Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/66

 In anwer to the foregoing Quetion, I reply that all Nations are the Progeny of Adam and Eve, and that for ome Ages after their Children branched out into Families, they mut have had a Tradition of the Cure of Subjection paed upon the Woman, and formed the Government of their families accordingly: When Men became more numerous upon the Earth, and united themelves into greater Communities, that Authority was kept up, even where 'tis poible the Tradition might be lot upon which it was firt founded. And when Men had the Authority, tho' they might not all know that it was by divine Appointment, it is nor to be imagined that they would voluntarily give it up, but would rather tranmit it from Generation to Generation. And thus it mut be from the very Words of the Cure, which not only implied a Command to the Wife to obey her Huband, but contained alo a poitive Declaration that he hould be in that Subjection, to which God then commanded her Acquiecence.

It is omewhat beide my preent Purpoe, yet I would oberve here, that as this univeral Subjection of the Sex mut arie from this Origin, it is one good Evidence of the Truth of Revelation, for ince it is not a Law of Nature, how hould uch a Cutom pread