteth: but they which raiſe the price of their wares with him, ſeldome fall againe, but make men pay as deere when the dearth is paſt, as if it were a dearth ſtil. Thus a plentiful yeere doth damage him, and a hard yeere dooth vantage them. So this painefull man, is fai…e to liue poorely, fare meanely, goe barely, houſe homely, riſe early, labour dayly, ſell cheape and buy deere, that I may truely ſay, that no man deſerueth his liuing better, no man fulfilleth the law neerer: that is, thou ſhalt gette thy liuing in the ſweate of thy browes; then this poore ſonne of Adam, which pickes his crums out of the earth: therfore he ſhould not be mocked for his labor, which hath vexation enough, though all men ſpake well of him, & in my opinion, if any deſerue to be loued for his innocencie, or for his trueth, or his paine, or the good which he brings to the common wealth: this Realme is not ſo much beholding to any ſorte of men (but thoſe that feede the ſoule) as thoſe which feede the body, that is, thoſe that labour the earth: yet you ſee how they liue like drudges, as though they were your ſeruants to prouide foode for you, and after to bring it to your doores: as the beaſts ſerue them, ſo they ſerue you; as though you were another kinde of men. I cannot thinke vponupon their miſerie, but my thoughts tels me, that it is a great part of our vnthankfulneſſe, that we neuer conſider what an eaſie life and liuing God hath giuen vntounto vsus in reſpect of them. If the Apoſtles rule were kept, they which doe not worke ſhould not eate: but now they which do not work eate moſt: and the husband-men which worke eate not, but are like Bees, which prepare foode for other and pyne themſelues. Let vsus conſider this, for they had not one lawe and wee another, but the ſame curſe which was denounced vponupon Adam, was denounced vponupon all his children, that eueryevery man ſhould get his liuing in the ſweat of his browes. Although I knowe there bee diuers workes, and diuers gifts, and diuers callings to worke in; yet alwayes prouided, they which doe not worke ſhould not eat, for in the ſweat of thy browes, that is, in labor and trauel, thou king, and thou Iudge, and thou Prelate, and thou Land-lord, and thou Gentleman, ſhalt gette thy liuing as Adam thy Father did: or elſe thou doeſt auoyde the curſe, and a greater curſe ſhall follow; that is, they which wil not ſweat in earth, ſhall ſweate in hell.
Adam had foode as wel as thou, and ſo had Noah, and more then thou, vnleſſe thou hadſt all, for they had all, and yet they might not be idle, becauſe their handes were not giuen them for nothing. Some worke with their penne, ſome with their tongues, ſome with their fingers: as nature hath made nothing idle, ſo God would hauehave no man idle, but that he which is a Magiſtrate, ſhould do the work of a Magiſtrate: hee which is a Iudge, ſhould doe the worke of a Iudge: he which is a Captaine, ſhould doe the worke of a Captaine: he which is a Miniſter, ſhould doe the worke of a Miniſter: as when Noah was called an husband-man, he did the worke of an huſband-man. This contempt of the Countrey, doth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing els in our daies, vnles their burthen bee eaſed, and their eſtimation qualified in ſome part to their paines. Thinking that you hauehave not heard of this theame before, ſeeing the wordes of my Texte did lie for it, thus much hauehave I ſpoken to put you in mind how eaſily you liue in reſpect of them, & to certifie your mindes towards our poore brethren, which in deede ſeeme too baſe in our eyes and are ſcorned for their labours, as much as we ſhould be for our idlenes.
Then (ſaith Moſes) Noah began to bee an huſbandman. In that it is here ſayd that Noah began, it doth not diſproue that he gaue not himſelfe to husbandrie before, but it importeth that Noah began to ſet vp husbandrie againe after the floud, before any other: ſo this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour, (which had exempted him & his ſeede out of all the world) and reioycing to ſee the face of the earth againe after the waters were gone, though then an olde man, and weake he was, yet he returneth to his labour afreſh, and ſcorned not to till and plant for all his poſſeſſions, as though hee were an husbandman: ſuch a lowlines is alwaies ioyned with the feare of GOD, that they that are humbled with Religion, doe not thinke themſelues too good to doe any good thing. Heere note by the way, that none of Noahs ſonnes are ſayde to begin this worke: but Noah himſelfe, the olde man, the hoary head and carefull Father begins to teach the reſt, and ſhewes his ſonnes the waye how they ſhould prouide for their ſonnes: and how all the world after ſhould liue by labour and trauell, till they returne to duſt: ſo the olde man whom age diſpenſeth withall, to take his eaſe, is more willing to prouide for the wants of his children, then they are which are bound to labour for themſelues and their parents to: as the Storke doth feede the damme when ſhe is olde, becauſe the damme fed her when ſhe was young: what a ſhame is this to Shem and Iapheth, that is, to vsus which are yong & ſtrong, that the father ſhould be called a labourer, when the ſonnes ſtand by.
Now, the grounde was barren becauſe of the floud, and could not bring forth fruite of it ſelfe, becauſe of the curſe: therefore it pitied Noah to ſee deſolation and barrenneſſe, and ſlime vponupon the face of the earth, which he had ſeene ſo glorious and ſweete, and fertill, with all manner of hearbes, and fruites, and flowers before. Therefore he ſetteth himſelfe to manure it, which wanted for nothing now but a painful labourer to till and dreſſe it, that it might bring forth delights and profites for ſinfull man, as it did before.
By this wee may learne to vſe all meanes for the obtayning of Gods bleſſings, and not to looſe any thing which wee might hauehave or ſaue for want of paines, for that is ſinne, as Salomon noteth in the foure and twentith of the Prouerbes, when he reproueth the ſlouthfull husbandman, becauſe his fielde brought forth Nettles and Thiſ…les in ſtead of grapes: not becauſe the grounde would not beare grapes, but becauſe the ſlouthfull man would not ſet them. Shall God commaund the earth and all his creatures to encreaſe for vsus, and ſhall not wee further their encreaſe for our ſelues? As we encreaſe and multiplie our ſelues, ſo wee are bound to ioyne hand and helpe, that all creatures may increaſe and multiplie too, or els the Fathers ſhould eate the childrens portion, and in time there ſhould bee nothing left for them that come after: this regard Noah ſeemeth to hauehave vntounto his poſteritie, and therefore he gaue himſelfe vntounto husbandrie, which is commended in him vntounto this day, and ſhall be recorded of him, ſo long as this booke is read: whereby we are warned, that he which liueth onelyonly to himſelfe, is not to bee remembred of them which liue after.
But as Dauid cared how the Realm ſhould bee gouerned after his death, as well as he did during his life: ſo though we dye and depart this world, yet we ſhould leaue that example, or thoſe bookes or thoſe workes behinde vsus, which may profite the Church and Common-wealth, when wee are dead and buried, as much as we did when we liued among them: euen as Noah planted a Vineyarde, not for himſelfe, but for the ages to come after.
Some doe thinke that Noah planted the firſt Vineyard, and drunke the firſt wine, and that there was no vſe of grapes before: which opinion they are led vntounto, that they might excuſe Noah and mittigate his fault, if hee did ſippe too deepe of that cup, the ſtrength and operation whereof was not knowne vntounto him, nor vntounto any man before: but it is not like, that the excellent licour and wholeſome iuice of the Grape, did lye hidde from the world ſo many hundreth yeres, and no doubt but there were Vines from the beginning, created with other trees: for how coulde Noah plant a Vineyard, vnles he had ſlippes of other Vines, or Grapes that grew before, ſeeing hee did not create fruites, but plant fruites as we doe? For this is principally to be noted, that ſo ſoone as he had opportunitie to doe good, he omitted no time, but preſently after the floud was gone, and the earth beganne to drie, hee plied it with ſeedes, and wrought it, till hee ſawe the fruites of his labour. By this we learne to omit no occaſion to doe good, but whenſoeuer wee may doe good, to count it ſinne if we doe it not. But if we be ſo exerciſed, then all our workes ſhall proſper like the Vineyard of Noah, becauſe the fruite of the Vine dooth cheere the countenaunce and glad the heart of man. Therefore ſome hauehave gathered vponupon the planting of this Vineyard, a ſignification of gladneſſe and thankefulneſſe in Noah for his late deliuerance, as the Iewes by their ſolemne feaſtes did celebrate the memoriall of ſome great benefite: but I rather iudge, that God would hauehave vsus ſee in this example, what men did in thoſe daies, and how we are degenerate from our parents, that wee may prepare againſt the fire, as Noah prepared againſt the water. This is worthie to bee noted too, that God did not ſo regarde his husbandrie, but that hee had an eye to his drunkennes, and ſpeakes of his fault as wel as his vertue: wherby we are warned, that though God bleſſe vsus now while wee remember him, yet hee will chaſten vsus ſo ſoone as we forget him: though we be in good name now, infamie will ariſe in an houre: though we be rich at this preſent, pouertie may come ſuddainely: though we be well while wee are here, yet we may fall ſicke before night, euen as Noah is prayſed in one verſe, and diſprayſed in another: euen now God commends him for his lowlines, and now diſcommends him for his drunkenneſſe: as though he had forgot all his righteouſnes ſo ſoone as he ſinned, & would cal in his praiſe againe. This was to ſhew, that Noah was not ſaued from the floud, becauſe hee deſerued to be ſaued; but becauſe God had a fauour vntounto him: for he which was not drowned with water, was drowned after with Wine. As the Phariſies when they had doone well, were proud of it, and loſt their reward: ſo when Noah had done a good worke hee ſpotted it with ſinne, and was diſpraiſed where hee was praiſed, as though God repented him that he commended him. He planted well, but he drunke not well: therefore that which was good did him hurt: then ſeeing hee was trapped with a good worke, whatſoeuer we doo, we may remember how eaſie it is to ſinne, if wee miſſe in the matter, or in the manner, or time, or the place, or the meaſure, as Noah did. He which planteth the vineyard, is worthy to taſte of the grape, but if thou hauehave found honnie (ſaith Salomon) eate not too much leaſt thou ſurfet. So if thou hauehave found Wine, drinke not too much, leaſt thou ſurfet. A little Wine is better than a great deale, and if thou wilt follow the Apoſtles counſell, thou muſt drinke it but for thy ſtomacks ſake, leaſt that happen to thee, which thou ſhalt heare of this noble Patriarch. Though he was neuer ſo righteous before GOD and men, though hee eſcaped the deſtruction, which lighted vppon all the worlde, though hee had all the foules of the ayre, and beaſtes of the land at his commaund, though hee paſſed the pilgrimage of man nine hundreth yeares, yet Noah was but a man, ſo auncient, ſo righteous, ſo mightie, ſo happie: Noah ſhewed himſelfe but a man for drinking the Wine which himſelfe had planted: hee was drunken. This is Noahs fault, he was drunken with his owne Wine, as Lot was defiled with his owne daughters. If Cham his ſonne had taken too much, and ſtript himſelfe as his father did, the holy Ghoſt would ſcarce hauehave ſpoken of it, becauſe hee was a man of no note: but when the father forgat himſelfe and gaue this offence, marke the manner of the holy Ghoſt, as though he would ſhew you a wonder: hee diſplayeth Noahs drunkenneſſe, as Cham diſplayed his nakedneſſe: as if he would ſay, come and ſee the ſtrength of man. Hee which was counted ſo righteous, hee which beleeued the threatning, like Lot when the reſt mocked, he to whom al the foules of the ayre and the beaſtes of the earth flocked in couples, as they came to Adam He which was reſerued to declare the iudgemēts of God, and to begin the world againe. Noah the example of ſobrietie, the example of moderation, is ouercome with drinke, as if hee had neuer been the man. How eaſily, how quic…ly, the iuſt, the wiſe, the prudent, hath loſt his ſence, his memorie, his reaſon, as though he had neuer been the man. And how hard it is to auoyd ſinne, when occaſion is at hand, and pleaſant opportunitie tempteth to ſinne? It is eaſier for the bird to go by the net, than to breake the net: ſo it is eaſier for a man to auoyde temptations, then to ouercome temptations. Therefore God forbad Balaam, not only to curſe the people, as Balaac would hauehave him, but he forbad him to goe with Balaacs ſeruants, knowing that if he went with them, and ſawe the pompe of the court, and heard the King himſelfe ſpeake vntounto him, and felt the tickling reward, it would ſtraine his conſcience, and make him doubt whether he ſhould curſe or bleſſe. Peter but warming himſelfe at Caiphas fire, was ouercome by a ſilly damſell to doo that which hee neuer thought, euen to forſweare his Lord God: therefore Daniel would not eate of the Kings meate, leaſt hee ſhould bee tempted to the Kings will, ſhewing vsus that there is no way to eſcape ſinne, but to auoyd occaſion. Therefore Dauid prayeth, Turne away mine eyes from vanitie: as though his eyes would draw his heart, as the baite tilleth on the hooke. Noah thought to drink, he thought not to be drunke: but as hee which commeth to the fielde to ſound the Trumpet, is ſlaine as ſoone as he which commeth to fight: ſo the ſame wine diſtempereth Noah, which hath diſtempered ſo many ſince. Where he thought to take his reward, & taſte the fruite of his owne hands, God ſet an euerlaſting blot vponupon him, which ſticks faſt till this day, like a bar in his armes, ſo long as the name of Noath is ſpoken of, that we cannot reade of his vertue, but wee muſt reade of his ſinne, whereby euerie man is warned, to receiue the gifts of God reuerently, to vſe them ſoberly, and to ſanctifie himſelfe, before he reach forth his hand vntounto them that they may comfort and profite vsus, with that ſecret bleſſing, that God hath hid in them, or elſe eueryevery thing the beſt gifts of God may hurt vsus: as this pleaſant wine ſtayned and confounded the great Patriarch, when hee delighted too much in it, which hee might hauehave drunke as Chriſt did at the laſt Supper, and this diſgrace had neuer beene written in his ſtorie; but God would hauehave a fearefull example, like the piller of Salt, to ſtand before thoſe beaſts, whoſe onelyonly ſtrife is to make triall who can quaffe deepeſt, and ſhew all their valiantneſſe in wine. Becauſe there is ſuch warning before vsus, now we hauehave the drunkard in ſchooling, I will ſpend the time that is left, to ſhew you the deformity of this ſin, if any heare me which hauehave bin ouertaken with it, let him not maruel why he cannot louelove his enemies, which loueth ſuch an enemy as this, which leadeth til he reeleth, duls him till hee bee a foole, and ſtealeth away his ſence & wit, his memory, his health, his credit, his friends, and when ſhee hath ſtripped him as bare as Noah, then ſhee expoſeth him like Noah to Cham, & all that ſee him do mocke him: it is wonder almoſt that any man ſhould be drunke that hath ſeene a drunkard before, ſwelling, and puſſing, and foming, and ſpuing, and groueling like a beaſt for who would be like a beaſt, for all the world? Looke vponupon the drunkard when his eies ſtare; his mouth driuels, his tongue faulters, his face flames, his handes tremble, hys feete reele? how vglie, how monſtrous, how loathſome doth he ſeeme to thee, ſo loathſome doſt thou ſeeme to others when thou art in like taking. And how loathſome then dooſt thou ſeeme to God? Therfore the firſt law which Adam receiued of God, was abſtinence, which if hee had kept, he had kept all vertues beſide, but intemperancie loſt all. In abſtinence the law came to Moſes, & he faſted when he receiued it, to ſhew that they which receiue the word of God, receiue it ſoberly.
A temperate man ſeldome ſinneth, becauſe the fleſh which dooth tempt is mortified, leaſt it ſhould tempt: but when the handmaid is aboue the miſtres, and a man hath loſt the Image of God and ſcarce retayneth the image of man, all his thoughts and ſpeeches, and actions muſt needs be ſinne, and nothing but ſinne, becauſe ſobrietie the bond of vertue is broken; which kept all together. When didſt thou want diſcretion to conſider? When didſt thou want patience to forgiue? When didſt thou wāt cōtinencie to refraine? When didſt thou want hart to pray, but when ſobrietie is fled away, and intemperancie filled her roome? If ſhame let to ſinne, it caſteth out ſinne: if feare let to ſinne, it caſteth out feare: if louelove let to ſinne, it expulſeth louelove: if knowledge let to ſinne, it expulſeth knowledge: like a couetous Land-lord, which would hauehave all to himſelfe and dwell alone.
There is no ſinne but hath ſome ſhew of vertue, onelyonly the ſinne of drunkennes is like nothing but ſinne: there is no ſin, but although it hurt the ſoule, it beautifieth the body, or promiſeth profite, or pleaſure, or glory, or ſomething to his ſeruants, onelyonly drunkenneſſe is ſo impudent, that it deſcryeth it ſelfe: ſo vnthankful that it maketh no recompence: ſo noyſome, that it conſumeth the body, which many ſinnes ſpare, leaſt they ſhould appeare to bee ſinnes. EueryEvery ſinne defileth a man, but drunkenneſſe makes him like a beaſt: eueryevery ſinne defaceth a man, but drunkenneſſe taketh away the image of a man: eueryevery ſinne robbeth a man of ſome vertue, but drunkenneſſe ſtealeth away all vertues at once: eueryevery ſinne deſerueth puniſhment, but drunkenneſſe vpbraids a man while the wine … in his ſtomacke; and though hee would diſſemble his drunkenneſſe, yet hee is not able to ſet a countenance of it, but the childe deſcryeth him, the foole knowes that he is drunke, becauſe his face bewraieth him, like the leproſie which burſt out of the forehead: ſo worthily hath he loſt the opinion of ſobrietie, which hath loſt it ſelfe. His ſonne thinkes himſelfe more maiſter now than his father: his ſeruant makes him a foole, his children leades him like a childe; his wife vſeth him like a ſeruant, and although his drunkennes leaueth him when he hath ſlept, yet no man ſeckes to him for counſell after, no man regards his word, no man reckons of his iudgment, no man is perſwaded by his counſell, no man accounts of his learning, no man hath any glorie to accompany with him, but ſo ſoone as drunkenes hath made him like a beaſt eueryevery man abhorreth him like a beaſt, as they did Nabuchadnezzar: the ſpirit flyeth from him leaſt he ſhould greiue it, his friends goe awaie leaſt he ſhould ſhame them, and no vertues dare come neere, leaſt he ſhould defile them. How many things flie out when wine goes in? How is it then, that hee which loueth himſelfe, can be ſo cruell to himſelfe? that he ſhould louelove his life, and ſhorten his life? that he ſhould louelove his health, and deſtroy his health? that hee ſhould louelove his ſtrength, and weaken his ſtrength? that hee ſhoulde louelove his wealth, and conſume his wealth? that he ſhould louelove his credite, and cracke his credite? that hee ſhould louelove his vnderſtanding, and ouerturne his vnderſtanding? that he ſhould louelove his beautie, and deforme his beautie? The Poets neede fayne no more, that men are transformed into beaſts, for if they were liuing now, they ſhould ſee men like beaſts: ſome like Lyons, ſome like Wolues, ſome like Foxes, ſome like Beares, ſome like Swine: who is the beaſt, when the beaſts ſatisfie nature, and man ſatisfieth appetite? when the beaſts keepe meaſure, and man exceedes meaſure? when the beaſts are ſound labouring, and man found ſurfetting? who is the beaſt? I hauehave read of a bird which hath the face of a man, but is ſo cruell of nature, that ſometime for hunger ſhee will ſet vponupon a man and ſlaye him: after, when ſhee comes for thirſt vntounto the water to drinke ſeeing the face in the water, like the face of him whom ſhee deuoured, for griefe that ſhee hath killed one like her ſelfe, takes ſuch ſorrowe, that ſhee neuer eateth nor drinketh after, but beates and frets and pines her ſelfe to death. What wilt thou doe then which haſt not ſlaine one like thy ſelfe, but thy ſelfe, thy verie ſelfe, with a cup of wine, and murthereſt ſo many graces & vertues in an houre?
As Eſau ſolde his lande and liuing for a meſſe of pottage, ſo the drunkard ſelleth his ſenſe, and wit, and memorie, and credite, for a cuppe of wine. Thou haſt not murthered thy brother like Caine, but thou haſt murthered thy ſelfe, like Iudas: as the Rechabites abſtained from wine, as Ionadab bad them, obtayned the bleſſing which God had appoynted to the Iſraelites: ſo let vsus take heed leaſt they which we account Idolaters; whileſt they faſt and watch, and obtayne the bleſſing that GOD hath appoynted for vsus, get away the bleſſing, while wee ſit downe to eare and … to play. Therefore as Chriſt ſayd, Remember Lots wiſe: ſo I ſay, remember Lot: one houre of drunkenneſſe did him more hurt, the …all his enemies in Sodome. Remember Noah, one houre of drunkenneſſe diſcouered that which was hid ſixe hundred yeares.
Ten times more might bee ſayd agaynſt this vice, but if I hauehave ſayd enough to make you abhorre it, I hauehave ſayde as much as I would. Some goe about to excuſe Noah, becauſe hee was an olde man, and therefore might ſoone bee taken cup-ſhot: ſome, becauſe the Wines were hotter in thoſe Countries then they are with vsus: ſome, becauſe of his change of drinkes, which had not wonted himſelfe to wine before: ſome, becauſe as moſt men delight in that which by great labour they hauehave brought to paſſe of themfelues, ſo no maruel though Noah had a longing to his owne grapes? following herein the example of a curious Cooke, which dooth ſip and ſip his broth, to taſte whether it bee well ſeaſoned, that he may amend it if he can, or amend the next: but as the flye by often dallying with the candle, at laſt ſcorcheth her wings with the flame: ſo taking, he was taken, and at laſt was drunke: yet this is imputed to him for his fault, that he was drunke, as the puniſhment which followes doth witnes. Such is the prouidence of God, that his merciemercy might bee glorified in all, he hath concluded all vnderunder ſinne, and ſuffered the beſt to fall, that no man might truſt in his owne ſtrength, and that we ſeeing their repētance, may learne to riſe againe, how grieuous ſo euer our ſinnes bee. If we hauehave been Idolaters, if adulterers, if perſecutors, if murmurers, if murtherers, if blaſphemers, if drunkards: Aron, and Moſes, and Lot, and Abraham, & Dauid, and Salomon, and Peter, and Paul, and Noah hauehave been the like, who raigne now in the kingdome of Chriſt with his Angels, and ſo may we if we repent like them. Theſe examples (ſaith Paul) are not written for our imitation, but for our admonition. Thus you hauehave ſeene Noah ſober, and Noah drunken: whereby wee may ſee, that a man may bee drunk with his own wine, he may ſurfet with his owne meates, he may luſt with his owne wife, he may offend with his owne gifts, his owne honor may make him proud, his owne riches may make him couetous, his owne ſtrength may make him venturous, his owne wit may make him contentious: therefore as the childe pluckes out the ſting before hee takes the honey; ſo let eueryevery man before hee receiue the gifts of God, ſit downe and looke what baites, what ſnares, what temptations ſathan hath hid in them, and when hee hath taken out the ſting, then eate the honey, and he ſhall vſe the bleſſings of Chriſt, as Chriſt did himſelfe.
FINIS.