A37046:353
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
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.
Secondly, Men sin against this Command, when they are come to hear, and while ⟨p. 49⟩they are about this duty of hearing: 1. In not looking to God, or not receiving the Word as Gods Word, but as Mans. 2. In extravaging and wandering in their minds and thoughts. Ezek. 33. 31. 3. In sleeping when they should hear. 4. In letting the Word slip out of their mind, and not retaining and laying up what they hea•. 5. In not yielding their ears and memories, or yielding only their ears and memories, but not casting open their hearts to the Word, to let it sink down in them. 6. When though it be heard, yet it is not understood, Matth. 13. 13. 7. When though understood, it is soon forgotten. 8. When there is not a peculiar trembling and fear in our waiting upon the Ordinances, Isai. 66. 2. Eccles. 5. 1, 2. and Malach. 2. 5. There is a special fear which we ought to have before his Name. 9. When there is not Faith mixed with hearing, giving credit to the Word, it must be a great fault not to believe Gods Word when we hear it, Hebr. 4. 1, 2. 10. When we fret and canker at the reproofs of the Word. 11. When we needlessly stumble at any expression, especially when we carry so lightly as to laugh at what is spoken, to the prejudice of the Ordinances. 12. When we are more for knowing then for doing, more for informing the mind, then for reforming the heart and life. 13. When there is carping at the Word, or censuring of it rather then our selves. 14. When we make no application of it to our selves, and try not whether we have such a fault, or if we perform such a duty, &c. 15. When we are not present, as before God, to hear, as Cornelius was, Acts 10. 33. 16. When we itch after novelty of expressions, or words, or things, rather then thirst after the sincere Milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby. 17. When these novelties are more entertained and laid weight on then known duties or truths. 18. When the Word is heard with respect of persons, and the same truth, or expression, or Scripture cited by one, is not so respected and received, as when spoken by another, contrary to