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¹ Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brethren,² The elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, in all chastitie.

³ Honour wydowes, whiche are wydowes in deede.⁴ But yf any wydowe haue chyldren or nephewes, let them learne first to rule their owne houses godly, and to recompence also their elder kynsefolkes: for that is good and acceptable before God.⁵ And she that is a wydowe in deede, and left alone, hopeth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers nyght and day.⁶ But she that liueth in pleasure, is dead beyng alyue.⁷ And these thynges commaunde, that they may be blamelesse.⁸ But if any prouide not for his owne, and specially for them of his housholde, he hath denyed the fayth, and is worse then an infidell.⁹ Let not a wydowe be chosen vnder three score yeres olde, hauyng ben the wyfe of one man.¹⁰ And well reported of in good workes, yf she haue brought vp chyldren, yf she haue lodged straungers, yf she haue wasshed the saintes feete, yf she haue ministred vnto them that were in aduersitie, yf she haue ben continually geuen to euery good worke.¹¹ But the yonger wydowes refuse: For whe they haue begun to waxe wanton agaynst Christe, they wyll marrie:¹² Hauyng dampnation, because they haue cast away their first fayth.¹³ They learne to wander about from house to house idle: yea not idle only, but also tatlers and busybodies, speakyng thynges which are not comely.¹⁴ I wyll therefore that the yonger women do marrie, to beare chyldren, to guyde the house, to geue none occasion to ye aduersarie to speake slaunderously.¹⁵ For certaine of them are alredy turned backe after Satan.¹⁶ Yf any man or woman that beleueth haue wydowes, let them susteine them, & let not the Churches be charged, that there maye be sufficient for them that are wydowes in deede.

¹⁷ The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, most speciallye they which labour in the worde & teachyng.¹⁸ For the scripture sayth: Thou shalt not moosel the oxe that treadeth out the corne: And, the labourer is worthy of his rewarde.¹⁹ Agaynst an elder receaue none accusation, but vnder two or three witnesses.²⁰ Them that sinne, rebuke before all, that other also may feare.²¹ I testifie before God, and the Lorde Iesus Christe, and the elect angels, that thou obserue these thinges without hastynesse of iudgement, and do nothyng after parcialitie.²² Lay handes sodenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens sinnes. Kepe thy selfe chaste.²³ Drinke no longer water, but vse a litle wine for thy stomackes sake & thine often diseases.²⁴ Some mens sinnes are open beforehande, hastyng before vnto iudgement, and in some they folowe after.²⁵ Lykewise also, good workes are manifest before hande, and they that are otherwyse can not be hyd.