_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.