A   Rebuke not an Elder, but exhorte him as a father: and the y&obar;ger men as brethren: the elder wemen as mothers: the yonger as sisters with all purenes. Hono&highr; wedowes, which are true wedowes. Yf eny wedowe haue children or neves, let them lerne first to rule their awne houses godly, and to recompence their elders. For þt; is good ∧ acceptable before God. ^noteBut she that is a right wedowe, ∧ desolate, putteth hir trust in God, ∧ c&obar;tynueth in prayer and supplicacion nighte and daye. But she that lyueth in pleasures, is deed, euen yet a lyue. And these thinges commaunde, that they maye be without blame. ^noteBut yf there be eny man that prouydeth not for his awne, and specially for them of his hou&esset;holde, the same hath denyed the faith, and ^note is worse then an infydele.

B   Let no wedowe be chosen vnder threscore yeare olde, and soch one as was þe; wife of one man, and well reported of in good workes, yf she haue brought vp children well, yf she haue bene ^note harberous, yf she haue wasshed the sayntes fete, yf she haue mynistred vnto th&ebar; which were in aduersite, yf she were continually geuen to all maner of good workes. But þe; yonger wedowes refuse. For whan they haue begonne to waxe wanton agaynst Christ, then wil they mary, hauynge their damnacion, because they haue brok&ebar; þe; first faith. Besydes this they are ydell, and lerne to runne aboute fr&obar; house to house. ^noteNot onely are they ydell, but also tryflinge ∧ busybodies, speakynge thinges which are not comly.

^noteI wil therfore that the yonger wemen mary, beare children, gyde the house, to geue þe; aduersary no occasion to speake euell. For some are turned back allready after Sath&abar;. Yf eny man or woman that beleueth haue wedowes, let them make prouysion for th&ebar;, and let not the congregacion be charged: that they which are righte wedowes, maye haue ynough.

C   The Elders that rule well, are worthy of double honoure, most specially they which laboure in the worde ∧ in teachinge. For þe; scripture sayeth: ^note Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of þe; oxe þt; treadeth out þe; corne. And: ^note The labourer is worthy of his rewarde.

^noteAgaynst an Elder receaue none accusacion, but vnder two or thre witnesses. Th&ebar; that synne, rebuke in the presence of all, that other also maye feare.

I testifye before God and the LORDE Iesus Christ, and þe; electe angels, that thou obserue these thinges without haistie iudgment, and do nothinge parcially. Laye hondes sodenly on no m&abar;, nether be partaker of other m&ebar;s synnes. Kepe þi; selfe pure. ^noteDrynke no lenger water, but vse a litle wyne for þi; stomackes sake, and because thou art oft tymes sicke. Some m&ebar;s synnes are op&ebar;, so that they maye be iudged afore hande: but some mens (synnes) shal be manifest herafter. Likewyse also good workes are manifest afore h&abar;de: and they that are otherwyse can not be hyd.

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