Power founded on contract, can descend only to him, who has right by that contract: power founded on begetting, he only can have that begets: and power founded on the positive grant or donation of God, he only have have by right of succession, to whom that grant directs it.

If God by his positive grant and revealed declaration, firsst gave rule and dominion to any man, he that will claim by that title, must have the same posistive grant of God for his succession. For if that has not directed the course of its descent and conveyance down to others, no body can succeed to this titel fo the first ruler; children have no riht of inheritance to this; and primogeniture can lay no claim to it, unless God the Author of this constitution has so ordained it. Thus we see the pretensions of Saul's family, who received his crown from teh immediate appointement of God, ended with his reign; and Davied by the same title that Saul reigned, viz. God's appointment, succeeded in his throne, to the exclusion of Jonathan, and all pretensions of paternal inheritance. And if Solomon had a right to succeed his father, it must be by some other title, then that of primogeniture.