CHAP. VI. Of Paternal Power.

52. IT may perhaps be censured an im∣pertinent Criticism in a discourse of this nature, to find fault with words and names that have obtained in the World: And yet possibly it may not be amiss to of∣fer new ones when the old are apt to lead Men into mistakes, as this of Paternal Power probably has done, which seems so to place the Power of Parents over their Children wholly in the Father, as if the Mother had no share in it; whereas if we consult Rea∣son or Revelation, we shall find she hath an equal title; which may give one rea∣son to ask, Whether this might not be more properly called Parental Power? For whatever obligation Nature and the right of Generation lays on Children; it must certainly bind them equal to both the concurrent Causes of it. And accord∣ingly we see the Positive Law of God every where joins them together, without distinction, when it commands the Obe∣dience of Children, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, Exod. 20. 12. Whosoever cur∣seth his Father or his Mother, Lev. 20. 9. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Page  272 Father, Lev. 19. 3. Children obey your Pa∣rents, &c. Eph. 6. 1. is the stile of the Old and New Testament.

53. Had but this one thing been well consider'd, without looking any deeper in∣to the matter, it might perhaps have kept men from running into those gross mistakes they have made about this Power of Pa∣rents, which however it might, without any great harshness, bear the name of Absolute Dominion, and Regal Autho∣rity, when under the title of Paternal Power, it seem'd appropriated to the Fa∣ther; would yet have sounded but odly, and in the very name shewn the absur∣dity, if this supposed Absolute Power over Children had been called Parental, and thereby discover'd that it belong'd to the Mother too: For it will but very ill serve the turn of those Men who contend so much for the Absolute Power and Autho∣rity of the Fatherhood, as they call it, that the Mother should have any share in it. And it would have but ill supported the Monarchy they contend for, when by the very name it appeared, that that Fun∣damental Authority from whence they would derive their Government of a sin∣gle Person only, was not plac'd in one, but two Persons jointly. But to let this of names pass.

Page  27354. Though I have said above (2.) That all Men by Nature are equal; I cannot be sup∣posed to understand all sorts of Equality: Age or Virtue may give Men a just Prece∣dency: Excellency of Parts and Merit may place others above the Common Le∣vel: Birth may subject some, and Alliance or Benefits others to pay an Observance to those, to whom Nature, Gratitude or other Respects may have made it due; and yet all this consists with the Equality which all Men are in, in respect of Juris∣diction or Dominion one over another: which was the Equality I there spoke of, as proper to the Business in hand, being that equal Right that every Man hath to his Natural Freedom, without being sub∣jected to the Will or Authority of any o∣ther Man.

55. Children, I confess, are not born in this full state of Equality, though they are born to it. Their Parents have a sort of Rule and Jurisdiction over them when they come into the World, and for some time after, but 'tis but a temporary one. The Bonds of this Subjection are like the Swad∣ling Cloths they are wrapt up in, and sup∣ported by, in the weakness of their Infancy. Age and Reason as they grow up, loosen them till atlength they drop quite off, and leave a Man at his own free Disposal.

Page  27456. Adam was created a perfect Man, his Body and Mind in full possession of their Strength and Reason, and so was capable, from the first Instance of his be∣ing, to provide for his own Support and Preservation, and govern his Actions ac∣cording to the Dictates of the Law of Reason God had implanted in him. From him the World is peopled with his De∣scendants, who are all born Infants, weak and helpless, without Knowledge or Un∣derstanding. But to supply the Defects of this imperfect State, till the improvement of Growth and Age had removed them, A∣dam and Eve, and after them all Parents were, by the Law of Nature, under an Obligation to preserve, nourish, and edu∣cate the Children they had begotten, not as their own Workmanship, but the Workmanship of their own Maker, the Almighty, to whom they were to be ac∣countable for them.

57. The Law that was to govern Adam, was the same that was to govern all his Posterity, the Law of Reason. But his Off-spring having another way of entrance into the World, different from him, by a natural Birth, that produced them igno∣rant, and without the Use of Reason, they were not presently under that Law: For no Body can be under a Law that is Page  275 not promulgated to him; and this Law being promulgated or made known by Reason only, he that is not come to the Use of his Reason, cannot be said to be under this Law: and Adam's Children be∣ing not presently as soon as born, under this Law of Reason, were not presently free. For Law, in its true Notion, is not so much the Limitation as the direction of a free and intelligent Agent to his proper Interest, and prescribes no farther, than is for the general Good of those under that Law. Could they be happier without it, the Law, as an useless thing, would of it self vanish; and that ill deserves the Name of Confinement, which hedges us in on∣ly from Bogs and Precipices. So that how∣ever it may be mistaken, the end of Law, is not to abolish or restrain, but to pre∣serve and enlarge Freedom. For in all the states of created Beings, capable of Laws, where there is no Law there is no Free∣dom. For, Liberty is, to be free from Re∣straint and Violence from others, which can∣not be where there is no Law, and is not, as we are told, A Liberty for every Man to do what he lists: For who could be free, when every other Man's Humour might domineer over him? But a Liberty to dispose and or∣der freely as he lists his Person, Actions, Possessions, and his whole Property with∣in Page  276 the Allowance of those Laws, under which he is, and therein not to be subject to the the arbitrary Will of another; but freely follow his own.

58. The Power, then, that Parents have over their Children, arises from that Duty which is incumbent on them, to take care of their Off-spring, during the im∣perfect state of Childhood. To inform the Mind, and govern the Actions of their yet ignorant Nonage, till Reason shall take its place, and ease them of that Trouble, is what the Children want, and the Parents are bound to. For God ha∣ing given Man an Understanding to direct his Actions, has allowed him a freedom of Will, and liberty of Acting, as proper∣ly belonging thereunto, within the bounds of that Law he is under. But whilst he is in an Estate, wherein he has no Under∣standing of his own to direct his Will, he is not to have any Will of his own to fol∣low: He that understands for him, must will for him too; he must prescribe to his Will, and regulate his Actions; but when he comes to the estate that made his Father a Free-man, the Son is a Free-man too.

59. This holds in all the Laws a Man is under, whether natural or civil. Is a man under the Law of Nature? what made him free of that Law? what gave him a Page  277 free disposing of his Property, according to his own Will, within the compass of that Law? I answer, an Estate wherein he might be suppos'd capable to know that Law, that so he might keep his Actions within the Bounds of it. When he has acqui∣red that state, he is presumed to know how far that Law is to be his Guide, and how far he may make use of his Freedom, and so comes to have it; till then, some body else must guide him, who is presumed to know how far the Law allows a Liberty. If such a state of Reason, such an Age of Discretion made him free, the same shall make his Son free too. Is a Man under the Law of England? what made him free of that Law? that is, to have the Liber∣ty to dispose of his Actions and Possessi∣ons, according to his own Will, within the Permission of that Law? A capacity of knowing that Law. Which is supposed, by that Law, at the Age of Twenty one, and in some cases sooner. If this made the Father free, it shall make the Son free too. Till then, we see, the Law allows the Son to have no Will, but he is to be guided by the Will of his Father or Guar∣dian, who is to understand for him. And if the Father die, and fail to substitute a Deputy in this Trust, if he hath not pro∣vided a Tutor to govern his Son, during Page  278 his Minority, during his Want of Under∣standing, the Law takes care to do it; some other must govern him, and be a Will to him, till he hath attained to a state of Freedom, and his Understanding be fit to take the Government of his Will. But after that, the Father and Son are equally free, as much as Tutor and Pupil, after Nonage; equally Subjects of the same Law together, without any Dominion left in the Father, over the Life, Liberty, or Estate of his Son, whether they be only in the State, and under the Law of Na∣ture, or under the positive Laws of an Establish'd Government.

60. But if, through defects, that may happen, out of the ordinary Course of Nature, any one comes not to such a de∣gree of Reason, wherein he might be sup∣posed capable of knowing the Law, and so living within the Rules of it, he is ne∣ver capable of being a Free Man; he is never let loose to the disposure of his own Will, because he knows no bounds to it, has not Understanding, its proper Guide; but is continued under the Tuition and Government of others, all the time his own Understanding is uncapable of that Charge. And so Lunaticks and Ideots are never set free from the Government of their Parents; Children, who are not as Page  279 yet come unto those years whereat they may have; and Innocents, which are excluded, by a natural defect, from ever having. Thirdly, Madmen, which, for the present, cannot pos∣sibly have the use of right Reason to guide themselves, have, for their Guide, the Rea∣son that guideth other Men, which are Tutors over them, to seek and procure their good for them, says Hooker Eccl. Pol. lib. 1. §. 7. All which seems no more than that Duty which God and Nature has laid on Man, as well as other Creatures, to preserve their Off-spring till they can be able to shift for themselves, and will scarce amount to an instance or proof of Parents Regal Authority.

61. Thus we are born free, as we are born rational; not that we have actually the Exercise of either: Age that brings one, brings with it the other too. And thus we see how natural Freedom and Subjection to Parents may consist toge∣ther, and are both founded on the same Principle. A Child is free by his Father's Title, by his Father's Understanding, which is to govern him, till he hath it of his own. The Freedom of a man, at years of discretion, and the Subjection of a Child to his Parents, whilst yet short of it, are so consistent, and so distinguishable, that the most blinded Contenders for Mo∣narchy, Page  280 by Right of Fatherhood, cannot miss of it; the most obstinate cannot but allow of it. For were their Doctrine all true, were the right Heir of Adam now known, and, by that Title, setled a Mo∣narch in his Throne; invested with all the Absolute, Unlimited Power Sr. R. F. talks of; If he should dye as soon as his Heir were born, must not the Child, notwith∣standing he were never so free, never so much sovereign, be in subjection to his Mother and Nurse, to Tutors and Go∣nours, till Age and Education brought him Reason and Ability to govern him∣self, and others? The Necessities of his Life, the Health of his Body, and the In∣formation of his Mind would require him to be directed by the Will of others and not his own: and yet will any one think, that this Restraint and Subjection were incon∣sistent with, or spoiled him of that Liberty or Sovereignty he had a Right to: or gave away his Empire to those who had the Go∣vernment of his Nonage? This Govern∣ment over him only prepared him the bet∣ter, and sooner for it. If any body should ask me, When my Son is of Age to be free; I shall answer, Just when his Mo∣narch is of Age to govern. But at what time, says the judicious Hooker, Eccl. Pol. l. 1. §. 6. a man may be said to have attain'd Page  281 so far forth the use of Reason, as sufficeth to make him capable of those Laws whereby he is then bound to guide his Actions: this is a great deal more easie for sense to discern, than for any one, by Skill and Learning, to determine.

62. Commonwealths themselves take notice of, and allow, that there is a time when Men are to begin to act like Free Men, and therefore, till that time, re∣quire not Oaths of Fealty or Allegiance, or other publick owning of, or Submission to the Government of their Countreys.

63. The Freedom then of Man, and Liberty of acting, according to his own Will, is grounded on his having Reason, which is able to instruct him in that Law he is to govern himself by, and make him know how far he is left to the freedom of his own will. To turn him loose to an unre∣strain'd Liberty, before he has Reason to guide him, is not the allowing him the priviledge of his Nature, to be free; but to thrust him out amongst Brutes, and abandon him to a state as wretched, and as much beneath that of a Man, as theirs. This is that which puts the Authority into the Parents hands to govern the Minority of their Children. God hath made it their business to imploy this Care on their Off-spring, and hath placed in them suitable Inclinations of Tenderness and Concern Page  282 to temper this power, to apply it as his Wisdom designed it, to the Childrens good, as long as they should need to be under it.

64. But what reason can hence advance this Care, of the Parents, due to their Off-spring, into an Absolute, Arbitrary Domi∣nion of the Father, whose power reaches no farther, than by such a Discipline, as he finds most effectual, to give such strength and health to their Bodies, such vigour and rectitude to their Minds, as may best fit his Children to be most useful to them∣selves and others; and, if it be necessary to his Condition, to make them work, when they are able, for their own Subsi∣stence. But, in this power, the Mother too has her share with the Father.

65. Nay this power so little belongs to the Father, by any peculiar right of Na∣ture, but only as he is Guardian of his Children, that when he quits his Care of them, he loses his power over them, which goes along with their Nourishment and Education, to which it is inseparably an∣nexed, and belongs as much to the Foster-Father of an exposed Child, as to the Na∣tural Father of another. So little power does the bare act of begetting give a Man over his Issue: if all his Care ends there, and this be all the Title he hath to the Name and Authority of a Father: and Page  283 what will become of this Paternal Power in that part of the World where one Wo∣man hath more than one Husband at a time? Or in those parts of America, where, when the Husband and Wife part, which happens frequently, the Children are all left to the Mother, follow her, and are whol∣ly under her Care and Provision? And if the Father die whilst the Children are young, do they not naturally every where owe the same Obedience to their Mother, during their Minority, as to their Father, were he alive? And will any one say, that the Mother hath a legislative Power over her Children; that she can make standing Rules, which shall be of perpetual Obli∣gation, by which they ought to regulate all the Concerns of their Property, and bound their Liberty all the course of their Lives, and inforce the observation of them with Capital Punishments? For this is the proper power of the Magistrate, of which the Father hath not so much as the shadow. His Command over his Children, is but temporary, and reaches not their Life or Property. It is but a help to the weakness and imperfection of their Non-age; a Discipline necessary to their Edu∣cation: and though a Father may dispose of his own Possessions, as he pleases, when his Children are out of danger of perish∣ing Page  284 for want; yet his power extends not to the lives or goods, which either their own industry, or anothers bounty, has made theirs; nor to their liberty neither, when they are once arrived to the infran∣chisement of the years of discretion. The Father's Empire then ceases, and he can from thence forwards no more dispose of the liberty of his Son than that of any o∣ther Man. And it must be far from an ab∣solute, or perpetual Jurisdiction, from which a Man may withdraw himself, ha∣ving Licence from Divine Authority, to leave Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife.

66. But though there be a time when a Child comes to be as free from subjection to the will and Command of his Father, as he himself is free from subjection to the will of any body else, and they are both under no other restraint, but that which is common to them both, whether it be the Law of Nature, or municipal Law of their Country; yet this freedom exempts not a Son from that honour which he ought, by the Law of God and Nature, to pay his Parents. God having made the Parents Instruments in his great design of conti∣nuing the Race of Mankind, and the occasions of Life to their Children, as he hath laid on them an obligation to nou∣rish, Page  285 preserve, and bring up their Off-spring: so he has laid on the Children a perpetual obligation of honouring their Parents, which containing in it an inward esteem and reverence to be shewn by all outward expressions, ties up the Child from any thing that may ever injure or affront, disturb, or endanger the happi∣ness, or life of those from whom he recei∣ved his: and engages him in all actions of defence, relief, assistance and comfort of those by whose means he entred into be∣ing, and has been made capable of any enjoyments of life. From this obligation no State, no freedom, can absolve Chil∣dren. But this is very far from giving Pa∣rents a power of command over their Chil∣dren, or an Authority to make Laws, and dispose as they please of their Lives or Li∣berties. 'Tis one thing to owe honour, re∣spect, gratitude and assistance; another to require an absolute obedience and submissi∣on. The honour due to Parents, a Mo∣narch in his Throne owes his Mother, and yet this lessens not his Authority, nor sub∣jects him to her Government.

67. The subjection of a minor places in the Father a temporary Government, which terminates with the minority of the Child. And the honour due from a Child, places in the Parents a perpetual right to Page  286 respect, reverence, support and compli∣ance to more, or less, as the Father's care, cost and kindness, in his Education, has been more or less. And this ends not with minority, but holds in all parts and con∣ditions of a Man's Life. The want of di∣stinguishing these two powers which the Father hath in the right of tuition, during minority, and the right of honour all his Life, may perhaps have caused a great part of the mistakes about this matter. For to speak properly of them, the first of these is rather the priviledge of Children, and duty of Parents, than any Prerogative of Paternal Power. The nourishment and Education of their Children, is a Charge so incumbent on Parents for their Chil∣drens good, that nothing can absolve them from taking care of it. And though the power of commanding and chastising them go along with it, yet God hath woven in∣to the principles of humane nature, such a tenderness for their Off-spring, that there is little fear that Parents should use their power with too much rigour; the excess is seldom on the severe side, the strong bi∣ass of nature drawing the other way. And therefore God Almighty, when he would express his gentle dealing with the Israe∣lites, he tells them, that though he chast∣en'd them, he chasten'd them as a man chast∣ens Page  287 his Son, Deut. 8. 5. i. e. with tender∣ness and affection, and kept them under no severer discipline than what was ab∣solutely best for them; and had been less kindness to have slacken'd. This is that power to which Children are commanded obedience, that the pains and care of their Parents may not be increased, or ill re∣warded.

68. On the other side, honour and sup∣port all that which gratitude requires to return; for the benefits received by and from them is the indispensible duty of the Child, and the proper priviledge of the Parents. This is intended for the Parents advantage, as the other is for the Childs; though Education, the Parents duty, seems to have most power, because the ignorance and infirmities of Childhood, stand in need of restraint and correction; which is a visible exercise of Rule, and a kind of Dominion. And that duty which is com∣prehended in the word honour, requires less obedience, though the obligation be stronger on grown than younger Chil∣dren. For who can think the Command, Children obey your Parents, requires in a Man that has Children of his own, the same submission to his Father, as it does in his yet young Children to him; and that by this Precept, he were bound to obey Page  288 all his Father's Commands, if out of a conceit of authority he should have the in∣discretion to treat him still as a Boy.

69. The first part then of Paternal Power, or rather Duty, which is Educa∣tion, belongs so to the Father, that it ter∣minates at a certain season; when the bu∣siness of Education is over it ceases of it self; and is also alienable before. For a Man may put the tuition of his Son in other hands; and he that has made his Son an Apprentice to another, has discharged him, during that time, of a great part of his Obedience, both to himself and to his Mother. But all the duty of honour, the other part, remains never the less entire to them; nothing can cancel that. It is so in∣separable from them both, that the Fa∣ther's Authority cannot dispossess the Mo∣ther of this right, nor can any Man dis∣charge his Son from honouring her that bore him. But both these are very far from a power to make Laws, and inforce∣ing them with Penalties, that may reach Estate, Liberty, Limbs and Life. The power of Commanding ends with Non-age; and though after that, honour and respect, support and defence, and what∣soever gratitude can oblige a Man to, for the highest benefits he is naturally capable of, be always due from a Son to his Parents; Page  289 yet all this puts no Scepter into the Fa∣ther's hand, no Soveraign Power of Com∣manding. He has no Dominion over his Sons property or actions, nor any right that his Will should prescribe to his Sons in all things; however it may become his Son in many things, not very inconvenient to him and his Family, to pay a Deference to it.

70. A Man may owe honour and re∣spect to an ancient or wise Man; defence to his Child or Friend; relief and support to the distressed; and gratitude to a Bene∣factor; to such a degree, that all he has, all he can do, cannot sufficiently pay it. But all these give no Authority, no right of making Laws to any one over him from whom they are owing. And 'tis plain, all this is due, not to the bare title of Father; not only because, as has been said, it is owing to the Mother too: but because these obligations to Parents, and the degrees of what is required of Chil∣dren, may be varied by the different care and kindness, trouble and expence, is often imployed upon one Child more than ano∣ther.

71. This shews the reason how it comes to pass, that Parents in Societies, where they themselves are Subjects, retain a power o∣ver their Children, and have as much Page  290 right to their Subjection, as those who are in the state of Nature, which could not pos∣sibly be, if all political Power were only paternal, and that, in truth, they were one and the same thing: for then, all pa∣ternal Power being in the Prince, the Sub∣ject could naturally have none of it; but these two Powers, political and paternal, are so perfectly distinct and separate, and built upon so different Foundations, and given to so different Ends, that every Sub∣ject, that is a Father, has as much a pater∣nal Power over his Children, as the Prince has over his. And every Prince that has Parents, owes them as much filial Duty and Obedience, as the meanest of his Subjects do to theirs; and can therefore contain, not any part or degree of that kind of Domi∣nion, which a Prince, or Magistrate has over his Subject.

72. Though the Obligation on the Pa∣rents to bring up their Children, and the Obligation on Children to honour their Parents, contain all the Power on the one hand, and Submission on the other, which are proper to this Relation; yet there is another Power, ordinarily, in the Father, whereby he has a tye on the Obedience of his Children, which, though it be com∣mon to him with other men, yet the Oc∣casions of shewing it, almost constantly Page  291 happening to Fathers in their private Fa∣milies, and in Instances of it else-where being rare, and less taken notice of, it pas∣ses in the World for a part of paternal Iu∣risdiction. And this is the Power Men ge∣nerally have, to bestow their Estates on those who please them best. The Possessi∣on of the Father, being the Expectation and Inheritance of the Children ordinari∣ly, in certain proportions, according to the Law and Custom of each Country; yet it is commonly in the Father's Power to bestow it with a more sparing or liberal hand, according as the Behaviour of this or that Child hath comported with his Will and Humour.

73. This is no small Tye to the Obedi∣ence of Children: and there being always annexed to the Enjoyment of Land, a Submission to the Government of the Country, of which that Land is a part. It has been commonly suppos'd, That, a Fa∣ther could oblige his Posterity to that Go∣vernment, of which he himself was a Sub∣ject, that his Compact held them, where∣as, it being only a necessary Condition annex'd to the Land, which is under that Government, reaches only those who will take it on that Condition, and so is no na∣tural Tye or Engagement, but a volunta∣ry Submission. For every Man's Children Page  292 being, by Nature, as free as himself, or any of his Ancestours ever were, may, whilst they are in that Freedom, choose what Society they will join themselves to, what Commonwealth they will put them∣selves under. But if they will enjoy the Inheritance of their Ancestours, they must take it on the same terms their Ance∣stours had it, and submit to all the Con∣ditions, annex'd to such a Possession. By this Power indeed, Fathers oblige their Children to Obedience to themselves, e∣ven when they are past Minority, and most commonly too, subject them to this or that political Power. But neither of these by any peculiar right of Father-hood, but by the Reward they have in their hands to inforce and recompence such a Compliance; and is no more Power than what a French-man has over an English-man, who by the hopes of an Estate he will leave him, will certainly have a strong tye on his Obedience: and if when it is left him, he will enjoy it, he must certainly take it upon the Conditions annex'd to the Possession of Land, in that Country where it lies, whether it be France or England.

74. To conclude then, though the Fa∣ther's Power of commanding, extends no farther than the Minority of his Children, and to a degree only fit for the Discipline, Page  293 and Government of that Age. And though that Honour and Respect, and all that which the Latins called Piety, which they indispensibly owe to their Pa∣rents all their Life times, and in all estates, with all that Support and Defence, is due to them, gives the Father no Power of governing, i. e. making Laws and exact∣ing Penalties on his Children. Though by this he has no Dominion over the Property or Actions of his Son; yet 'tis obvious to conceive, how easie it was, in the first Ages of the World, and in places still where the thinness of People gives Families leave to separate into unpossessed Quarters, and they have room to remove and plant themselves in yet vacant habitations,* for the Father of the Fa∣mily to become the Prince of it; he had been Page  294 a Ruler from the Beginning of the infan∣cy of his Children, and when they were grown up: since without some Govern∣ment it would be hard for them to live to∣gether, it was likelyest it should, by the express or tacit Consent of the Children, be in the Father, where it seemed, with∣out any change, barely to continue. And when indeed nothing more was required to it, than the permitting the Father to exercise alone, in his Family, that execu∣tive Power of the Law of Nature, which every Free-man naturally hath, and by that Permission resigning up to him a Mo∣narchical Power, whilst they remained in it. But that this was not by any paternal Right, but only by the Consent of his Children, is evident from hence, That no Body doubts but if a Stranger, whom Chance or Business had brought to his Fa∣mily, had there kill'd any of his Children, or committed any other Fact, he might condemn and put him to Death, or other∣wise have punished him as well as any of his Children, which was impossible he should do by virtue of any paternal Au∣thority, over one who was not his Child; but by virtue of that executive Power of the Law of Nature, which, as a Man, he had a right to: and he alone could punish him in his Family, where the Respect of Page  295 his Children had laid by the Exercise of such a Power, to give way to the Dignity and Authority they were willing should re∣main in him above the rest of his Family.

75. Thus 'twas easie and almost natu∣ral for Children by a tacit and almost na∣tural consent, to make way for the Fa∣ther's Authority and Government. They had been accustomed in their Child-hood, to follow his Direction, and to refer their little differences to him, and when they were Men, who fitter to rule them? Their little Properties, and less Covetousness, seldom afforded greater Controversies; and when any should arise, where could they have a fitter Umpire, than he, by whose Care they had every one been su∣stain'd and brought up, and who had a tenderness for them all? 'Tis no wonder that they made no distinction betwixt Minority and full Age, nor looked after one and Twenty, or any other Age, that might make them the free Disposers of themselves and Fortunes, when they could have no desire to be out of their Pupilage. The Government they had been under, during it, continued still to be more their Protection than Restraint: and they could no where find a greater security to their Peace, Liberties, and Fortunes, than in the Rule of a Father.

Page  29676. Thus the natural Fathers of Fami∣lies, by an insensible change, became the politick Monarchs of them too; and as they chanced to live long, and leave able and worthy Heirs, for several Successions, or otherwise: so they laid the Foundations of Hereditary, or Elective Kingdoms un∣der several Constitutions, and Manors, according as Chance, Contrivance, or Oc∣casions happen'd to mould them. But if Princes have their Titles in the Fathers Right, and it be a sufficient proof of the natural Right of Fathers to political Au∣thority; because, they commonly were those, in whose hands, we find, de facto, the Exercise of Government: I say, if this Argument be good, it will as strongly prove that all Princes, nay Princes only, ought to be Priests, since 'tis as certain that in the Beginning, The Father of the Family was Priest, as that he was Ruler in his own Houshold.