The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ He teacheth him howe he shal behaue hym selfe in rebu∣kynge of all degrees An ordre concernynge wyddowes.

CAPI. V.

REbuke not an elder, * 1.1 but exhorte hym [unspec A] as a father: the yonger mē, as brethrē: the elder wemen, as mothers: the yonger as systers, with all purenes. Honoure wyddo∣wes, which are true wyddowes. If any wyddowe haue children or nephewes, let thē learne, fyrst to rule their owne houses godly ‡ 1.2 and to recompense theyr elders. For that is good & acceptable before God. She that is a true ‡ 1.3 wyddowe and frēdelesse, putteth her trust in God, and contynueth in suppli∣cacyons and prayers nyght and daye. But she that lyueth in pleasure, is deed, euen yet alyue. And these thynges commaunde, that they maye be without rebuke. But yf any prouide not for is owne (& specyally for thē of his houshoulde, the same hath denyed the fayth, and is worsse then an infydell. [unspec B]

Let no wyddowe be chosed vnder thre∣score yere olde, and suche a one as was the wyfe of one man, and well reported of in good workes: yf she haue brought vp chyl∣dren,* 1.4 yf she haue lodged straungers, yf she haue wesshed the saynctes fete, yf she haue mynystred vnto them whiche were in ad∣uersytye, yf she haue bene contynually geuē vnto all maner of good workes. The yon∣ger wyddowes refuse. For when they haue begone to wexe wanton against Christ, they wyll mary, hauynge damnacyon, because they haue cast awaye theyr fyrst fayth. And also they learne to good from house to house ydle: yee not ydle onely, but also tryflynge and besybodyes, speakynge thynges whych are not cumly. [unspec C]

I wyll therfore, that the yonger wemen ‡ 1.5 mary, to beare chyldren, to gyde the hou∣se, and geue none occasyon to the aduersary to speake euyll. For many of them are all ready turned back, and are gone after Sa∣tan. And yf any man or woman that bele∣ueth haue wyddowes, let thē mynyster vn∣to them, & let not the congregacion be char∣ged: that there maye be sufficyent for them that are wyddowes in dede.

The elders that rule well, are worthy of double honoure, most specially they whiche laboure in the worde & teachynge. For the scripture sayeth: ‡ 1.6 thou shalt not mossel the mouth of the ••xe y^t treadeth out the corne. And ‡ 1.7 the labourer is worthy of his reward. Agaynst an elder, receaue ••one accusacion: but ‡ 1.8 vnder two or thre witnesses. ☞ Them that synne, rebuke openly, that other also maye feare. [unspec D]

I testifye before God & the Lorde Iesus Christ & the electe angels. that thou obserue these thynges without hastynesse of iudge∣ment, & do nothige parcially. ‡ 1.9 Laye hādes sodēly on no mā, nether be partaker of other mēs synnes: kepe thy selfe pure. Drynke no lenger water, but ‡ 1.10 vse a lytell wyne for thy stōmackes sake and thyne often dyseases.

Some mēnes sinnes are opē before hāde, and go before vnto iugemēt, and some men∣nes synnes folowe after. Lykewyse also good workes are manifest before hande, and they that are otherwyse, cannot be hyd.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. xix. g.
• ‡ 1.2

  Eccl. iii. b. ••
• ‡ 1.3

  Luke. ii. ••.
• * 1.4

  Gene. xlx. a. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. x. ••. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. b Roma. x••••. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 13. ••.
• ‡ 1.5

  1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. v••••. b
• ‡ 1.6

  Deute. 2••. b i. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ix. a
• ‡ 1.7

  Math. 1••. b
• ‡ 1.8

  Deut. xix. d
• ‡ 1.9

  Num. ••7. d ••ctco. vi. b. vii. c. xiii. a. and. xix. a. 1. ••im. 4. d ii. ••im. i. b.
• ‡ 1.10

  Eccle. 31. d.