ng to
the knowledge of the Truth_; Weak, Superstitious, Useless Creatures;
or else, if more tenacious in their Natures, blindly and conceitedly
weded to the Principles and Opinions of their Spiritual Guides; who
having the direction of their Consciences, rarely fail to have that
also of their Affairs and Fortunes. A Wife of which sort proves, very
often, no small unhappiness to the Family where she comes; for this
kind of ignorant Persons are, of all others, the most Arrogant; and
when they are once intitl'd to Saintship for their blind Zeal, as
nothing is more troublesome than they in finding fault with, and
censuring every one that differs from them, so to their Admirers (who
lead them as they please) they think they can never pay enough for
that Incence which is offer'd them: The dearest Interests of Humane
Life being, oftentimes, thus sacrific'd to a vain Image of Piety;
_whilst makers of long Prayers_ have _devour'd Widows Houses_.

But what is here said implying that Ladies should so well understand
their Religion, as to be able to answer both to such who oppose, and
to such who misrepresent it; this may seem, perhaps, to require that
they should have the Science of Doctors, and be well skill'd in
Theological Disputes and Controversies; than the Study of which I
suppose there could scarce be found for them a more useless
Employment. But whether such Patrons of Ignorance as know nothing
themselves which they ought to know, will call it Learning, or not, to
understand the Christian Religion, and the grounds of receiving it; it
is evident that they who think so much knowledge, as that, to be
needless for a Woman, must either not be perswaded of the Truth of
Christianity; or else must believe that Women are not concern'd to be
Christians. For if Christianity be a Religion from God, and Women
have Souls to be sav'd as well as Men; to know what this Religion
consists in, and to understand the grounds on which it is to be
receiv'd, can be no more than necessary Knowledge to a Woman, as well
as to a Man: Which necessary Knowledge is sufficient to inable any one
so far to answer to the Opposers or Corrupters of Christianity, as to
secure them from the danger of being impos'd upon by such Mens
Argumentations; which is all that I have thought requisite for a Lady;
and not that she should be prepar'd to challenge every Adversary to
Truth.

Now that thus much knowledge requires neither Learned Education, or
great Study, to