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In anſwer to the foregoing Queſtion, I reply that all Nations are the Progeny of Adam and Eve, and that for ſome Ages after their Children branched out into Families, they muſt have had a Tradition of the Curſe of Subjection paſſed upon the Woman, and formed the Government of their families accordingly: When Men became more numerous upon the Earth, and united themſelves into greater Communities, that Authority was kept up, even where 'tis poſſible the Tradition might be loſt upon which it was firſt 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 tranſmit it from Generation to Generation. And thus it muſt be from the very Words of the Curſe, which not only implied a Command to the Wife to obey her Huſband, but contained alſo a poſitive Declaration that ſhe ſhould be in that Subjection, to which God then commanded her Acquieſcence.
It is ſomewhat beſide my preſent Purpoſe, yet I would obſerve here, that as this univerſal Subjection of the Sex muſt ariſe from this Origin, it is one good Evidence of the Truth of Revelation, for ſince it is not a Law of Nature, how ſhould ſuch a Cuſtom
ſpread
