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 that God would diinherit him of his birth-right and make him of all men in the world the only tenant in common with his children? Obervations, 211.

§. 36. The prejudices of our own ill-grounded opinions, however by us called probable, cannot authorie us to undertand cripture contrary to the direct and plain meaning of the words. I grant, it is not probable, that Adam's private dominion was here abrogated : becaue it is more than improbable, (for it will never be proved) that ever Adam had any uch private dominion ; and ince parallel places of cripture are mot probable to make us know how they may be bet undertood, there needs but the comparing this bleing here to Noah and his ons after the flood, with that to Adam after the creation, i. Gen. 28. to aure any one that God gave Adam no fuch private dominion. It is probable, I confes, that Noah hould have the ame title, the ame property and dominion after the flood, that Adam had before it : but ince private dominion cannot conit with the bleing and grant God gave to him and his ons in common, it is a ufficient reaon to conclude, that Adam had none, epecially ince in the donation made to him, there are no words that expres it, or do in the leat favour it ; and then let my reader judge whether it may bet be undertood, when in the one place there is not one word for it, not to ay what has been above proved, that the