Womens speaking justified, proved and allowed of by the Scriptures, all such as speak by the spirit and power of the Lord Jesus and how women were the first that preached the tidings of the resurrection of Jesus, and were sent by Christ's own command, before he ascended to the Father, John 20:17.

A further Addition in Answer to the Objection concerning Women keeping silent in the Church; For it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be under obedience; as also saith the Law, If they will learn any thing, let them ask their Husbands at home, for it is a shame for a Woman to speak in the Church; Now this as Paul writeth in 1 Cor. 14. 34. is one with that of 1 Tim. 2. 11. Let Women learn in silence with all subjection.

TO which I say, If you tie this to all outward Women, then there were many Women that were Widows which had no Husbands to learn of, and many were Virgins which had no Husbands; and Phi∣lip had four Daughters that were Prophets; such would be despised, which the Apostle did not forbid: And if it were to all Women, that no Wo∣man might speak, then Paul would have contradicted himself; but they were such Women that the Apostle mentions in Timothy, That grew wanton, and were busie-bodies, and ••atlers, and kicked against Christ: For Christ in the Male and in the Female is one, and he is the Husband, and his Wife is the Church; and God hath said, that his Daughters should Prophesie as well as his Sons: And where he hath poured forth his Spi∣rit upon them, they must prophesie, though blind Priests say to the contrary, and will not permit holy Women to speak.

2. And whereas it is said, I permit not a Woman to speak, as saith the Law: but where Women are led by the Spirit of God, they are not under the Law, for Christ in the Male and in the Female is one▪ and where he is

made manifest in Male and Female, he may speak, for he is the end of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe. So here you ought to make a distinction what sort of Women are forbidden to speak, such as were under the Law, who were not come to Christ, nor to the Spirit of Pro∣phesie: For Hulda, Miriam, and Hanna, were Prophets, who were not forbidden in the time of the Law, for hey all prophesied in the time of the Law; as you may read, in 2 Kings 22. what Hulda said unto the Priest, and to the Ambassadors that were sent to her from the King, Go, saith she, and tell the Man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and on the Inhabitants there∣of, even all the words of the Book which the King of Judah hath read; because they have forsaken me, and have burnt Incense to other Gods, to anger me with all the works of their hands: Therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the King of Judah, that sent you to me to ask counsel of the Lord, so shall you say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Because thy heart did melt, and thou humbledst thy self before the Lord, when thou heardst what I spake against this place, and a∣gainst the Inhabitants of the same, how they should be destroyed; Behold I will receive thee to thy Father, and thou shalt be put into thy Grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. Now let us see if any of you blind Priests can speak after this manner, and see if it be not a better Sermon then any of you can make, who are against Womens Speaking? And Isaiah, that went to the Prophetess, did not forbid her Speaking or Prophesying, Isa. 8. And was it not prophesied in Joel 2. that Hand-maids should Prophesie? And are not Hand-maids Women? Consider this, ye that are against Womens Speaking, how in the Acts the Spirit of the Lord was poured forth upon Daughters as well as Sons. In the time of the Gospel, when Mary came to salute Elizabeth in the Hill Countrey in Judea, and when Eliza∣beth heard the salutation of Mary, the Babe leaped in her Womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit; and Elizabeth spoke with a loud voice, Blessed art thou amongst Women, blessed is the fruit of thy Womb; whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? for lo, as soon as thy Salutation came to my ear, the Babe leaped in my Womb for joy; for blessed is she that believes, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And this was Elizabeths Sermon concern∣ing Christ, which at this day stands upon Record: And then Mary said, My Soul doth magnifie the Lord, and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Savi∣our, for he hath regarded the low estate of his Hand-maid: for behold, from henceforth all Generations shall call me blessed; for he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his Name; and his Mercy is on them

that fear him, from Generation to Generation; he hath shewed strength with his Arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their own hearts; he hath put down the mighty from their Seats, and exalted them of low de∣gree; he hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away; he hath helpen his Servant Israel, in remembrance of his mer∣cy, as he spake to his Father, to Abraham, and to his Seed for ever. Are you not here beholding to the Woman for her Sermon, to use her words to put into your Common Prayer? and yet you forbid Womens Speak∣ing. Now here you may see how these two Women prophesied of Christ, and Preached better then all the blind Priests did in that Age, and bet∣ter then this Age also, who are beholding to Women to make use of their Words. And see in the Book of Ruth, how the Women blessed her in the Gate of the City, of whose stock came Christ. The Lord make the Woman that is come into thy House like Rachel and Leah, which built the house of Israel; and that thou mayest do worthily in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem; let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamer ••••re unto Judah, of the Seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young Woman. And blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a Kinsman, and his Name shall be continued in Israel. And also see in the first Chapter of Samuel, how Hannah prayed and spake in the Tem∣ple of the Lord, Oh Lord of Hosts, if thou wilt look on the trouble of thy Hand-maid, and remember me, and not forget thy Hand-maid. And read in the second Chapter of Samuel, How she rejoyced in God, and said, My heart rejoyceth in the Lord; My Horn is exalted in the Lord, and my mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoyce in thy Salvation; there is none holy as the Lord, yea, there is none besides thee; and there is no God like our God: Speak no more presumptuously, let not arrogancy come out of your months, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him enterprises are established; the Bow, and the mighty Men are broken, and the weak hath girded to themselves strength; they that were full, are hired forth for bread, and the hungry are no more hired; so that the barren hath born seven, and she that had many Children, is feeble; the Lord killeth, and maketh alive; bringeth down to the Grave, and raiseth up; the Lord maketh poor, and ma∣keth rich, bringeth low and exalteth; he raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the Beggar from the dunghil to set them among Princes, to make them inherit the seat of Glory; for the Pillars of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are the Lords, & he hath set the world upon them; he will keep the feet 〈…〉〈…〉 and the wick∣ed shall keep silence in darkness, for in his own 〈…〉〈…〉 man be strong; the Lords Adversaries shall be destroyed, and out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them; the Lord shall judge the ends of the World, and shall give power to his King, and exalt the Horn of his Anointed. Thus you may see what

a woman hath said, when old Ely the Priest thought she had been drunk: and see if any of you blind Priests that speak against Womens Speaking, can Preach after this manner? who cannot make such a Sermon as this woman did, & yet will make a trade of this Woman and other womens words. And did not the Queen of Sheba speak, that came to Solomon, and received the Law of God, & preached it in her own Kingdom, and blessed the Lord God that loved Solomon, and set him on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel for ever; and made the King to do Equity and Righte∣ousness? And this was the language of the Queen of Sheba. And see what glorious expressions Queen Hester used to comfort the People of God, which was the Church of God, as you may read in the book of Hester, which caused joy and gladness of heart among all the Jews, who prayed and worshiped the Lord in all places, who jeoparded her life contrary to the Kings command, went and spoke to the King, in the wisdom and fear of the Lord, by which means she saved the lives of the People of God; and righteous Mordecai did not forbid her speaking, but said, If she held her peace, her and her Fathers house should be destroyed; and herein you blind Priests are contrary to Righteous Mordecai.

Likewise you may read how Judith spoke, and what noble acts she did, and how she spoke to the Elders of Israel, and said, Dear Brethren, seeing ye are the honorable & Elders of the People of God, call to remembrance how our Fathers in time past were tempted, that they might be proved if they would worship God aright; they ought also to remember how our Father A∣braham, being tryed through manifold tribulations, was found a friend of God; so was Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, and all they pleased God, and were stedfast in Faith through manifold troubles. And read also her prayer in the Book of Judith, and how the Elders commended her, and said, All that thou speakest is true, and no man can reprove thy words, pray therefore for us, for thou art an holy Woman, and fearest God. So these Elders of Israel did not forbid her speaking, as you blind Priests do; yet you will make a Trade of Womens words to get money by, and take Texts, and Preach Sermons upon Womens words; and still cry out, Women must not speak, Women must be silent; so you are far from the minds of the Elders of Israel, who praised God for a Womans speaking. But the Jezebel, and the Woman, the false Church, the great Whore, and tatling women, and busie-bodies, which are forbiden to Preach, which have a long time spo••••n••••tled, which are forbidden to speak by the True Church, which ••••••st is the Head of; such VVomen as were in trans∣gression under the Law, which are called a VVoman in the Revelations. And see further how the wise VVoman cryed to Joah over the VVall, and saved the City of Abel, as you may read, 2 Sam. 20. how in her

wisdom▪ she spoke to Joab, saying, I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel, and thou goest about to destroy a City and Mother in Israel; Why wilt thou destroy the Inheritance of the Lord? Then went the Woman to the people in her wis∣dom, and smote off the head of Sheba, that rose up against David, the Lords Anoin∣ted: Then Joab blew the Trumpet, and all the people departed in peace. And this de∣liverance was by the means of a Womans speaking; but ta••lers, and busie-bodies, are forbidden to preach by the True Woman, whom Christ is the Husband, to the Woman as well as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Man, all being comprehended to be the Church; and so in this True Churc•• Sons and Daughters do Prophesie, Women labour in the Gospel; but the Apostle permits not tatlers, busie-bodies, and such as usurp au∣thority over the Man, would not have Christ Reign, nor speak neither in the Male nor Female; Such the Law permits not to speak, such must learn of their Hus∣bands: But what Husbands have Widows to learn of, but Christ? And was not Christ the Husband of Philips four Daughters? And may not they that learn of their Husbands spe•••• then? But Jezebel, and Tatlers, and the Whore that denies Revelation and Prophesie, are not permitted, which will nor learn of Christ; and they that be out of the Spirit and Power of Christ, that the Prophets were in, who are in the Transgression, are ignorant of the Scriptures; and such are against Womens Speaking, and Mens too, who Preach that which they have received of the Lord God; but that which they have preached, and do preach, will come over all your heads, yea, over the head of the false Church, the Pope; for the Pope is the Head of the False Church, and the False Church is the Popes Wife: and so he and they that be of him, and come from him, are against Wo∣mens speaking in the True Church, when both he and the false Church are called Woman, in Revel. 17. and so are in the Transgression that would usurp authority over the Man Christ Jesus, and his Wife too, and would not have him to Reign; but the Judgement of the great Whore is come. But Christ, who is the Head of the Church, the True Woman which is his Wife, in it do Daughters Prophesie; who are above the Pope and his Wife, and a top of them; And here Christ is the Head of the Male and Female, who may speak; and the Church is called a Royal Priesthood; so the Woman must offer as well as the Man, Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit saith, Come, and the Bride saith, Come; and so is not the Bride the Church? and doth the Church only consist of Men? you that deny Womens Speaking, answer; Doth it not consist of Women as well as Men? Is not the Bride compared to the whole Church? And doth not t••e Bride say, Come? Doth not the Woman speak then? the Husband, Christ Jesus, the Amen; and doth not the false Church go about to stop the Brides Mouth? But it is not possible for the Bridegroom is with his Bride, and he opens her Mouth. Christ Jesus, who goes on Conquering, and to Conquer; who kills and slayes with the Sword, which is the words of his Mouth; the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory, the true Speakers of Men and Women over the false Speaker.

THE END.