commended that woman who took part of her husband's goods to do good works withal: for, supposing him to be unwilling, and that the work was his duty or her's alone, or both theirs in conjunction, or of great advantage to either of their souls, and no violence to the support of their families, she hath right to all that. And Abigail of her own right made a costly present to David, when her husband Nabal had refused it. The husband must rule over his wife, as the soul does over the body, obnoxious to the same sufferings, and bound by the same affections, and doing or suffering by the permissions and interest of each other: that (as the old philosopher said) as the humours of the body are mingled with each other in the whole substances, so marriage may be a mixture of interests, of bodies, of minds, of friends, a conjunction* of the whole life, and the noblest of friendships. But if, after all the fair deportments and innocent chaste compliances, the husband be morose and ungentle, let the wife discourse thus: If while I do my duty my husband neglects me, what will he do if I neglect him? And if she thinks to be separated by reason of her husband's unchaste life, let her consider, that then the man will be incurably ruined, and her rivals could wish nothing more than that they might possess him alone.

* Lætum esse debet et officiosum mariti imperium. Plut. Namque es ei Pater et Frater, venerandaque Mater. Nec minus fecit ad dignitatem viri si mulier eum suum Præceptorem, Philo sophum, Magistrúmque appellet. Plutarch.

† Convictio est quasi quædem intentio benevolentiæ,

The Duty of Masters of families.

1. The same care is to extend to all our family in their proportion as to our children: for, as by St. Paul's œconomy, the heir differs nothing from a servant while he is in minority, so a servant should differ nothing from a child in the substantial part of the care; and the difference is only in degrees. Servants and masters are of the same kindred, of the same nature, and heirs of the same promises: and therefore, 1. Must be provided of necessaries for their support and maintenance. 2. They must be used with mercy. 3. Their work must be tolerable and merciful. 4. Their restraints must be reasonable. 5. Their recreations fitting and healthful. 6. Their religion and the interest of souls taken care of. 7. And masters must correct their servants with gentleness, prudence and mercy; not for every slight fault, not always, not with upbraiding and disgraceful language, but with such only as may express and reprove the fault, and amend the person. But in all these things measures are to be taken by the contract made, by the laws and customs of the place, by the sentence of prudent and merciful men; and by the cautions and remembrances given us by God; such as is that written by St. Paul, [as knowing that we have also a master in Heaven.] The master must not be a lion in his house, lest his power be obeyed, and his person hated; his eye be waited on, and his business be neglected in secret. No servant will do his duty, unless he makes a conscience, or loves his master: if he does it not for God's sake or his master's, he will not need to do it always for his own.

The Duty of Guardians or Tutors.

Tutors and guardians are in the place of parents; and what they are in fiction of law, they must remember as an argument to engage them to do in reality of duty. They must do all the duty of parents, excepting those obligations which are merely natural.

The Duties of Ministers and Spiritual Guides to the People is of so great Burthen, so various Rules, so intricate and busy Caution, that it requires a distinct Tractate by itself.

SECT. III.

Of Negociation or Civil Contracts.

THIS part of justice is such as depends upon the laws of man directly, and upon the laws of God only by consequence and indirect reason: and from civil laws or private agreements it is to take its estimate and measures: and although our duty is plain and easy, requiring of us honesty in contracts, sincerity in affirming, simplicity in bargaining, and faithfulness in performing; yet it may be helped by the addition of these following rules and considerations.

Rules and Measures of Justice in Bargaining. 1. In making contracts use not many words; for all the business of a bargain is summed up in a few sentences: and he that speaks least, means fairest, as having fewer opportunities to deceive..

2. Lie not at all, neither in a little thing nor in a great, neither in the substance nor in the circumstance; neither in word nor deed: that is, pretend not what

is false, cover not what is true, and let the measure of your affirmation or denial be the understanding of your contractor: for he that deceives the buyer or the seller, by speaking what is true in a sense not intended or understood by the other, is a liar and a thief. For in bargains you are to avoid not only what is false, but that also which deceives.

3. In prices of bargaining concerning uncertain merchandises: you may buy as cheap ordinarily as you can, and sell as dear as you can, so it be, 1. without violence and, 2. when you contract on equal terms with persons in all senses, (as to the matter and skill of bargaining) equal to yourself, that is, merchants with merchants, wise men with wise men, rich with rich; and, 3. when there is no deceit, and no necessity, and no monopoly. For in these cases, viz. when the contractors are equal, and no advantage on either side, both parties are voluntary, and therefore there can be no injustice or wrong to either. But then add also this consideration, that the public be not oppressed by unreasonable and unjust rates: for which the following rules are the best measures.

4. Let your prices be according to that measure of good and evil which is established in the fame and common accounts of the wisest and most merciful men skilled in that manufacture or commodity; and the gain such which without scandal is allowed to persons in all the same circumstances.

5. Let no prices be heightened by the necessity or unskilfulness of the contractor: for the first is direct uncharitableness to the person, and injustice in the

thing; (because the man's necessity could not natu' rally enter into the consideration of the value of the commodity ;) and the other is deceit and oppression. Much less must any man make necessities; as, by ingrossing a commodity, by monopoly, by detaining corn, or the like indirect arts: for such persons are unjust to all single persons with whom in such cases they contract, and oppressors of the public.

6. In intercourse with others do not do all which you may lawfully do; but keep something within thy power and because there is a latitude of gain in buying and selling, take not thou the utmost penny that is lawful, or which thou thinkest so; for although it be lawful, yet it is not safe; and he that gains all that he can gain lawfully this year, possibly next year will be tempted to gain something unlawfully."

7. He that sells dearer by reason he sells not for ready money, must increase his price no higher than to make himself recompence for the loss which

cording to the rules of trade he sustained by his forbearance, according to common computation, reckoning in also the hazard, which he is prudently, warily, and charitably to estimate. But, although this be the measure of his justice, yet because it happens either to their friends, or to necessitous and poor persons, they are in these cases to consider the rules of friendship and neighbourhood, and the obligations of charity, lest justice turn into unmercifulness.

8. No man is to be raised in his price or rents in regard of any accident, advantage or disadvantage