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Of the iust law of soueraignty. CHAP. 16.
WHerefore although our righteous fore-fathers had seruants in their fami∣lies, and according to their temporall estates, made a distinction be∣twixt their seruants and their children, yet in matter of religion (the fountaine whence all eternall good floweth,) they prouided for all their houshold with an equall respect vnto each member thereof. This, natures order prescribed, and hence came the name of, The Father of the family, a name which euen the worst Maisters loue to bee called by. But such as merit that name truely, doe care that all their families should continue in the seruice of GOD, as if they were all their owne children, desyring that they should all bee placed in the houshold of heauen, where commaund is wholy vnnecessary, because then they are past their charge, hauing attained immortality, which vntill they bee installed in, the Maisters are (a) to endure more labour in their gouern∣ment, then the seruants in their seruice. If any bee disobedient, and offend this iust peace, hee is forth-with to bee corrected, with strokes, or some other conuenient punishment, whereby hee may bee re-ingraffed into the peace-full stocke from whence his disobedience hath torne him. For as it is no good turne to helpe a man vnto a smaller good by the losse of a greater: no more is it the part of innocence by pardoning a small offence, to let it grow vnto a fouler. It is the duetie of an innocent to hurt no man, but withall, to curbe sinne in all hee can, and to correct sinne in whome hee can, that the sinners correction may bee profitable to himselfe, and his example a terrour vnto o∣thers. Euery family then beeing part of the cittie, euery beginning hauing relation vnto some end, and euery part, tending to the integrity of the whole, it followeth apparantly, that the families peace adhereth vnto the citties, that is the orderly command, and obedience in the familie, hath reall refe∣rence to the orderly rule and subiection in the cittie. So that the Father of the familie may fetch his instructions from the citties gouernment, whereby hee may proportionate the peace of his priuate estate, by that of the Common.
L. VIVES.
THe Maisters (a) are to endure] It is most difficult and laborious to rule well, and it is as trouble-some to rule ouer vnruly persons.