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A. D. 65. fhame him out of his Christian Principles, and tempt him

to Apoftacy.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy

lucre.

8. And, as Bishops and Superior Officers of the Church, fo Deacons, and all Inferior ones ought to be Perfons of approved Gravity and Sobriety; no way Fraudulent, Deceitful, or Inconftant in their Words

and Expreffions; not given to any Intemperance in Drinking, nor any bafe and fordid Methods of Gain.

9 Holding the myftery of the faith in a pure conscience.

9. They must be Orthodox in the Chriftian Faith, and careful to defend and maintain the Honour of

it by a fuitable and confcientious Practice.

10 And let these

alfo first be proved
then let them use the
office of a deacon, be-
ing found blameleís.
Deacon's Office, till

11 Even fo must Tuvainas, their wives be grave, not flanderers; fober, faithful in all things.

τάσιο

10. In both which Points they ought to be thoroughly Examined into, and if in either there be found any Exception against them, they are not to be admitted to the it be clearly removed.

11. In like manner, all Women that are admitted into any Church † Office, must be fuch as are remarkable for their Gravity and Mo

Πισὰς ἐν defty; no way Loofe and Slanderous in their Words; Sober and Temperate in their Converfation; Steddy in all Chriftian Principles, and True to any Truft committed to them.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their

chil

12. Be fure to let none be a Deacon, that keeps feveral Wives at once, or divorceth his Wife up

on

* Ver. 9. Holding the Mystery of the Faith - Very probably the Apostle means that particular Divine Discovery of the Gentiles being Partakers of the Gospel-Bleflings. Concerning this Doctrine, they ought not to be double-tongued, talking fometimes for it, sometimes against it, to please the Judaizers.

+ Viz. Deaconeffes, that were employed in the Baptifm of Women, &c. The Manner of Baptifm, in thofe Times, being to plunge the whole naked Body in Water.

children, and their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchafe to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

on needlefs || Occafions; or, that A. D.65.
keeps not good Difcipline in his
Family.

13. For though the Deacon's Of-
fice be but an inferior one, yet it is
a Step to a higher; the more ho-
nourable Offices of the Church be-
ing generally chofen out of the best
And therefore,
of the lower ones.
He that has been a good Deacon,
will have the more effectual Influ-
ence and Authority, when he is raised to a Poft, in which
He is both to Teach and Govern.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayeft know how thou oughteft to behave thy felf in the house of God, which is the

church of the living God", the pillar and ground of the truth.

14. I thus give you these general and fhort Rules, in hopes to fee you foon, and furnish you with more particular Instructions.

15. And if I fhould be detained from you longer than I expect, thefe will ferve; in the mean time, for the due Management of your felf, as the Governour of a Čhrifian Church; which is not like the Jewish Temple, famed and magnified for its Outward Fabrick; nor is the Nursery of Ignorance and Superftition, as the Heathen Religions and Temples were, but contains a Society of Men dedicated to the Honour and Worship of the True God, and inftructed in all the Great and Admirable Truths of Chrift's Religion. Behave your felf therefore like a true * Defender and Supporter of fuch important Truths.

M 4

16. For

|| See Ver. 2.

*The Pillar and Ground of Truth. Erun@ x šopaíwwa. As a Pillar and Support, or Buttress. 'Tis moft natural (I think) to refer these Words neither to cuxanola, the Church, as the Romanifts vainly imagine, nor to usipov in the following Verfe, as Epifcopius and others do, but to the Perfon of Timothy, to whom the Apostle was fpeaking: How thou mighteft behave thyfelf, like a Pillar of the Truth. Thus James and John are ftiled Pillars, Gal, ii. 9. See Rev. iii. 12.

A.D.65. 16 And

controverfy, great is
the mystery of God-
linefs: God was mani-
fest in the flesh, jufti-
fied in the Spirit, feen
of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles, be-
lieved on in the world,
received up into glory.

without 16. For, indeed, what Religion could ever confift of more Noble, Comfortable and Important Articles than thefe, viz. That the Son of God has taken upon him our Human Nature, in order to inftruct us by his Heavenly Doctrine, and Redeem us by his Death. By the wonderful Works he wrought by the Holy Spirit, was declared and demonftrated, against all the Malice and Calumny of the Jews, to be the True Meffiah, and Saviour of Mankind : That, at his Entrance into the World, the Good Angels did Worship him, and attend upon Him, while the Wicked Spirits were conquered and difpoffeffed by him. That, upon the most undoubted Evidences, his Religion was, against the most furious Oppofition, received by a confiderable Part of both the Jewish and Gentile World; being intended as the Gracious Means of Universal Salvation. Finally, that this Saviour having conquered Sin and Death, by fuffering for us, was raised again, and, in the most open and folemn Manner, exalted into Heaven; there to remain a powerful Advocate, and Interceffor with God the Father, for all that truly repent, and embrace his Religion?

CHA P. IV.

The CONTENTS.

None ought to be furprized at the great Number of Apoftates from the true Chriftian Faith, fence the Holy Spirit had plainly foretold, there would be fuch a Sett of Men. Such were especially the Jewish Zealots of these Times: A Character of them, and their falfe Doctrines. Timothy warned against them advised to flight their vain Traditions, and build his Faith on the Scriptures, and to be diligent in the Discharge of bis Office.

* the SpiNrit fpeaketh exprefly, that in the latter times fome † shall depart from the faith, giving heed to feducing fpirits, and do

&trines of devils :

1.

YE

ET, notwithstanding these A.D.65. undoubted Evidences + of

our Religion, we must not be fur- + Chap. iii.

prized, to see a Sett of Men pretending to embrace it, feduced from it to quite contrary Doctrines, by the Influence of Wicked Spirits, or Falfe Teachers; feeing the Holy Spirit, both by the Old Prophets, Jefus Chrift*, and his Infpired Apostles, has plainly and exprefly foretold, it would be fo in the latter Times of the Chriftian Church.

2 Speaking lies in hypocrifie, having their confcience feared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be

2. That there would be Falfe Doctrines broached by Hypocritical and Defigning People, Men of lost and profligate Confciences.

16, &c.

3 & 4. Such are now thofe Converts that are influenced by the Zealots of the Jewish Faction; who, contrary to the clear Defign of Chritianity, and out of pretended Purity, would perfwarde us, that Marriage | See Chap. is an impure and unlawful Thing, i. 15. especially to fome Ranks and Orders 4 For every crea of Men ; and put the main Stress ture of God is good, of True Religion upon fuch indif

received with thankfgiving of them which believe and know the

truth.

and

ferent

*The Spirit fpeaketh exprefly, which fome refer to that of Dan. xi. 36, &c. But others more probably to that of our Saviour, Matth. xxiv. 11, 12. and of the Apostles, 2 Thess. ii. 3, 9. Jude xvii. 18, 19. and elsewhere.

† Ver. 1. Some fall depart Not only Some now in these Times, but even the Generality in the Times of the Grand Apoftacy. So the Word Tives is often used. See 1 Cor. x. 7. compared with Exod. xxxii, 3. So Chap. vi. 10. Such were fome of you, i. e. all.

Ver. 1. Seducing Spirits. This Phrafe may not fignify Wicked [invifible] Spirits, but Wicked Men, pretending to the Inspirations of the True Divine Spirit, and thereby feducing others into the Belief and Worship of Demons, or Evil Spirits, as falfe and imaginary Deities. So St John's Trying of Spirits, is to be understood, 1 John iv, 1, 2. Of trying and examining into Men pretending to Inspiration.

A.D. 65. and nothing to be ferent Matters, as that of abftaining
refused, if it be re- from fuch and fuch Meats, fomer-
ceived with thankf- ly forbidden by the Jewish Law:
giving:
Whereas, the original Intent of
God's creating all Sorts of Creatures, was for the Use of
Man; and no Chriftian, that truly understands his Re-
ligion, can be ignorant of the Liberty he has of eating
them, without Distinction, in a dutiful and thankfulManner.

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5 For it is fan&tifi- 5. For, the Chriftian Religion ed by the word of has taken off all Difference between God, and prayer. Clean and Unclean Meats; rendring aya them All equally* Lawful to us to feed upon; and requires nothing of us, but to beg God's Bleffing upon, and return him Thanks for our Refreshment from them.

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