Part 48 (1/2)

* Original sin develops presumptuous people 146-148.

c. This scandal reveals Satan's bitterest enmity against G.o.d's Church 149.

* Papists are Ham's disciples 150.

* David's enemies rejoiced over his fall 151.

6. To what end should Noah's fall serve us 152-154.

* The G.o.dless are not worthy to see G.o.d's glory in believers 155.

* Why we should not be vexed at the infirmities of believers 156-157.

7. The conduct of Shem and j.a.pheth in this connection 158-173.

a. They still honored their father, though they approved not his deed 158.

* Origin of outward sin 159.

* How to avoid offense 160-162.

* Luther aware of his own infirmities 163.

* Att.i.tude of the opponents of the Word to true preachers 164.

* Why Moses never mentioned many great events in Noah's life, and thought of his fall 165-166.

b. How the sons covered their father's shame 167.

c. Herein they had regard for G.o.d's will and were therefore pleasing to G.o.d 168.

* Ham's scandal.

(1) It was a wilful and grievous sin 168-169.

(2) The lesson we may learn from it 170.

(3) Reward of this scandalous deed, and why Canaan is here mentioned 172-173.

B. Noah's Fall.

137. Though reason tells us that Noah was burdened with these manifold duties after the flood, yet Moses does not mention them. It appears to him sufficient to confine his remarks to the statement that Noah began to plant a vineyard, and that he lay in his tent drunken and naked.

This, surely, is a foolish and very useless tale in comparison with the many praiseworthy acts he must have performed in the course of so many years. Other things might have been recorded for edification and for teaching righteousness of life. But this story even seems to endorse an offense, by abetting drunkards and those who sin in drunkenness.

138. The purpose of the Holy Spirit, however, is apparent from what we have said. It is to console by this record of the great sins committed by the holiest and most perfect patriarchs those righteous persons who are discouraged by the knowledge of their own weakness and are, therefore, cast down. In them we are to find proofs of our own shortcomings, that we may come to humble confession and, at the same time, seek and hope for forgiveness. This is the real and theologically true reason why the Holy Spirit records, rather than seemingly more important matters, the great fall of this grand man.

139. Lyra states as excuse for Noah that he knew not the power of wine and was deceived into drinking a little too freely. Whether wine had been known before or whether Noah began to cultivate it by his own skill and by divine suggestion, I know not, but I believe that Noah knew the nature of this produce quite well, and that he had often made use of wine in company with his family, partly for his own person and partly also in his offerings or libations. I think that in making use of wine for his own refreshment, he partook of it too freely.

140. His action I excuse in no way. Should anyone want to do so, there would be weightier arguments than those Lyra uses. According to him this aged man, tired out by the great number of his daily duties and cares, had been overpowered by the wine although he was already used to it. For wine overcomes more easily those who are either exhausted by much work or burdened with age. Persons of mature age, on the other hand, and such of care-free mind, can drink considerable quant.i.ties of wine without greatly impairing their reason.

141. But he who makes this excuse for the patriarch, wilfully casts aside that consolation which the Holy Spirit considered needful for the Church, that even the greatest saints sometimes fall into sin.