nor any doubt about the largeness of possession it gave. Right and
conveniency went together; for as a man had a right to all he could
employ his labour upon, so he had no temptation to labour for more than
he could make use of. This left no room for controversy about the title,
nor for encroachment on the right of others; what portion a man carved to
himself, was easily seen; and it was useless, as well as dishonest, to
carve himself too much, or take more than he needed.


CHAP. VI.

Of Paternal Power.

Sec. 52. IT may perhaps be censured as an impertinent 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 offer 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 reason or revelation, we shall find, she
hath an equal title. This may give one reason 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 accordingly we
see the positive law of God every where joins them together, without
distinction, when it commands the obedience of children, Honour thy
father and thy mother, Exod. xx. 12. Whosoever curseth his father or his
mother, Lev. xx. 9. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father,
Lev. xix. 3. Children, obey your parents, &c. Eph. vi. 1. is the stile
of the Old and New Testament.