The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

Now, as Moses (declaring Chams sin) called him the father of Canaan: so Noah repeating his sin again, called him his younger son. He disdaineth to name him, but calleth him a younger son; to aggravate his fault, because we will suffer our elder sons to be more familiar with us, but of the younger we look for more reverence; or else because parents are wont to make more of the youngest, and dandle them, as Jacob did Benjamin, and so he might say, My younger son, which for his years should have showed me most duty, and for my affection should have borne me most love; my younger son hath sought my dishonour; and not content to scorn me himself, hath published my shame, and as much as in him lay, provoked his brethren to scorn me too.

Now, as Moses (declaring Chams sinne) called him the father of Canaan: so Noah repeating his sinne againe, called him his younger sonne. He disdaineth to name him, but calleth him a younger sonne; to aggrauate his fault, because we will suffer our elder sonnes to bee more familiar with vs, but of the younger wee looke for more reuerence; or else because parents are woont to make more of the youngest, and dandle them, as Iacob did Beniamin, and so hee might say, My yonger sonne, which for his yeares should haue shewed mee most duetie, and for my affection should haue borne mee most loue; my younger sonne hath sought my dishonour; and not content to scorne mee himselfe, hath published my shame, and as much as in him lay, prouoked his brethren to scorne me too.

Of whom is a man so often deceived, as of his nearest friend? Lightly the younger son is better than the elder, as Joseph was better than his elder brethren, David was better than his elder brethren, Abel was better than his elder brother, Isaac was better than his elder brother, Jacob was better than his elder brother; but here the youngest is worst: so neither virtue nor vice goeth by age. ⟨p. 613⟩Now, as Christ when he awoke, rebuked the winds, and comforted his Disciples: so Noah when he awoke, cursed the scorner, and blessed the other. Moses doth not set down his words of choler, but bringeth him in, speaking by the spirit of prophecy, what should come upon all his sons. It is like that the good Patriarch had bewailed his own sin before, and now having repented, and got pardon for it, he cometh forth like a proclaimer of Gods judgement, and thundereth against this mocker. What a grief was this to the father, to be constrained to condemn his own son, and with his own mouth to pronounce him banished from the Church of God: for though Ham had not the nature of a son, yet Noah had not lost the nature of a father, and he saw what a small number was left upon earth, like Adams children for to replenish the whole world again: therefore it grieved him to curse his son, as much as it rejoiced his son to scorn him. Yet as Abraham would sacrifice his son, rather then displease GOD; so Noah did curse his son, rather then he would displease GOD: showing that we should not spare our own bowels, when God would have them punished, but do as the fathers and mothers of Idolaters and blasphemers did in the law,