1 TIM. 1:15. CHARGE TO TIMOTHY. 249 on is the saying, and worthy of a full and complete acceptance, that "Christ Jesus came into the world To save sinners." And of these I am the greatest. But God had pity on me, so that in me, as such a great sinner, Christ Jesus might show the wealth of his forbearance. And he did this, so that his dealings with me might be an illustration of what could be expected by those who should afterwards believe and attain to eternal life. Now to the King of the ages, The immortal, invisible, only God, Be honor and majesty Forever and ever. I commit this charge to you, my child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies about you which have already been made, so that you may carry on a noble war in them with faith and a good conscience. For, by putting aside a good conscience, some have made shipwreck of the faith. Among such are Hymenæus and Alexander, whom handed over to Satan to be taught by proper dis cipline not to blaspheme. So I urge, first of all, that petitions, prayers, supplications, thanksgivings, be made for all men; for kings and all who are in authority, so that our lives may be quiet and peaceable in the full exer cise of reverence and becoming dignity. 2: 2. This is noble and pleasant to God our Saviour, who wishes everybody to be saved and to attain to a full knowledge of the truth. For there is but one God and one means of communication between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for everybody, and the import of the testimony is to be made known on proper occasions. It was for this I was appointed a herald and an Apostle,-I am speaking the truth, I am not lying, -a teacher of the heathen in faith and truth. So I direct men to pray everywhere, lifting up pure hands without anger and doubts. I also direct women to wear a well arranged dress with modesty and discretion, not with braided hair and gold, or pearls, or costly clothing, but,-for this becomes women professing reverence for God-with generous deeds. Let the women learn in silence, and be in subjection under all circumstances. I do not allow a woman to teach nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be quiet. first to be formed, then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived. It was the woman who was completely deceived and fell into error. "But she shall be saved For Adam was the Through her childbearing If she continues in faith and love And devotion with discretion." To be relied on is this saying. 1 TIM. 3: 1. A BISHOP'S QUALIFICATIONS. 251 If any one is seeking the office of a bishop, he is desiring a noble work. The bishop, then, must be a man Self-restrained, Discreet, Orderly, Hospitable, With a capacity for teaching; Not one who becomes violent over wine, He must be one who rules his own family well, For if a man does not know how to manage his How is he to take care of the Church of God? So that he may not become proud, And become subject to the same judgment 3:7. He must also be a man who has received noble testimony From those who do not belong to the Church, So that he may not become subject to reproach, And give way to the wiles of the devil. Deacons, too, must be men of dignity, Not such as say one thing to one person and its opposite to another, Not such as give themselves up to much wine, And let these also first be put to the test, Then let them serve as deacons. Women, too, must be dignified Not slanderers, Self-restrained, To be relied on in everything. Let deacons be husbands of one wife, Ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons Gain for themselves an honorable position, Which is in Christ Jesus. 1 TIM. 3: 14. THE SECRET TRUTH OF PIETY. 253 I am writing these things to you, in the hope of soon paying you a visit, but if I am a long while doing it, to let you know how we ought to regulate the affairs of the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and basic support of the truth. And confessedly deep is the secret truth. of reverence: He who was made known in human form, Was proclaimed among the heathen, Was taken up in majestic splendor. But the Spirit distinctly says that in later times some shall depart from the faith and give their attention to deceiving spirits and what is taught by demons. They will be led to do this by the hypocrisy of the speakers of lies who are branded on their own conscience. They forbid marriage, and require abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who believe and have a full knowledge of the truth. For every creature of God is noble and nothing is to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is purified by means of God's word in supplication. If you teach the brothers these things you will be a noble assistant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith and of the noble teaching of which you have been a disciple. But have nothing to do |