Twelve Sermons, Sermon 1 – Table of contents 3
THE FIRST SERMON of Noahs drunkennesse.
GEN. 9. 20. 21.
Noah also began to be a husband man and planted a vineyard: And he dranke of the wine and was drunken, and was uncouered in the middest of his tent.
FIrst we are to speake of Noah, then of Cham his wicked sonne, and after of Shem and Iapheth his good sonnes: In Noah, first of that which hee did well, and then of his sinne. 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 (saith Moses) Noah began to be a husbandman. This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the floud, hee is called an husbandman; and the first worke which is mentioned, was the planting of a vineyard: one woulde thinke when all men were drowned vvith the floud, and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes, that hee should hauehave founde himselfe something else to doe, then to plant vineyardes: and that the holie Ghost shoulde hauehave intituled him King of the worlde, and not an husbandman of the earth, seeing there bee no such men as Noah was, which hath more in his hand, then anie king hath in the world or shall hauehave to the worlds ende: but hereby the holy Ghost would shewe, that God doth not respect kings for their titles, nor men for their riches as we do, & therfore 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 betweene this age and ours. For if we should see nowe a king go to plough, a nobleman to driue the teame, a gentleman keepe sheepe, hee should bee scorned for his labour more then Noah was for his drunkennesse: yet when wee reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to plaie the husbandman, we consider not his princely calling, nor his ancient yeeres, nor his large possessions to commende his industrie, or modesty, or lowlie minde therein. Which may teach vsus humilitie, though wee learne to disdaine husbandrie. Of whom will we learne to bee humble, if Kinges giuegive examples, and the sonne of God humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth, and yet wee contemne the example of the Kinges 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 abominable to the Egyptians (as Moses saith in the same verse) so they which doe like them are abhorred of their brethren: and they which liue by them, scorne them for their worke, which would be chastned 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 Commonwealth: bringing lesse profit vntounto it selfe, that may so iustly complaine of her fall without cause, and her despite from them which liue by her, as this painefull science of husbandrie: that it is maruell 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 doe themselues. No maruell then though many in the poore countries murmure and complaine, that other cannot liue by them, and they cannot liue themselues: but it is maruell if their complaint do not grow in time to rebellion, and pull others as lowe as themselues: for why should the greatest paine yeeld the lesse profit? yet this is their case; for if you marke, you shall see that the husbandman doeth bate the price of his fruites so soone as the dearth is past, though hee raiseth 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 still. Thus a plentiful yeere doth damage him, and a hard yeere doth vantage them. So this painful man is faine to liue poorely, fare meanly, go barely, house homely, rise early, labor daily, sel cheap, and bye deere, that I may truely say, that no man deserueth his liuing better, no man fulfilleth the lawe neerer: that is, thou shalt get thy liuing in the sweat of thy browes; then this poore sonne of Adam, which pickes his crums out of the earth. Therefore he should not bee mocked for his labour, which hath vexation enough though all men speake well of him: and in my opinion, if any deserue to be loued for his innocencie, or for his trueth, or his paine, or the good which hee brings to the Common-wealth, this Realme is not so much beholding to any sort of men (but those that feed the soule) as those which feed the body, that is, those that labor 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 kind of men. I can not thinke vponupon their misery but my thought tels me, that it is a great part of our vnthankefulnesse, 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 do not worke should not eate: but nowe they which do not worke, eate most: and the husbandmen which worke, eate not, but are like Bees, which prepare foode for other and pinch themselues. Let vsus consider this, for they had not one law and we another: but the same cursse which was denounced vponupon Adam, was denounced vponupon all his children, that euerie man should get his liuing in the sweate of his browes. Although I know there be diuers workes, and diuers gifts, and diuers callings to work in: yet alwaies prouided, they which do not worke should not eat, for in the sweat of thy browes, that is, in labour and trauell, thou king, and thou Iudge, and thou prelate, and thou landlord, and thou gentleman, shalt get thy liuing as Adā thy father did, or else thou doest auoide the cursse, and a greater cursse shall followe: that is, they which will not sweat in earth, shal sweat in hell.
Adam had foode aswell as thou, and so had Noah, and more then thou, vnlesse thou hadst all, for they had all and yet they might not bee idle, because their handes were not giuen them for nothing: Some worke with their pen, 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 worke of a Magistrate: he which is a iudge, should do the work of a iudge: he which is a captaine, should do the worke of a captaine, he which is a minister, should doe the worke of a minister: as when Noah was called an husbandman, hee did the worke of an husbandman. This contempt of the country, doeth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing else in our daies, vnlesse their burden 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 Text did lie for it, thus much I hauehave spoken to put you in mind how easily you liue in respect of them: and to certifie our minds towards our poore brethren, which in deed seeme too base in our eies, & are scorned for their labours, as much as we should be for our idlenesse.
Then (saith Moses) Noah began to be a husbandman. In that it is here said that Noah began, it doth not disprooue that hee 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 (vvhichwhich had exempted him and his seede out of all the vvorld) and reioicing to see the face of the earth againe after the waters vvere gone, though an olde man, and vveake then he vvas, yet hee 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 ioined with the feare of God, that they yt are humbled with religion, do not thinke themselues too good to do any good thing. Here note by the way, that none of Noahs sonnes are said 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 vvay how they should prouide for their sonnes; and howe al the vvorld after should liue by labour and trauell, till they return to dust: so the old man vvhome age dispenceth vvithall to take his ease, is more vvilling to prouide for the vvantes of his children, then they are vvhichwhich are bound to labour for themselues and their parents too, as the Storke doeth feede the dam vvhen she is olde, because the dam fed her vvhen she vvas young. What a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth, that is, to vsus vvhichwhich are young and strong, that the father should be called a laborer vvhen the sonnes stand by? Now, the ground vvas barren because of the floud, and could not bring foorth fruite of it selfe, because of the cursse: therefore it pitied Noah to see the desolation and barrennes, & slime vponupon the face of the earth, vvhichwhich hee had seene so glorious and sweet, and fertil, vvith all maner of herbs and fruits, and flowers before. Therefore he setteth himselfe to manure it, vvhichwhich vvaited for nothing now, but a painefull labourer to till and dresse it, that it might bring forth delightes & profits for sinful man, as it did before. By this vve may learne to vse all means for the obtaining of Gods blessings, & not to lose any thing vvhichwhich vve might hauehave or saue for want of paines, for that is sin. As Salomon noteth in the 24. of Pro. vvhen he reproueth ye slouthful husbandmā, because his field brought foorth Nettles and Thistles in steade of grapes, not because the grounde woulde not beare Grapes, but because the slouthfull man woulde not set them. Shall God command the earth and all his creatures to increase for vsus, and shall not we further their increase for our selues? as wee increase and multiply our selues, so wee are bound to ioyne hande and helpe, that all creatures may increase and multiply too, or else the Fathers should eate the childrens portion, and in time there should be nothing left for them that come after: this regard Noah seemeth to hauehave vntounto his posteritie, and therefore hee 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 wee are warned, that he which liueth only to himselfe, is not to be remembred of them which liue after: But as Dauid cared how the realme should be gouerned after his death, aswell as he did during his life: so though we die and depart this worlde, yet wee should leaue that example, or those bookes, or those workes, behinde vsus, which may profit the Church and Commonwealth when vve are dead and buried, as much as wee did vvhen vve liued among them. Euen as Noah planted a vineyard, not for himselfe, but for the ages to come after.
Some do thinke that Noah planted the first vineyarde, and drunke the first vvine, and that there was no vse of grapes before: vvhichwhich opinion they are led vntounto, that they might excuse Noah and mittigate his faulte; if hee did sup too deepe of that cup, the strength and operation vvhereof vvas not knowne vntounto him nor vntounto any man before. But it is not like, that the excellent liquor and vvholsome iuice of the grape did lie hid from the vvorlde so many hundreth yeers, and no doubt but there vvere vines from the beginning, created with other trees: for how could Noah plant a vineyard, vnlesse he had slippes of other vines or grapes that grew before, seeing he did not create fruites but plant fruits as vve doe? for this is principally to bee noted, that so soone as he had oportunitie to doe good, he omitted no time, but presently after the floud was gone, and that the earth began to drie, he plied it with seedes, and wrought it till he saw the fruites of his labour. By this we learne, to omit no occasion to doe good, but when so euer 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 cheare the countenance and glad the heart of man. Therefore some hauehave gathered vponupon the planting of this vineyard, a signification of gladnes and thankefulnes in Noah for this late deliuerance, as the Iewes by their solemne feastes did celebrate the memoriall of some great benefit: but I rather iudge▪ that God would hauehave vsus see in this example, what men did in those dayes, and how we are degenerate from our parents, that we may prepare against the fire, as Noah prepared against the water.
This is worthie to bee noted to, that God did not so regard his husbandrie, but that he had an eye to his drunkennes, and speakes of his fault aswel as his vertue; whereby we are warned, that though God blesse vsus now while wee remember him, yet hee will chasten vsus so soone as wee forget him: though we be in a good name now, infamie will rise in an houre: though we be rich at this present, pouertie may come sodainely: though we bee well while wee are heere, yet we may fall sicke before night, euen as Noah is praysed in one verse, and dispraysed in an other: euen now God commends him for his lowlines, and now discommends him for his drunkennes: as though hee had forgot all his righteousnes so soone as hee sinned, and would call in his praise againe.
This was to shewe; that Noah was not saued from the floud, because he deserued to bee saued, but because God had a fauour vntounto him: for he which was not drowned with water, was drowned after with wine. As the Pharises when they had done well were proud of it, and lost their reward: so when Noah had done a good worke, he spotted it with sin, and was dispraised where hee was praised, as though God repented him that he commended him. He planted well, but he drunke not wel: therefore that which was good did him hurt: then seeing hee was trapped vvith a good worke, vvhatsoeuer we doe, wee may remember howe easie it is to sinne, if wee misse in the matter, or in the maner, or time, or the place, or the measure, as Noah did. Hee which planteth the vineyarde, is worthy to taste of the grape, but if thou hauehave found hony (saith Salomon) eate not too much least thou surfet: So if thou hast found wine, drink not too much least thou surfet. A little wine is better then a great deale, and if thou wilt followe the Apostles counsell, thou must drinke it but for thy stomackes sake, least that happen to thee, vvhichwhich thou shalt heare of this noble Patriarch. Though hee vvas neuer so righteous before God and men, though he escaped the destruction, which lighted vponupon all the world, though he had al the foules of the ayre and beasts of the lande at his command, though hee passed the pilgrimage of man nine hundreth yeeres, 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, he was drunken. This is Noahs fault, he was drunken with his owne vvine, as Lot was defiled vvith his owne daughters. If Cham his sonne had taken too much, and stript himselfe as his father did, the holie ghost would scarce hauehave spoken of it, because he was a man of no note; but when the father forgate himselfe and gaue this offence, marke the maner of the holie Ghost, as though he would shew you a vvonder: hee displaieth Noahs drunkennesse, as Cham displayed his nakednesse: as if he would say, come and see the strength of man. Hee which vvas counted so righteous, hee which beleeued the threatning like Lot vvhen the rest mocked, he to whom all the foules of the ayre, and the beastes of the earth flocked in couples as they came to Adam: hee vvhichwhich was reserued to declare the iudgementes of God, and to beginne the worlde againe: Noah the example of sobrietie, the example of moderation is ouercome with drinke, as if hee had neuer beene the man. How easie, how quicklie the iust, the wise, the prudent, hath lost his sence, his memorie, his reason as though he had neuer beene the man.
And how hard is it to auoid sinne, vvhen occasion is at hand, and pleasant opportunitie tempteth to sinne? it is easier for the bird to goe by the net then to breake the net: so it is easier for a man to auoide temptations then to ouercome temptations: therefore God forbad Balaam, not onelie to curse the people as Balacke woulde hauehave him, but hee forbad him to goe with Balackes seruauntes, knowing that if hee went vvith them and sawe the pompe of the Courte, and hearde the king himselfe speake vntounto him, and felt the tickling reward, it woulde straine his conscience, and make him doubt vvhether hee shoulde curse or blesse.
Peter but vvarming himselfe at Cayphas fire, vvas ouercome by a silly Damsel to do that vvhichwhich he neuer thought, euen to forsweare his Lord God: therefore Daniell vvoulde not eate of the kinges meate, least hee should bee tempted to the kinges vvill, shewing vsus that there is no vvay to escape sinne, but to auoide occasion. Therefore Dauid prayeth, Turne away mine eies from vanity: as though his eies would drawe his heart as the baite tilleth on the hooke. Noah thought to drinke, he thought not to be drunke: but as hee vvhichwhich commeth to the field to sounde the trumpet is slaine as soone as he vvhichwhich commeth to fight: so the same vvine distempereth Noah vvhichwhich hath distempered so manie since. Where hee thought to take his rewarde, and taste the fruite of his ovvne handes, God set an euerlasting blot vponupon him, vvhichwhich stickes fast till this daie, like a barre in his armes, so long as the name of Noah is spoken of, that vvee cannot reade of his vertue but vvee must reade of his sinne, vvhereby eueryevery man is vvarned to receiue the gifts of God reuerentlie, to vse them soberly, and to sanctifie himselfe, before he reach foorth his hand vntounto them, that they may comfort and profit vsus, with that secret blessing which God hath hid in them, or else eueryevery thing, the best giftes of God may hurt vsus: as the pleasant wine stained and confounded the great Patriarch, when he delighted too much in it, which hee might hauehave drunke as Christ did at his last Supper, and this disgrace had neuer bene written in his story, but God would hauehave a fearfull example like the pillar of salt, to stand before those beastes, whose onelyonly strife is to make triall, who can quaffe deepest, and shewe all their valiantnesse in wine.
Because there is such warning before vsus, now wee hauehave the drunkard in schooling, I will spend the time that is left, to shew you the deformitie of this sinne. If any heare mee which hauehave bene ouertaken with it, let them not maruell why he cannot louelove his enemies, which loueth such an enemie as this, which leadeth till he reeleth, dulles him till he be a foole, and stealeth away his sence, his witte, his memorie, his health, his credit, his friendes: and when shee hath stripped him as bare as Noah, then shee exposeth him like Noah to Cham, and all that see him doe mocke him: it is a wonder almost, that any man should bee drunke that hath seene a drunkard before, swelling and puffing, and foming, and spuing, and groueling like a beast; for who would be like a beast for all the world? Looke vp on the drunkard when his eies stare, his mouth driuels, his tongue faulters, his face flames, his handes tremble, his feete▪reele: how vgly, how monstrous, how loathsome dooth hee seeme to thee? so loathsome doost thou seeme to others when thou art in the like taking.
And how loathsome then doest thou seeme to God? Therefore the first lavve vvhichwhich Adam receiued of God vvas abstinence, vvhichwhich if he had kept, hee had kept all vertues beside, but intemperancie lost all. In abstinence the lavve came to Moses, and he fasted vvhen he receiued it, to shevv that they which receiue the word of God, receiue it soberlie. A temperate man seldome sinneth, because the flesh which dooth tempt is mortified, least it should tempt: but when the handmaid is aboue the mistris, and a man hath lost the image of God, and scarse retaineth the image of man; all his thoughtes and speeches and actions must needs be sinne, and nothing but sinne, because the band of vertue sobrietie is broken, which kept all together▪ when didst thou wante discretion to consider? when didst thou want patience to forgiue? when didst thou want continencie to refraine? when didst thou want hart to pray, but when sobrietie was fledde 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 Landlord, which would hauehave all to himselfe and dwell alone.
There is no sinne, but hath some shewe of vertue, onelyonly the sinne of drunkennesse is like nothing but sinne: there is no sin but although it hurt the soule, it beautifieth the body, or promiseth profit, or pleasure, or glorie, or something to his seruantes: onelyonly drunkennesse is so impudent, that it descrieth it selfe: so vnthankefull that it maketh no recompence: so noysome that it consumeth the bodie, which manie sinnes spare, least they should appeare to be sinnes. EueryEvery sinne defileth a man, but drunkennesse maketh him like a beast: eueryevery sinne defaceth a man, but drunkennes 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 drunkennes vpbraides a man, while the wine is in the stomacke, and though he would dissemble his drunkennesse, yet hee is not able to set a countenance of it, but the childe descrieth him, the foole knowes that he is drunke, because his face bewrayeth him, like the leprosie which brast out of the forehead: so worthily hath he lost the opinion of sobrietie, which hath lost it selfe. His sonne thinkes himselfe more master now then his father: his seruant makes him a foole: his children leade him like a childe, his wife vseth him like a seruant: and although his drunkennesse leaueth him when hee hath slept, yet no man seekes to him for counsell after, no man regards his word, no man reckens of his iudgement, no man is perswaded by his counsell, no man accountes of his learning, no man hath any glory to accompany with him, but so soone as drunkennes hath made him like a beast, eueryevery man abhorreth him like a beast, as they did Nabuchadnezar: the spirit flyeth from him least hee should grieue it, his friendes goe away least he should shame them, and no vertues dare come neere least he should defile them.
How many thinges flie out when wine goes in? how is it then that he which loueth himselfe, can be so cruel to himselfe, that he should louelove his life and shorten his life? that he should louelove his health, and destroy his health? that he should louelove his strength, and weaken his strength? that hee should louelove his wealth, and consume his wealth? that hee should louelove his credit, and cracke his credit? that hee shoulde louelove his vnderstanding, and ouerturne his vnderstanding? that he should louelove his beautie, and deforme his beautie? The Poets neede faining no more, that men are transformed into beasts, for if they were liuing now, they should see men like beastes: some like Lyons, some like wolues, some like foxes, some like beares, some like swine: who is the beast when the beastes satisfie nature and man satisfie appetite? when the beastes keepe measure and man exceeds measure? when the beastes are found labouring, and man founde surfeting? 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 she will set vponupon a man and slay him: after when she comes for thirst vntounto the water to drinke, seeing the face in the water like the face of him whome she deuouted, for griefe that she hath killed one like her selfe, takes such sorrow, that she neuer eateth nor drinketh after, but beats, and frets, & pines her selfe to death. What wilt thou doe then which hast not slaine one like thy selfe, but thy selfe, thy very selfe with a cup of wine, and murderest so many vertues and graces in one howre?
As Esau sold his land and liuing for a messe of pottage, so the drunkard selleth his sence, and witte, and memorie▪ and credit for a cup of wine. Thou hast not murthered thy brother like Caine, but thou hast murthered thy selfe like Iudas: as the Rechabites abstaining from wine, as Ionadab bad thē, obtained the blessing which God had appointed to the Israelites: so let vsus take heede, least they which we account Idolaters, whilest they fast and watch, obtaine the blessing which God hath appointed for vsus (get away the blessing) while we sit downe to eate, and rise to playe. Therefore, as Christ said, remember Lots wife, to I say, remember Lot: one houre of drunkennesse did him more hurt then all his enemies in Sodom: remember Noah, one houre of drunkennes discouered that which was hid sixe hundred yeeres. Ten times more might be said against this vice: but I hauehave said enough to make you abhor it, I hauehave said as much as I would.
Some goe about to acuse Noah because he was an olde man, and therefore might soone be taken cupshot: some because the wines were hotter in those countries, then they are with vsus; some because of his change of drinkes, which had not woonted himselfe to wine before: some because as most men delight in that which by great labour they hauehave brought to passe of themselues.
So no maruell though Noah had a longing to his owne grapes; following heerein the example of a curious Cooke, which dooth sup and sup his broth, to tast whether it be wel seasoned, that he may mend it if he can, or mende the next: but as the flye by often dallying with the candle, at last scorcheth her wings with the flame, so taking hee 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 dooth witnesse. Such is the prouidence of God, that his merciemercy might be 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 wee seeing their repentance, may learne to rise againe how grieuous soeuer our sinnes be. If we hauehave bene idolaters, if adulterers, if persecutors, if murmurers, if murtherers, if blasphemers, if drunkardes: Aaron, and Moses, and Lot, and Abraham, and Dauid, & Salomon, and Peter, and Paul, and Noah, hauehave bene 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 we may see that a man may bee drunke with his owne wine, he may surfet with his owne meates, hee may lust with his owne wife, he may offend with his owne giftes, 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 hony, so let eueryevery man, before he receaues the giftes of God, sit downe, and looke what baites, what snares, what temptations sathan hath hid in them, and when he hath taken out the sting, then eate the hony, and hee shall vse the blessings of Christ as Christ did himselfe.
FINIS.
TVVO SERMONS preached by master Henry Smith, with three prayers thereunto adioyned: And published by a more perfect copy then heretofore.
AT LONDON Printed by P. S. for William Leake. 1598.
The contentes.
1 The sinners conuersion.
2 The sinners confession.
1 A praier for the Morning.
2 A praier to be said at all times.
3 Another zealous praier.