The Sayings of Women is written by Elizabeth Bathurst. Phyllis Mack in her book "Visionary Women" wrote of Elizabeth as a woman who affirmed "universal love and free grace". I was startled to see the expression free grace. Was this a tenet of the Quakers? Did they understand grace? I am excited to find out!
At the time that Elizabeth was writing, it was difficult for women to have a voice in the realm of religion or elsewhere. Elizabeth desired to put forth the importance of what women had to say from no better source than the Source of all sources: Scripture.
Her introduction:
The Sayings of Women.
Which were spoken upon sundry occasions, in several places of the Scriptures.
Briefly collected and set together, to show how the Lord poured out of His Spirit upon the whole House of Israel;
not only on the male, but also on the female;
and made them stewards of the manifold gifts of His grace;
and as those who knew they must give an account of their stewardship to the Lord.
London, Printed by T Sowle. 1695.
First, We find the Sayings of faithful Sarah, concerning her Son Isaac, the Child of Promise, (to whom the Inheritance belonged) when she saw Ishmael mocking of him, she said to Abraham, her Husband, Cast out this Bond-woman and her Son, for the Son of this Bond-woman shall not be heir with my Son, even with Isaac. And God commanded her Care , and justified her Speech, saying unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in the sight, because of the Lad, and because of the Bond-woman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her Voice, for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called. Gen. 21.10,12.She wrote no commentary upon the scripture. She only set forth the example. Perhaps she knew that it would be the Holy Spirit that would move to make her point....though I be woman, let me speak. What freedom we have in the 21st century to speak and it is because of this very freedom that I have not sought out the examples of the women of the Bible. Shame on me. May it begin.
Sarah's very words spoken in Genesis are quoted by Paul in Gal 4:30 as a principle to follow...cast out the bondwoman....we are children of the Promise, no longer slaves...we are free. The very literal truth of what Sarah spoke applies just as much to believers today. The flesh persecutes the Spirit....thus cast out bondwoman AND her son.
Oh women, do we understand the depth of this? Sarah nurtured the Child of Promise upon her breast, she lovingly weaned him and this was an occasion for celebration and a feast. As she watched with careful eyes, she saw the son of the bondwoman laughing at the boy who was Laughter. She saw the persecution of the Child of Promise and she spoke out.
God told Abraham to listen to Sarah, so she must have been speaking what God desired. Sarah asked Abraham to cast Hagar and Ishmael out, just as Adam and Eve had been cast out from the garden. And even though it distressed Abraham, Abraham not only listened to God, he listened to Sarah.
What does it take to drive out the flesh that persecutes the Spirit? Awareness and action.
Beloved, are we aware? Will we take action?
