A37046:201
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.
The eighth is any gift of God which he hath bestowed on men, such as Beauty, Strength, Wit, Learning, when men who have them lay too much weight on them, or think too much of them; yea, Grace it self, the sense of Gods love, and inward peace, may be put in Christs room, and more sought for sometimes then Christ himself: Now when these are rested on, delighted in, and he slighted, or when they are missed, and he not delighted in, then they are Idols.
Ninthly, Ease, quietness, and a mans own contentment, is oft-times a great Idol; and it is so when a man is so addicted to his ease, as he cannot abide to be troubled, Thus was it with that man, Luke 12. 19. Soul take thee rest: His Ease was his Idol, and he rested on it, and made it the end of all his buildings, and laying up of goods; but his riches were his Idol, as he grounded his expectation of rest upon that which he possessed: So many idle men who frame their life so as they may not be troubled, though they be no ways profitable, but spend what they have, making this the drift of all they do, that they may have an easy life, when this overswayeth them as their last end, (though otherwise, if they were not wedded to their case, might be more profitable) and often with abstaining from, and neglecting of many necessary duties, that they may eschew trouble, it is a prevailing Idol.
Ninthly, Ease, quietness, and a mans own contentment, is oft-times a great Idol; and it is so when a man is so addicted to his ease, as he cannot abide to be troubled, Thus was it with that man, Luke 12. 19. Soul take thee rest: His Ease was his Idol, and he rested on it, and made it the end of all his buildings, and laying up of goods; but his riches were his Idol, as he grounded his expectation of rest upon that which he possessed: So many idle men who frame their life so as they may not be troubled, though they be no wayes profitable, but spend what they have, making this the drift of all they do, that they may have an easie life, when this overswayeth them as their last end, (though otherwise, if they were not wedded to their case, might be more profitable) and often with abstaining from, and neglecting of many necessary duties, that they may eschew trouble, it is a prevailing Idol.