Page:Two Treatises of Government.djvu/55

 the text itelf proves the contrary ; and in the other, the words and ene are directly againt it.

§. 37. But our author ays, Noah was the ole heir of the world ; why hould it be thought that God would diinherit' him of his birth-right? Heir, indeed, in England, ignifies the eldet on, who is by the law of England to have all his father's land ; but where God ever appointed any uch heir of the world, our author would have done well to have hewed us ; and how God diinherited him of his birth-right, or what harm was done him if God gave his ons a right to make ue of a part of the earth for the upport of themelves and families, when the whole was not only more than Noah himelf, but infinitely more than they all could make ue of, and the poeions of one could not at all prejudice, or, as to any ue, treighten that of the other.

§. 38. Our author probably foreeeing he might not be very uccesful in peruading people out of their enes, and, ay what he could, men would be apt to believe the plain words of cripture, and think, as they aw, that the grant was poken to Noah and his ons jointly ; he endeavours to ininuate, as if this grant to Noah conveyed no property, no dominion ; becaue, ubduing the earth and dominion over the creatures are therein omitted, nor the earth once named. And therefore, ays he, there is a con- iderable