But, it will be said perhaps, that in 1 Tim. ii. 13, &c. St. Paul argues for the Woman’s Subjection from the Reason of Things. To this I answer, that it must be confess’d, that this (according to the vulgar Interpretation) is a very obscure Place, and I should be glad to see a Natural, and not a Forc’d Interpretation given of it by those who take it Literally: Whereas if it be taken Allegorically, with respect to the Mystical Union between Christ and his Church, to which St. Paul frequently accommodates the Matrimonial Relation, the Difficulties vanish. For the Earthly Adam’s being form’d before Eve, seems as little to prove her Natural Subjection to him, as the living Creatures, Fishes, Birds and Beasts being form’d before them both, proves that Mankind must be subject to these Animals. Nor can the Apostle mean that Eve only sinned; or that she only was Deceiv’d, for if Adam sinn’d wilfully and knowingly, he became the greater Transgressor. But it is very true, that the Second Adam, the Man Christ Jesus, was first form’d, and then his Spouse the Church. He was not in any respect Deceiv’d, nor does she pretend to Infallibility. And from this second Adam, promis’d to Eve in the Day of our first Parents Transgression, and from Him only, do all their Race, Men as well as Women, derive their Hopes of Salvation. Nor is it promis’d to either Sex on any other Terms besides Perseverance in Faith, Charity, Holiness and Sobriety.
If the Learned will not admit of this Interpretation, I know not how to contend with them. For Sense is a Portion that God Himself has been pleased to distribute to both Sexes with an impartial Hand, but Learning is what Men have engross’d to themselves, and one can’t but admire their great Improvements! For, after doubting whether there was such a Thing as Truth, and after many hundred Years Disputes about it, in the last Century an extraordinary Genius arose, (whom yet, some are pleased to call a Visionary) enquir’d after it, and laid down the best Method of finding it. Not to the general Liking of the Men of Letters, perhaps, because it was wrote in a vulgar Language, and was so natural and easy as to debase Truth to common Understandings, shewing too plainly, that Learning and true Knowledge are two very different Things. “For it often happens (says that Author) that Women and Children acknowledge the Falsehood of those Prejudices we contend with, because they do not dare to judge without Examination, and they bring all the Attention they are capable of to what they read. Whereas on the contrary, the Learned continue wedded to their own Opinions, because they will not take the Trouble of examining what is contrary to their receiv’d Doctrines.”
Sciences, indeed, have been invented and taught long ago, and, as Men grew better advis’d, new modelled. So that it is become a considerable Piece of Learning to give an Account of the Rise and Progress of the Sciences, and of the various Opinions of Men concerning them. But Certainty and Demonstration are much pretended to in this present Age, and being obtain’d in many Things, ’tis hoped Men will never Dispute them away in that which is of greatest Importance, the Way of Salvation. And because there is not any thing more certain than what is delivered in the Oracles of God, we come now to consider what they offer in Favour of our Sex.
Let it be premis’d, (according to the Reasoning of a very ingenious Person in a like Case) that one Text for us, is more to be regarded than many against us. Because that One being different from what Custom has established, ought to be taken with Philosophical Strictness; whereas the Many being express’d according to the vulgar Mode of Speech, ought to have no greater Stress laid on them, than that evident Condescension will bear. One Place then were sufficient, but we have many Instances wherein Holy Scripture considers Women very differently from what they appear in the common Prejudices of Mankind.
The World will hardly allow a Woman to say any thing well, unless, as she borrows it from Men, or as assisted by them: But God Himself allows that the Daughters of Zelophehad spake right, and passes their Request into a Law. Considering how much the Tyranny, shall I say, or the superior Force of Men, keeps Women from Acting in the World, or doing any thing considerable, and remembring withal the Conciseness of the Sacred Story, no small Part of it is bestow’d in transmitting the History of Women, famous in their Generations: Two of the Canonical Books, bearing the Names of those great Women whose Vertues and Actions are there recorded. Ruth being call’d from among the Gentiles to be an Ancestor of the Messiah, and Esther being rais’d up by God to be the great Instrument of the Deliverance and Prosperity of the Jewish Church.
The Character of Isaac, though one of the most blameless Men taken Notice of in the Old Testament, must give Place to Rebecca’s, whose Affections are more reasonably plac’d than his, her Favourite Son being the same who was God’s Favourite. Nor was the Blessing bestow’d according to his, but to her Desire; so that if you will not allow, that her Command to Jacob superseded Isaac’s to Esau, his Desire to give the Blessing to this Son, being evidently an Effect of his Partiality; you must at least grant, that she paid greater Deference to the Divine Revelation, and for this Reason, at least, had a Right to oppose her Husband’s Design; which, it seems, Isaac was sensible of, when upon his Disappointment, he trembled so exceedingly. And so much Notice is taken even of Rebecca’s Nurse, that we have an Account where she died, and where she was buried.
God is pleas’d to Record it among His Favours to the ingrateful Jews, that He sent before them His Servants Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; who was also a Prophetess, and instructed the Women how to bear their Part with Moses in his Triumphal Hymn. Is she to be blam’d for her Ambition? And is not the High Priest Aaron also, who has his Share in the Reproof as well as in the Crime? nor could she have mov’d Sedition if she had not been a considerable Person, which appears also by the Respect the People paid her, in deferring their Journey till she was ready.
Where shall we find a nobler Piece of Poetry than Deborah’s Song? Or a better and greater Ruler than that renowned Woman, whose Government so much excell’d that of the former Judges? And though she had a Husband, she her self judged Israel, and consequently was his Sovereign, of whom we know no more than the Name. Which Instance, as I humbly suppose, overthrows the Pretence of Natural Inferiority. For it is not the bare Relation of a Fact, by which none ought to be concluded, unless it is conformable to a Rule, and to the Reason of Things: But Deborah’s Government was conferr’d on her by God Himself. Consequently the Sovereignty of a Woman is not contrary to the Law of Nature; for the Law of Nature is the Law of God, who cannot contradict Himself; and yet it was God who inspir’d and approv’d that great Woman, raising her up to Judge and to Deliver His People Israel.
Not to insist on the Courage of that valiant Woman, who deliver’d Thebez by slaying the Assailant; nor upon the Preference which God thought fit to give to Sampson’s Mother, in sending the Angel to her, and not to her Husband, whose vulgar Fear she so prudently answer’d, as plainly shews her superior Understanding: To pass over Abigail’s wise Conduct, whereby she preserv’d her Family and deserved David’s Acknowledgments, for restraining him from doing a rash and unjustifiable Action; the Holy Penman giving her the Character of a Woman of good Understanding, whilst her Husband has that of a Churlish and Foolish Person, and a Son of Belial: To say nothing of the wise Woman (as the Text calls her) of Tekoah; or of her of Abel, who has the same Epithet, and who by her Prudence delivered the City and appeas’d a dangerous Rebellion: Nor of the Queen of Sheba, whose Journey to hear the Wisdom of Solomon, shews her own good Judgment and great Share in that excellent Endowment. Solomon does not think himself too wise to be instructed by his Mother, nor too great to record her Lessons, which, if he had followed, he might have spared the Trouble of Repentance, and been delivered from a great deal of that Vanity he so deeply regrets.
What Reason can be assign’d why the Mothers of the Kings of Judah, are so frequently noted in those very short Accounts that are given of their Reigns, but the great Respect paid them, or perhaps their Influence on the Government, and Share in the Administration? This is not improbable, since the wicked Athaliah had Power to carry on her Intrigues so far as to get Possession of the Throne, and to keep it for some Years. Neither was there any Necessity for Asa’s removing his Mother (or Grandmother) from being Queen, if this were merely Titular, and did not carry Power and Authority along with it. And we find what Influence Jezabel had in Israel, indeed to her Husband’s and her own Destruction.