6 If a man be reſo!ved to keey his diughter a Virgin, not uncer-. can 1n his own mind, and wavering what he ſhou'd do upon a juſt contideration of circumſtances, c and dorh nor ſee a neceflity to diſpoſe of her, either tor the avoiding ſome tia againſt God, or for the better providing for bim{c}fand rhe reſt of his family.” & bat hath a perfeCt freedom in his own will, ſo that his wi'l 'be not contraditted by his daughter's tondnefs of a married life : For in luch a caſe the father, though he would willingly not diſpoſe of his davghrer in marriage, yet ought to be over-1 ujed by che will of his daughter, and fo hath not a power ovcr his own wiil, bein
torced by the rules of Religion, to take care of the ſyul and ſpi- ritual welfare of his chi!d ; for though the Parent hath a great power over his child, and ought to conſent tothe marriage of his
Child, yer he hath no ſuch power, as wholly ro hinder them from marriage. e It he be fully refolved upona due conſideration of all circumitances, and the Virgin bz ſatisfied, and yields up h=r ſelf in the caſe to her father's pleaſure, f in ſuch a cal= ifthe father doth not put her upon marriage, but reſolves to keep her unmarried, þ- doth well, that is, not only he ſhall not ſin againſt God, bur he doth, chat which is more eligible, confidering rhe preſent circcumſtinces of things, and better tharv if he did find out an hasband for her and give her ro him (as it isexpounded in the next verſ:.) ; 38 oo then, he that givech her in marriage, doth well g : but he that giveth her not in marriage doch etter 4.
g Theres no general rule for a!l parents in this caſe, where rhe uty or fin of parents may ariſc from their, or their childrens dif. ferent circumſtances. Bur ſuppoſing thar a parent having duly weighed all circumſtances, be fully re/olved, and he findsrhe childs will concurring, thar ihe can forbear, and is willing to do in che
ys, and that you may attend upon the Lord without | dltcaQtion 9.
: For your advantage both as to your converſe in the world, and alþ for your religious converſation, and the performance of thoſ duties which you owe unto God ; forthoſe that are married, mf} meer with more troubles and cares in thislite, and cannor have fo much time and leiſure for religious duties, as others have that are net intangled in the domeſtick cares of a family. * Yer I would wt bring you under a ſnare, impokng what God hath not impo- kd; and obliging you where God hath not obliged you. « The Ford here is e141 461, It ſtriftly ſigniſies 2 thing of a good figure, and is tranſlated in Scripture honourable, Mark 15. 4.3. Acts 13. 50. &17.11, where it ſignifies what is of a fair and good repute in the efeofthe world, which is alſo the ſenſe of it, Chap. 12.24. where veread of the comely parts of mans body ; but in this place the vord ſignifies moſt largely the ſame with profitable and convenient.
or marriage is a ſtate which neither 15 in it {elf indecent, nor ever Was ſo reputed in the "World by any Nation, and the Scripture telus, that Marriage 1s honow able amongſt al. The word therefore here is of the ſame ſignificancy with avugeerr, which in rhe begin- lng of the verſe is tranſlated profitable, and Chap. 6. 12. is tranfla- ted expedient, w The phraſe in the Greek is very difhicult to be tranſlated properly into our Engliſh Language, word for word it E, Th ft well to the Lord without diſtraction; our Tranflators render Th ſerve the Lord, We have ſome thing like it in our language, "en we expreſs our diligent attendance to a thing, under the no-
; of fit- ing cloſe roa buſmeſs, which 1s oppoſed co ſuch an atten- aceto buſineſs, as we give when we have many avocations and ngs away, fo as we cannot fit cloſe to 1r. The Apoſtle faith, That this was the end of his adviſing thoſe who could contain, not marry under that ſtate of things in the World referring to the urch, that they might with more eaſe and conveniency attend Nthe preat concerns of their Souls, without thoſe diſtra&ting and Widing thoughts, which rhey muſt have who were intangled th domeſtick buſineſs and relations. :
36 But if any man think thath he behaveth himſelf
Omely x towards his virgin, it ſhe paileth the flower
rage y, and need ſo require z, let him do What he
caſe what her parent delires ; in ſuch a cafe asthis,if the parent dil. poſes her in marriage, I cannot fay hefinneth, bur he doth what he may do; h Bur with referenc2to tle preſent ſtate of things in the Church and in the World, and with reference to the, youhg wo. man's liberty for the ſervice of God, he doth berter, if he doth nor ſo diſofe her. The thing is in it {elf indifferent, and Chriſtians muſt be in it ruled, and inclinzd one way or other from cir- cumſtances.
39 * The wite is bound by the Jaw as long as her * Rom. -, husband liveth : but if her husband be dead, ſhe is at 2- liberty to be married to whom ſhe wiil ; only in the Lord &.
/ The Apoſtle all along this Chapter hath been ſpeaking to ſeveral caſes, which the Church of Corinth hai pur to him con- cerning marriage : ſome thar concerned pertons already married ; others that concerned ſuch as were ſingle, having been NEVEr mars. ried, he ſhutterh up his diſcourſe with advice, which relateth co ſuch as had loſt their hasbands, with refcrence ro ſecond marriages. As to this he determinerh, Thar no woman might marry apain while her fir husband lived, that is, unlefs that her husband be le. gally divorced from her for Adultery, or unleis her husband, be- ing an Heathen, had voluntarily deterted her : but if her hushand were dead, ſhe might marry ro whom ſhe would; & yet ſhe was not at ſuch liberty, as that the might marry an Unbeliever. Un- believers are either Heathens, or Chriſtians in name, fuch as are Idolaters, or profane perſons, or Hereticks, who hold ſuch Tenents as are inconſiſtent with any true Faith in Jcſus Chriſt ; this phraſe only in the Lord, ſeemeth ro oblige godly women, not only ro avoid marrying with Heathens, but with nominal Chriſtians, thar is ſuch who, although they have been baptized, and own Chriſt wita their tongues, yer hold ſuch damnable Opinions, or live ſuch pro- fane lives, or worſhip God in ſuch an Idolatrous manner, as is in- conſiltent with any true Faith in Chriſt. 'The reaton of the precepr holds as well to the Jatter, as to the former. :