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Author of the Theory of the Earth, 'tis probable there were much greater Numbers of People alive at the Deluge than ever were in the World at any one time since, or than are now; tho' the World is thought to be more populous now than ever it has been since the Deluge.
The Argument for the encrease of People could not be greater since, than it was in Paradise; and had God approved of it, or thought it reasonable, he would certainly have given Adam more Wives than one at first. Besides, one wife was given him as a Help meet; by which it is evident the Original understands it a Help sufficient to him, intimating, that they were in every Thing sufficient to one another; and not to enter into that Part of it which respect their Sexes, which my lewder Readers will perhaps look for; 'Tis evident, that a single handed Matrimony is many Ways adapted to the Felicity of human Life more than a state of Poligamy; the Effect of a Plurality of Wives having always been Family-Strife, Envying, and Quarrelling, between the Women especially, no Part of which could much add to the Felicity of the Husband, and often did embark the Husband in the Breach, as in the Examples of Sarah and Hagar, Leah and Rachel, Hannah and Penninah, and many others.
On the other hand, we see the most eminent of the Patriarchs had but one Wife, at least we read of no more; even Abraham, except in the Case of Hagar, who was but a Concubine at most, had but one Wife at a Time; Isaac had never any but Rebecca, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and several others; the grosser Use of Women came in with David, as the setting up a Seraglio of Whores did with King Solomon;
