Some Reflections Upon Marriage.: With additions.Astell, Mary
Philosophy
Some Reflections Upon Marriage.: With additions.
Astell, Mary
Marriage; Women -- Social conditions
it has in these Parts of the World. Though in remoter Regions, if
Travellers rightly inform us, the Succession to the Crown is intail’d on
the Female Line.
_GOD_ Himself, who is _no Respecter of Persons, with whom there is
neither Bond nor Free, Male nor Female, but_ they _are all one in Christ
Jesus_, did not deny Women that Divine Gift the Spirit of Prophecy,
neither under the _Jewish_ nor Christian Dispensation. We have nam’d two
great Prophetesses already, _Miriam_ and _Deborah_; and besides other
Instances, _Huldah_ the Prophetess was such an Oracle, that the good
King _Josiah_, that great Pattern of Vertue, sends even the High Priest
himself to consult her, and to receive Directions from her in the most
arduous Affairs. _It shall come to pass_, saith the Lord, _that I will
pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters
shall Prophesy_, which was accordingly fulfill’d by the Mission of the
Holy _Ghost_ on the Day of _Pentecost_, as St. _Peter_ tells us. And,
besides others, there is mention of four Daughters of _Philip_, Virgins,
who did Prophesy. For, as in the _Old_, so in the _New Testament_, Women
make a considerable Figure; the Holy Virgin receiving the greatest
Honour that Human Nature is capable of, when the Son of _GOD_ vouchsafed
to be her Son, and to derive his Humanity from her only. And if it is a
greater Blessing _to hear the Word of_ _GOD_ _and keep it_, who are more
considerable for their Assiduity in this, than the Female Disciples of
our LORD? _Mary_ being Exemplary, and receiving a noble Encomium from
Him, for her Choice of the better Part.
It would be thought tedious to enumerate all the excellent Women
mentioned in the _New Testament_, whose humble Penitence and ardent
Love, as _Magdalen_’s; their lively Faith and holy Importunity, as the
_Syrophenician_’s; extraordinary Piety and Uprightness, as
_Elizabeth_’s; Hospitality, Charity and Diligence, as _Martha_’s,
_Tabitha_’s, _&c._ (see St. _Luke_ viii.); frequent and assiduous
Devotions and Austerities, as _Anna_’s; Constancy and Courage,
Perseverance and ardent Zeal, as that of the Holy Women who attended our
LORD to His Cross, when His Disciples generally forsook, and the most
Courageous had denied Him; are Recorded for our Example. Their Love was
stronger than Death, it followed our Saviour into the Grave. And, as a
Reward, both the Angel, and even the LORD Himself, appears first to
them, and sends them to preach the great Article of the Resurrection to
the very Apostles, who being, as yet, under the Power of the Prejudices
of their Sex, esteem’d the Holy Womens _Words as idle Tales, and
believed them not_.
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