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Put up only for Themfelves, and thofe of their Own Na- A. D. 65. tion and Religion; but let all Mankind have a Share in each Part of your Prayers; viz. In your Deprecations for averting Divine Judgments; in your Petitions for Spiritual and Temporal Bleffings; in your Interceffions for the Pardon and Salvation of others; and in your Thankf givings for Mercies already received.

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinefs and honesty.

2. And, as Temporal Governours and Magiftrates, whether they be of the true || Religion, or no, are still See Rom the Minifters of God, for the Good xiii. 1, &c. ¡ of the Communities they Govern, let the Emperor, and all Officers under him be the fpecial Subject of your Prayers, befeeching God for a Bleffing upon their Administration, and to incline their Minds to give you a quiet and peaceable Enjoyment of your Chriftian Profeffion.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Sa

3. For, whatever Prejudices those Zealots have against Heathen Governours; the Chriftian Religion makes no Alteration in Civil Conftitutions, but obliges us to pray for their Prosperity, and obey their juft Laws.

viour:

4 Who will have all men to be faved, and to come unto the knowledge of the

truth.

4. Thus extenfive ought our Chriftian Prayers to be; fince God never intended to exclude any Part of Mankind from his Providence and Protection; but especially not from the Mercies of the Chriftian Covenant; but is defirous to have all Nations enjoy them, upon their Acceptance of the Faith, and Obedience to the Precepts of the Gospel.

me

5 For there is one God, and one diator between God

and men, the man
Christ Jefus :
6 Who
gave him-
felf a ransome for all,
to be teftified in due

time.

7 Where

5 & 6. For, as God is equally the Creator and Governour both of Rom.. Gentiles and Jews, fo has He given 29, 30, his Son Jefus Chrift as a Saviour and Interceffor for them all, without Diftinction. And Chrift has, now in the Gofpel-Difpenfation, as freely offered up, and demonftrated himself a Sacrifice and Expiation for the Sins of all Mankind. 7. Of

M

A.D.65. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apoitle (I fpeak the truth in Chrift, and lie not) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity *.

8 And I will there

7. Of which merciful Difpenfation I am appointed a Preacher, exprefly Commiffioned to declare and offer it to the Gentile World; which, whatever thofe Jewish Zea

*

lots may
think of it, is as certainly
true as the Chriftian Religion it-
felf is.

8. Wherefore, though the Pubfore that men pray lick Worship of the True God has every where, lifting hitherto, for a long time, been truly up holy hands, without wrath and doubt performed only in the Jewish Teming : ple and Synagogues; yet was it not intended to be abfolutely confined to thofe Places. I order therefore, that every Congregation of Chriftian People, whether Gentile or Jewish, in what Country, or Place foever, perform their Publick Worship of God, through Chrift; afluring them, it will not fail of Acceptance, if it be done with true Reverence and Piety towards God, with Charity and Forgiveness toward Η διαλ - Mankind, and without Animofities || and Contentions among themselves. See Mal. i. 2. John iv. 21—24.

γισμό.

9 In like manner alfo, that women adorn themselves in modeft apparel, with fhamefac'dnefs and fobriety not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or

10 But (which becometh women profeffing godliness) with good works.

II Let the women learn in filence with all fubjection.

12 But I fuffer not a woman to teach, nor

to

:

9. Let all Chriftian Women appear in the Congregation, in a decent and modest Dress; and not fet them felves out in a Gaudy, Coftly, themselves and Captivating Manner.

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*I Speak the Truth in Chrift, außer in Xpos@, Chriftian Truth. See Rom. ix. 1. Ibid, In Faith and Verity, iv alsu n Ania, In the True Faith.

to ufurp authority over the man, but to be in filence.

13 For Adam was

first formed, then Eve.

Superior

Sex, and for them to A. D. 65.

do it, is to ufurp upon the Laws
of the Creation. (Gen. iii. 16.)

13. For the Man being firft Cre-
ated, and the Woman taken out of

him, and being made as a Help and Affiftant to him, beModesty and Subjection ||.

speaks her Duty of 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being decelved, was in the tranfgreffion.

14. And befide, Eve being first deceived by the Tempter, and drawing her Hufband into a Tranfgreffion of the Divine Law, fhe and all her Female Pofterity were exprefly and justly fentenced to an Obedience and Subjection to Mankind; as a wife Punishment for the ill Use of her Influence over Adam.

15 Notwithstanding the fhall be faved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith and charity, and holinefs with fobriety. Women from it.

15. But whereas fome of the New Teachers endeavour to decry the State of Matrimony and Childbearing, as an impure Thing*, inconfiftent with True Religion; let not that frighten the moft Virtuous Marriage and Child-bearing are perfectly confiftent with the Gofpel Terms of Salvation, and no Breach of Chriftian Purity. All that I require of Christian Women is, to keep close to their Chriftian Profeffion, and to remember that Chastity and Temperance, and a Freedom from all unlawful Defires and Pleasures, are the special Duties of their Sex.

*She fhall be faved in Child-bearing. Aid The Texvoyovias, in the State of Marriage and Child-bearing, as well as in that of Virginity. Τεκνογονία, the fame as παιδοποιία and παιδοποίησις in the Clafficks. By comparing this Verfe with Chap. iv. 3. v. 10, 14. Heb. xiii. 4. I take the Paraphrafe to contain the true Meaning of it, without any Respect either to the Education of Children, or the Pains of bringing them forth. Each of which Senfes are attended with Difficulties that I humbly conceive are taken off by this Interpretation; which I submit to better Judgments,

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+ 1 Cor. xiv.

34.

II Cor,

xi. 8.

CHA P. III.

The CONTENTS.

The Characters and Properties of a good Bishop. Of Deacons and Deaconesses. He gives Timothy these Short Rules, till he fees him, and furnishes him with more particular Directions. The Truth and Excellency of the Chriftian Religion.

A.D.65.ing. If a man defire the office of a bishop, he defireth a good work.

His is a true fay

*

I.

Y next Directions to you

MY

are, concerning the Choice of Bifhops, and Church-Governours: Certainly an Office the most useful and honourable * that any Man can afpire after; and whoever aims at it, ought duly to remember thofe Difpofitions and Qualifications that are required to render him worthy of that Honour.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the + husband of one wife, vigilant, fober, of good behaviour, given to hofpitality, apt to teach :

2. Now the chief of them are fuch as thefe; viz. He must be a Perfon unexceptionable in his Life and Morals; one that is guilty neither of the Polygamy of the Hea thens, nor of Divorcirg one Wife to Marry another, out of luftful or humourfome Reafons, as is too cuftomary among the Jews; but one that has had but one Wife at a time, and kept conftant to her. He must be Vigilant in his Studies and Function, Temperate in his Paffions and Pleafures, Decent and Grave in his Habit, Words and Gestures; ready to entertain Strangers, able to teach the true GospelDoctrines, and free in communicating his Knowledge, for the Inftruction of others.

3. He

*He defireth a good Work, naλs epys, An Honourable Office. + The Husband of one Wife.. Note, The interpreting this Paffage as a Prohibition of Second Marriages, is fupported by fuch flender Reafons, that I thought them not worth an Annotation. The Reader may see them collected together, and fully anfwer'd by the Learned Paraphrafer, in Mr. Locke's Manner, on this Verfe: Who agrees with me in the Senfe here given.

3 Not given to wine, no ftriker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not cove

3. He must be given to no Ex- A.D. 56. cefs in Drinking, nor to violent Returns upon any Provocation, nor to any fordid and mean Courses for Worldly Gains. One that is Mild and Modeft, and no way Clamorous and Abufive in Conversation; nor inflaved to the Love of Riches.

tous;

4 One that ruleth well his own houfe, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how fhall he take care of

4. One that keeps his Children under due Difcipline, and his whole Family in a decent Order, by Exercifing a prudent Authority over

them.

5. (For no one, that is not a good Mafter of a Family, where his Authority is more immediate, direct and clear, can ever be fuppofed qualified for a Church-Governour, which is a much Higher Province, and requires greater Skill and Pains in its Management.)

the church of God?

6 Not a Novice, left being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the || devil.

6. He must not be a new Convert, a raw and imperfect Chriftian; but for fear his Advancement fhould puff him up into the fame Pride, and draw him into the fame T dia? Condemnation, as that Pride once did the fallen Angels: Cox, The A just Condemnation upon One that gives Occafion to the Enemies, who are always watching for the Faults of Chriftians, by which to Slander and Reproach them.

7 Moreover, he must have a good re. port of them which are without; left he fall into reproach, and the fnare of the devil.

*

7. Moreover, he must be a Man of good Character among the * Unbelieving Jews or Gentiles, with whom he formerly converfed; left, by reproaching him with his former Life, or prefent Immoralities, they M 3 fhame

* Ver. 6 & 7. Condemnation of the Devil, Reproach and Snare of the Devil, or of the Slanderer: And perhaps the Sense may be, Left he give Occafion to the Adverfaries and Calumniators of our Religion, to Condemn and Reproach it, and Him. See Ephef. iv. 27. John vi. 70. and Ver. 11. of this Chapter.

Slanderer.

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