( t 3 o The Improvement ofTime or, the third was ; It ;heyold dye together , whether is wcrc lawful to, the one to deny to the other matrimonial benevolence. The fourth ; Whether ifoneof them being a &_liever, and the o :her an Infidel, it were lawful, or convenient for the Believer to remain a yok:-fcllow to the In- fidel. Thefe and divers other Cafes of Confcience, they in:rcated Saint Paul to reÇolve them in. Now the Apoftle in the beginning of this Chapter writeth an Anfwer to every one of thefe Queftions they propounded. To route ofthem he anfwered thus ; Indeed I cannot give anabfolute determination what is to be dare, hut I lump , this, and that, is befl And to another, I advice fuch a thing : I cannot direllly de, termine the will of Geri , but I havereceived mercy of God to be aseoxoted faith- ful, and ifyou would know my opinion, it is this. And fo he givedi diversdoub:- ful Anfwers to their Queftions: onely he celled) them , this is Midi for the op- portunity. When he bathdoneall,he cometh to this I have read. But this I fay brethren; &c. As if he Mould fay,The Queftions I have given you an Animer to; I think you know not what to refolve upon, becaufe I fay only this is my counfel, err thk is my opi- ' nion. But this I am peremptory in, that is, That they that have wives be asst they had none : they that weep, as ifthey wept not ; and theythat reface, as ;fthey rejay- ced not. This, I donot come to `ay, Ifuppefe, and Ithinkitfit, or (give my advife, or for theprefentoccaf:onit is fit to be thus. But brethren, herein I amconfìdent,and refolute,tha;you (hould be as if not, in all things; in this I atn bold. This is the drift of the Apoillc, that he would bring in one thins wherein he is confident, after the refolution of divers Queftions, wherein he could not be fo confident. Divifion of the So then, the words I have read, contain two general things; Text. Fire , TheApofiles Preface to his Exhortation. Prface Secondly, The I. xhertation it Pelf. e.,Exhonation i TrePreface in there w ards, Btit this fay 6retbren: Tire Exhortation in the left ofthe words , The time isfpiort, &c. In the Exhor- In the Exhortation there are likewife three things that 1 would net: unto ration, YOn. t The ground Firf) the ground of the Exhortation,in thefe words , The time is lhort. of t,. Secondly, theExhortation it felf,in theft wen ds,lt remaineththat they that have r. The Exhor- w ration it (elf, , ives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as if theywept not ; andthey that refojee, as if they rejoyced not and they that buy, as if they ['gellednot r and theythat sift the world,as not abufing it. Here is theExhortation. ;.Themotive. Then the third thing, is a fpur rho Apo(tle addeth to quicken them up, to pra&ife all diele things in thefe words , Par the fafbion of this world pafeth away. Lithe Preface. The fi.fi generei thing in the words isth: Apoilles Preface, But this I f.uty brethren. And in this I would note but two things ; I will but' name them ( becaufe I would not be fhraitncd in two principal points that I 'would gladly open.) Objarvat. r. Fall her: I would note, How confdett, and earnefl, and refolute a faithfulmini- fler will be, when he cometh to a point that mainly concerns his people. In all ocher tirngsthe Apoltle giveti.them hisAnfwer,fo asi: :nigh: teem, he had not fully eeTol- vtd then. (give my advife, (faith he) and again, r fuppofe this. Buc now when he cometh tinto the right isle of the world, that it be not abufed; and the thought of Hcavcn,that they might fet themlelves about it. Here he cometh without ifs and ands, he fetteth it down iefolucely and poíi:ívcly. Bretbren,this Ifay, or this you mull do. This is one thing that I might note. Objervat,z. Second'y,I might note,Theco?spellation, or term that hegivetb them ; Brethren. In which, note who they are, to whom Saint Paul giveth the Exhortation. And it feemeth to me, as if theA poltle Mould fay , lam putting you upon a new duty, that if I could not give you the ternie, brethren, I should hope to prevail little with you. To come and tella young Gallant that is in the midi}of his Ruff and his Jollity, and all pleafures ; the fafhien of this world paffeth awry, and I would have you ufe thefeLL
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