Thys Epystle wryteth sayncte Paule to be an ensample vnto all byshoppes what they shoulde teache, and howe they shoulde gouerne the c&obar;gregacyon of Christe in all degrees, that it shoulde be no nede to gouerne christes flocke with the doctryne of theyr owne good meanynges.

In the fyrste Chapter, he commaundeth that the byshoppe shall mayntayne the ryght faythe and loue, ∧ resiste false preachers whiche make the lawe ∧ workes equal with Christ and hys Gospell. And he maketh a short conclusyon of all christen learnyng, wherto the lawe serueth and what the ende thereof is also what the Gospell is, and setteth hym selfe for a confortable ensample vnto all synners and troubled consciences.

In the seconde he commaundeth to praye for all degrees, and chargeth that the women shall not preach nor were costly apparell, but to be obedyent vnto the men.

In the thyrde he descrybeth what maner persones the Byshoppe or Priest and theyr wyues shoulde be ∧ also the Deacones and theyr wyues: and commendeth it, yf any man desyre to be a Byshoppe after that maner.

In the fourth he prophecyeth and sheweth before of the false byshoppes and spyrytuall offycers that shoulde aryse amonge the christen people, and be, do and preache cleane contrary to the fore descrybed ensample, and shoulde departe from the fayth in Christe and forbyd to mary and to eate certayne meates, teachinge to put trust therein, both of iustifyinge and forgeuenes of synnes, and also of deseruynge of eternall lyfe.

In the fyfth he teacheth howe a Byshoppe shoulde vse hym selfe towarde yonge and old, and concernyng wydowes what is to be done, and which should be founde of the commune cost: and teacheth also how men shoulde honoure the vertuous Byshoppes and Priestes, and howe to rebuke the euyll.

In the sixte he exhorteth the Byshoppe to cleaue to the Gospell of Christe and true doctryne, and to auoyde questyous and superfluous disputynges whiche gender stryfe and quenche the trueth, and by which also the false Prophetes get them authoritie and seke to satisfye theyr insatiable couetousnes. The fyrst Epistle of Sayncte Paule vnto Timothe. The fyrst Chapter. ¶ He exhorteth Timothe to wayte vpon his offyce, namely to se, that nothynge be taughte but Goddes worde. ∧c. He sheweth also, wherfor the lawe is good and telleth these swete and glad tydynges, that christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue synners.

A    ^notePaule an Apostle of Iesus Christe, by the commaundemente of God our sauyour, and Lord Iesus christ whiche is oure hope.

^noteVnto Timothe hys naturall s&obar;ne in the fayth.

Grace, mercye, and peace from God oure father and Lorde Iesus Christe oure Lorde. ^note&rhand; And I besought the to abyde styl in Ephesus, when I departed into Macedonia, eu&ebar; so do, that thou commaunde some, that they teache no nother wyse: neyther geue hede to fables and genealogyes whiche are endelesse, ∧ brede doubtes more then Godlye edifiynge whiche is by fayth: for the ende of the c&obar;ma&ubar;dement is loue that commeth of a pure hert, ∧ of a good conscience, and of fayth vnfayned: fr&obar; the which thinges some haue erred ∧ haue turned vnto vayne iangelyng, because they woulde be doctours in the scrypture, and yet vnderst&abar;d not what they speake, nether wherof they affyrme.

B    ^note&cross2; We knowe that the lawe is good, yf a m&abar; vse it lawfullye, vnderstandynge thys, howe that the lawe is not geuen vnto a ryghtuous man but vnto the vnryghtuous and disobedient, to the vngodly and to synners, to vnholy and vncleane, to murtherers of fathers, and murtherers of mothers to manstears ∧ whor mongers: to them that defyle them selues wyth mankynde: to menstealers, to lyars ∧ to periured, and so forth yf there be any other thynge that is contrarye to holsome doctrine accordynge to the Gospell of the glorye of the blessed God, whiche Gospell is committed vnto me.

C   And I thanke Christe Iesus oure Lorde which hath made me stronge: for he counted me true, and put me in offyce, when before I was a blasphemer and persecuter, and a tyraunte. ^noteBut I obtayned mercye, because I dyd it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelefe. Neuerthelater the grace of oure Lorde was more aboundaunt wyth fayth and loue whiche is in Christ Iesu. &cross3;

^note&cross2; Thys is a true saiynge and by all meanes worthy to be receyued, ^note that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue synners, of whom I am chiefe. ^noteNot wythstandyng for this cause was mercye geuen vnto me that Ies&us; christ shoulde fyrste shewe on me all longe pacience vnto the ensample of them whiche shal in tyme to come beleue on hym vnto eternall lyfe. So then vnto God, kyng euerlastyng, immortall, inuysyble, and wyse onely, be honoure ∧ prayse for euer and euer. Amen.

D   &rhand; Thys commaundement committe I vnto the sonne Timotheus, accordyng to the Prophesyes whiche in tyme paste were Prophesyed of the that thou in them shouldest fyght a good fyghte hauynge fayth and a good conscience whiche some haue put awaye from th&ebar; and as concernyuge faythe, haue made shypwracke. ^noteOf whose numbre is Himeneus and Alexander whome I haue delyuered vnto Sathan that he myghte be taught not to blaspheme. The .ij. Chapter. ¶ He exhorteth to praye for all men. He wyll not haue women to be ouer costly arayed, nor to be teachers in the congregacyon, but to be in sylence and to obey theyr husbandes.

A   I exhorte therfore, that aboue al thynges, prayers, supplicacy&obar;s intercessyons, and geuynge of thankes be had for all men: for kynges, and for all that are in authorytye, that we maye lyue a quyete and a peasable lyfe, in all godlynes and honestye. For that is good and accepted in the syghte of God oure sauyoure, whiche wyll haue05Q1488 all men saued, and to come vnto the knoweledge of the trueth. ^note B   For there is one God, and one Meadiatoure betwene God and man, which is the man Christ Iesus which gaue hym self a raunsome for al men, that it shoulde be testifyed at hys tyme, where vnto I am ordeyned a preacher and an Apostle: I tell the trueth in Christe and lye not, beynge the teacher of the gentyles in fayth and verytye. &cross3;

^{note note}&rhand; I wyll therfore that the men praye euerye where lyfting vp pure h&abar;des wythout wrath or doubtyng. ^note C   Lykewyse also the women that they araye them selues in comlye apparell wyth shamefastnes and discrete behauyoure not wyth broyded heare other golde, or pearles, or costlye araye: but wyth suche as becommeth women that professe the worshyppyng of God thorowe good workes. Let the wom&abar; learne in silence with all subieccyon. I suffer not a woman to teache, neyther to haue authoritie ouer a man: but for to be in silence. For Adam was fyrste formed, and then Eue. Also Adam was not deceyued, but the wom&abar; was deceyued, and was in a transgressyon. Notwythstandyng thorow bearyng of chyldren they shalbe saued, so they c&obar;tinue in faythe, loue ∧ holynes with discrecion. ^note The .iij. Chapter. What maner of man a priest or Byshoppe oughte to be, and what condycyons hys wyfe and chyldren shoulde haue. The propertyes also requyred in a Deacon or mynyster, and in hys wyfe.

A    ^noteThys is a true saiyng. If a man couete the offyce of a05Q1489 byshop, he desyreth a good worke. Yea and a bishop muste be fautlesse the husband of one wyfe, sober discrete, hone style apparelled, harberous, apt to teache, not dronken, no fyghter, not geuen to fylthy lucre: but gentle, abhorrynge fyghtyng, abhorrynge couetousnes, and one that ruleth hys owne house honestlye, hauing children vnder obedience, wyth all honestye. For yf a man can not rule hys owne house, howe shall he care for the congregacion of God. He maye not be a yong scholer, lest he swell and fall into the iudgement of the euyll speaker. He muste also be well reported of amonge th&ebar; whiche are wythout forth, lest he fall into rebuke and snare of the euyll speaker.

^note&rhand; Lykewyse muste the Deacons be honest, not double tonged, not geuen vnto much drinkynge, neyther vnto fylthy lucre: B   but hauing the mystery of the fayth in a pure conscience. And let them fyrste be proued, and then lette them mynyster, yf they be founde fautlesse.

C    ^note&rhand; Euen so muste theyr wyues be honeste, not euyll speakers, but sober and faythfull in all thynges. Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wyfe, and suche as rule theyr chyldren well, and theyr owne housholdes. For they that mynyster wel, get them selues good degree and greate lybertye in the faythe whiche is in Christ Iesu.

D   &rhand; These thynges wryte I vnto the, trusting to come shortely vnto the: but and yf I tarye longe, that then thou mayeste yet haue knowledge howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the housse of God, whiche is the congregacyon of the lyuynge God, the pyllar ∧ gro&ubar;d of trueth. And wythout naye greate is that mysterye of godlynes: God was shewed in þe; fleshe, was iustified in the spirite, was sene of aungels, was preached vnto the gentils, was beleued on in earth and receyued vp in glory. ^note The .iiij. Chapter. ¶ He prophecyeth of the latter dayes, and he exhorteth Timothe to be dylygent in readynge the holye scrypture.

A    ^noteThe spyryte speaketh euydentlye that in the later tymes some shal departe from the fayth, ∧ shall geue heed vnto spyrytes of erroure, and deuelysh doctryne of them which speake false thorowe hypocrisye, ^note and haue theyr consciences marked with an 05Q1490 hote Iron, forbyddyng to marye, and commaundynge to abstayne from meates which God hath created to be receyued wyth geuyng thankes, of th&ebar; which beleue and know the trueth. For all the creatures of God are good ∧ nothynge to be refused, yf it be receyued with thankes geuynge. For it is sanctifyed by the worde of God and prayer. Yf thou shalt put the brethren in remembra&ubar;ce of these thynges: thou shalt be a good mynyster of Iesu Christe, ^note whiche hast bene noryshed vp in the wordes of the fayth and good doctryne, which doctryne thou haste contynuallye folowed. But cast awaye vnghostly and olde wyues fables.

B   &rhand; Exercyse thy selfe vnto Godlynes. For bodely exercyse profyteth lytell: But godlynes is good vnto all thynges, as a thynge whiche hath promyses of the lyfe that is now, and of the lyfe to come. Thys is a sure saiyng and of all partyes worthy to be receyued. For therfore we laboure and suffer rebuke, because we beleue in the lyuyng God, whiche is the sauyoure of all men: but specyally of those that beleue. Suche thynges commaunde and teache. Let no man despyse thy youthe: but be vnto them that beleue, an ensample, in worde in c&obar;uersacyon, in loue, in spyryte, in fayth ∧ in purenes.

C   Tyll I come, geue attendaunce to reading to exhortacyon and to doctryne. Despyse not the gyfte that is in the, whiche was geuen the thorow Prophesye, and wyth layinge on of the handes of an elder. These thynges exercyse, and geue thy selfe vnto them, that it maye be sene howe thou profytest in all thynges. Take hede vnto thy selfe and vnto learnyng, and contynue therein. For yf thou shalte so do, thou shalte saue thy selfe and them that heare the. ^note

The .v. Chapter. He teacheth hym how he shoulde behaue him self in rebukynge all degrees. An order concernynge wydowes.

A   Rebuke not an elder: but exhorte hym as a father, and the yonger men as brethren the elder wom&ebar; as mothers, the yonger as systers, with all purenes. Honour wyddowes, whiche are true wyddowes. Yf any wyddowe haue chyldren or neues, let th&ebar; learne fyrst to rule theyr owne houses godlye and to recompence theyr elders. For that is good and acceptable before God. She that is a verye wydowe and fryndelesse, putteth her trust in God ∧ contynueth in supplicacyon ∧ prayer nyghte and daye. But she that lyueth in pleasure, is dead euen yet alyue. And these thynges commaunde, that they may be wythout faute. Yf there be anye that prouideth not for hys owne, ∧ namely for th&ebar; of hys housholde the same denyeth the fayth, ∧ is worsse then an infydele.

B   Let no wydowe be chosen vnder thre score yere olde, and suche a one as was the wyfe of one man, and well reported of in good workes: yf she haue nouryshed chyldren, yf she haue bene lyberall to straungers, yf she haue washed the saynctes fete, yf she haue mynystred vnto them whiche were in aduersitie, yf she were contynually geuen vnto all maner good workes. The yonger wydowes refuse. ^noteFor when they haue begonne to waxe want&obar; to the dyshonoure of Christe, C   then wyll they marye, hauynge damnaci&obar; because they haue broken theyr fyrst fayth. And also they learne to go from house to house ydle, ye not ydle onelye, but also tryflynge and busybodyes speakynge thynges whiche are not comely.

I wyll therfore that the yonger women marye and beare children, and guyde þe; house and geue none occasyon to the aduersarye to speake euyll. For many of them are alreadye turned backe and are gone after Sathan. And yf any man or woman that beleueth haue wydowes, let them mynyster vnto them, ∧ lette not the congregacion be charged: that it maye haue suffycyent for them that are wyddowes in dede.

The elders that rule well, are worthye of double honoure, most specyally they whiche laboure in the worde and in teachynge. For þe; scrypture sayeth: ^note Thou shalt not mousell the mouthe of the oxe that treadeth out the corne. And the labourer is worthye of hys rewarde. Agaynste an elder receyue none accusacyon: but vnder two or thre wytnesses. D   Them that synne, rebuke openly, that other maye feare.

&rhand; I testyfye before God ∧ the Lorde Iesus Christ, and the electe aungels, that thou obserue these thynges wythout hasty iudgem&ebar;t and do nothynge parcyally. Laye handes sodenly on no man, neyther be partakers of other mennes synnes: kepe thy self pure. Drink no lenger water, but vse a lytle wyne for thy stomakes sake, and thyne often dyseases.

&rhand; Some mennes sinnes are open before h&abar;d and go before vnto iudgemente: some mennes synnes folowe after. Lykewyse also good workes are manyfest before hande, and they that are otherwyse can not be hyd. The .vi. Chapter. ¶ The dutye of seruauntes towarde theyr maysters. Agaynste suche as are not satisfyed wyth the worde of God. Agaynste couetousnes. A good lesson for rych men.

A    ^noteLet as manye seruauntes as are vnder the yoke, count theyr maysters worthy of all honoure that the name of God and hys doctryne be not euyll spoken of. Se that they whiche haue beleuynge maysters, despyse them not because they are brethr&ebar;: but so muche the rather do seruyce, for asmuch as they are beleuynge and beloued and partakers of the benefyte.

These thynges teache and exhorte. Yf any man teache otherwyse, and is not contente &wt; the holsome wordes of our Lord Iesus christ, B    and wyth the doctryne of Godlynes, he is puft vp, and knoweth nothyng: but wasteth hys braynes about questyons and stryfe of wordes, whereof sprynge enuye, stryfe, raylynges, euyll surmysynges and vayne disputacyons of men wyth corrupte myndes, and destytute of the trueth, whiche thynke that lucre is Godlines, from suche separate thy self. ^noteGodlynes is greate ryches, yf a man be content with that he hath. For we broughte nothynge into thys worlde ∧ it is a playne case that we can carye nothyng out.

C    ^noteWhen we haue fode and raymente, let vs therwyth be content. They that wyll be rych, fall into temptacyon and snares, and into many folysh and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdicyon and destruccyon. For couetousnes is the rote of all euyll, whiche whyle some lusted after, they erred from the faythe and tangled th&ebar; selues wyth manye sorowes. ^noteBut thou which arte the man of GOD, flye suche thynges. Folowe ryghtuousnes. Godlynes, loue, pacyence and mekenes. Fyghte þe; good fyght of fayth. Laye hande on eternall lyfe, wherevnto thou arte called and hast professed a good professyon before manye wytnesses.

&rhand; I geue the charge in the syght of GOD, whiche quickeneth all thynges, ∧ before Iesu Christe whiche vnder Poncyus Pylate wytnessed a good wytnessynge, that thou kepe the commaundement, and be wythout spot and vnrebukeable, vntyll the appearynge of our Lorde Iesus, whiche appearynge (when the tyme is come) he shal shew that is blessed and myghtye onelye, kynge of kynges, ∧ Lord of Lordes, whiche onelye hath immortalitie, and dwelleth in lyght that no man can attayne,

whome neuer man sawe, ^note neyther can se, to whom be honoure and rule euerlastynge. Amen.

D    ^noteCharge them that are ryche in this worlde shal they be not exceadyng wyse, and þt; they truste not in the vncertayne ryches, but in the lyuyng God, which geueth vs abo&ubar;da&ubar;tly al thynges to enioy them, and that they do good and be ryche in good workes, ^note and readye to geue and to distrybute, layinge vp in store for them selues a good fo&ubar;dacyon agaynste the tyme to come that they maye obtayne eternal lyfe.

&rhand; O Timothe saue that whiche is geuen the to kepe, and auoyde vnghostlye vanytyes of voyces and opposicyons of science falslye so called, whiche science whyle some professed, they haue erred as concernyng the fayth. Grace be with the. AMEN. &rhand; Sente from Laodicia, whiche is the chiefest citye of Phrygia Pacaciana.

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