The seconde Chapter.
¶ But speake thou the thinges whiche become wholsome learnyng. That the elder men be sobrr, sage, dyserete, sounde in the faithe, in loue, in pacieuce.
BBut let them go with their fables, let the naughtynes of these men moue the nothing at all, but that thou remembre thy dutie, and that thou speake those thinges that be in very deade mete for the iernynge of the gospell, that is to saye, y• whiche maye make vs commendable before god for our pure myndes & manners, & declare that we be y• disciples of Christ. Here yu wilt aske me what thiges thei••e y• I would haue theeso to speake and to instructe other in them. Thou shalt warne the elders of the people y• they be sobre, watchfull, & dilygent to all godly workes. And that they ouercome the vnlustynes of their age, with y• couragiousnes of faith. Besyde yt they be graue, not playing the fooles lyke yonge men in their olde age, but that they vse sage maners that the youthe maye haue them in renerence and awe. Teache them to moderate them selfes that they be not way warde and soone angry as the com∣mune sorte of olde men is, but greatly commended not onely for the integrite of their faithe, but besyde for their charitable deades, and pacience in suffrynge of all aduersities, in especiall suche as happen to them for the gospell of Christ.
¶ The elder wemen lyke wyse, that they be in suche raymente as becometh holynes, not beyng false accusats, not geuen to muche wyne, but that they teache honeste thinges to make the yonge wemen sobre mynded, to loue their husbandes, to loue their children, to be dyscret, chaste, housewyfely, good, obedyente to their husbandes, that the word of god be not euyil spoken of. Yong men lykewyse exhorte that they be sobre mynded.
On the same maner thou shalt warne olde wemen that they go apparayled after suche maner as becommeth them that wylbe named christian persones, they must not fynde fautes with the lyuyng of other, whiche faulte is peculiare to this sex and age. They must not be geuen to ouermuche drinkynge of wyne. How be it the vse of wyne must not be denyed to age, so y• it be moderate. They must teache maydens and yong wemen suche thinges as be honest, no nycenes neyther euyll fasshions, and so instruete them that they be wyse and loue theyr husbandes and childrē, that they be sobre and chaste, and kepars of their house and playe the good housewyfes. For this is the hyest prayse y• can be in wemen, to be knowen to be subiecte and obedyent to their husbandes, that the name of God whose religion they professe, be not flaundered thorowe their lewde ma∣ners.