There remayneth to speake of the Widowes, which were godly poore women in the church aboue the age of three score yeares, for the auoyding of all suspition of euill, whiche myght ryse 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉y sclaunderous tongues, it they had bene yonger. These as they were nouryshed at the charges of the churche being poore, so did they serue the churche, in attending vpon poore straungers, and the poore whiche were sicke in the churche whereof they were widowes. (*) 1.1 Now although there is not so great vse of these widowes with vs, as there was in those places where the churches were first founded, and in that tyme wherein this order of widowes was instituted, parte of the whiche necessitie grewe both by the multitude of straungers through the persecution, and by the great heare of those easte countryes, wherevpon the washing and supplyng of their feete was required, yet to: so muche as there are poore which are sicke in euery churche, I do not see howe a better and more conuenient order can be deuised, for the attendaunce of them in their syckenesse and other infirmi∣ties, than this which sainct Paule apoynteth, that there should be (if there can bee any gotten) godly poore widowes of ye age which S. Paule apointeth which should attend vpon such. For it there be any such poore wydowes of that age destitute of all frendes, it is manifest that she must needes iyue of the charge of the churche, and seing she must needes doe so, it is better she should doe some duty for it vnto the churche agayne, than the churche should be at a newe charge, to fynde others to at∣tende vpon those which are sycke and destitute of kepers, seing that there can be none so fitte for that purpose as those women which saynt Paule doth there describe, so that I conclude, that (*) 1.2 (if such may be gotten) we ought also to keepe that order of widowes in the churche styll. I knowe that there be learned men which thinke otherwyse, but I stande vpon the authoritie of Gods worde, and not vpon the opinions of men be they neuer so wel learned, and if the matter also should be tried by the iudgement of men, I am able to shewe the iudgement of as learned as this age hath brought forth, which thinketh that the institution of widowes is perpetuall, and ought to bee where it may be had, and where such widowes are founde. Indeede they are more rare nowe than in the Apo∣stles tymes. For then by reason of the persecution, those whiche had the gifte of continencie, did ab∣stayne from mariage after the death of their husbandes, for that the sole lyfe was an easyer estate and lesse daungerous and chargeable when they were dryuen to flye, than the estate of those which were maryed.
Here you are taken in your owne trappe, and fayne you would wrynge your* 1.3 selfe out if you could tell which waye: for if all thinges conteyned in S. Paule his first Epistle to Timothie bee perpetuall, and must be kept vnder the great charge that be gaue vnto Timothie in the sixt chapter, as you haue before affirmed, then of necessitie the churche must needes still reteyne wydowes. You knowe not in the worlde howe to auoyde this absurditie, and therefore some tymes you saye, that nowe there is not so great vse of them with vs as there was in those places where the churches were first founded. &c. and by and by you beginne to call that backe and saye, that you do not see howe a better and more conuenient order can be deuised for the attendance of them in their sickenes and other infirmities. &c. and in the ende you conclude that (if such maye be gotten) wee ought also to keepe that order of wydowes in the churche still. Surely if it be an order appointed of God to be perperpetuall, and conteined vnder that denunciation to Timothie in the sixt chapter, these (ifs) and (ands) can take no place, for there are wydowes good store in this realme of Englande, so that, that excuse will not serue. But it is a world to sée, what you dare auouche be it neuer so vntrue, contrary both to the practise of all re∣formed churches that I can heare of, and iudgementes of all learned men that I haue read of this matter.