A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

The special duties of superiors in government and their inferiors, are to be distinguished according to their several sorts. For Governors ¹are either private in families, or public in the Church and Commonwealth. In families, as the husband, who is superior in government over his wife, parents over their children, and Masters and Mistresses over their servants. The duties of man and wife are either common to both, or special belonging to either party. Common duties are first, conjugal love, whereby being one flesh, they love one another above all others, both in respect of their souls and bodies, temporal and spiritual good, and all that belong to either party, as kindred and friends. Secondly, communion and communication, first, of their bodies by mutual benevolence ²performed by one to the other; and conjugal fidelity, whereby either of them keep themselves proper to the other, and preserve the ³marriage bond inviolable; and finally, as a means of both the other, there is required cohabitation and dwelling together, unless it be for a time, and upon necessary occasion. Secondly, communion of their goods, labours, endeavours and mutual help for the good and comfort of one another. The peculiar duties of the husband are, to behave himself as an