A37046:165
The law unsealed
The law unsealed: or, A practical exposition of the Ten Commandments With a resolution of several momentous questions and cases of conscience. By the learned, laborious, faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. James Durham, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.
Glasgow: printed by Robert Sanders, 1676
AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, Delivered in several LECTURES. › Commandment 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. And first it requireth the right knowledge of God; for there can be no true worship given to him, there can be no right thought or conception of him, or faith in him, till he be known: He must be known to be one God in Essence, Deut. 6. 4. and three Persons, 1 John 5. 7. He must be known in his Attributes and Essential Properties, Infiniteness, Immenseness, Unchangeableness, Eternity, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, and Faithfulness: He must also be known in his special works, whereby his Sovereignty and Majesty appeareth, as his works of Creation, Providence, Redemption, and what concerneth it; as the Covenant of Grace, and its terms; the Mediator, and his Offices: no service or worship can be offered to God, nor can we have any ground of Faith in him, without some measure of distinct knowledge of these.
1. And first it requireth the right knowledge of God; for there can be no true worship given to him, there can be no right thought or conception of him, or faith in him, till he be known: He must be known to be one God in Essence, Deut. 6. 4. and three Persons, 1 John 5. 7. He must be known in his Attributes and Essential Properties, Jnfiniteness, Immenseness, Unchangeableness, Eternity, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, and Faithfulness: He must also be known in his special works, whereby his Soveraignty and Majesty appeareth, as his works of Creation, Providence, Redemption, and what concerneth it; as the Covenant of Grace, and its terms; the Mediator, and his Offices: no service or worship can be offered to God, nor can we have any ground of Faith in him, without some measure of distinct knowledge of these.
2. It requireth from us a suitable acknowledging of God in all these his Properties: As 1. That he be highly esteemed above all. 2. Loved. 3. Feared. 4. Believed and trusted in. 5. Hoped in. 6. Adored. 7. Honoured. 8. Served and obeyed. And so 9. He must be the Supreme end in all our actions, that should mainly be aimed at by us.