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…

Lastly we put the duty toward children,¹ because they come last to their hands. In Latin children are called pignora, that is, pledges, as if I should say, a pledge of the husbands love to the wife, and a pledge of the wives love toward the husband: for there is nothing which doth so knit love between the man and the wife, as the fruit of the womb. Therefore when Leah began to conceive, she said, now my husband will love me;² as though the husband did love for children. If a woman have many defects (as Leah had) yet this is the mends which she makes her husband, to bring him children, which is the right wedding Ring, that sealeth and maketh up the marriage. When their father and mother fall out, they perk up between them like little mediators, ⟨p. 63⟩and with many pretty sports make truce when other dare not speak to them. Therefore now let us consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents, that stand them in stead of Lawyers. Before we teach parents to love their children, they had need be taught not to love them too much, for Davids darling, was Davids traitor: and this is the manner of God, when a man begins to set any thing in Gods room, and love it above him which gave it, either to take away it, or to take away him, before he provoke him too much; therefore if parents would have their children live, they must take heed to love them too much: for the giver is offended, when the gift is more esteemed than he.

Lastly we put the dutie toward children,¹ because they come last to their handes. In Latin children are called pignora, that is, pledges, as if I should say, a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife, and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband: for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife, as the frute of the wombe. Therefore when Leah began to conceiue, she sayd, now my husband will loue me;² as though the husband did loue for children. If a woman haue many defects (as Leah had) yet this is the mendes which she makes her husband, to bring him children, which is the right wedding Ring, that sealeth and maketh vp the marriage. When their father and mother fall out, they perke vp betweene thē like litle mediators,