An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

The Second Part.

Vers. 3. Honour Widows that are Widows indeed.

The second part of the Chapter follows, wherein hee gives seven Precepts concerning Ele••mosynary Widows, who were to bee kept by the publick charges of the Church.

Precept 1. That hee honour Widows indeed, i. e. that hee take care they bee provided for by the publick char∣ges of the Church, and so hee should preserve their re∣putation, lest being reduced to poverty, they become contemptible.

Vers. 4. But if any Widow have Children, or Nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to re∣quite their Parents; for that is good and acceptable before God.

Precept 2. That hee should not burthen the Church in providing for those Widows, who might bee provided for by their Children or Nephews, but take care that the Children and Nephews, performed the duty of Piety, first, towards their own families, their Mothers and Grandmothers: There are two Reasons of the Precept.

R. (1) Because so they should requite their Parents, who had trained up their children with this hope, that their Children (if need were) might 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, after the manner of Storks, nourish and cherish their a∣ged and weak Parents, destitute of sustenance.

For that] R. (2) Because this duty performed to∣wards Parents, is acceptable to God, and enjoyned by him.

Vers. 5. Now shee that is a Widow indeed, and deso∣late, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day,

Precept 3. That hee observe in the choice of Wi∣dows, that shee which is chosen bee not without the qualifications of a true Widow, or a Christian Widow to bee provided for by the Church: Here hee sets down four qualifications. (1) It is required that shee bee alone, i. e. destitute of Children and Nephews, and all hu∣mane supply. (2) That shee bee faithful, trusting in God, not getting her living by evil courses, but relying upon God. (3) That shee bee daily given to the exer∣cises of Piety.

Vers. 6. But shee that liveth in pleasure, is dead while shee liveth.

(4) That shee bee not of the number of wanton Wi∣dows, who indulge themselves in idleness and pleasures, not regarding the exercises of godliness.

Dead] The reason of this qualification is given, Be∣cause those unprofitable women, are as it were, dead while they live, both in respect to God, whom they do not serve, and in respect to humane society, whom they no waies indeavour to benefit by their work.

Vers. 7. And these things give in charge, that they may bee blameless.

Hee shuts up the Precept of urging any further quali∣fications of Widows indeed, taking a reason from the end, that all Widows whoever they are, learn to live un∣blameably.

Vers. 8. But if any provide not for his own, and spe∣cially for those of his own house, hee hath denyed the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel.

Precept 4. Of censuring those who refuse to provide for Widows, their Mothers or Grand-mothers, as it is prescribed in the second Precept of this Chapter, viz. That they should bee excommunicated by the Church, and accounted deserters of the Christian doctrine, for Heathens, or Infidels, till they repent, which is the con∣sequence of excommunication.

Vers. 9. Let not a widow be taken into the number, under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

Precept 5. Of observing three other Qualifications requisite in the admission of Widows to the common table, that they may bee sustained by the publick char∣ges. (1) That shee bee a Widow sixty years old at the least, at which age the desires of the flesh begin to abate, and are unable by the labour of their hands to get their living. (2) That she hath been the wife of one husband, or hath not violated the Laws of Marriage, whereupon it may bee hoped shee is a chaste and continent woman.

Vers. 10. Well reported of for good works, if shee have brought up children, if shee have lodged strangers, if shee have washed the Saints feet, if shee have re∣lieved the afflicted, if shee have diligently followed every good work.

(3) That shee have a testimonial of her piety, de∣clared in her deeds and works, especially in these five, which may demonstrate her meet to serve the poor, when they are sick, viz. (1) If shee bring up her children honestly. (2) If shee hath been given to hospitality. (3) If shee have submitted to the lowest offices of cha∣rity, or was ready to submit, even to wash the Saints feet, if need required. (4) If shee have succoured those that were afflicted. Finally, If shee hath exercised her self in all sorts of good works.

Vers. 11. But the younger Widows refuse: For when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry,

Precept 6. That they admit not into the Colledge of widows those that are younger Widows.

When they have, &c.] Hee gives two Reasons,

Reas. 1. Because there is danger, lest being pampered with the Churches bread, they begin to waxe wanton a∣gainst Christ (as some younger Widows have done al∣ready) and despairing of Marriage in the Church, they think of falling away from the faith of Christ, and afterwards openly revolt, that they may marry some in∣fidel out of the Church.

Vers. 12. Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

Hee seems to point at some Widows of this sort, whose condition hee shews to bee damnable and miserable, up∣on this that they have rejected the profession of their faith, which they first made in Baptism.

Vers. 13. And withall they learn to bee idle, wan∣dring about from house to house, and not onely idle, but talkers also, and busie-bodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Reas. 2. Because the younger Widows (as it seems to bee evident upon experience) will become idle, wande∣rers, trif••ers, busie-bodies, ••atlers, wandring from house to house, curiously inquisitive into other bodies mat••ers, and speaking things which they ought not.

Vers. 14. I will therefore that the younger women mar∣ry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

Precept 7. or Concession, That the younger Widows marry in the Lord, rather than bee burdensome to the Church, and that they look after houshold affairs, as it becomes Wives.

None] Hee adds two Reasons of the Precept: (1) Lest by their unconstancy, and other offences they give occasion to the Adversaries, or Infidels, to speak evil of the Professor•• of the Gospel.

Vers. 15. For some are already turned aside after Satan.

(2) Because it is found by experience that some youn∣ger Widows have declined the true Religion, and have betaken themselves to the Tents of Satan, out of the Territories of the Church.

Vers. 16. If any man or woman, that beleeveth, have Widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church bee charged, that it may relieve them that are Widows indeed.

Hee inculcates the second Precept, whereof vers. 4. of succouring Widows by their Children or Nephews, ad∣ding two Reasons: (1) That the Church bee not bur∣dened with unnecessary charges. (2) Lest there should not bee sufficient to maintain those that are Widows indeed. From whence it appears, that if there were no poor and honest Widows in the Church of sixty years old, there was no necessity to make provision for any, and by consequence the Ministry of women in the Deaconship, was not needful, unless by accident they bee maintained by the publick charge, that they bee not al∣together unprofitable.