The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women

Tertullian¹ in his book of women's apparel, after that he hath she wed many causes why gorgeous apparel is abominable and odious in a ⟨p. 18⟩woman, addeth these words, speaking as it were to every woman by name: Dost thou not know (saith he) that thou art Heva? the sentence of God liveth and is effectual against this kind, and in this world of necessity it is, that the punishment also live. Thou art the port and gate of the devil. Thou art the first transgressor of God's law, thou² diddest persuade and easily deceive him whom the devil durst not assault. For thy merit (that is for thy death) it behoved the Son of god to suffer the death, and doth it yet abide in thy mind to deck the above thy skin coats? By these and many other grave sentences, and quick interrogations, did this godly writer labour to bring every woman in contemplation of her self, to the end that every one deeply weighing, what sentence God had pronounced against the hole race and daughters of Heva, might not only learn daily to humble and subject them selves in the presence of God, but also that they should avoid and abhor what soever thing might exalt ⟨image 19⟩them or puff them up in pride, or that might be occasion, that they should forget the curse and malediction of God. And what, I pray you, is more able to cause woman to forget her own condition, then if she be lifted up in authority above man? It is a thing very difficile to a man, (be he never so constant) promoted to honours, not to be tickled some what with pride (for the wind of vain glory doth easily carry up the ³dry dust of the earth). But as for woman, it is no more possible, that she being set aloft in authority above man, shall resist the motions of pride, then it is able to the weak reed, or to the turning weathercock, not to bow or turn at the vehemency of the unconstant wind. And therefore the same writer expressly forbiddeth all woman to intermeddle ⁴with the office of man. For thus he writeth in his book de virginibus velandis: It is not permitted to a woman, to speak in the congregation, nether to teach, nether to baptise, nether to vindicate to her self any office of man.