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the Blessing bestow’d according to his, but to her Desire; so that if you will not allow, that her Command to _Jacob_ superseded _Isaac_’s to _Esau_, his Desire to give the Blessing to this Son, being evidently an Effect of his Partiality; you must at least grant, that she paid greater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.