alleadging these strickt places against vs The soule that sinneth shall die the death Cursed is hee that abideth not in euery point of the law to doe it On the other side hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this hard conclusion Therefore there is no hope in saluation Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie and say At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldings deale in matters of Lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the Countrey to bee decided by the Neighbours who either for their simplicitie cannot or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter 1 So our aduersarie though God himselfe doe discharge vs though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the thirde court before men where hee is bold to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vs and to forge what lies and slaunders and libels he list because he knoweth they shal be receiued as true 2 Thus hee accuseth Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction and not mightie to wreake his malice wee should haue little cause to feare but he is mightie therefore he is tearmed a lion the power of darknesse a great Dragon which drewe to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen that is with earthly Luke 11. Ephe 6. Reue. 12. temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the church of God as lampes and starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not hold vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creep like wormes on earth 3 Yet if hee were but malicious and mightie it were better with vs but hee is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lion who laying waite for the bloud of the godly stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors to make themselues drunke with the bloud of Saintes as most greiuously hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the raigne of Maxentius the space of 294. yeares slaying some by the sword burning other with fire hanging some on the gallowes drowning some in riuers stabbing some with forkes of yron pressing others vnto death with stones deuouring many thousands of the tender lambs of Christs flocke 4 To this malice might and rage is added his subtil policy which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull he doth not pitch his tents in any one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduantage in the Iohn 1. night hee soweth tares and in the day hee hindreth the growth thereof 5 He proceedeth after further and addeth to his pollicy industrie hee considereth our natures and dispositions and to what sinnes wee doe most incline and thereunto hee applyeth himselfe sometimes by flattery sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly inticeth vs sometimes by violence hee goeth about to enforce vs sometimes by changing himselfe into an Angell of light hee endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules Thus ye see noted in a word the force of our aduersarie examine now yourselues whether you haue any thing in your selues and you shall find nothing but weaknesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mighty wisedome to the prudent and knowledge to the vnderstanding hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight Psa 144. and his fingers to battle hee giueth strength to his armes to breake abow euen abow of steele wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Secondly wee are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as hee for God because hee is Almighty and with his power filleth both heauen and earth is present alwaies with them that feare him and readie to succour them in distresse The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth hee heareth our gronings sighs and knoweth what things are necessarie for vs before wee aske The third reason why we must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe as hee but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point And pray vnto the Almighty The fourth reason why we must seeke Christ alone is because there is none so willing to helpe vs as hee It is a great courage to vs to make suite when wee are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make suite I pray yee who was euer more carefull for our saluation and more watchfull ouer vs than the Lord who euer put his trust in him and was confounded In this respect hee is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so the Lord doth all those that put their trust in him Can there bee any more willing to helpe vs than Christ whose whole head was sicke and whose heart was heauie for our sakes yea in whose bodie from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head was nothing but wounds and swellings and sores but alas this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes Hee was compassed about with feares and horrours till his sweat was drops of bloud and his bones bruised in the flesh hee was whipped and scourged and chastised with sorrowes till hee cryed out in the bitternesse of his soule O Lord if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee The heauie hand of God was so grieuous vpon him that hee brused his very bones and rent his reynes asunder hee could finde no health in his flesh but was wounded yea wounded to the death euen the most bitter death vppon the Crosse His tender fingers were nayled to the Crosse his face was wrinkled with weeping and wayling his sides imbrued and gored with his owne bloud spurting and gushing fresh from his ribbes the shaddow of death was vpon his eyes O what greife could bee like this or what condemnation could bee so heauie sith there was no wickednesse in his hands sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the Sunne of righteousnesse that shined in the world as to see his dayes at an ende to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his so deepely ingrauen in the tables of his brest But was this all No my brethren sith his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath it was a greater greife vnto him to see himselfe made a worme and not a man ashame of men and contempt of the people to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches how could
God in humilitie and sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without ende hee is to be beloued The third thing contained in our dutie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these words If thou bee pure and vpright if the cloudes be full they will powre forth raine vpon the earth and vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almightie should not bring foorth the fruites of a good life for if the tree bee good the fruites cannot bee bad and if the head of the water be pure it will send foorth pure waters into the cesternes Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer so must they bee fostered by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the Spirite nor greiue the holy one of God by whome yee are sealed to the day of redemption 1. Thes 5 He quencheth dearely beloued the spirit which being once lightned with the sparkles of faith and felt Gods Ephes 4. motions in his heart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame and the other to good workes in his life but with the dogge turneth to his vomits and with the Sowe that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the Almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation flie from sinne as from a Serpent for if thou come neere it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these points fearing tediousnesse wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the dutie we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance hereof yeeld vnto vs most plentifull matter of doctrine and consolation First of his iustice that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished so he will suffer no good worke vnrewarded but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hire and iust recompence of reward Shall the houre come in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce and come forth they that haue done well to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all full corners bee sweept and all pleites and wrinkles bee vnfolded Shall the Sea graue death and hell giue vp all that is in them And shall all the dead both great and small stand before God when the books are opened And shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath between sheep and Goates the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall bee laid wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lord to gather 1. Thes 5. vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut downe all fruitlesse trees and cast them into the fire yea into a fierie Ephe. 4. furnace that neuer shall bee quenched into an vtter darknesse where is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth then be fauourable O Lord be fauourable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther Doth hee not spare the Sichemites for adulterie Nor Absalom for treason Nor Saule for tyrannie Nor Eli for negligence nor A chab Ieroboam nor Iezabel for cruelty nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar and Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulity Then beefauorable O Lord be fauourable to vs in whom almost euerie one of these sinnes doe dwell and remaine Did the Lord for corruption ouer flow the world with water Did hee burne Sodome for her villanie Did hee cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day Then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable vnto vs. But doth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength Nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse Nor the Lawrel for his greennesse No verily from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgement seate with clouds shall hee come and euery eye shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being summoned all to appeare most fearefully before his imperiall throne of maiestie then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable Alas with what eies shal wee miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his royall kingdome with all his mightie and holy Angels and whole number of Saints sounding with the voice of the Archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse and the elements to melt like waxe and the earth to burne with the workes thereof Yea with what eyes shall wee behold him when wee see the Sunne darkened the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall downe from heauen But alas when hee taketh the furbished blade into his hand when hee is readie to throw the fierie thunderboults of his wrath when he summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vpon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen Then leaue they off Bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable and say to the hils O ye mountaines come and couer vs. O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs woe woe woe how great is this darknesse The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happinesse as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth all his works For God though hee haue giuen a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impared he is content to accept our weaknes as our strength to recompence our imperfection with reward of greatest perfection and that which wee can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole nor for any desert of ours but in satisfaction of his sonne who payd with the seale of his owne bloud the ransome for our sinnes hee hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs. Wherefore wee are to pray vnto God that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him that hee would looke vpon
as all Christ his actions are the instructions of Christians therefore euery Christian but especially Preachers whome it more specially concerneth must learne by this example how to behaue themselues when they are inuited to great feastes namely speake their conscience freely when they see a fault The best requitall that wee can make for our good cheare is to giue good counsell and wholesome admonitions to them that inuite vs When Christ dined with the Pharisie Luke 11. and was misliked for not washing before dinner he tooke occasion to reproue their hypocrisie their outward shew of holines which was the sinne of the Pharises and at another time hee noteth them for pressing to the chiefe places at banquets and sheweth what modesty is to be obserued in sitting downe to meate and what ghests should bee bidden to our table So should Preachers behaue Luke 14. themselues towards those that inuite them to great feastes when they see perhaps some fault or disorder either in the master of the house or in some other of the ghests to say vnto them thus or other wise as the case requireth I will warne you of one thing that will doe you good that you woulde leaue your vsurie and extortion your couetousnes and oppression that you would leaue your swearing and blaspheming the name of God that you woulde forbeare to prophane the Lords Sabboth that you would leaue your pride and excesse in your diet and apparell that you woulde forbeare to speake ill of any behinde their backes or to beare any malice or hatred to any of your neighbours These are the faultes which are easie to bee espied almost in euery place and these are the faultes which the faithfull minister of Christ Iesus shoulde not leaue vnreprooued 1. Kin. 18 Mat. 14 Marke 6. 20. wheresoeuer hee commeth But as Elias told Ahab of his idolatry though hee were his king and Iohn Baptist tolde Herede of his adulterie though hee did many things for him and heard him gladly so should the preachers reprooue the people for their notorious offences notwithstanding some fauours and curtesies receiued from them If Christ had cause to find fault with Martha for her too much diligence in his entertainment it seemeth hee was not curious in his diet but would haue been content with simple cates hee was no delicate or daintie ghest he did not affect or delight in sumptuous banquets or costly fare he rather requireth a religious heart a constant faith a willing mind to heare the word with an earnest care to liue thereafter These are the thinges wherein the Lorde delighteth these are the iuncates which hee desireth and which he preferreth before all earthly cheare Thus is Martha reprehended for her curiousitie nowe let vs see how Mary is excused and commended for her godly care One thing is necessary sayth Christ and what is that one thing Euen to heare the word preached which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth A man may better want all thinges then that one needefull thing and yet wee desire all other thinges and neglect that one thing which is so needfull This one thing hath Marie chosen and therefore hath chosen the better part Marthaes part is good because it prouideth for this present life but Maries part is better because it leadeth to eternall life It is good to bee occupied about our calling to get our liuing but it is better to be occupied in hearing the word which is able to saue our soules As the head and the foote are both needfull in the body so Mary and Martha are both needefull in a Common-wealth man hath two vocations the one earthlie by his labour the other heauenly by his prayer There is the actiue life which consisteth in practising the affaires of this life wherein man sheweth himselfe to be like himselfe and there is the contemplatiue life which consisteth in the meditation of diuine and heauenly things wherein man sheweth himselfe to bee like the Angels for they which labour in their temporall vocations doe liue like men but they which labour in spirituall matters liue like Angels When they heare the word God speaketh vnto them when they pray they speake vnto God so that there is a continuall conference betweene God and them because they are continually exercised in hearing and praying Christ loued Martha for her hospitality as Isaac loued Esau for his venison So did he loue Mary for her diligence in hearing his word as Rebecca loued Iacob for harkening to her voyce A Nurse which hath her breast full of milke doth loue the child that sucks it from her and Christ Gen. 25 28. which hath his breast full of heauenly milke is glad when he hath children to sucke the same Let vs therefore as the Apostle willeth vs 1. Pet 2. 12 laying aside all maliciousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and all euill speaking as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow thereby to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus let vs breathe after the fountaine of the liuing water which springeth vp vnto eternall life and as the faintie Hart desireth the water brooke Psal 42. 1 to quench his thirst and for as much as many thinges are so troublesome and one thing is so needefull let vs seeke Ec. 12. 13. Heb 11. 6 Rom. 10. 17. that one needfull thing the end of all things euen to feare God and keepe his commandements which wee learne by hearing the word of God wherby faith without the which it is impossible to please God is begotten and nourished in the hearts of men This is that good part which Marie hath chosen by so much better then her sisters choyce because it concerneth a better life and hath the fruition of this present life Marie hath a double portion shee heard the word and eate of 1. Tim. 4. 8 the meate which her sister dressed for godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of the life to come As for all other things whether they bee honors promotions pleasures and what not they serue onely for the maintenance of this present life which is so short and subiect to mutabilitie but the word of GOD is the foode of the soule the bread of life that immortall seede which bringeth forth fruit vnto 1. Pet. 1. 13. eternall life Let the worde of God therefore bee precious vnto vs because it was so permanent for heauen and earth must passe but the worde of God endureth for euer Luke 21 33 1. Pet. 1 25. If wee make choyce of any thing beside it must bee taken from vs or wee shall bee taken from it but if wee make choyce of this one thing it shal neuer be taken from vs neither in this world nor in the world to come The Lord graunt that wee bee not onely hearers but doers of Ia. 1. 22 the word that it may be truely said of vs as
Christ sayde of his Disciples that heard his preaching Behold thy brother Ma. 12 50. Luke 11. my sister and mother or as hee answered the woman that commended his carnall kindred Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe the same FINIS THE FIRST SERMON OF Noahs drunkennesse Gen. 9 20. 21. Noah also began to bee a husbandman and planted a vineyard And hee dranke of the wine and was drunken and was vn couered in the middest of his tent FIrst wee are to speake of Noah then of Cham his wicked sonne after of Shem and Iapheth his good sonnes In Noah first of that which he did well and then of his sinne In Cham first of his sinne then of his curse In his brethren first of their reuerence and then of their blessing Now wee will speake of the father and after of his children Then saith Moses that Noah began to bee an husbandman This is the first name which is giuen to Noah after the flood hee is called a husbandman and the first work which is mentioned was the planting of a vineyard one would thinke when all men were drowned with the flood and none left a liue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sons that hee should haue found himselfe something else to doe then to plant vineyards and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him King of the world and not a husbandman of the earth seeing there bee no such men as Noah was which hath more in his hand then any King hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end but thereby the holy Ghost would shewe that God doth not respect Kings for their titles nor men for their riches as we doe and therefore hee nameth Noah after the worke which hee did not after the possessions which hee had an husbandman It seemeth that there was great diuersitie betweene this age and ours for if wee should see now a King goe to plough a noble man to driue the teame a gentleman keep sheep hee should be scorned for his labour more then Noah was for his drunkennesse yet when wee read how this Monarch of the world thought no scorn to play the husbandman wee consider not his princely calling nor his ancient yeares nor his large possessions to commend his industrie or modestie or lowely mind therein Which may teach vs humility though wee learne to disdaine husbandry Of whom will we learne to be humble if kings giue examples and the sonne of God humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth and yet wee contemne the example of the kings of the earth and the example of the King of heauen The time was when Adam digged and delued and 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 saieth 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 bee chastened themselues because they worke not There was no art nor science which was somuch set by in former times and is now profitable to the Common-wealth bringing lesie profit vnto her selfe that may so iustly complaine of her fall without cause and her despite from them that liue by her as this painefull science of husbandry that it is maruell that any man will take the paine for the rest to be contemned for his labour and bee a scorne for the rest which might hunger and starue if hee did not labour for them more then they doe for themselues No maruaile then though many in the poore countries murmure and complayne that other cannot liue by them and they cannot liue themselues but it is maruell if their complaints doe not grow in time to rebellion and pull others as low as themselues for why should the greatest paine yeelde the lesse profit yet this is their case for if you marke you shall see that the husbandman doth bare 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 rayse the price of their wares with him seldome fall againe but make men pay as dâ—are when the dearth is past as if it were a dearth still Thus a plentifull yeare doth dammage him and a hard yeare doth vantage them So this painefull man is faine to liue poorely fare meanely goe barely house homelie rise early labour dayly sell cheape and buy deare 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 sweate of thy browes then this poore sonne of Adam which picks his crums out of the earth Therefore he should not bee mocked for his labour which hath vexation mough though all men speake well of him and in my opinion if any deserue to bee loued for his innocencie or for his truth or his paine or the good which he brings to the Common-wealth this Realme is not so much beholding to any sort of men but those that feede the soule as those that feede the bodie that is those that labour the earth yet you see how they liue like drudges as though they were your seruantes to prouide foode for you and after to bring it to your doores as the beastes serue them so they serue you as though you were another kinde of men I cannot thinke vppon their miserie but my thoughts tell mee that it is a great part of our vnthankefulnesse that wee 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 doe not worke should not eate but now they which doe not worke eate most and the husbandmen which worke eate not but are like Bees which prouide foode for other and pinch themselues Let vs consider this for they had not one law and wee another but the same curse which was denounced vpon Adam was denounced vpon all his children That euery man shoulde get his liuing in the sweat of his browes Although I know there be diuers workes and diuers gifts and diuers callings to worke in yet alwayes prouided they which doe not worke shoulde not eate for in the sweat of thy browes that is in labour trauell thou King and thou Iudge and thou Prelate and thou Landlord and thou Gentleman shalt get thy liuing as Adam thy father did or else thou doest auoid the curse and a greater curse shall follow that is they which will not sweat on earth shall sweat in hell Adam had food 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 their hands 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 but that hee which is a Magistrate should
doe the worke of a Magistrate hee which is a Iudge should doe the worke of a Iudge hee 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 husbandman hee did the worke of an husbandman This contempt of the country doth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing else in our dayes vnlesse their burthen bee eased and their estimation qualified in some part to their paines Thinking that you haue not heard of this theame before seeing the words of my text did lye for it thus much I haue spoken to put you in mind how easily you liue in respect of them and to rectifie our minds towards our poore brethren which in deed seeme too base in our eyes and are scorned for their labours as much as wee should be for our idlenesse Then saith Moses Noah hegan to bee an husbandman In that itis 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 husbandry againe after the flood before any other so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour which had exempted him and his seed out of all the world and reioycing to see the face of the earth againe after the waters were gone though an old man and weaker then he was yet hee returned to his labour a fresh and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions as though hee were an husbandman such a lowlines is all wayes 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 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 way how they should prouide for their sonnes and how all the world after should 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 wants of his children then they are which are bound to labour for themselues and their parents too as the Storke doth feede the dam when shee is olde because the dam fedde her when shee was young What a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth that is to vs which are young and strong that the father should bee called a labourer when the sonnes stand by Now the ground was barren because of the flood and could not bring foorth fruit of it selfe because of the curse therefore it pittied Noah to see the desolation and barrennes and slime vpon the face of the earth which hee had seene so glorious and sweete fertile with all maner of hearbes and fruits and flowers before Therefore hee setteth himselfe to manure it which waited for nothing now but a painfull labourer to till and dresse it that it might bring forth delights and profits 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 lose any thing which wee might haue or saue for want of paines for that is sinne as Salomon noteth in the 24. of the Prouerbs when hee reproueth the slouthfull husbandman because his fielde brought forth nettles and thistles in stead of grapes not because the ground would not beare grapes but because the slouthfull man would not set them Shall God commaund the earth and all his creatures to increase for vs and shall not wee further their increase for ourselues As wee increase and multiply our selues so wee are bound to ioyne hand and helpe that all creatures may increase and multiply too or else the fathers should eate the childrens portion and in time there would bee nothing left for them that come after this regard Noah seemeth to haue vnto his posteritie and therefore hee gaue himselfe vnto husbandry which is commended in him vnto this day and shall bee recorded of him so long as this booke is read whereby wee are warned that hee which liueth onely to himselfe is not to bee remembred of them which liue after But as Dauid cared how the realme should bee gouerned after his death as well as hee did during his life so though we die and depart this world yet wee should leaue that example or those bookes or those workes behind vs which may profit the Church and Common wealth when wee are dead and buried as much as wee did when wee liued among them Euen as Noah planted a vineyard 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 vnto that they might excuse Noah and mitigate his fault if he did sup too deepe of that cup the strength and operation whereof was not knowne vnto him nor vnto any man before But it is not like that the excellent liquor and wholsome iuice of the Grape did lye hid from the world so many hundred yeares and no doubt but there were vines from the beginning created with other trees for how could Noah plant a vineyard vnlesse hee had slips of other vines or graps that grew before seeing hee did not create fruits but plant fruites as wee doe For this is principally to be noted that so soone as hee had opportunitie to doe good hee omitted no time but presently after the flood was gone and that the earth began to drie hee plied it with seedes and wrought it till hee saw the sruites of his labour By this wee 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 wee be so exercised then all our works shall prosper like the vineyard of Noah because the fruit of the vine doth cheare the countenance and glad the heart of man Therefore some haue gathered vpon the planting of this vineyard a signification of gladnesse and thankfulnesse in Noah for his late deliuerance as the Iewes by their solemne 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 dayes and how wee are degenerare from our parents that wee may prepare against the fire as Noah prepared against the water This is worthy to bee noted too that GOD did not so regard his husbandrie but that hee had an eye to his drunkennesse and speakes of his faulte as well as his vertue whereby wee are warned that though God blesse vs now while wee remember him yet hee will chasten vs so soone as wee forget him though wee bee in a good name now infamy will rise in an houre though wee bee rich at this present pouertie may come presently though wee bee whole while