_The_ Proposition. To promote a Woman to bear rule, superiority,
dominion or empire above any realm, nation or city is
A. Repugnant to nature.
B. Contumely to GOD.
C. The subversion of good order, of all equity and justice.
A. Men illuminated only by the light of nature have seen and determined
that it is a thing most repugnant to nature, that Women rule and govern
over men.
B. 1. Woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man,
not to rule and command him.
2. After the fall, she was made subject to man by the irrevocable
sentence of GOD. In which sentence there are two parts.
(a) A dolour, anguish and pain as oft as ever she shall be a mother.
(b) A subjection of her self, her appetites and will to her husband and
his will.
From the former part of this malediction can neither art, nobility,
policy nor law made by man deliver women: but, alas, ignorance of GOD,
ambition and tyranny have studied to abolish and destroy the second
part of GOD’s punishment.
3. This subjection, understood by many to be that of the wife to the
husband, is extended by Saint PAUL to women in general To which consent
TERTULLIAN, AUGUSTINE, AMBROSE, CHRYSOSTOM, BASIL
4. The two other Mirrors, in which we may behold the order of Nature.
(a) The natural body of man
(b) The civil body of that Commonwealth [of the Jews] in which GOD by
his own word hath appointed an order.
C. The Empire of a Woman is a thing repugnant to justice, and the
destruction of every commonwealth where it is received.
(a) If justice be a constant and perpetual will to give to every person
their own right: then to give or to will to give to any person that
which is not their right, must repugn to justice. But to reign above
Man can never be the right to Woman: because it is a thing denied unto
her by GOD, as is before declared.
(b) Whatsoever repugneth to the will of GOD expressed in His most
sacred word, repugneth to justice. That Women have authority over Men
repugneth to the will of GOD expressed in His word. Therefore all such
authority repugneth to justice.