be blameleſs s. 7 In the diſcharge of thy Miniſtry declare theſe things, $ that all Chi iſtians, Women eſpecially may be blamele!s, $ But if any provide not for his own, and ſpecially 107,14 for thoſe of his own-|| houſe t, he * hath denied the rl faiths, and is worſe than an infidel w. : Here is a manitcſt diſtinQtion betwixt his own i ov, and his own & + bouſhold elxetoy, they are diftiaguiſhed by terms in the Greek,and as 1, 1 FY* 3 the Care which Men and Women ought to extend to them, By kis own he means his Relations, all of a Man's Family or Stock 3 by his own houſhol4, he ſeemeth to mean thoſe who cohabit with him. The Apoſtle ſaith, that he who is careleſs in providing for the for- mer (fo far as he is able) but eſpecially for the latter « hath denied the Chriſtian Faith, that is, in the practice of it, though in words he profeſſeth ir, he liveth not up to the Rule of the Goſpel which diretterh other things, wand is worſe than an Heathen, that belie- veth not, becauſe many good natur'd Heathens do this by the Light of Nature, and thoſe who do it not, yet are more excuſable, be- ing ſtrangers to the obligation of the revealed Law of God in the caſe, 9 Let not a widow be || taken into the number, un-
der threeſcore years old x,having been the wife of one
man y.
x What number he meaneth is very doubtful, whether he means the number of Deaconeſſes, or the number of ſuch as ſhould receive Alms from the Church : thoſe who tranſlate xg]aaz4$w here choſen, ſeem to favour the former. They ſay that in the Primitive Church, there being a want of Hoſpitals and Publick Places for the reception of People decayed in their Eſtates, ©&c. they choſe ſome old Wi- dows to take care of the poorer ſort of Women when they were ſick, and theſe alſo were themſelves maintained by the Church, and ſerved the Church in that charitable Employment. Whether this number, or the more general number of Widows relieved by the Church be meant, the caution of their age was very prudent. 1.Be- cauſe younger Widows could work for their living, and needed not to burden the Church. 2, Becauſe under thoſe years they probably might marry again, and ſo become uſeleſs to the Church. 3.Becauſle af:er thoſe years there could be no great fear of ſcandal from their #27:onnels and incontinency, The fecond Condition ſeems harder ro be underſtood ; for 1. though in former times,amongſt the Jews and Pagans,: men were allowed more Wives than one at the fame time, yet no Laws ever allowed the Women Liberty of more Huſ- bands. 2, To underftand it of Women that had not been twice married, their firſt Husband being dead, ſeems hard, no Law of God fo: bidding the ſecond Marriages of Men and Women ſucceffively. 2, Some therefore rather underſtand it of ſuch Widows as were be- come Wives to ſecond Huſbands, the firſt not being dead, but part- ed from them either legally, through their own fault, or through ther voluntary deſertion. This the Apoſtle ſeems to forbid, to ayoid reproach and ſcandal to the Church,
10 Well reported of for good works z, if ſhe hath
t.a.o, brought up children a,if ſhe have * lodged ſtrangers b, n. 13, 1f ſhe have * waſhed the ſaints feet c,-if ſhe have re- lieved the afflited d, if ſhe have diligently followed
1." every good work e. *7* 21f ſhe beaperſon of repute for ations concerning others which "4% areconſonant to the Will and Commandment of God. a If ſhe | hath brought up Children well in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, 6 If when perſons that are Chriftians have come from other places, either driven from them, or upon their occaſions, and could not amongſt Pagans find a convenient Inn, her houſe hath been open to them, «c If ſhe hath been ready to do the meaneſt Ofices for the Servants of God, of which this waſhing of Feet was one, in great uſe in thoſe hot Countries, where they had not the benefit of Shooes, either to cool, or refreſh, or cleanſe them. 4d If to her ability ſhe hath relieved ſuch as have been in any kind. of diſtreſs, e If though it may be ſhe hath not had ability, or oppor- tunity, to do all the good works ſhe would, yet ſhe'hath diligently followed them, doing what ſhe could : let ſuch a one be put into the Catalogue of thoſe whom the Church will relieve, and honour, and imploy,
11 But the younger widows refuſe f, For when they have begun to wax wanton againſt Chriſt g, they
will marry h.
f By the younger Widows, the Apoftle ſeems (by the laft words of this Verſe) not to.mean thoſe that were under threeſcore, but the younger ſort of Widows not paſt Child-bearing . he would not have thoſe (that is, being under no extraordinary circumſtances of Sickneſs, or Lamenels, or the want of their Senſes) be maintained
. atthe charge of the Church, becauſe they were able to labour ; nor yet to be taken into any employment relating to the Church. 2? 19TaSeerid owe 74 Xe5s, How the Vilg. Lat. comes to tranſlate this,wax wanton in Chbriſt,l neither underſtand whether with reſpe& to Grammar or Senſe, Eraſmus Tranflates the Verb, when they have commited whoredom ; but Rev. 18, 9. confuteth this Senſe, where we tranſlate it, Jive deliciouſly, {being without the Prepofition xe) which certainly better expreſſeth the Senle z as alſo doth onr Tran- fltion, wax wanton, it properly ſignifies either the luftineſs, or the head-ftrong temper of Beaſts, that wax fat ; againſt Chrift, isagainſt the rule of the Goſpel, and their Profeſſion of Chriſt, or they difdain the othice of ſerving the Saints, as too mean and !aborious, and fin againſt Chriſt, in whoſe Name, and for whole glory, and to whoſe Members the Service was to be performed ; b And then they will marry, and ſo put themſelves into an incapacity to ſerve the Church i the place of Widows. _ 12 Having damnation, becauſe they have caſt off
their firſt faith 5. 7 This Sentence is not without its difficulties z here are two que- tions, x. What is ment by ze, Which we both here and elſe-
Orghofen
OTHYT. Chap. V.
where tranſlate dz, 2, How they caſt off their f»ſt Faith, Many think the Greek Word by us Tranſlated 42294:i0, ought to "ave had a ſofter ſenſe, (it being certainly capable of ir,) Some think it ſignifies here no more than guilt, ora blot z others a nub- lick Infamy ; others the Judgment of good men againſt them, But it may be we cannot ſo well determine this without underſtanding what is meant by their firſt Faith, which they are here ſaid to have caſt