the Church, he desireth a work, that is both holy, and excellent, and difficult.

III. 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife.

A Bishop, then, must be a man of an inoffensive life: one that is not tainted with the common blemish of polygamy; that is, of having more wives at once than one, or, after an unjust repudiation of one wife, marrying another.

III. 6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Not a novice in the faith, or in age; lest, being puffed up with the conceit of his early advancement above others, he fall, through pride, into that condemnation imto which the Devil is, for that same cause, plunged; or give advantage, by this means, to the tempter and accuser of mankind, to work his damnation. III. 7. Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Lest he fall into the reproach of the heathen; and, going on in lewd and debauched courses, be entangled in the bands of wickedness, the snares of the Devil.

III. 9. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Holding and maintaining the true doctrine of Christian religion, in a sanctified heart and a pure conscience.

III. 12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. See verse 2.

III. 13. Purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Do justly obtain the favour and honour, to be preferred to the higher offices in the Church; and do, by this means, receive an increase of courage and holy boldness, in the profession of the Gospel of Christ.

III. 15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

How thou oughtest to carry thyself in this great family of God, the Church of the Living God; which is, in respect of men, the pillar and ground of truth: so as that it sustaineth, and beareth up, by a faithful profession and maintenance thereof, the true religion of God.

III. 16. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, &c.

The sum whereof is, that undoubtedly-great and wonderful mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh, &c.

IV. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils ;

Now the Spirit of God hath expressly revealed, both to me and others his prophets, that, in the latter times, wherein An

tichrist shall reign and sway in the world, some shall depart away from the purity of religion, giving heed to seducing spirits, and to doctrines devised and set on foot by the Devil;

IV. 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Broaching false and erroneous points of doctrine, and labouring to make them good by a hypocritical ostentation of holiness; having hard and seared hearts, insensible of their own dangerous estate, and of the fearful judgments of God;

IV. 3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Forbidding marriage, either absolutely in itself or specially to some sorts and estates of men, as a thing unclean and unlawful; and commanding, upon pretence of holiness and conscience, to abstain from some kind of meats, which yet. God hath created good and allowed to be received.

IV. 5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. For it is sanctified to us, and may lawfully be received; if the word of God have not forbidden, but given free way unto it; and if we use it, both with prayer for a blessing upon it, and with thanksgiving to God for it.

IV. 6. Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Nourished and brought up in the true religion of God, and in good and wholesome doctrine.

IV. 7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

But refuse thou both erroneous and heretical opinions, as also the fabulous dotages of vain and brain-sick men; and exercise thyself rather in the holy and spiritual works of piety and godliness.

IV. 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

For, as for that bodily exercise of fasting and strict penitence wherewith many please themselves, if it be considered in itself, surely it profiteth little, and many have used it to small purpose; but the exercises of true Piety, whereby we work upon our hearts, to draw them to the fear of God, to sound repentance, to a lively faith, and all other heavenly dispositions, are profitable to all ends and purposes; having the promises of God's gracious acceptation and reward, both in respect of the blessings of this life and the life to come.

IV. 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

For therefore we do, with much cheerfulness, both labour

and toil in our vocations, and also suffer the reproaches that are cast upon us for Christ; because we have our full trust and confidence reposed upon the Living God; who is the protector, preserver, and maintainer of all men, but especially of those that believe, who are most peculiarly interested in him.

IV. 11, 12. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Demean thyself so gravely and stayedly, that no man may take occasion to despise thee for thy young years; but be thou an example to all believers, to frame their lives according to thine: go thou, therefore, before them; and lead them, both by thy doctrine and by thy conversation, in Christian love and charity, in an undaunted courage and fortitude, in a lively faith, in a holy purity both of heart and life.

IV. 13. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Till I come, be thou diligent in reading and meditating upon the Holy Scriptures; and employ thyself carefully in teaching and exhorting others.

IV. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Do not neglect to stir up and exercise those notable gifts and graces, which were given thee by the Spirit of God; when, upon the special revelation of God, and the divine oracle of his Holy Ghost, thou wert appointed and designed to this holy ministry; whereto thou wert admitted and consecrated, by the prayers and imposition of the hands of the presbytery.

IV. 16. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them.

Look carefully to thyself, both for thy life and thy doctrine; and continue constant, in the careful observation of these rules, which I have given thee.

V. 1. Rebuke not an elder, but entreut him as a father: and the younger men as brethren.

Do not take up too sharply and roundly those, that are ancient in years; but entreat them plausibly and gently, as thy fathers in age: neither be too harsh to the younger men; but treat with them, as with brethren.

V. 3. Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Give due respect to those widows, which, under thy charge, are appointed to be maintained by the public contribution of the Church: such I mean, as are widows indeed; and therefore, for their condition, duly capable of this maintenance.

V. 4. But if any widow have chilren or nephews, let them

learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

But, if any widow have children and nephews of sufficient ability to provide for her, let those children or nephews learn to shew their piety and love to such their parents or aunts; and to requite those loving and chargeable offices, which, in their younger times, they received from them.

V. 5. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

Now she, that is a widow indeed, fit for your relief, is she, that is utterly destitute of other helps, that is religiously given, trusting in God, and spending her time ever in holy devotion, both night and day.

V. 6. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. But she, that lives in pleasure and delicacy, pampering herself so much the more by occasion of her freedom, and giving herself over to wantonness; though she live in the body, yet in soul she is dead, dead in her sins and trespasses.

V. 8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

But, if any shall willingly neglect to provide for those that concern him, and especially for them of his own family and near kindred, that man, together with humanity, hath cast away religion also; and makes himself, in this foul and shameful incivility, worse than an infidel.

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

Let not one be taken into the number of those widows, who depend upon the maintenance of the Church, and are employed by it to charitable services in attendance to the sick and ministration to the Saints in their travails, under threescore years old; and such an one, as hath given good proof of her modesty; having so been the wife of one husband, as that she hath not, upon his repudiation, married to another.

V. 11. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

But do not admit of younger widows to this condition and service for they, after that they have betaken themselves to this ministration, and by this means have as it were married themselves to Christ, when they grow pampered and wanton, will be casting off these resolutions of their serviceable attendance upon the Church of Christ; and will marry, perhaps to infidels; for those, who are the sons of the Church will not easily give way to match with persons so devoted;

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

And so, by this means, run into the just danger of damnation; because, to please their new husbands, they cast off their profession of the faith of Christ; at least, in marrying, they do violate that promise and engagement, wherein they bound themselves to do their continual service to the Church. V. 14. I will therefore that the younger women marry.

I will, therefore, and ordain, that the younger women be left to their full liberty to marry.

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

For some are, already, through their wanton courses and known fornications, miscarried by Satan to the great scandal of the Church.

V. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Let those Bishops or Pastors, that rule well, be counted worthy of all due respects, both of honour and maintenance; but especially those among them, which, besides their care and pains in governing, labour diligently in teaching and instructing their people.

V. 19. Against an elder receive not an accusation but before

two or three witnesses.

Against a Presbyter, whose function is sacred and whose scandal may be more dangerous, receive not an accusation, unless it be proved by two or three witnesses:

V. 20. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

But those Presbyters, which give manifest offence by their sin, do thou rebuke and censure publicly, that others also may fear.

V. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Do not rashly lay thy hands upon any man, to ordain and authorize him to the holy function of the ministry; neither do thou admit of any unworthy man; nor, by this means, through thy partiality, make thyself a partaker of other men's sins; but keep thyself holy and untainted.

V. 24. Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

Some there are, who offer themselves to ordination, whose scandals are known beforehand; and run, before their tender of themselves to this holy function, into just censure: others' offences are not known, till after they be ordained.

V. 25. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

Likewise also, on the contrary, the good works and holy carriage of some, that put themselves forward to this holy calling, are well known and approved beforehand; so as thou needest