of the church of God?

3:6. Not a neophyte: lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the
judgment of the devil.

A neophyte.... That is, one lately baptized, a young convert.

3:7. Moreover, he must have a good testimony of them who are without:
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

3:8. Deacons in like manner: chaste, not double tongued, not given to
much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:

3:9. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

3:10. And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister,
having no crime.

3:11. The women in like manner: chaste, not slanderers, but sober,
faithful in all things.

3:12. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their
children and their own houses.

3:13. For they that have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a
good degree and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

3:14. These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee
shortly.

3:15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to
behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The pillar and ground of the truth.... Therefore the church of the
living God can never uphold error, nor bring in corruptions,
superstition, or idolatry.

3:16. And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was
manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto
angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world,
is taken up in glory.

1 Timothy Chapter 4

He warns him against heretics, and exhorts him to the exercise of piety.

4:1. Now the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of
devils,

4:2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy and having their conscience seared,

4:3. Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created
to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and by them that have
known the truth.

Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats.... He speaks of the
Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other
ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all
kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil
principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage,
holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow
have