FIrst we are to speake of Noah, then of Caine his wicked sonne, & after of Shem and Iapheth his good sonnes: In Noah first of that which hee did well, and then of his sinne. In Caine first of his sinne, and then of his cursse. In his bretheren, first of their reuerēce, and then of their blessing.

[Page]Now we 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, & the first worke which is mencioned▪ was the plantinge of a vineyard: one would think, when all men were drowned with the floud, & none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes, that he should haue founde him selfe some thinge else to doo, then to plante vineyardes: and that the Holye Ghost should haue intituled him King of the worlde, and not an husbandman of the earth, seing there be no such men as Noah was, which had more in his hand, then anie King hath in the world or shall haue to the worldes end: but heerby the holy Ghost would show that God doth not respect Kings for their tytles, nor men for their riches as we do, and therfore he nameth Noah after the work which he did, not after the possessions which [Page] he had, an husbandman. It seemeth that there was greate diuersitie be­tweene their age and ours. For if wee should see now a King goe to plough, a noble man driue the teame, a gentle­man keepe sheepe, he should be scor­ned for his labour more then Noah was for his drunkennes: yet when we read how this Monarche of the Worlde thought no scorne to play the husbād­man, we consider not his princely cal­ling, nor his ancient yeers, nor his large possessions to commend his industrie, or modestie, or lowlye minde therein. Which may teach vs humilitie, though we learne to disdaine husbandrye: of whome will we learne to be humble, if Kings giue examples, and the sonne of God humbleth himselfe from hea­uen to earth, and yet we contenine the example of the Kings of the earth; and the example of the King of heauen.

The time was when Adam digged and delued▪ when Dauid kept Sheep, and all the house of Jacob were called [Page] men occupied aboute Cattell: but as they for this were abhominable to the Egiptians (as Moses saith in the same verse) so they which doo like them, are abhorred of their bretheren: and they which liue by them, scorne them for their work, which would be chastned them selues, because they worke not: There was no arte nor science which was so much set by in former times, & is now profitable to the Cōmonwelth, bringing lesse profite vnto it selfe, that may so iustly complain of her fall with­out cause, and her despite from them which liue by her, as this painefull sci­ence of husbandry: that it is maruell that any man wil take paine for the rest to be contemned for his labor, and be a scorne for the rest, which might hun­ger and starue, if he did not labor for them more then they do them selues. 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 [Page] is maruell if their complainte do not growe in time to rebellion, and pull o­ther as lowe as them selues: for why should the greatest paine yeelde the least profite? yet this is their case, for if you marke, you shall see that the hus­band man dooth bate the prise of his fruites so soone as the dearth is past, though he 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 paye as deere when the dearth is past, as if it were a dearth still. Thus a plentifull yeer doth damage him, and a hard yeer doth van­tage them. So this painefull man, is faine to liue poorely, fare meanely, goe barely, house homely, rise early, labour dayly, sell cheape and buye deere, that I may truely say, that no man deserueth his liuing better, no man fulfilleth the law neerer: that is, thou shalt get thy li­uing in the sweat of thy browes: Then this poore sonne of Adam, which picks his crummes out of the earth, therefore [Page] he should not be mocked for his labor, which hath vexation mough though all men spake well of him, and in my opi­nion, if anye deserue to be loued for his innocencie, or for his trueth, or his paine, or the good which he bringes to the Common wealth: this Realme is not so much beholding to any sorte of men (but those that feed the soule) as those which feed the body, that is, thos that labour the earth: yet you see how they liue, like drudges, as though they were your seruants to prouide food for you, and after to bring it to your dores: as the beastes serue them, so they serue you: as though you were an other kind of men. I can not think vpon their mi­serie, but my thought tells me, that it is a greate parte of our vnthankfulnes, that we neuer consider what an easie life and liuing God hath giuen vnto vs in respect of them If the Apostles rule were kept, they which doo not worke should not eate: but now, they which do not worke, eate most: and the hus­bandmen [Page] which worke, eate not but are like Bees, which prepare foode for other & pinch them selues. Let vs con­sider this, for they had not one law and wean other: but the same cursse which was denounced vppon Adam, was de­nounced vppon all his Children that e­uery man should get his liuinge in the sweate of his browes. Although I knowe there be diuers workes and di­uers giftes and diuers callings to worke in, yet alwaies prouided: they which do not worke should not eate, for in the sweat of thy browes, that is, in labour and trauell, thou King and thou iudge and thou prelate, & thou landlord, and thou gentleman, shalt get thy liuing as Adam thy father did, or else thou doest auoide the cursse and a greater cursse shall follow: that is, they which will not sweate in earth, shall sweat in hell.

Adam had foode as well 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 [Page] their handes were not giuen them for nothing: Some worke with their pen, some with their tungs, some with their fingers: as nature hath made nothing idle, so God would haue no man idle, but that hee which is a Magistrate, should do the worke of a Magistrate: hee which is a Iudge, should doo the worke of a Iudge: hee which is a Cap­taine, shold do the worke of a Captain: he which is a Minister, should doo 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 else in our dayes, vnlesse their burden be eased and their estimation qualified in some part to their paines. Thinking that you haue not heard of this Theme before, seeing the wordes of my Text did lye for it, thus much I haue spo­ken to put you in minde how easilye you liue in respect of them: and to cer­tifie our mindes towardes our poore [Page] bretheren which in deede seeme too base in our eyes, and are scorned for their laboures, as much as we should be for our idlenes.

Then (saith Moses) Noah began to be an husband man, In that it is here saide that Noah began, it doth not disproue that he gaue not himselfe to husbandry before, but it importeth that Noah be­gan to set vp husbandry again after the floud before anye other: so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour (which had exempted him and his seed out of all the worlde) and reioycing to see the face of the earth again after the waters were-gone, though an olde man, and weake then he was, yet he returneth to his labour a fresh, and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions, as though he were as an husband man: such a lowli­nes is alwayes ioyned with the feare of God, that they that are humbled with religion, do not thinke themselues too good to do any good thing. Here note [Page] by the way, that none of Noahs sonnes are said to begin this worke, but Noah himselfe, the olde man, the hoarie head and carefull Father begins to teach the rest, and showes his sonnes the waye how they should prouide for their sonnes: and how all the worlde after should liue by labour and trauell, till they returne to dust: so the olde man whome age dispenceth withall to take his ease, is more willing to prouide for the wantes of his Children, then they are which are bounde to labour for them selues and their Parentes too, as the Storke doth feed the dam when she is olde, because the dam fed her when she was yong. What a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth, that is to vs which are young & strong, that the fa­ther should be called a labourer when the sonnes stand by. Now, the ground was barren because of the floud, and could not bring foorth s [...]ute of it selfe, because of the cursse: therfore it pitied Noah to see desolation and barrennes, [Page] and slime vpon the face of the earth, which he had seene so glorious and sweete, and fertill, with all manner of herbes and fruits and flowers before. Therfore he setteth him selfe to man­ure it, which wayted for nothing now, but a painefull labourer to till and dresse it, that it might bring foorth delightes and profites for sinfull man, as it did before. By this we may learne to vse all meanes for the obtaining of Gods blessings, and not to loose any thing which we might haue or saue for want of paines, for that is sinne. As Salomon noteth in the 24▪ Prouerbes, when he reproueth the stouthfull hus­bandman, because his fielde brought foorth Nettles and Thistles in steede of Grapes▪ not because the grounde would not beare grapes, but because the slothfull man would not set them. Shall God commaund the earth and all his creatures to increase for vs, and shall not we further their increase, for our selues? as we increase and multiply [Page] our selues, so wee are bound to ioyne hand and help, that all creatures may increase and multiply too, or else the Fathers should eate the Childrens por­tion, and in time there should be no­thing lefte for them that come after: this regard Noah seemeth to haue vn­to his posteritie, and therfore he gaue himselfe vnto husbandry, which is cō ­mended in him vnto this day, and shall bee recorded of him so longe as this booke is read: wherby we are warned that he which liueth onely 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, as well as he did during his life: so though we dye & depart this world, yet we should leaue that example, or those bookes or those workes behind vs which may profite the Church and Common wealth when we are dead and buried, as much as we did when we liued among them. Euen as Noah planted a vineyard, not for him self but [Page] for the ages to come after.

Some doo think 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 vnto that they might excuse Noah and mittigate his faulte; If he did sup too deep of that cuppe, the strength and operation wherof was not known vnto him nor vnto anye man before: but it is not like, that the excellent li­quour & wholsome mice of the grape did lye hid from the world so manie hundreth yeers, and no dout but there was vines from the beginning, created with other trees: for how could Noah plant a vineyard, vnles he had slippes of other vines or grapes that grew be­fore, seeing he did not create frutes but plant frutes as we do? for this is princi­pally to be noted, that so soone as he had oportunitie to doo good, he omit­ted no time, but presentlye after the floud was gone, and that earth began to drye, hee plyed it with seedes and [Page] wrought it till he saw the frutes of his labour. By this we learne, to omit no occasion to do good, but when so euer we may do good, to count it sinne if we do it not. But if we be so excercised, thē all our works shall prosper like the vineyarde of Noah, because the frute of the vine doth cheare the countenance and glad the hart of man. Therefore some haue gathered vpon the planting of this vineyard, a signification of glad­nes and thankfulnes in Noah for this late deliuerance, as the Iewes by their solēne feastes did celebrate the memo­riall of some great benefit: but I rather iudge, that God would haue vs see in this example, what men did in those daies, and how we are degenerate from our parents, that we maye prepare a­gainst the fire as Noah prepared against the water. This is worthie to be no­ted too, that God did not so regard his. husbandrye, but that he had an eye to his drunkennes, and speakes of his fault aswell as his vertue: whereby we are [Page] warned, that though god blesse vs now while we remember him, yet he will chasten vs so soone as we forget him: Though we be in a good name now, infamie will rise in an hower: though we be rich at this present, pouerty may come so dainlye: though wee be well while we are here, yet we may fall sick before night, euen as Noah is praised in one verse and dispraised in an other: e­uen now God commends him for his lowlines, and now discommendes him for his drunkennes: as though he had forgot all his righteousnes so soone as he sinned, and would call in his praise againe. This was to shewe that Noah was not saued from the floud, because he deserued to be saued, but because God had a fauour vnto him: for hee which was not drowned with water, was drowned after with wine. As the Pharises when they had doone well were proud of it and lost their reward: so when Noah had doone a good work he spotted it with sinne, and was dis­praise [Page] where he was praised, as though God repented him that he commen­mended him. He planted well, but he drunke not well: therefore that which was good did him hurt, that seeing he was trapped with a good worke, what so euer we do, we may remember how easie it is to sinne, if we 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 tast of the grape, but if thou haue found hony (saith Salomon) eate not too much least thou surfet. So if thou hast foūd wine, drink not to much lest thou surfet. A litle wine is better thē a great deale, and if thou wilt follow the Apo­stles counsell, thou must drinke it but for thy stomachs 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 he had all the soules of the aier [Page] and beastes of the land at his cōmaund, though he passed the pilgrimage of man nine hūdreth yeres, yet Noah was but a man: so auncient, so righteous, so mightie, so happie: Noah showed him selfe but a man, for drinking the wine which him selfe had planted: he was drunkē. This is Noahs fault, he was drū ­ken with his owne wine, as Lot was de­filed with his owne daughters. If Cain his sonne had taken to much and stript himself as his father did, the holy ghost would scarce haue spoken of it because he was a man of no note: but when the father forgate him selfe and gaue this offence, marke the manner of the holy Ghost, as though he would showe you a wonder: he displayeth Noahs drun­kennes, as Cain displayed his nakednes: as if he would saye, come and see the the strength of man? hee which was counted so righteous, he which belee­ued the threatning like Lot when the rest mocked, he to whom all the foules of the ayer and the beastes of the earth [Page] flocked in couples as they came to Adam. Hee which was reserued to declare the iudgementes of God, and to beginne the worlde againe, Noah the example of sobrietie, the exam­ple of moderation is ouer-come with drink; as if he had neuer been the man. How easilie, how quickly the iust, the wise, the prudent, hath lost his sence, his memorye, his reason, as though he had neuer been the mā. And how hard it is to auoide sinne, when occasion is at hand, and pleasant oportunity 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 auoid temp­tations thē to ouercome temptations: therfore God forbad Baalam, not onely to cursse the people as Balack would haue him, but he forbad him to goe with Balackes seruantes, knowing that if he went with them & saw the pomp of the Court, and heard the King him selfe speak vnto him, and felt the tike­ling rewarde, it would straine his con­science, [Page] and make him doubt whether he should cursse or blesse. Peter but warming him selfe at Cayphas fier, was ouercome by a silye Damsel to do that which he neuer thought, euen to for­sweare his Lord God: therefore Daniel would not eat of the Kings meat, least he should be tēpted to the Kings will, showing vs that there is no way to es­cape sinne, but to auoid occasiō. Ther­fore Dauid prayeth, Turne away mine eyes from vanitie: as though his eyes would draw his hart as the baite tilleth on the hooke. Noah thought to drink he thought not to be drunk: but as he which commeth to the feild to sound the Trumpet, is slaine as soone as he which commeth to fight: so the same wine distempereth Noah which hath distempered so manie since. Where he thought to take his reward and tast the fruite of his owne handes, God set an euerlasting blot vppon him, which stickes fast till this day, like a barre in his armes, so long as the name of Noah [Page] is spoken of, that we can not reade of his vertue but we must reade of his sinne, whereby euerie man is warned to receaue the gifts of God reuerently, to vse them soberly, and to sanctifie him selfe, before he reache foorth his hand vnto them, that they may com­fort and profit vs, with that secret bles­sing which God hath hid in them, or else euerie thing the best giftes of God may hurt vs: as this pleasant wine, stai­ned and confounded the great Patri­arch, when he delighted too much in it which he might haue drunke as Christ did at his last Supper, and this disgrace had neuer ben written in his storie, but god would haue a fearful example like the Pillar of salt, to stand before those beasts whos only strife is to make trial, who can quaff deepest, & she wall their valiantnesse in wine. Because there is such warning before vs, now we haue the drunkard in schooling, I will spend the time that is left to shewe you the deformity of this sinne, if any heare me which haue ben ouer taken with it, [Page] let them not maruell why he cannot loue his enemies, which loueth such an enemie as this: which leadeth till he reeleth: dulles him till he be a foole, & stealeth away his sence, his wit, his me­morie, his health, his credit, his freends: and when she hath stripped him as bare as Noah, then shee exposeth him like Noah to Cham, and all that see him do mocke him: it is a wonder almost that anye man should be drunke that hath seene a drunkard before, swelling and puffing, and soming, and spuing, and groueling like a beast: for who would be like a beast for all the world? Looke vdon the drūkard when his eyes stares, his mouth driuels, his toung falters, his face flames, his handes tremble, his feet reele: how vglye, how monstrous, how loathsom dooth he seeme to thee? so loathsom doest thou seem to others when thou art in the like taking. And how loathsom then doost thou seeme to God? Therfore the first law which Adam receiued of god was abstinence, [Page] which if he had kept, he had kept all vertues beside, but intemperancie lost all. In abstinence the law came to Mo­ses, and he falled when he receiued it, to showe that they which receiue the woorde of God, receiues it soberly: A temperate man seldom sinneth, because the flesh which dooth tempte is morti­fied leaste 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 thoughtes, and speeches, & actions must needes be sinne, and nothing but sinne, because the bond of vertue is brokē sobriety, which kept altogither: when didst thou wante discretion to consider? when didst thou wante paci­ence to forgiue? whē didst thou wante continencie to refraine? when didst thou wante hart to praye, but when so­briety was fled away, & intemperancie filled her roome? if shame let to sinne, it casteth out sinne: if feare let to sinne it casteth out feare: if loue let to sinne, [Page] it expulseth loue: if knowledge let to sinne, it expulseth knowledge, like a couetous Landlord, which would haue all to him selfe and dwell alone.

There is no sinne, but hath some showe of vertue, onelye the sinne of drunkennes is like nothing but sinne: there is no sinne but although it hurte the soule, it beautifyeth the bodie or promiseth profite, or pleasure, or glo­rie, or something to his seruantes: one­ly drunkennes is so impudent, that it discryeth it selfe: so vnthankfull that it maketh no recompēce: so noysom that it consumeth the bodye, which many sinns spare, least they should appere to be sinnes. Euery sinne defileth a man, but drunkēnes makes him like a beast: euery sinne defaceth a man, but drūkennes taketh awaye the image of a man: euery sinne robbeth a man of some vertue, but drunkennes stealeth away all vertues at once: euery sinne deserueth punishment, but drunkennes vpbraids a man, while the wine is in his stomack [Page] and though he would desemble his drunkennes, yet he is not able to set a countenance of it, but the child discri­eth him, the foole knowes that he is drunke, because his face bewrayeth him, like the leprosie which brast out of the forhead: so woorthily hath he lost the opiniō of sobrietie, which hath lost it selfe. His sonne thinks himself more master now then his father: his seruant makes him a foole: his children leades him like a child: his wife vseth him like a seruant: and although his drunkennes leaueth him when he hath slept, yet no man seekes to him for counsel after, no man regards his word; no man reckens of his iudgement, no man is perswaded by his counsell, no man accounts of his learning, no man hath any glorye to ac­company with him, but so soon as drū ­kennes hath made him like a beast, eue­rye man abhorreth him like a beaste as they did Nebuchadnezer: the spirit fly­eth from him least he should greeue it, his freendes goe away leaste he should [Page] shame them, and no vertues dare come neere least he should defile them. How many thinges flye out when wine goes in? how is it then that he which loueth himselfe, can be so cruell to himselfe, that he should loue his life and shorten his life? that he should loue his health and destroye his health? that he should loue his strength & weaken his strēgth that he should loue his wealth and con­sume his welth? that he should loue his credite and cracke his credite? that he should loue his vnderstanding and o­uerturne his vnderstanding? that he should loue his beautie & deforme his bis beautie? The Poets need fayning 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 bears, some like swine: who is the beast when the beastes satis­fie nature and man satisfieth appetite? when the beasts keep measure and man exceeds measure? when the beastes are [Page] found labouring and man found surfe­ting? who is the beast? I haue read of a bird which hath the face of a man, but is so cruell of nature, that somtime for hunger she will set vpon a man & slaie him: after when she comes for thirste vnto the water to drinke, seing the face in the water like the face of him whōe she deuowred: for greefe that she hath killed one like her selfe, takes such sor­row, that she neuer eateth nor drinketh after, but beates and frettes and pines her selfe to death. What wilt thou do then which hast not slaine one like thy selfe, but thy selfe, thy very selfe with a cup of wine, and murderest so manie vertues and graces in one hower?

As Esaw solde his land and liuing for a messe of potage, so the drunkard selleth his fence, and wit, and memory, and credite for a cup of wine. Thou hast not murthered thy brother like Cain, but thou hast murthered thy selfe like Iudas: as the Rechabites abstaine from wine as Ionadab bad them, obtai­ned [Page] the blessing which God had apoin­ted to the Israelites: so let vs take heed least they which we account idolaters, whilste they fast and watche, obtaine the blessing which God hath apointed for vs (get away the blessing) while we sit down to eate and rise to play. Ther­fore as Christ saide remēber Lots wife, so I say remember Lot: one hower of drunkennes did him more hurt then al his enemies in Sodom: remember Noah one hower of drunkennes discouered that which was hid six hundred yeres. Ten times more might be said against this vice: but if I haue said enough to make you abhor it, I haue said as much as I would. Some goe about to excuse Noah because he was an olde man, and therfore might soon be takē cupshort: some because the wines were hotter in those Countryes then they are with vs: some because of his chāge of drinks which had not wonted himselfe to wine before: some because as moste men delight in that which by great la­bour they haue brought to passe of thē [Page] selues. So no maruell though Noah had a longing to his owne grapes? folowing heerin the example of a curious Cook, which dooth sup and sup his broth, to taste whether it be well seasoned, that he may mende it if he can, or mende the next: but as the flye by often dallying with the candle, at last scorcheth her winges 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 drunk, as the punishment which followes dooth witnes: Such is the prouidence of God, that his mercie might be glorified in all, he hath concluded all vnder sinne, & suffered the best to fall, that no man might trust in his owne strength, and that we seing their repen­taunce, may learne to rise againe how greeuous soeuer our sinnes be. If wee haue beene idolaters, if adulterers, if persecutors, if murmurers, if murderers if blasphemers, if drunkards: Aron and Moses and Lot and Abraham and Dauid and Solomon & Peter and Paule & Noah haue beene the like: who raigne now [Page] in the kingdome of Christ with his an­gelles, and so may we if we repent like them. These examples saith Paule are not written for our imitation but for our admonition.

Thus you haue seene Noah sober and Noah drunken. Whereby we may see that a man may be drunke with his owne wine, he may surfet with his owne meates, he may lust with his owne wife, he may offende 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 he takes the honie, so let euerie man before he receaues the giftes of God, sit downe and looke what baites, what snares, what temptations Sathan hath hid in them, & when he hath takē out the sting, then eate the hony and he shall vse the blessinges of Christ as Christ did him selfe.