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…

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,¹ who brought the first stone to ⟨p. 614⟩press their sons to death, showing that as the son of God died for them, so their sons should die for God, if they would not serve him. Now the curse goeth forth: Cursed be Canaan, that is, cursed be scorners, cursed be all they with dishonour their father and mother, A servant of servants shall he be: this is the first mention of servants in all the scripture, man was not made to serve but to rule, but sin maketh them serve which should rule: therefore as you saw sin bring in the first nakedness, so you see sin bringing in the first servant, A servant of servants shall he be. This curse is denounced with great vehemency: