After the Epistles to the Churches, novv folovv his Epistles to particular persons, as to Timothee, to Titus, vvho vvere Bishops: and to Philémon.

Of Timothee vve reade Act. 16. hovv S. Paul in his visitation tooke him in his traine at Lystra, circumciding him before, because of the Ievves. he vvas then a Disciple, that is to say, a Christian man. Aftervvard the Apostle gaue him holy Orders, and consecrated him Bishop, as he testifieth in both these Epistles vnto him. 1. Tim. 4. v. 14. and 2. Tim. 1. v. 6.

He vvriteth therfore vnto him as to a Bishop, and him self expresseth the scope of his first Epistle, saying: These things I vvrite to thee, that thou maiest knovv hovv thou oughtest to conuerse in the House of God, vvhich is the Church. ^note And so he instructeth him (and in him, al Bishops) hovv to gouerne both him self, & others. and touching him self, to be an example & a spectacle to al sortes, in al vertue. as touching others, to prohibit al such as goe about to preach othervvise then the Catholike Church hath receiued, and to inculcate to the people the Catholike faith: to preach vnto yong and old, men and vvomen: to seruants, to the riche, to euery sort conueniently. Vvith vvhat circumspection to giue orders, & to vvhat persons: for vvhom to pray: vvhom to admit to the vovv of vvidovvhod & c.

This Epistle vvas vvritten, as it seemeth, after his first emprisonm&ebar;t in Rome, vvhen he vvas dismissed and set at libertie. and therevpon it is, that he might say here, I hope to come to thee quickly. to vvit vnto Ephesus, vvhere ^note he had desired him to remaine. although in his voiage to Hierusalem, before his being at Rome, he said at Milétum to the Clergie of Ephesus, vp&obar; probable feare: And now behold I knovv, that you shal no more see my face. ^note

Vvhere it vvas vvritten, it is vncertaine: though it be commonly said, at Laodicia. ^note Vvhich seemeth not, because it is like he vvas neuer there, as may be gathered by the Epistle to the Colo&esset;ians, vvritten at Rome in his last trouble, vvhen he vvas put to death.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO TIMOTHEE. Chap. I. He recommendeth vnto him, to inhibite certaine Ievves vvho iangled of the Lavv as though it vvere contrarie to his preaching. 11 Against vvhom he auoucheth his ministerie, though he acknovvledge his vnvvorthines.

1   Pavl an Apostle of Iesvs Christ according to the commaundement of God our sauiour, and of Christ Iesvs our hope:

2   to Timothee his beloued sonne in the faith. Grace, mercie, and peace from God the father, and from Christ Iesvs our Lord.

3   As I desired thee to remaine at Ephesus vvhen I vvent into Macedonia, that thou shouldest denounce to certaine 09Q1271 not to teache othervvise,

4   nor to attend09Q1272 to fables and genealogies hauing no ende: vvhich minister09Q1273 questions rather then the edifying of God vvhich is in faith.

5   But09Q1274 the ende of the precept is charitie from a pure hart, and ^note a good conscience, and a faith not feined.

6   From the vvhich things certaine straying, are turned into, ^note vaine talke,

7   09Q1275desirous to be doctors of the Lavv, not vnderstanding neither vvhat things they speake, nor of vvhat they affirme.

8   But vve know that ^note the Lavv is good, if a man vse it lavvfully:

9   knovving this that09Q1276 the Lavv is not made to the iust man, but to the vniust, and disobedient, to the impious and sinners, to the vvicked and contaminate, to killers of fathers and killers of mothers, to murderers,

10   to fornicatours, to lyers vvith m&abar;kinde, to man-stealers, to liers, to periured persons, and vvhat other thing soeuer is contrarie to found doctrine,

11   vvhich

is according to the Gospel of the glorie of the blessed God, vvhich is committed to me.

12   I giue him thankes vvhich hath strengthened me, Christ Iesvs our Lord, because he hath esteemed me faithful, putting me in the ministerie.

13   vvho before vvas blasphemous and a persecutor & contumelious. but I obteined the mercie of God, because I did it being ignorant in incredulitie.

14   And the grace of our Lord ouer-abounded vvith faith and loue, vvhich is in Christ Iesvs.

15   A faithful saying, & vvorthie of al acceptati&obar;, that Christ Iesvs came into this vvorld ^note to saue sinners, of vvhom I am the cheefe.

16   But therfore haue I obtained mercie: that in me first of al Christ Iesvs might shevv al patience, ^note to the information of them that shal beleeue on him vnto life euerlasting.

17   And to the king of the vvorldes, immortal, inuisible, onely God, honour & glorie for euer and euer. Amen.

18   This precept I commend to thee ô Timothee: according to the prophecies going before ^note on thee, that thou warre in them a good vvarfare,

19   hauing faith and a good conscience, ^note vvhich certaine repelling, haue made shipvvracke about the faith.

20   Of vvhom is Hymenæus & Alexander: vvhom I haue09Q1277 deliuered to Satan, that they may learne not to blaspheme. ^{note note}

^{note note note note note} Chap. II. By his Apostolike authoritie he appointeth publike praiers to be made for al m&ebar; vvithout exception. 8 also men to pray in al places: 9 and vvomen also in semely attire, 11 to learne of men, and not to be teachers in any vvise, but to seeke saluation by that vvhich to them belongeth.

1   I Desire therfore first of al things that09Q1278 obsecrations, praiers, postulations, thankesgeuings be made for al men,

2    ^notefor kings and al that are in preeminence: that vve may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al pietie and chastitie.

3   For this is good and acceptable before our Sauiour God,

4   09Q1279vvho vvill al men to be saued, and to come to the knovvledge of the truth,

5   For there is one God,09Q1280 one also mediatour of God and men, man Christ Iesvs:

6   vvho gaue him self a redemption for al, vvhose testimonie in due times is c&obar;firmed.

7    ^notevvherein I am appointed a preacher & an Apostle (I say the truth, I lie not) doctor of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8   I vvil therfore that men pray in euery place: lifting vp pure handes, vvithout anger and altercation.

9   In like maner ^note vvomen also in comely attire: vvith demurenesse and sobrietie adorning them selues, not in plaited heare, or gold, or pretious stones, or gorgeous apparel,

10   but that vvhich bec&obar;meth vvomen professing pietie by good vvorkes.

11   Let a vvoman learne in silence, vvith al subiection.

12   But ^note to teach09Q1281 I permit not vnto a vvoman, nor to haue dominion ouer the man: but to be in sil&ebar;ce.

13   For ^note Adam vvas formed first: then Eue.

14   and Adam vvas not seduced: but the vvoman being seduced, vvas in preuarication.

15   Yet she shal be saued by generation of children: if ^note they continue in faith & loue and sanctification vvith sobrietie. ^note

^{note note note}

Chap. III. Of vvhat qualitie they must be, vvhom he ordaineth Bishops, 8 and Deacons. 14 and the cause of his vvriting to be, the excellencie of the Catholike Church, and of Christ, vvho is the obiect of our religion.

1   A Faithful saying. If a man desire a Bishops office, he desireth09Q1282 a good worke.

2    ^noteIt behoueth therfore09Q1283 a Bishop to be irreprehensible, the husband09Q1284 of one vvife, sobre, vvise, comely, chast, a man of hospitalitie, a teacher,

3   not giuen to vvine, no fighter, but modest, no quareler, not couetous,

4   vvel ruling his ovvne house, ^note hauing his children subiect vvith al chastitie.

5   But if a man knovv not to rule his ovvne house: hovv shal he haue care of the Church of God?

6   09Q1285Not ^{note note} a neophyte: lest puffed into pride, he fall into the iudgment of the Deuil.

7   And he must haue also good testimonie of them that are vvithout: that he fall not into reproch and the snare of the Deuil.

8   09Q1286Deacons in like maner ^note chast, not double-tonged, not giuen to much vvine, not folovvers of filthie lucre:

9   hauing the mysterie of faith in a pure c&obar;science.

10   And let these also be proued first: & so let them minister, hauing no crime.

11   The vvomen in like maner chast, not detracting, sober, faithful in al things.

12   Let deacons be the husbandes of one vvife: vvhich rule vvel their children, & their houses.

13   For they that haue ministred vvel, shal purchase to them selues a good degree, and much confidence in the faith vvhich is in Christ Iesvs.

14   These things I vvrite to thee, hoping that I shal come to thee quickly.

15   but if I tary long, that thou maiest knovv how thou oughtest to conuerse09Q1287 in the house of God, which is the Chvrch of the liuing God,09Q1288 the piller and ground of truth.

16   And manifestly it is a great sacrament of pietie, vvhich vvas manifested in flesh, vvas iustified in spirit, appeared to Angels, hath beene preached to gentils, is beleeued in the vvorld, is assumpted in glorie.

^{note note note}

^{note note}

^{note note}

Chap. IIII. He prophecieth that certaine should depart from the Catholike faith, vvilling Timothee therfore to inculcate to the people those articles of the said faith. 7 Item to exercise him self in spiritual exercise, 12 to gette authoritie by example of good life, 13 to studie, to teach, to increase in the grace giuen him by holy orders.

1    ^noteAnd the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times certaing09Q1289 shal depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour, and doctrines of diuels,

2   speaking lies in hypocrisie, and hauing their conscience feared,

3   09Q1290forbidding to marie, to abstaine from meates vvhich God created to receaue vvith thankes-giuing for the faithful, and them that haue knovven the truth.

4   For ^note euery creature of God is good, and nothing to be reiected that is receiued09Q1291 vvith thankes-giuing.

5   For it is09Q1292 sanctified by the vvord of God and praier.

6   These things proposing to the brethren, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Iesvs, nourished in the vvordes of the faith and the good doctrine vvhich thou hast attained vnto.

7   But folish and old vviues fables auoid: and

exercise thy self to pietie. ^note

8   For ^note corporal exercise is profitable to litle: but pietie is profitable to al things: hauing promisse of the life that novv is, and of that to come.

9   A faithful saying and vvorthie of al acceptation.

10   For to this purpose vve labour and are reuiled, because vve hope in the liuing God vvhich is the Sauiour of al men, especially of the faithful.

11   Commaund these things and teach.

12   Let no man contemne thy youth: but be an example of the faithful, in vvord, in conuersation, in charitie, in faith, in chastitie.

13   Til I come, attend vnto reading, exhortation, doctrine.

14   Neglect not09Q1293 the grace that is in thee: vvhich is giuen thee by prophecie,09Q1294 vvith imposition of the handes09Q1295 of priesthod.

15   These things doe thou meditate, be in these things: that thy profiting may be manifest to al.

16   Attend to thy self, and to doctrine: be earnest in them. For, this doing, thou shalt09Q1296 saue both thy self and them that heare thee. ^{note note}

^note

^note

^{note note note note} Chap. V. Hovv to behaue him self tovvardes yong and old. 3 to bestovv the Churches oblations vpon the needy vvidovves, 9 and not to admitte the said Churches vvidovves vnder threescore yeres old. 17 In distribution to respect vvel the Priests that are painful. 19 and hovv in his Consistorie to heare accusations against Priests. 22 to be straite in examining before he giue Orders. to be chast, and to remitte somevvhat of his drinking vvater.

1   A Seniour rebuke not: but beseeche as a father: yong men, as brethren:

2   old vvomen, as mothers: yong vvomen, as sisters, in al chastitie.

3    ^noteHonour vvidovves: vvhich are09Q1298 vvidovves in deede.

4   But if any vvidovv haue children or nephevves: let her learne first to rule her ovvne house, and to render mutual dutie to her parents. for this is acceptable before God.

5   But she that is a vvidovv in deede and desolate: let her hope in God, and continue in obsecrations & ^note praiers night and day.

6   For she that is in deliciousenes, liuing is dead.

7   And this commaund that they be blamlesse.

8   But if any man haue not care of his ovvne, and especially of his domesticals,09Q1299 he hath denied the faith, and is vvorse then an infidel.

9   09Q1300Let a vvidovv be chosen of no lesse th&ebar; three score yeres, vvhich hath been the09Q1301 vvife of one husband,

10   hauing testimonie in good vvorkes, if she haue brought vp her children, if she haue receiued to harbour, if she haue vvashed the Saincts feete, if she haue ministred to them that suffer tribulation, if she haue folovved euery good vvorke. &cross4;

11   But the yonger vvidovves auoid. For vvhen they shal be09Q1302 vvanton in Christ,09Q1303 they vvil marie:

12   09Q1304hauing damnation, because they haue made void09Q1305 their first faith.

13   and vvithal idle also they learne to goe about from house to house: not only idle, but also ful of vvordes and curious, speaking things vvhich they ought not.

14   09Q1306I vvil therfore the yonger to marie, to bring forth children, to be housevviues: to giue no occasion to the aduersarie for to speake euil.

15   For novv certaine are turned backe09Q1307 after Satan.

16   If any faithful man haue vvidovves, let him minister to them, and let not the Church be burdened: that there may be sufficient for them that are vvidovves in deede.

17   The priestes that rule vvel, let them be esteemed ^note vvorthie of double honour: especially they that labour09Q1308 in the vvord and doctrine.

18   For the Scripture saith: Thou shalt not moosel the mouth to the oxe that treadeth out the corne and, The vvorke man is vvorthie of his hire. ^note

19    ^noteAgainst a priest receiue not accusation: but vnder tvvo or three vvitnesses.

20   Them that sinne, reproue before al: that the rest also may haue feare.

21   I testifie before God and Christ Iesvs, and the elect Angels, that thou keepe these things vvithout preiudice,

doing nothing by declining to the one part.

22   Impose h&abar;des on no man ^note lightly, neither do thou communicate vvith other mens sinnes. Keepe thy self chast.

2   Drinke not yet 09Q1309 vvater: but vse a litle vvine for thy stomake, and thy often infirmities.

24   Certaine mens sinnes be manifest, going before to iudgement: and certaine men they folovv.

25   In like maner also good deedes be manifest, & they that are othervvise, can not be hidde. ^{note note note note}

^{note note note note}

^{note note}

^{note note} Chap. VI. Vvhat to teach seruants. 3 If any teach against the doctrine of the Church obstinately, he doth it of pride and for lucre. 11 But the Catholike Bishop must folovv vertue, hauing his eie alvvaies to life euerlasting and to the c&obar;ming of Christ. 17. Vvhat to commaund the riche. 20 Finally, to keepe most carefully the Catholike Churches doctrine, vvithout mutation.

1   Whosoever are seruantes vnder yoke, let them counte their maisters vvorthie of al honour: lest the name of our Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed.

2   But they that haue faithful maisters, let them not contemne them because they are brethren, but serue the rather, because they be faithful and beloued, vvhich are partakers of the benefite. These things teache and exhort.

3   If any man ^{note note} teach othervvise, and consent not to the sound vvordes of our Lord Iesvs Christ, and to that doctrine

vvhich is according to pietie:

4   he is proude, knowing nothing, but09Q1310 languishing about questions and strife of vvordes: of vvhich rise enuies, contentions, blasphemies, euil suspicions,

5   conflictes of men corrupted in their minde, and that are depriued of the truth, that esteeme gaine to be pietie.

6   But ^note pietie vvith sufficiencie is great gaine.

7   For vve ^note brought nothing into this vvorld: doubtlesse, neither can vve take avvay any thing.

8   But ^note hauing foode, and vvhervvith to be couered, vvith these vve are content.

9   For they that vvil be made riche, fall into tentation & the snare of the deuil, & many desires vnprofitable and hurteful, vvhich drovvne men into destruction and perdition.

10   For the roote of al euils is couetousenes: ^note vvhich certaine desiring haue erred from the faith, and haue intangled them selues in many sorovves.

11   But thou, ô man of God, flee these things: and ^note pursue iustice, pietie, faith, charitie, patience, mildenes.

12   Fight the good fight of faith: apprehend eternal life, &cross4; vvherein thou art called and hast confessed a good confession before many vvitnesses.

13   I commaund thee before God vvho quickeneth al things, and Christ Iesvs vvho ^note gaue testimonie vnder Pontius Pilate a good confession:

14   that thou keepe the commaundement vvithout spotto, blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesvs Christ.

15   vvhich in due times the Blessed & onely Mightie vvil shevv, the ^note King of kings and Lord of lordes,

16   vvho only hath immortalitie, and inhabiteth light not accessible, ^note vvhom no man hath seen, yea neither can see, to vvhom be honour and empire euerlasting. Amen. &cross4;.

17   Commaund the riche of this vvorld not to be high minded, nor to trust in the vncertaintie of riches, but in the liuing God (vvho giueth vs al things aboundantly to enioy)

18   to doe wel, to become riche in good workes, to giue easily, to communicate,

19   to heape vnto them selues a good ^note fo&ubar;dation for the time to come, that they may apprehend the true life.

20   O Timothee, keepe the09Q1311 depositum, auoiding the09Q1312 profane ^note nouelties of voices, & oppositions of09Q1313 falsely called knovvledge.

21   Vvhich certaine promising, haue erred about the faith. Grace be vvith thee. Amen.

^{note note note}

^note

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