Ch. 5. Of Elders.,". T. Timothy. Of Elders. Ch. , eth thisas the Vice that moll Women are ftrong- well, be counted worthy of double honour ly by nature addifed to: And that all may the above the common rank of the Faithful, and the d:,nger of it and fear it : And indeed how to be accordingly maintained and obeyed, . rare are thole Women, even that profels to be but elpecially thole of them who are Laborious ma:Religious, that ufe not to venture on this Preachers,Expounding and applying the Word Citar, and Backbiting, and Bute judging and Doftrine of Chrift. thole that are ubicar, and medlingwith things which they Shoup nor meddle with. 2. But Note, I. That Elders or Bishops were the fie: yet thole that are taken up with Family Buh- ed Guides of frngle Churches, (no bigger refs of their own, are not fo vacant and liable than our Pari(ttes for number of Souls.) 2.. That to thefe Crimes, as the idle are. And there- they had very much work to do betidesPub. fore what Pail faith of there Young Church- lick Preaching: As to judge who was to be Widows, all Rich Women fhould read with taken in by Bapthin, or to be openly rebu- lpplication: For. Ricites tempt theft to be ked or raft out', or reconciled; to teach from idle; and idlenefs tempts she_,. to clic lame lins, Houle to Houle on juft occalioa, to vial the to fpend their time in going. from Houle to Sick, take care of the Poor, refolve Doubts, Houle, on pretence of Civil Vifiies, and there overlie Manners. &e. 3. That ufualiy one to talk ventroully without a call, of all things Church had manyof thefe, andall foundwork and Perlons ti,ai. Cci,,o n,inds.. enough; fume maintained themfelves, and tome the Church-Offerings maintained. 4. As, IQ., I will therefore that the' all thele could nor publickly Preach at once, fo all were not fitted for it by skill and free '' .i.lsor WOsnen marry, bear children, utterance, But Tome one or few that were _ petit c, F:,iVZ none occ lion molt able for it, were the ordinary Preachers: to thç aucerfary to- fpeak reproach_ And theft being the able(} and ofmoß Repu[a- fully. 15. For tome are already tor- Lion, were. quickly made and _ailed the Bifhops, being fach Pre11aents and Guides to the refit red afide after Satan. as the Preldenes of Colleges of Men in the fame Office (Phyfcians, Philofophers, &c.) are, or as the ChiefJuflice among the Judges. 5 Yet all the tell were of the lame Office, Elfentiated by Church Guidance in the Word Worrnip, Sacraments, and Difpline; and were not nicer Lay Men, but were Ordained aad Separated to the Sacred Mini(try, and wanted not Authority to Preach and Adminifter Sa- craments, and did there on jaft occulons, rho' the ablettslid it molt. ufually. 6. And it was the part of them that were thus employ'd in Publick Preaching- ( both for converting In- fidels, and edifying the Church, ) who are laid to be laborious in the Word and Dc- hirine. IS. For the Icripture faith, thou shalt, nut muzzle the ox that tread- ed.- out the corm and, The labour- I4. Is. My Advice therefore ís, That Young Women marry (that have not tome special rea- áòu againft it) ; and by bearing Cúildren, and educating theca Religioufly, and guiding their Houles pioufy and diligently, they may fo do the Church the greareit fervice, and give no occafìon.to malicious ildveréaries to (peak evil of the Church, as if it were a Society of idle twatlers, and luftiul wantons. For Tome have already foriàicen Citriftianity, it's like tempted partly by .forne (ach Scandals; or at leaft are r.,#fy to behave and report then, 16. If any man or woman that bc- lieveth, have widows, let them re- lIeve =them,-and let not the church be charged ; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed; er is woríhy of hisreward. 16. Let all Gait-Hans keep the Widows that Nature binderh them to-keep; if able, and 2.3. Ne;e, I. That Honour here includeth not cart them on the Church, and rob Widows Maintenance. 2. That it is the labour of indeed, by d:fibli.ng the Church to maintain ..Church Guides which gireth them right to then. Honour and Maimmffanre, 3. That the great- eft Honour and Maintenance is due to them i^. Let. the elders that ridewell .that' ore Laborious Preachers and Inftru&ors be counted worthy of double - honour, . efpìcially they who labour in the word and dotty ne.- 17. It being the Offce of C'n nui-riders en Im the Churches Guides or h.'cro by the 6ahbtt "o ñ s Flat s h , of the Flock, and not to them that reldom fo labour: much lets ro them 'that unjuflly fileuce f,ch. '19. Againil an .elder receive not ár. açcnfatiop, Vv.: before. twoor three ú"i!i-..LFta uy Scel:?f
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