A37046:456
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.
1. That these Children punished, are not innocent in themselves, but being guilty before the Lord by Original Corruption; or by both it and Actual Sin, making themselves liable to such Plagues; they have no reason to say, The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes; and the Children's Teeth are set on edge: For whether the Judgements be Temporal or Spiritual, the Children have deserved them, and cannot say they are wronged. And this Consideration reconcileth this place, with that of Ezekiel, where God putteth them to it, thus: None Innocent are plagued; but ye are plagued: therefore saith he, Read your own sin out of your Plagues.
1. That these Children punished, are not innocent in themselves, but being guilty before the Lord by Original Corruption; or by both it and Actual Sin, making themselves lyable to such Plagues; they have no reason to say, The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes; and the Childrens Teeth are set on edge: For whether the Judgements be Temporal or Spiritual, the Children have deserved them, and cannot say they are wronged. And this Consideration reconcileth this place, with that of Ezekiel, where God putteth them to it, thus: None Innocent are plagued; but ye are plagued: therefore saith he, Read your own sin out of your Plagues.
2. Consider, that the Threatening against Children of such Parents, is here limited to the third or fourth generation; all their Posterity is not cursed thereby. 1▪ Because Gods kindness is such, as to leave a Door open for Penitents. All fell in Adam, yet Mercy opened a Door of Hope to sinful Man: And surely the Threatenings of this new Covenant, are not so peremptory, as to shut the Door of Mercy upon Sinners. 2. The third and fourth generation are especially threatened, because these are nearest the Parent, and have most of his Nature in them; he knoweth them best; and often he may live to see these: Therefore the Lord threateneth these, that it may most affect Parents▪ it being for the second, third, and fourth generation, that they most ordinarily travel.