50

of pleasing. Chap. 2. 1 CORINTHIANS. Let your women keep silent in the churches; for it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be in submission. And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home. For it is a shameful thing for women to speak in church. 1 TIMOTHY. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. But she shall be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, and love, and holiness, with sobriety.

RULE 74. That the widow who is stronger in body should live with

care and diligence, mindful of the things spoken by the Apostle, and testified of Dorcas.

Chap. 1. ACTS. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which

by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And after a little: And all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 1 TIMOTHY. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man; well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. That the widow who has been approved in the accomplishments spoken of by the Apostle, and has reached the order of true widows, must persevere in supplications and prayers with fastings night and day. Chap. 2. LUKE. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years 31.856 from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 1 TIMOTHY. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day; but she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

RULE 75. That slaves must obey their earthly masters for the glory of God with all goodwill; in those things wherein a command of God is not broken.

Chap. 1. TO THE EPHESIANS. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with

fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be slave or free. 1 TIMOTHY. Let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. TO TITUS. Exhort slaves to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. That masters, remembering the true Lord, what things they enjoy from their slaves, these also should do for them according to their ability, in the fear of God and with gentleness toward them, in imitation of the Lord. Chap. 2. JOHN.

50

εὐαρεστή σεως. Κεφάλ. ʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡ. αʹ. Αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐκ κλησίαις σιγάτωσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτέτραπται αὐ ταῖς λαλεῖν, ἀλλ' ὑποτάσσεσθαι. Εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν, ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτά τωσαν. Αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστι γυναιξὶν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ λαλεῖν. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜ. αʹ. Γυνὴ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ μανθα νέτω ἐν πάσῃ ὑποταγῇ. ∆ιδάσκειν δὲ γυναικὶ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλ' εἶναι ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ. Ἀδὰμ γὰρ πρῶτος ἐπλάσθη, εἶτα Εὔα. Καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ οὐκ ἠπατήθη, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἐξαπατηθεῖσα ἐν παραβάσει γέγονε. Σωθήσεται δὲ διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας, ἐὰν μείνωσιν ἐν τῇ πίστει, καὶ ἀγάπῃ, καὶ ἁγιασμῷ, μετὰ σωφροσύνης.

ΟΡΟΣ Ο∆ʹ. Ὅτι δεῖ τὴν χήραν, τὴν ἰσχυροτέρῳ τῷ σώματι χρω μένην, ἐν

φροντίδι καὶ σπουδῇ διάγειν, μεμνημέ νην τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρημένων, καὶ τῇ ∆ορκάδι μεμαρτυρημένων.

Κεφάλ. αʹ. ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ. Ἐν Ἰόππῃ δέ τις ἦν μαθήτρια, ὀνόματι Ταβιθὰ, ἢ

διερμηνευομένη λέγεται ∆ορκάς. Αὕτη ἦν πλήρης ἔργων ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἐλεημοσυ νῶν ὧν ἐποίει. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Καὶ περιέστησαν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ χῆραι κλαίουσαι, καὶ ἐπιδεικνύ μεναι χιτῶνας καὶ ἱμάτια ὅσα ἐποίει μετ' αὐτῶν οὖσα ἡ ∆ορκάς. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜ. αʹ. Χήρα καταλε γέσθω, μὴ ἐλάττων ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα, γεγονυῖα ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή· ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρου μένη, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν. Ὅτι δεῖ τὴν χήραν τὴν εὐδοκιμήσασαν ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρημένοις κατορθώμασι, καὶ φθά σασαν εἰς τὸ τάγμα τῶν ὄντως χηρῶν, προσκαρτε ρεῖν ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς μετὰ νη στειῶν νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας. Κεφάλ. βʹ. ΛΟΥΚΑΣ. Καὶ ἦν Ἄννα προφῆτις, θυγάτηρ Φανουὴλ, ἐκ φυλῆς Ἀσήρ· αὕτη προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ἡμέραις πολλαῖς, ζήσασα μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ἔτη ἑπτὰ 31.856 ἀπὸ τῆς παρθενίας αὐτῆς. Καὶ αὕτη χήρα ὡς ἐτῶν ὀγδοηκοντατεσσάρων, ἣ οὐκ ἀφίστατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, νηστείαις καὶ δεήσεσι λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜ. αʹ. Ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας· ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκεν.

ΟΡΟΣ ΟΕʹ. Ὅτι χρὴ τοὺς δούλους ὑπακούειν τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ μετὰ πάσης εὐνοία· ἐν οἷς ἂν ἐντολὴ Θεοῦ οὐ λύηται.

Κεφάλ. αʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣ. Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις μετὰ

φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἐν ἁπλό τητι καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς τῷ Χριστῷ· μὴ κατ' ὀφθαλμοδουλείαν, ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι, ἀλλ' ὡς δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ, ποιοῦντες τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκ ψυχῆς, μετ' εὐνοίας δουλεύοντες, ὡς τῷ Κυ ρίῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις· εἰδότες, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὃ ἐὰν ποιήσῃ ἀγαθὸν, τοῦτο κομιεῖται παρὰ τοῦ Κυ ρίου, εἴτε δοῦλος, εἴτε ἐλεύθερος. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜ. αʹ. Ὅσοι εἰσὶν ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δοῦλοι, τοὺς ἰδίους δεσπότας πάσης τιμῆς ἀξίους ἡγείσθωσαν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία βλασφη μῆται. Οἱ δὲ πιστοὺς ἔχοντες δεσπότας, μὴ κα ταφρονείτωσαν, ὅτι ἀδελφοί εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον δουλευέτωσαν, ὅτι πιστοί εἰσι καὶ ἀγαπητοὶ, οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΤ. ∆ούλους ἰδίοις δεσπόταις ὑποτάσσεσθαι, ἐν πᾶσιν εὐαρέστους εἶναι, μὴ ἀντιλέγοντας, μὴ νοσφιζομένους, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν πίστιν ἐπιδεικνυμένους ἀγαθήν· ἵνα τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ κοσμῶσιν ἐν πᾶσιν. Ὅτι δεῖ τοὺς κυρίους μνημονεύοντας τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Κυρίου, ὧν ἂν ἀπολαύσωσι παρὰ τῶν δούλων, ταῦτα καὶ ποιεῖν αὐτοῖς κατὰ δύναμιν, ἐν φόβῳ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐπιεικείᾳ τῇ πρὸς αὐτοὺς, κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ Κυρίου. Κεφάλ. βʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ.