Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/9

 All religious Truths may, and ought to be the Subject of an humble and modet Enquiry; but are by no Means, the proper Objects of Ridicule and Contempt. But ince ome Men by their extraordinary Flights of Conceit have thought fit to aail the Almighty, and are endeavouring to bring over the ret of their Sex, as fat as they can, 'tis Time for Us to look about us, and to ue all jutifiable Methods to provide againt the impending Danger: For ince we eem to be hatening into a State of Nature, in which there can be no Appeal but to the Laws of our Country, and the Authority of Scripture is going down, which directs a Man to erect a private Court of Equity in his own Breat, what hall retrain the Strong from oppreing the Weak, if the Laws of our Country do not, they being in uch a State the only etablihed Rules of Society?

I humbly hope therefore, that this will not be thought an uneaonable Repreentation of our Condition, ince uppoing a Man no Chritian, he may be as Depotick (excepting the Power over Life itelf) as the Grand Seignior in his Seraglio, with this Difference only, that the Englih Huband has but one Vaal to treat according to his variable Humour, whereas the Grand Seignior having many, it may be uppoed, that