larmine, p. 8. and, by a victory over him, eſtabliſhes his fatherly authority beyond any queſtion. Bellarmine being routed by his own confeſſion, p. 11. the day is clear got, and there is no more need of any forces: for having done that, I obſerve not that he ſtates the queſtion, or rallies up any arguments to make good his opinion, but rather tells us the ſtory, as he thinks fit, of this ſtrange kind of domineering phantom, called the fatherhood, which whoever could catch, preſently got empire, and unlimited abſolute power. He aſſures us how this fatherhood began in Adam, continued its courſe, and kept the world in order all the time of the patriarchs till the flood, got out of the ark with Noah and his ſons, made and ſupported all the kings of the earth till the captivity of the Iſraelites in Egypt, and then the poor fatherhood was under hatches, till God, by giving the Iſraelites kings, re-eſtabliſhed the ancient and prime right of the lineal ſucceſſion in paternal government. This is his buſineſs from p. 12. to 19. And then obviating an objection, and clearing a difficulty or two with one half reaſon, p. 23. to confirm the natural right of regal power, he ends the firſt chapter. I hope it is no injury to call an half quotation an half reaſon; for God ſays, Honour thy father and mother; but our author contents himſelf with half, leaves out thy
