A37046:395
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.
Again, they get too little esteem▪ 1, When people use them as bare and empty ⟨p. 60⟩signs, without respect to their due ends. 2. When there is not that Reverence given to God in them as ought to be according to his command, when we are about so holy and so solemn pieces of Worship. 3. When men carnally and without preparation, and observation, can hazard on them as common things. 4. When Gods Grace and Goodness in condescending in them to us, is not admired and blessed. 5. When they are not pondered and studied, that we may know them. 6▪ Want of delight in them. 7. Carelessness of them whether we have them or want them. 8. Corrupting the Lords Institution in our manner of going about them, either adding to it, or diminishing from it or changing it, as if men might do so. 9. Little zeal to keep them pure. 10. Neglecting the occasions of them when we may have them with some little pains. 11. Accounting them better when Administrated by one Minister, then when by another; or esteeming little of them, because dispensed by some men, (though lawful Ministers) as if men added any worth to the Ordinance of God. 12. Never actually laying weight on any of them, or drawing comfort from them, or less then should have been done. 13. Not wishing and praying that others may have good of them. 14. Not fearing the wronging of them by multitudes who partake of them, and not endeavouring to have abuses of that kind helped, but making them common to all indifferently and promiscuously. 15. When Folk fear not the breaking of their engagements in them. 16. When men hang the Fruit of them on the Administerers intention, or on the grace of them that are Joint-partakers with them. 17. When there is little Zeal against the Errors that wrong them, as when they are denied by Anabaptists, and when they are corrupted, as in the Mass.
Again, they get too little esteem▪ 1, When people use them as bare and empty ⟨p. 60⟩signs, without respect to their due ends. 2. When there is not that Reverence given to God in them as ought to be according to his command, when we are about so holy and so solemn pieces of Worship. 3. When men carnally and without preparation, and observation, can hazard on them as common things. 4. When Gods Grace and Goodness in condescending in them to us, is not admired and blessed. 5. When they are not pondered and studied, that we may know them. 6 Want of delight in them. 7. Carelesness of them whether we have them or want them. 8. Corrupting the Lords Institution in our manner of going about them, either adding to it, or diminishing from it or changing it, as if men might do so. 9. Little zeal to keep them pure. 10. Neglecting the occasions of them when we may have them with some little pains. 11. Accounting them better when Administrated by one Minister, then when by another; or esteeming little of them, because dispensed by some men, (though lawful Ministers) as if men added any worth to the Ordinance of God. 12. Never actually laying weight on any of them, or drawing comfort from them, or less then should have been done. 13. Not wishing and praying that others may have good of them. 14. Not fearing the wronging of them by multitudes who partake of them, and not endeavouring to have abuses of that kind helped, but making them common to all indifferently and promiscuously. 15. When Folk fear not the breaking of their ingagements in them. 16. When men hang the Fruit of them on the Administerers intention, or on the grace of them that are Joynt-partakers with them. 17. When there is little Zeal against the Errours that wrong them, as when they are denyed by Anabaptists, and when they are corrupted, as in the Masse.