Edwards's work was one of the major attacks against: the ‘blasphemies and pernicious practices of the sectaries of this time, vented and acted in England in these last four years' (frontispiece). Text from: the first edition, 1646, pp. 116-18.
..Among all the confusion and disorder in church matters, both of opinions and practices, and particularly of all sorts of mechanics taking upon them to preach and baptise, as smiths, taylors, pedlars, weavers, etc., there are also some women preachers in our times who keep constant lectures, preaching weekly to many men and women. In... London are women who for some time together have preached weekly on every Tuesday about four of the clock, unto whose preachings many have resorted. I shall particularly give the reader an account of the preaching of two women (one a lace woman that sells lace in Cheapside, and dwells in Bell Alley in Coleman Street, the other a major's wife living in the Old Bailey)....
These women came with their Bibles in their hands and went to a table, the lace woman took her place at the upper end; the gentlewoman, the major's wife, sat on one side by her; the third woman stood on the other side of the table; the lace woman at the upper end of the table turned herself first to this gentlewoman (who was in her hoods, necklace of pearl, watch by her side, and other apparel suitable) and entreated her to begin, extolling her for her gifts and great abilities. This gentlewoman refused to begin, pleading her weakness; and extolling this lace woman who spake to her; then the lace woman replied again to the gentlewoman, this was nothing but her humility and modesty, for her gifts were well known; but the gentlewoman refused it again, falling into a commendation of the gifts of the lace woman; whereupon this lace woman turned herself to the company and spake to some of them to exercise, excusing herself that she was somewhat indisposed in body and unfit for this work, and said if anyone there had a word of exhortation let them speak; but all the company kept silent, none speaking. Then the lace woman began with making a speech to this purpose, that now those days were come and that was fulfilled which was spoken of in the scriptures, that God would pour out of his spirit upon the handmaidens and they should prophesy, and after this speech she made a prayer for almost half an hour, and after her prayer took that text, if ye love me keep my commandments. When she had read the text she laboured to analyse the chapter as well she could, and then spake upon the text, drawing her doctrines, opening them, and making two uses, for the space of some three-quarters of an hour; when she had done she spake to the company and said, if any had anything to object against any of the matter delivered they might speak, for that was their custom to give liberty in that kind (but though there was a great company both of men and women) yet no man objected, but all held their peace.
Then the gentlewoman that sat at the side of the table began to speak, making some apology that she was not so fit at this time in regard of some bodily indispositions and she told the company she would speak upon that matter her sister had handled and would proceed to a use of examination whether we love Christ or no; and in the handling of it she propounded to open what love was, and what were the grounds of our love, and how we should know it and as she was preaching one in the company cried speak out: whereupon she lifted up her voice; but some spake the second time, speak out, so that upon this the gentlewoman was disturbed and confounded in her discourse, and went off from that of love to speak upon 1 John 4, of trying the spirits, but she could make nothing of it, speaking nonsense all along; whereupon some of the company spake again and the gentlewoman went on speaking, jumbling together some things against those who despised the ordinances of God and the ministry of the word; and upon that some present spake yet once more, so that she was amazed and confounded, that she knew not what she said, and was forced to give over and sit down.
The lace woman who preached first, seeing all this, looked upon those who had interrupted her sister with an angry bold countenance, setting her face against them and she fell upon concluding all with prayer, and in her prayer she prayed to God about them who despised his ambassadors and ministers that he had sent into the world to reconcile the world; whereupon some fell a-speaking in her prayer, ambassadors, ministers, you ambassadors!, with words to that purpose; and upon those words she prayed expressly that God would send some visible judgement from heaven upon them: and upon those words some of the company spake aloud, praying God to stop her mouth and so she was forced to give over. In brief there was such laughing, confusion, and disorder at that meeting, that the minister professed he never saw the like: he told me the confusions, horror and disorder which he saw and heard there was unexpressible and so he left them fearing least the candles might have gone out and they have fallen to kill or mischief one another…