The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

China dishes, and Venice glasses must be tenderly handled, because they are weak vessels. The Husband must with the mantle of love, cover many infirmities: An Heathen could tell Sarah, That Abraham was a covering of the eyes to her, Gen. 20.16. The eye is the tenderest part of the body; God hath provided a special cover to fence it. When God would speak his infinite respect to, and care of his people, he saith, They are as dear to him as the apple of his eye. Truly, Husbands ought to be as tender of their Wives, as of the apple of their eyes. But Reader, see the reason of this Injunction of love to Husbands and Wives, That your prayers be not hindered; as if he had said, Wind up those weights of meekness and love, or Religion will stand still: Take away those needful ⟨p. 558⟩props, and piety will fall to the ground. O friend, as thou hast any love to the honour of God, honour thy Wife as the weaker vessel, if God hath called thee to that relation: If thou art a Wife, be of a meek and quiet spirit. If there be not concord in affections, there will be sad discord in petitions. When there is War in a Kingdom, how are Sabbaths profaned, Ordinances despised, Prayer and Scripture neglected? men are hurried away in haste to this and that place, and leave duties behind them: So in a family, which is a Kingdom in a little volume, Divisions will put Religion behind, and force it to stand back. Rubenius Cellar would needs have it engraven on his Tomb, that he had lived with his Wife Ennea forty three years, and eight months, and yet they never fell out.

China dishes, and Venice glasses must be tenderly handled, because they are weak vessels. The Husband must with the mantle of love, cover many infirmities: An Heathen could tell Sarah, That Abraham was a covering of the eyes to her, Gen. 20.16. The eye is the tenderest part of the body; God hath provided a special cover to fence it. When God would speak his infinite respect to, and care of his people, he saith, They are as dear to him as the apple of his eye. Truly, Husbands ought to be as tender of their Wives, as of the apple of their eyes. But Reader, see the reason of this Injunction of love to Husbands and Wives, That your prayers be not hindred; as if he had said, Winde up those weights of meekness and love, or Religion will stand still: Take away those needful