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.

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