{| off: By which ſome underſtand their profeſſion of Chriſtianiry; others
their promiſe or ingagement 10 the Church, not to marry. The Inter ſenſe ſuppoſeth that all thoſe Widows that were taken into the i. nifiry of the Church before-mentioned, premiſed that they would keep themſelves unmarried,(which is a moſt groundleſ(s ſuppotition) I do rather think that by their firſt Faith, he means their firſt, or former profeſſion of Chriſtianity, which was a crime didnot expoſe chem only to the judgment and cenſure of ſober Chriſtians, but to Eternal Damnation. TI ſhall offer my own Senſe of this Text thus ; [t is certain theſe Chriſtians were Lilies among Thorns, a ſmall handful amongſt a far greater number of Pagans, and it is not im- probable, that ſome younger Widows out of a defire to marry, might marry to Pagays, and be by them tempted to Apoſtafic from the Chriftian Profeſſion, upon which the Apoſtle orders, that none under ſixty years of Age ſhould be henceforch taken into the Mini- ſtry of the Church, leaſt doing ſuch a thing when they were under that character, it ſhould be a greater Scandal. This ſeems the more probable from verſe 15.where the Apoſtle adds, for ſome are alrealy turned away after Satan,
13 And withal, they learn to be idle, wandring about from houſe to houſe k, and not only idle, bur tatlers alſo 1, and buſte-bodies mm, ſpeaking things which they ought not 7, '
& The Apoſtle here gives ſome other Reaſons why he would not
have Widows too young taken into the Miniftry of the Church :
They being young, and having no bulineſs at home, nor any Huſ:
bands to conduct and govern them, are fubje& to be gadding up
and down; 1 and to be tatling idly and impertincatly, and that not
only of their own, but others concerns. mn Interefting themſelves
in the matters of ocher Perſons and Families. 7 And (in the multi-
tude of words folly being never wanting) they are prone to ſpeak
things which they ought not, Fre 7. whence we may obſerve, That
nothing more becometh Chriſtians than a gravity and compolednels
of Behaviour, and Speech, a Government of their Tongues, and conſidering aforchand well what they ſpeak. Z 14 * | will therefore that the younger women *:Cor.7.9
marry 0, bear children p, guide the houſe q, * give * 11-2: S,
none occalion to the adverſary l co ſpeak reproach- | Or, 4 their rail tully y. ng,
o 1 will, here muſt not be interpreted into an abſolite Precept, (for the Apoſtle would never have made that neceſſary by his t re- cept, which God had left indifferent) but in a limited Senle, viz. if they have not the gift of continency, if they cannot reſtrain themſelves from ſuch (candalous courles, let them marry, p and not only bring forth Children, but take care of their Education ; q And take care of the government of Families within doors, (which is the Womans proper Province;) » And give no occation to Fews or P4- gans (the adverſaries of Chriftian Religion) to ſpeak of the © hurch, or any particular Members of it, reproachfully, as living beneath the rules of morality and decency.
15 For ſome are already turned afide after $a- tan /.
{ We have Scandals enough already, we had need take as good
heed as we can, that we have no more; ſome young Women al- ready are Apoſtatized ( and poſfibly for the ſake, or by the oc- caſion of ſuch Marriages) to Fudaiſm or Paganijm z or it may b< to a looſe and leud courle of life, not luiting the protethon of Chrifi- anity. 16 If any man or woman that believeth have wi- dows t, let them relieve them «, and let not the church be charged w, that it may relieve * them that #*vez/+ 2:5; are widows indeed x.
t If any Men or Women that are Chriftians, have any Widows that are nearly related to them 3 « If themſelves bz able, let them relieve them, w and not turn off that natural Duty which they owe to their Parents, or near Relations to relieve them, to the © hurch:, which hath others enough to look after, and upon wlom there Ilyes only a Moral and Chriftian Obligation, x That ſo the Alms of the Church may go to relieve thoſe only who are perfealy deſolate, having neither Husbands, nor any other near Relations to provide for them,
17 * Let the elders that rule wel] y, be counted *Row.: 2. worthy of double honour z, eſpecially they that labour 5._ in the word and doctrine 4. | I n
y Who theſe Elders are here intended; hath been a great que- 1, <. 5 ſtion, 1, It is plain they are nor ſuch only as are Preachers, 2. 3hj1. 4 -- They are ſuch as are worthy of double honour, The Learned Mr. ; +; 1... 7 Pool,in his Latin Synopſts,giveth us an account of the moſt Opinions about it, Some judging them, ſome of the elder fort of che Mem- bers of the Church, joining with the Minifters in the Government of the Church, but not medling with Preaching, or adminittring $a craments. 2, Some judging by Elders here, are meant {och as had been Minifters, but being Aged, were ſuperannuated, 3. Others underſtanding by it the Civil Magiftrates, (which ſeemeti of all 6- ther Opinions leaſt probable,becaule ar £j:is rime there were no ſuch Members of thz Chriftian Church.) 4. Others think that Deacons are here by that term underſtood, who being Church-Othcers; have the Name of Elders given to them. 5. Others uaderitind by Elders, the ordinary Paſtors of Churches that refided with their Flocks, in oppoſition to Apoſtles and Evangsliſts, (this leemerh lets probable, becauſe there were no ſuch in the Primitive Church, but did labour in the Word and Doctrine.) 6. Others think that foie ſuch are meant, as were not ſo fit for Preaching, but y=<t Adriini- ftred the Sacraments, prayed wich the Church, anal privarcly alino-
2 kt an. © '} a ='g
$2335
VOL, Ib
[5V2 ] =: - a
from Scripture, or Authority, of any ſuch Officers in the Primitive
food, either abundant honour, or elle, as ſome ſay, reipett and re-
»* D2ut.2e- 18 For the ſcripture ſaith, * Thou ſhalr not muz-