e, Christian
man or heathen, yet am I not bound alike unto all men, nor unto
any many in every case alike. But, as I began to tell you, the
differences of the circumstances make great change in the matter.
St. Paul saith, "He that provideth not for those that are his, is
worse than an infidel." Those are ours who are belonging to our
charge, either by nature or by law, or any commandment of God. By
nature, as our children; by law, as our servants in our household.
Albeit these two sorts be not ours all alike, yet would I think
that the least ours of the twain--that is, the servants--if they
need, and lack, we are bound to look to them and provide for their
need, and see, so far as we can, that they lack not the things
that should serve for their necessity while they dwell in our
service. Meseemeth also that if they fall sick in our service, so
that they cannot do the service that we retain them for, yet may
we not in any wise turn them out of doors and cast them up
comfortless, while they are not able to labour and help
themselves. For this would be a thing against all humanity. And
surely, if a man were but a wayfarer whom I received into my house
as a guest, if he fell sick there and his money be gone, I reckon
myself bound to keep him still, and rather to beg about for his
relief than to cast him out in that condition to the peril of his
life, whatsoever loss I should happen to sustain in the keeping of
him. For when God hath by such chance sent him to me and there
once matched me with him, I reckon myself surely charged with him
until I may, without peril of his life, be well and conveniently
discharged of him.

By God's commandment our parents are in our charge, for by nature
we are in theirs. Since, as St. Paul saith, it is not the
children's part to provide for the parents but the parents' to
provide for the children. Provide, I mean, conveniently--good
learning or good occupations to get their living by, with truth
and the favour of God--but not to make provision for them of such
manner of living as they should live the worse toward God for. But
rather, if they see by their manner that too much would make them
wicked, the father should then give them a great deal less. But
although nature put not the parents in the children's charge, yet
not only God commandeth but the order of nature compelleth, that
the children should both in reverent behaviour honour their father
and mother, and also in all their necessit