A12406:168
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…
The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his corrected copies in his life time.
London: printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man, 1593
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Lastly,1 he must tender her as much as all her friends, because he hath taken her from her friends, and covenanted to tender her for them all. To show how he should tender her,2 Peter saith, Honour the woman as the weaker vessel. As we do not handle glasses like pots, because they are weaker vessels, but touch them nicely and softly, for fear of cracks, so a man must entreat his wife with gentleness and softness, not expecting that wisdom, nor that faith, nor that patience, nor that strength in the weaker vessel, which should be in the stronger; but think when he takes a wife, he takes a vineyard, not grapes, but a vineyard to bear him grapes: ⟨p. 44⟩therefore he must sow it, and dress it, and water it, and fence it, and think it a good vineyard, if at last it bring forth grapes. So he must not look to find a wife without a fault, but think that she is committed to him to reclaim her from her faults; for all are defectives: and if he find the proverb true, That in space cometh grace, he must rejoice as much at his wife when she amendeth, as the Husbandman rejoiceth when his Vineyard beginneth to fructify.
Lastly,1 hee must tender her as much as all her friends, because he hath taken her from her friends, and couenaunted to tender her for them all. To shew how he should tender her,2 Peter sayth, Honour the woman as the weaker vessell. As wee doe not handle glasses like pots, because they are weaker vessels, but touch them nicely and softly, for feare of crackes, so a man must intreat his wife with gentlenesse and softnesse, not expecting that wisedome, nor that fayth, nor that patience, nor that strength in the weaker vessel, which should be in the stronger; but think when he takes a wife, he takes a vineyard, not grapes, but a vineyard to beare him grapes: ⟨p. 44⟩therefore he must sowe it, and dresse it, and water it, and fence it, and thinke it a good vineyard, if at last it bring foorth grapes. So hee must not looke to find a wife without a fault, but thinke that she is committed to him to reclaime her from her faults; for all are defectiues: and if he find the prouerbe true, That in space commeth grace, hee must reioice as much at his wife when shee amendeth, as the Husbandman reioiceth when his Vineyarde beginneth to fructifie.