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whole it seems plain to me he knew what he did, as well when he planted the Vines as when he pressed out the Grapes; and also when he drank the Juice that he knew it was Wine, was strong and would make him drunk if he took enough of it: He knew that other Men had been drunk with such Liquor before the Flood, and that he had reprehended them for it; and therefore it was not his Ignorance, but the _Devil_ took him at some Advantage, when his Appetite was eager, or he thirsty, and the Liquor cooling and pleasant; and in short, as _Eve_ said, _the Serpent beguilded her_, and she DID EAT, so the Devil beguiled _Noah_, and _he_ DID DRINK; the Temptation was too strong for _Noah_, not the Wine; he knew well enough what he did, but as the Drunkards say to this Day, it was so good he could not forbear it, and so he got drunk before he was aware; or as our ordinary Speech expresses it, _he was overtaken with drink_; and Mr. _Pool_ and other Expositors are partly of the same Mind. No sooner was the poor old Man conquer'd, and the Wine had lighten'd his Head, but it may be supposed he falls off from the Chair or Bench where he sate, and tumbling backward his Clothes, which in those hot Countries were only loose open Robes, like the Vests which the _Armenians_ wear to this Day, flying abroad, or the _Devil_ so assisting on purpose to expose him, he lay there in a naked indecent Posture not fit to be seen. In this juncture who should come by but young _Canaan_, say some; or as others think, this young Fellow first attack'd him by way of Kindness and pretended Affection; prompted his Grandfather to drink, on Pretence of the Wine being good for him, and proper for the Support of his old Age, and subtilly set upon him, drinking also with him, and so (his Head being too strong for the old Man's) drank him down, and then, _Devil_ like, triumph'd over him; boasted of his Conquest, insulted the Body as it were dead, uncovered him on purpose to expose him, and leaving him in that indecent Posture, went and made Sport with it to his Father _Ham_, who in that Part, wicked like himself, did the same to his Brethren _Japhet_ and _Shem_; but they like modest and good Men, far from carrying on the wicked Insult on their Parent, went and cover'd him, as the Scripture expresses it, and as may be supposed inform'd him how he had been abus'd, and by whom. Why else should _Noah_, when he came to himself, shew his Resentment so much against _Canaan_
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