A37046:188
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.
First then men commit Idolatry, when any thing, even any lawful thing, getteth too much respect from them; so that their happiness is placed in it, and they can less abide to want it in effect, whatever they may say in words, then Communion with God himself: When men have such an excessive esteem of Wife, Children, Houses, Lands, great Places, &c. and when they are taken from them, they cry as Micah, Judge 18. 24. Ye have taken away my Gods from me, and what have I more? When all the other contentments a man hath, yea all the Promises, and God himself also▪ proveth but of little value to him, in respect of some particular he is deprived of by some cross Dispensation; it is a token it had too much of his heart: Try this by two things. 1. When any beloved thing is threatened to be removed, it then appeareth ⟨p. 21⟩how it is affected, and stuck unto. 2. What is made use of to make up that; see a notable difference betwixt David and his men, or most of them, 1 Sam. 30. 6. when he wanted as much as they, they know no way to make it up, therefore they think of stoning him, but he encourageth himself in the Lord his God: they had no more left at all, its like, he hath his God abiding, in whom he may yet be comforted.
First then men commit Idolatry, when any thing, even any lawful thing, getteth too much respect from them; so that their happiness is placed in it, and they can less abide to want it in effect, whatever they may say in words, then Communion with God himself: When men have such an excessive esteem of Wife, Children, Houses, Lands, great Places, &c. and when they are taken from them, they cry as Micah, Judge 18. 24. Ye have taken away my Gods from me, and what have I more? When all the other contentments a man hath, yea all the Promises, and God himself also▪ proveth but of little value to him, in respect of some particular he is deprived of by some cross Despensation; it is a token it had too much of his heart: Try this by two things. 1. When any beloved thing is threatned to be removed, it then appeareth ⟨p. 21⟩how it is affected, and stuck unto. 2. What is made use of to make up that; see a notable difference betwixt David and his men, or most of them,