rounded, his Paffion celebrated by the avowed tears and lamentations of devout Women, when the most fanguine of his Difciples had denied, yea forfwore, and all had forfaken him. Nay, even death it felf could not extinguish their love: we find the devout Maries defigning a laborious, chargeable, and perhaps hazardous refpect to his Corps. And accordingly, 'tis a memorable atteftation Chrift gives to their Piety, by making them the first witnesses of his Refurrection, the prime Evangelists to proclaim thofe glad Tidings; and, as a Learned Man fpeaks, Apoftles to the Apostles. Nor is the devotion of that Sex to be found only in the facred Records: the Primitive times have left us many Memorials of the like, and the Martyrologies are full of Female fufferers of all ages and conditions, who by the fervour of their Zeal, had overcome the timorousness of their nature, and wearied the cruelty of their Perfecutours. And as Women helped to augment

3

augment the number of Martyrs, fo did they of Confeffors alfo, in a stout owning, and diligent practice of ChriStianity. Queens and Empresses knew then no title fo glorious, as that of a nurfing Mother to the Church; they have often exchang'd their Palaces for little Cells and Oratories, and valued not their own Diadems, in comparison with their Saviour's Crown of Thorns. And tho by a perpetual declination from that pristine Zeal, the instances have in every Age grown lefs numerous, yet none has wanted fome very illustrious examples. Nay, even in our dregs of time, in this common decay of all good, there are, I doubt not,many, who (according to their opportunities) tranfcribe the former Copies, live like people that know they must live hereafter, and prefent us yet with fome Specimen of ancient Vertue. Nay, to Speak an impartial truth, 'tis not to be denied, but the reputation of Reli gion is more kept up by Women than

1

Men

Men, many of this Sex countenancing it by their Practice, whereas more of the other do not only neglect, but decry it. And now, fince Women are compaffed about with fo great a Cloud of Witneffes, who by doing the thing give the fureft evidence that 'tis not unfeasible, why should any plead an impoffibility? In matter of Vanity and Pomp they are not so easily disheartn'd, no pattern of that kind can be fet, which will not be industriously imitated; nay, in the greatest inequality of materials for it. Why then Should their emulation leave them, where only it could do them good? how comes it, that of those who have equal principles of a Spiritual Being, fome live according to the Dignity of it, and others who fee them do fo, do yet live as if they affented to that Philofopher's paradox, who faid, Women had no Souls; or at leaft were of the Pythagorean Sect, and looked upon themselves only as the Fails and Prifons of former offending Spirits, which

they

they refolu'd to fit for a yet viler Tranf migration; give them the appetites of Beafts, before they affume the Bodies? This is indeed an unlucky Humility, that those who in all other inftances are apt to overween, fhould here fink fo much below themselves. And I hope 'twill not appear an uncivil addrefs, to perfuade them to a jufter estimate of their own worth. And if what has been faid to that end, may have any effect, I shall not defire a better Preparation to the enfuing Tract; fince he that duly confiders her own capacity of Eternal Blifs, and withal, the poffibility of as endless a Mifery, according as he performs or neglects the feveral parts of her Duty, will fure need no other incentive to the diligent Pursuit of it.

THE

THE

LADIES CALLING.

I

I.

"I

PART I. SECT. I.

Of Modefty.

T is now many years fince an Addrefs was made to the Gentry of this Nation, to perfwade them to that Vertue which would be both their Pleasure and Reward. I cannot, I confefs, boaft any fuch Effect of that, as fhould much infpirit the hopes of a new attempt; yet fince we see in our proper fecular Concerns, Defeats do many times animate no less than Succefs, I know not why in this more charitable Defign I fhould fit down difcourag d. Men ufually raise not a Α

Siege