in that lefſer Socicty. t One that hath not let his Children behave themſelves rudely, and indecently, and rebelliouſly, but kept them in order by a grave demeanour towards them, 1
& For it a man know not how to rule his own houle z,
how ſhall he take care of the church of God w. 4 For if a Man hath a Family, and hath ſhewed that he neither hath Wit nor Honeſty enovghto govern that little Society, which hath his conRant Preſence with it. w With what reaſon can any one preſume, that he ſhould be fit to he truſted with the Care of the Church of God, which is a larger Society, with all the Members of which he 15 not ſo conftantly preſent, and over whom he hath not ſuch a coercive Power, and as to whom a far greater Care muft be taken. : : Or, oze 6 Not || a novice x, leſt being lifted up with pride y, zewly cone he fall into the condemnation of the devil z. z6 the fairb x Not a young Plant, that is, one that is newly made a Member of the Church of Chriſt, ſuch Perſons are apt to ſwell in the opinion of their newly acquired knowledge, ftate, or dignity, 4 And being ſo lifted up, they will be in danger of ſuch a Puniſhment,as the Devil for his Pride met with z or to be guilty of ſome il] or indecent Behaviour, which may give the Devil occation to accuſe them. \Others here 1n- terpret Ne5ax more appellatively, and underſtand by it a man that is an accuſer,making the ſence this, and fa!l into the judgment,cenſure, or condemnation of men, accuſing them for ſuch behaviour, - Moreover, he muſt have a good report of them
which are without a, leſt he fall into reproach b, and the
ſnare of the devilc. |
a The Apoſtle would have Miniſters Men of good Reputation a- moneſt ſuch as were without the Pale of the Church (for that is the meaning of that term, which are without, vide 1 Cor, 5, 12. 1 Theſſ. 4+ 12.) others might be admitted as Members of the Church, but not as Rulers in it,becauſe the Glory of God was much concerned in the Re- putation of ſach Perſons z they were as Lights ſet upon a Hill, 6 Leſt men reproach ſuch perſons for their former infamous Life, and ſo pre- judice others againſt the Do&rine they bring. c And the Snare, either of ſome Accuſer, or ofthe Devil, who hath this Name from his accu- fing of the Brethren z or left he fall into ſome temptation to revenge, hatred, undue anger, or to be cowardly in the diſcharge of his Duty, leſt he ſhould by faithfulneſs provoke others to reproach him for his tormer courſe of Life,
8 Likewiſe muſt the deacons, be grave d, not double- tongued e, not given to much wine f, not greedy of fil-
thy Iucreg, 4 The term Deacon ſignifies the ſame with one that miniſtreth, and 15 applicble to any, that have any Service in the Church. But it is al- ſo a term peculiar to the Office of thoſe who ſerved Tables,that is, took care of the Poor, for which purpoſe theſe Others were firft inftituted, Affs 6. 2. and thus the term is taken, Kom, 12. 7, 8. Pb). 1.1. and 6 it here muſt be interpreted, being diſtintly mentioned from the other Officers, whoſe Qualifications were before exprefled ; nor is it required of theſe Officers that they ſhould be HNrx]1zo?, apt to teach. Indeed both Srephen and Philip did preach, but the latter was an Evangeliſt, and it was a time of Perſecution,when even the more private Brethren went every where preaching the Goſpel. Of theſe Officers, he requires that they ſhould be perſons, not of light aiery tempers, but ſerious and co:apoſed, men of a madeſt ſeemly carriage, e Not excefhive talkers, 2r n.1en that regarded not what they ſaid, but talked any thing accord- 1g, to the place, or company they were in, or with, f Not too much atending Taverns,and places where Wine was ſold, or drank, g Not greedy of Gain in any ſordid baſe way. | o * Holding the myſtery of the faith þ in a pure
conſcience 2.
þ Not ignorant or inconſtant Perſons, but ſuch as were acquainted with the Myfteries of the Goſpel,and believed them, and held to them. Z And men of an holy Life.
10 And let theſe alſo firſt be proved k, then let them
uſe the office of a deacon, being found blameleſs /.
& The Higher Officers ought to be proved, (as well as- theſe of a lower Order) as by Examination or Conference ; ſo (which poſſibly 1s here more intended) by an Obſeryation of their Lives and Conver- Ation, for ſome time before they were admitted into this Employment. } Then being found blameleſs, they were to be admitted into this Em- ployment. | 4748 |
11 Evenſo muſt their wives be grave m, not fſlande- rers.#, ſober o, faithful in all things p.
m Muſt their is not in the Greek, but ſupplied by our Interpreters, an as ſome think ill, judging that he ſpeaks here not of Deacons 1 tves, but of ages fn of fuch Women as had the Deacons Office conferred on them, ſuch a one was Phehe, Rom. 16, 1, but it may be underſtood of either,both ought to be not light, aiery, tatling Perſons, but compoſed, ſerious, grave People. # Nor Devils, (fo it is in the Greek) that is, - Perſons given to ailing and accuſing others. o Sober, ſee the ſenſe of that word, verſe 2, who bave approved themſelves eye- Ty way honeſt, and ſuch Perſons as may be trufted.
_ 12 Letthe deacons be the husbands of one wife, ru- ling their children, and their own houſes wel.
q ee the ſenſe of theſe words, verſe 2, 4. being the qualifications al- ſo of a Biſhop.
*Cla?.n, b9s
probably true, and but rational, that the Primitive Church did out of their Deacons chule their higher Officers for the Church, yet neither was this done univerſally as to all Perſons choſen into thoſe higher
Gentiles c, believed on in the world d, * received up in- to glory e.
and this God thus manifeſted in the fleſh,wa*( uſt ift ther by his divineNature(which is here,as ſome chink,call vertue of which he in the fleſhwrought many miraculous 0
[|
OTHY. Chap. 11
Employments, nor as to all thoſe that uſed the Office of a Decaon we. there doubtleſs being many who had done ſo, who yet were not, Szx)txot, fitted with an ability ſufficient to be Preachers, Without which fittingneſs the PrimitiveChurch would not chuſe any to ſuch Em. ployment. / By the well performance alſo of the Office of a Deacon