SO long as the Son is within the Civil Power of his P. 701. Father, so long as he lives in his House, is subject to his Command, is nourish'd by his Father's Charge, hath no distinct Rights of his own, he is in his Fa­ther's Possession, and to be reckoned by his Measures.

In the Law of the Twelve Tables it was written, Sacra P. 700. privata perpetua manento, that the Private Religion of a Fa­mily should not be alter'd: which CICERO Lib. 2. de Legibus expounds to mean, That all those to whom the Care of the Father of the Family did appertain, were tied to the Celebration of the same Rites; and the Lawyers say, that Filii sunt in Sacris Parentum, dum sunt in eorum po­testate; Children are within the Holy Rites of their Parents, while they are in their Power.

The Father's Commands are exacted before the Laws of Ibid. GOD or PRINCES do require Obedience; because the Government of Children is like the Government of the Sick and the Mad-men, it is a Protection of them from Harm, and an Institution of them to Obedience of GOD and of KINGS; and therefore the Father is to Rule the Understanding of his Child, till it be fit to be ruled by the Laws of GOD; that is, the Child must Believe and Learn, that he may Chuse and Obey.

The Father hath the Prerogative of EDUCATION. Ibid. P. 700. P. 701.

A Turk, a Jew, a Heathen can reckon their Children in Sacris Parentum; they have a Power, a natural and pro­per Power to breed up their Children in what Religion they please, but not to keep them in it; for then when they can chuse, they are under no Power of Man, GOD only is the Lord of the Understanding.

In the Countries of the Roman Communion,—if the Fa­ther P. 701. be an Heretick in their Accounts, they teach their Children to disobey their Parents, and suppose Heresie to destroy the Father's Right of Power: and Government. Between Christian and Christian there is no difference, as to Matter of Civil Rights, no Law allows that.