the cauſe, that ſince men had nothing elſe left them, they might in ſlavery have ſuch undeniable proofs of its neceſſity, that their conſciences might be convinced, and oblige them to ſubmit peaceably to that abſolute dominion, which their governors had a right to exerciſe over them. Without this, what good could our author do, or pretend to do, by erecting ſuch an unlimited power, but flatter the natural vanity and ambition of men, too apt of itſelf to grow and encreaſe with the poſſeſſion of any power? and by perſuading thoſe, who, by the conſent of their fellowmen, are advanced to great, but limited, degrees of it, that by that part which is given them, they have a right to all, that was not ſo; and therefore may do what they pleaſe, becauſe they have authority to do more than others, and ſo tempt them to do what is neither for their own, nor the good of thoſe under their care; whereby great miſchiefs cannot but follow.
§. 11. The ſovereignty of Adam, being that on which, as a ſure baſis, our author builds his mighty abſolute monarchy, I expected, that in his Patriarcha, this his main ſuppoſition would have been proved, and eſtabliſhed with all that evidence of arguments, that ſuch a fundamental tenet required; and that this, on which the great ſtreſs of the buſineſs depends, would have been made out with reaſons ſufficient to juſtify the confidence
