Wesley Corpus

But hence you “infer that all that power is restored, yea, more than all ; that we have a more extensive dominion granted to us over the brutal world, than was originally given to Adam.” (Page 86.) It has been commonly thought, that Adam had full dominion over the creatures, subject to him by a kind of instinct; whereas we have only so far power over them, that by labour and vigilance we may use or subdue them. But how do you prove that we have a fuller dominion than he had By those words: “The fear and the dread of you shall be upon all: Into your hands they are delivered; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” Nay, “the fear and the dread of you shall be upon them,” does not imply any dominion at all. A wolf may fear me, who yet does not obey me. I dread a viper; but I do not obey it. And those words, “Into your hands they are delivered,” are plainly equivalent with, “I have given you all things, even as the green herb;” namely, “for food;” you may feed on any of them. So far therefore is the text from expressly pronouncing “a more extensive dominion given to Noah over the brutal world than was originally given to Adam,” that it does not express any proper dominion at all. 3. Verse 6. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed. For in the image of God made he man;” namely, at the creation. And some remains of the natural image of God, as we are spiritual and immortal beings, a even now to be found in every man, sufficient to justify t putting a murderer to death. St. James alludes to the san scripture, when he says, “Therewith bless we God, and cur men, who were made” (rovs 'yeyovoras, not are made)“after ti similitude of God.” (iii. 9.) But what does all this prove?