Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 2 · Commandment 10
Commandement. X.
EXERCITAT. I. Against Concupiſcence.
Exod. 20.17. Thou ſhall not covet thy neighbours houſe, &c.
THe ſinne which Adam committed in eating of the forbidden fruit is called originale originans, Originale origia…. originatum.and the puniſhment of this ſinne is called orignale originatum, which is that corrupt habit which ſtaneth and defileth all the actions of men; and in the firſt ſinne, natura Corrupit perſonam; and in the ſecond, perſona corrumpit naturam, that is, Adams actuall tranſgreſſion corrupted his perſon, and he eating of the forbidden fruit, all mankind fell in him.
There are three ſorts of habits, naturall, infuſed, Habitus naturali… infuſus acquiſitus.and acquired habits; naturall habits, as originall ſinne; Infuſed habits as faith hope and charity; acquired habits, by frequent actions either good or bad.
The firſt ſinne which commeth from this originall ſinne, is defiderium informatum vagum & non determinatum, a wandering and a light thought before it come to conſent; there is vitioſitas, vitioſus motus, and vitioſa affectio. Vitioſitas is the corrupt habit which is originall ſinne, it is in the will but not properly from the will. Then there is vitioſus motus, the firſt motions which proceed from this corrupte habite and they are partly with the will and partly againſt the will; and thirdly, there is vitioſa affectio, the concupiſence and luſt which is with full conſent and that is altogether from the will.
The Church of Rome maketh three ſorts of deſires in ſoule,Motus. primo-primi, ſecoundo-primi ſecundi. firſt, Primo-primi motus, then Secundo-primi, and thirdly, Secundi motus.
They ſay that thoſe Primo-primi motus are neither mortall nor veniall becauſe they ariſe before the conſideration of reaſon, and the will cannot repreſſe them becauſe they proceed from our naturall diſpoſition. The naturall appetite in man is threefold,A threefold appetite in man. Firſt foreign, which draweth foode to it, and this is common to the plants beaſts and man. Secondly, foreign, in the ſenſitive faculty common to man and beaſt; thirdly, foreign, which is joyned with reaſon theſe three ſorts of appetites conſidered Phyſically are not forbidden in this Commandement, but conſider them morally as they have a relation to the Law of God, they may bee ſinne either in the manner, object, or end in the manner when a man thirſteth for things naturall exceſſiuely, Eſay. 5.11. Woe be to them that are ſtrong to carry drinke. So when it is ſet upon a wrong object, it is not ſaid, thou ſhalt not covet a wife, but thou ſhall not covet thy neighbours wife. Thirdly, when we covet a thing to a wrong end,The wrong object condemned this command. Iam. 4.3. Ye aske that yee may conſume it upon your luſts. In this Commandement the wrong object is properly condemned, but if we exceed in the meaſure; then it is a breach of ſome other Commandement. So if it be deſired for a wrong end, and the concupiſcenc… come with full conſent, then it is not within the … liſts of this Commandement.
Now that we may take up, that theſe primo-primi, motus are ſinne, marke thee degrees which Iames ſetteth downe, Cap. 1.14. Firſt, there is abſtraction, the ſecond is ineſcation, the third is conception, the forth is conſent or action, or the full conſent of the mind; and laſt is the perfection of it when, it bringeth forth death.
The firſt degree is abſtraction when the mind receiveth a thought caſt into it about the committing of evil; by theſe meanes it ſuffereth it ſelfe to be drawne away: the ſecond is ineſcation, when the mind receiveth a worſe thought for the committing of ſinne, as when the fiſhes delight themſelves to play with the baite. Iob compareth this to a little poyſon which a man keepeth under his tongue, cap. 20, 17. he keepeth it for a little while, and then ſpitteth it out againe; the third is conception, when there is a will to commit the evill, the full conſent is oftentimes put for the action, as Exod 12, 48,The will put for the action. and when a ſtranger ſhall ſo journe with thee, and will keepe the paſſover, that is, hath a deſire to keepe the paſſover. So Gen. 37, 21, & Ruben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, that is, he would have delivered him, the fourth degree is the action it ſelfe; and the laſt is the perfection, and this is the habite of ſinne.
This abſtraction which is the firſt degree,What degree of ſinne is cond…mned in this command. is condemned in this Commandement, and ſo ineſcation which is the ſecond degree, but the third degree when there is a will and a purpoſe to commit this ſinne, and the action it ſelfe and the habit, all theſe are without the liſtes of this Commandement.
Theſe degrees and proceedings in ſinne may be cleared by this exemple. David beholding Bethſhabe, he had but a confuſed love to her, this was abſtraction: ſecondly, there commeth ſuggeſtio prava or ine: ſcatio, what if I could get ſuch a woman. Thirdly, it commeth to duplicate page duplicate page conception, it were good to have this woman. Fourthly, to the action, but it never proceeded to the habit; all theſe degrees were ſinne in David before it came to the full conſent. The Church of Rome granteth that the full conſent is mortall ſinne. Secondly, that the delight is a veniall ſinne, becauſe it is but ſemiplena deliberatio, but they deny motum ſuggeſtionis to be a ſinne.
If concupiſcence it ſelfe were not a ſinne, it would never tempt a man to ſinne, for nothing bringeth out ſinne formally, but ſinne: Iames in the place cited diſtinguiſheth diverſe ſorts of ſinne, there are ſome ſinnes conſummated & finiſhed, and theſe bring forth death, but it followeth not that other ſinnes bring not forth death, he that calleth his brother foole is worthy of Gehenna, but it will not follow, that he that calleth his brother Raca, is not worthy of Gehenna ſimply, but onelyonly that hee is not worthy of Gehenna in that ſame degree. So concupiſcence conſummated bringeth forth death, therfore concupiſcence not conſummated bringeth not forth death, this will not follow, but onelyonly this, it bringeth not forth that ſame ſort of death which concupiſcence conſummated bringeth forth.
Ob. They ſay that concupiſcence is ſinne onelyonly, becauſe it draweth men to ſinne.
Anſw. The divers exceptions of ſinne.This word ſinne is diverſly taken in the Scriptures. Firſt, for the tranſgreſſion of the Law it ſelfe. Secondly, for the guilt of ſinne, Gen. 4, 7. Sinne lyeth before the doore, that is, the guilt or puniſhment; ſometimes for the occaſion of ſinne, as Deut. 19.20. I burnt your ſinne in the fire, that is, the golden calfe which was the occaſion of your ſinne. So Rom. 7.7. The Law is ſinne, that is, it ſtirreth up men to ſinne through their corruption. Fourthly, it is taken for the Sacrifice for ſinne, as Hoſ. 2.4. they eate the ſinnes of the people, that is, the ſacrifice for ſinne, but here concupiſcence is taken properly for ſinne.
Sometimes concupiſcence is put for our corrupt deſires concupiſcence bringeth forth death, that is,Concupiſcence how ſometimes taken. the concupiſcence of our appetite bringeth forth actuall ſins, and ſometimes concupiſence is put for the effect of ſinne brought forth in the acte by our corrupt deſires, per metony miam effecti; as Ro. 7.7. Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiſcence, here it is put for the effect of ſinne brought fourth by our corrupt deſires, but howſoever it be taken, it is ſtill ſinne.
The Church of Rome holdeth that theſe firſt cogitations in the heart of man are not ſinne;The Church of Rome holdeth concupiſcence not to be ſinne. & they read theſe words. Gen. 8, 21. I will not curſe the ground any more for mans ſake, becauſe the heart of man is prone to evill even from his Youthhead. Phygius the Papiſt reaſoneth out of this place, perverſly tranſlating it this wayes, that for which God ſpareth a man is not ſinne, but God ſpareth a man for the thoughts of his heart, therefore they are not ſinne in themſelves, for that which is ſinne in it ſelfe, provocketh the Lord more to anger ſtill.
But this reaſon ariſeth out of a falſe tranſlation,foreign quamvis. for the word Ci, ſhould be tranſlated quamvis, although the cogitations of his heart be evill. So it is taken Gen. 47.15. why ſhould we dye in thy preſence, although the mony faileth. As though the Lord ſhould ſay, although the cogitations of his heart be evil, and I might be juſtly angry with him, both for his originall & actuall ſins, & deſtroy him, as I did in the deluge, yet in my mercy, I will not do this to him. Againe,foreign they tranſlate Rangh badly here, prena in malū, where as it ſhould be tranſlated, altogether evill, and ſo they tranſlate Minnagnora badly,foreign ab adoleſcentia, for the child is called Nagnar, as ſoone as he ſtirreth in his mothers belly. And laſtly they ſay,foreign omne figmentum cogitationis eſt intentum tantum ad malum, and ſo they paſſe by all the degrees, how the Lord exaggerateth this ſin that is in the heart of man. For it is more to be evill than to encline to evill, and figmentum cogitationis cordis is more, than cogitationes cordis, jotzer lebh ſignifieth completas cogitationes cordis, & incompletas: the vulgar Latine taketh it onelyonly for the actuall imagination of the heart, as if there were ſome good in the heart it ſelfe;Cornelius a Lapid in Gen. 8. and they make two ſhops, as it were, in the heart of an unregenerate man, one of concupiſcence, and another of vertue, it is in mans choyſe, ſaith he, either to worke in the one, or in the other, and to chuſe the good if he pleaſe, being aſſiſted by God; as though there were ſome power in him to concurre with God; but this word rak taketh away all this.foreign
Obj. They reaſon this wayes, where there is no condemnation or matter of condemnation, there is no ſinne, but in thoſe who are juſtified, there is no matter of condemnation, therefore there is no ſinne in them.
Anſw. Theſe who are juſtified, there is nothing in them worthy of condemnation, by grace; but the ſinn it ſelfe is worthy of condemnation: and as in an unregenerate man, the fact may paſſe and the guilt remaine, Ioſh. 10. We are under the ſinne of Baal-peor unto this day, here the fact was paſt, and the guilt remained; So the guilt is taken away from a regenerate perſon, and yet the concupiſcence remaineth.What part of ſinne is taken away in a regenerate man. There is materiale and formale in peccato; the formall part, which is the obligation to the puniſhment, is taken away, although the materiall part may remaine, Iere. 50.20. In thoſe dayes, and at that time, ſaith the Lord, the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſinnes of Iuda, and they ſhall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reſerve. And Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Ieſus, who walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. A land-marke removed out of the land, the materiall part remaineth ſtill, to wit, the ſtone, but not the formall part which is a relation to be ſuch a marke; when a Magiſtrate giveth over his place, formale reſpectivum deeſt hic, that is, men reſpect him not as he is a Magiſtrate no more, but yet he is a man ſtill; ſo this foreign, or concupiſcence which remaineth in the children of God after Baptiſme, is ſinne in it ſelfe, but this relation, the guilt which is the obligation to the puniſhment is taken away, manet vitium, ſed tollitur judicium, ceſſat foreign ſed reſtat foreign.
Againe, there is an actuall guilt, Reatus Actualis, potentialis.and a potentiall guilt in ſinne; the actuall guilt is taken away from the ſinnes of thoſe who are juſtified; but the potentiall guilt is ſtill in them; there were ſerpents in the Wilderneſſe which ſtung the Iſraelites, Num. 21. and there was a viper on Pauls hand which hurt him not, Act. 28.5. The ſinnes of the wicked are like the Serpents in the Wilderneſſe which ſtung the Iſraelites to death, but the ſinnes of the children of God are like to the viper upon Pauls hand, although it had a ſting in it, yet it was reſtrained by the power of God that it could not hurt him; ſo the guilt of the ſinnes in the children of God have no power to ſting them; but in heaven there ſhall be neither politicall nor actuall guilt to hurt them, as there is no ſting in the braſen Serpent at all.
Secondly,That the ſecond firſt motions are mortall. they ſay that ſecundo primi motus are veniall, becauſe men reſiſt them, and fight againſt them, they are more worthy of praiſe than of puniſhment; and they adde that ſinne is ſaid to be veniall three manner of wayes, firſt, veniale ex cauſa, ſecundo ex forma; tertio, veniale ex eventu.Veniale ex cauſa forma eventu. No ſinne veniall in reſpect of the cauſe.
Veniale ex cauſa, as when a man doth a thing of ignorance, here they ſay his ignorance maketh his ſinne veniall, but this is falſe, for there was a ſacrifice under the Law for ſinnes of ignorance, to teach us that ignorance muſt be purged by the blood of Chriſt as well as other ſinnes.
Secondly, they make theſe motions which are with …trife, to be veniale ex forma, but every ſinne is the tranſgreſſion of the Law, whether they be great ſinnes or l…ſſer, that ſinne which made Paul to cry out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death was this a veniall ſinne of it ſelfe.… veniall …nt. We acknowledge then, ſinnes onelyonly to be veniall, ab eventu, that is, through the merits of Chriſt, which purgeth all ſort of ſin, from Adams originall ſin, to the habite of ſin and to the idle and flying motion, to the ſinne with reluctation, to the full conſent and act.
…ct.They ſay, as the Phyſitian is not angry with him who is thirſtie, but with him who drinketh contrary to his commandement, ſo God is not angry for concupiſcence, but if the man contrary to his commandement, give the will and conſent to the ſinne, then he breaketh the commandement, and God is angry with him.
Anſw. The compariſon is altogether faulty here, for God findeth fault with thoſe firſt motions which ariſe in the heart with a certaine delight; and although they ariſe in the heart before the conſent of the will, yet they are not altogether againſt the will, for otherwiſe the heart would not take delight in them. The Phyſitian is not angry with his ſicke patient becauſe he is thirſty, becauſe the ſicke man hath no delight in his thirſt, as the man doth in his very firſt thoughts.
Obj, But they ſay, actiones ſunt ſuppoſitorum, ſinne is committed by the perſon in whom it is, Rom. 7. Not I, but the ſinne that dwelleth in me.
Anſ. Paul repreſenteth a double perſon.Paul repreſenteth a double perſon, firſt, the unregenerate, when he ſaith, I allow not that which I doe; than of the regenerate, I ſerve the law of God in my minde, the a…tions of the regenerate part, are not the actions of the unregenerate part, yet they are both actions of the whole perſon. Example, if a Gardiner ſhould ingraft in the ſtocke of a tree, ſome grafts of the Apple tree, and ſome of the Crab tree, none can ſay that the graft of the Apple tree beareth Crabs, or that the graft of the Crab tree beareth Apples: ſo we cannot ſay, the regenerate part bringeth forth ſinne, or the unregenerate part bringeth forth good, and yet wee ſay Paul bringeth forth both.
It is a queſtion which much exerciſeth our Divines, what it is which is condemned in this laſt Commandement, whether it be the firſt motions of the heart, before they come to conſent, and in the reſt of the Commandements, whether it be the full conſent.
Others hold that they are diſtinguiſhed thus: the habituall ſinnes are condemned in the former Commandements, and the concupiſence condemned in this Commandement, are not onelyonly the firſt motions of the heart before they come to full conſent;Whether concupiſce…ce before it come to conſent, or a…ter it come to act, b… condemned in this commandement, but alſo when concupiſcence burſteth forth into act, although they be not conſummate ſinnes and habituall. Now that thoſe ſinnes are condemned in this laſt Commandement which are not habituall, but actuall onelyonly; they goe about to proue it out of Mark. 10.19. thou knoweſt the Commandements, doe not commit adultery, doe not kill, doe not ſweare, doe not beare falſe witneſſe, defraud not, honor thy father and mother. In this enumeration of the Commandements, they ſay, that, to ſteale, and to defraud here, are two diverſe Commandements, to ſteale, belongs to the eight Commandement, and to defraud to the tenth; and this defraud they make to be the act manifeſted, but not the habituall act onelyonly, which is condemned in the former Commandement, but of this we have neede to enquire more.
How ſhall we know when concupiſcence is condemned in the laſt Commandement, Queſt. and when it is forbidden in other Commandements.
How we may know may know what concupiſcence is within the laſt command, and what is condemned in other commands.When we reſiſt the Temptation, and fight againſt it, then it is within the liſts of the laſt Commandement, the Temptation ſometimes aggreditur, ſed non ingreditur, as when the devill tempted Chriſt, here the temptation becauſe it tooke no hold upon Chriſt, it was not a breach of any of the Commandements, and here it was in him true, ſcire malum non eſt malum, Secondly, ingreditur ſed non progreditur, when the devill layeth the tentation before the regenerate, although hee oftentimes reſiſt the temptation, yet it taketh ſome hold upon him, but grace ſuppreſſeth it againe, and this is within the laſt Commandement, and it hath ſome inclination to conſent.
Every ſort of ſtrife about ſinne is not within this Commandement,Lucta Ethica. Theologica. there is Lucta Ethica, and Lucta Theologica; this Lucta Ethica ſuch as was in Medea, is not forbidden in this laſt Commandement: for the conflict was betwixt her mind and her affection, and not betwixt ſinne and grace in the ſame affection. She may be compared to that cake which the Prophet, Hoſ. 7.8. ſpeaketh of, which was raw on the one ſide, and bak't on the other ſide, but the child of God is like to the Cake ſomewhat bak't on both ſides and ſomewhat raw on both ſides,A difference betwixt the will of Medea and Pauls will. the will of Medea is onelyonly Satans, although there was ſome light in her underſtanding, but the underſtanding and the will of Paul are partly regenerate and partly unregenerate; the underſtanding of Medea, was like a glaſſe repreſenting to the will what it ſhould doe, but the will was unwilling to follow it; a ſinne is perfected more by the perverſneſſe of the will then by the darkeneſſe of underſtanding, an unregenerate man is compared to the wilde Aſſe which ſnuffeth up the wind, Iere. 2.24. that is, who followeth the ſwinge of his affections altogether, therefore wee ſee though a man by generall ſort of knowledge confeſſe that God ſhould be loved above all things;A great difference betwixt a mans generall knowledge of God, and his particular judgement. yet in his particular judgement and practiſe hee thinketh it a hard thing to follow Gods will rather than his owne, and from this ſort of knowledge there followeth an imperfect ſort of will which the Schoolemen call rather velleitas than voluntas; but from the latter ſort of underſtanding, there followeth a full conſent which is properly called the will: by the generall ſort of judgment, the unregenerate man judgeth that hee ſhould rather-love God than his baſe luſts, but when he commeth to his particular practiſe, he had rather offend God than want his baſe luſt. When the eyes of Balaam were opened, there were ſome glimpſes of light in his underſtanding which made this velleitas in him, but not voluntas.
Where there is a ſharp conflict betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, that is within this Commandement,The conflict betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, is like ſalt Peter and brimſtone. as when two oppoſite things meete together, cold ſalt Peter, and hote Brimſtone make a great noiſe; ſo when grace and ſinne meete together in the child of God, they make a great ſtirre, and make him to cry out, O miſer ego, hence come theſe words of warre, To pull downe holds, 2 Cor. 10.4. to buffet foreign, 1 Cor. 9.27. but where there is a little glimpſe in the underſtanding, and faint deſires in the will, they are like the crackling of thornes under a pot, Eccleſ. 7, 6.
The faint deſires of the will of the unregenerate are ſoone quenched againe, they are but, Lucida intervalla furioſis, & they ſee worſe after the glimpſe is gone than before, as thoſe who ſee with a flaſh of lightning, ſee worſe then they did before.
Againe we may diſcerne when concupiſcence is within the liſts of this laſt Commandement, and when not,How to know when concupiſcence is within this command. thus; he that willeth the end, and willeth not the means, this conflict is not within the liſts of this Commandement, as Prov. 13.4, piger vult et non vult. he willeth the end, but he willeth not the meanes tending to the end, Hoſ. 10. Ephraim delighted in threſhing, but not in plowing; here Ephraim would have commodity of Religion, but he will not take the paines to mortifie his ſinnes, here he willeth, and he willeth not when men wiſh heaven, but wiſh not the meanes, wch lead to it, this conflict is not with in the liſts of this laſt cōmandement; for in the conflict of the Child of God, he willeth both the end and the means but he is defective in them both.
Grace is like a Prince to the ſoule, and the ſoule like a rebell.Grace is the Prince in the ſoule, the will in the Child of God may ſometimes be drawn away from the King, and flye to the enemy, as David fled to Achis for feare, yet when he went abroad to fight he killed the Philiſtimes in the South-country, and he carried ſtill a loyall heart to his King: ſo when the Child of God is taken Captiue, yet he hath ever loyall heart to his King; but the wicked are rebels againſt their King, take armes againſt him, draw away his ſubjects from him, as Ieroboam did to Rehoboam.
Ethi. 1. cap. vis. The faculties of the ſoule like the two ſides of man in moving.The Philoſopher compareth the two faculties of the mind to the two ſides of man, to the right ſide, and to the left ſide, when a man moveth the one ſlowly, he inclineth more to the other; ſo ſaith he, thoſe who uſe reaſon and follow her, they are more hardly caried after their appetites, and they who follow their appetites, follow reaſon the leſſe; and he calleth reaſon the right ſide, which is the ſtrongeſt, and the appetite the left ſide; this may be ſaid fitly of the Chriſtian ſoule, grace the right ſide, and ſinne the left ſide, if ſinne prevaile, then the left ſide draweth the right, but if grace prevaile then the right ſide draweth the left.
There hath been a great queſtion diſputed of old, concerning the body and the ſoule, whether the ſoule did more harme to the body, or the body to the ſoule? … Theophraſtus ſaid that the ſoule was bound to pay a great hire to the body, becauſe it lodged ſuch an unruly gueſt in it, but the other ſaid that the body ſhould pay ſo much to the ſoule, becauſe it was defective and performed not its duty ſoule, but if the ſpirit ſhould intend action againſt the fleſh, as the ſoule did againſt the body, what great complaint might be given in againſt the fleſh? for ſometimes the fleſh bringeth the ſpirit ſo low that the ſpirit ſcarcely ſtirreth in a mā; as in that inceſtuous Corinthian, there was the fleſh and the ſpirit in that great fall, Let him be delivered to Satan to the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſafe, 1 Cor. 5.5. Here there was the fleſh and the ſpirit in him, but the ſpirit was at a low ebbe; a tyrannous maſter did never ſo tread upon his ſlave, as the fleſh doth upon the ſpirit. Secondly, when the ſpirit beginneth to creepe out of the fetters, and to ſerve God, how unwilling is the fleſh, Cant. 5.2. My heart waketh, but I am a ſleepe. So, the ſpirit is ready, but the fleſh is weake, Matth. 26.42. Thirdly, when the ſpirit is in the beſt eſtate, yet the fleſh hangeth on ſtill, Heb. 12. And, theſe who are waſhen have need that their feet be waſhen, Ioh. 13.10.
The comforts which the childe of God hath in this combat, are theſe, firſt,What comforts the children of God have in their ſpirituall combat, firſt in the auſſurance of victory. he hath the commandement of God to goe on in the combat. In other combats men are not certaine of the event, and therefore, hee ſhould not boaſt who putteth on the harneſſe, but he that layeth it aſide. 2 King. 20. but in this combat, no ſooner put we the ſpirituall armour upon us, but we may be perſwaded of the victory. Iacob had three mighty wreſtlings; firſt, he wreſtled with Eſau in his mothers belly. Secondly, when he pleaded with him for the bleſſing. And thirdly, when he ſtrove with the Angell. In the firſt conflict he perceived not what it meant; in the ſecond conflict he got a great aſſurance of the victory; but in the third conflict he got a full aſſurance of the victory, if thou haſt prevailed with God, much more ſhalt thou with men, Gen. 32, 28. So in the conflict betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, the childe of God at the firſt ſcarcely perceiveth this conflict, then the fleſh beginneth to ſtirre more againſt the ſpirit, and then the child of God getteth ſome more certainty of the victory, at laſt he getteth a full aſſurance as Iſrael did, and he ſhall prevaile as a prince of God.
2 In our ſecond the holy ſpirit.Againe, in this conflict betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, we have a good Second, the ſpirit helpeth our infirmities, Rom. 8.26. Grace is very weake in the children of God, it is like ſmoaking Flaxe, or a bruiſed reede, but here is our comfort, that we have a ſtrong helper, and there are more with us than againſt us, 2 King. 6.16.
3 In our Iudge Ieſus Chriſt.Thirdly, we have a favourable Iudge in this combat, when Moſes ſaw an Egyptian and an Iſraelite ſtriving together, he killed the Egyptian, but ſaved the Iſraelite; So the Lord in the conflict, he favoureth the regenerate part, and will kill the fleſh, the unregenerate.
4 In our reward.Fourthly, wee have a rich reward, I have fought a good fight, and hence is laid up for me a crowne of glory, which the Lord the righteous Iudge ſhall give me at that day, 2 Tim. 4.8.
Concluſion.The concluſion of this, when the children of God feele this conflict betwixt the fleſh and the ſpirit, they thinke it very grievous, and they ſay with Rebecka, that it had been better for them that they had never conceived; but let them imitate Rebecka in this, that had recourſe to the Lord by prayer, and ſhe got this anſwer, The elder ſhall ſerve the yonger, ſo ſhalt thou get this anſwer, the old man, ſinne, which moleſteth and troubleth thee, ſhall ſerve the new man, grace. If violence had been offered to a Maide that was betrothed under the Law, if ſhe held her peace and cry'd not, then ſhee was to dye the death, but if ſhe cryed out, then ſhe was not to dye, Deut. 22.23. So when theſe violent temptations are offered to the ſoule, if we hold our peace and harbour them, then we are the children of death, but if we cry out for violence offered to the ſoule, as Paul did, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death, then we are not to dye.
EXERCITAT. II. That the tenth Commandement is but one, and ſhould not be divided in two. Commandement X.
Exod. 20.17. Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his, &c.
THe Lord expreſly ſaith,The Church of Rome numbreth up the commandements falſely. that there are ten Commandements, Exod. 34, 20. but the Church of Rome, becauſe the ſecond Commandement toucheth them ſomewhat neere to the quicke, there they would ſhuffle in the ſecond Commandement with the firſt, and make them all one, and to make up the number of ten, they divide this laſt Commandement in two parts, and they make the ninth Commandement to forbid the coveting of our neighbours wife, and the tenth to forbid the coveting of our neighbours houſe and goods.
But if theſe were two Commandements, we ſhould not know in what order they ſhould ſtand,The laſt commandement cannot be divided in two. for Exod. 20. it is ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours houſe; but Deut. 5.20. Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbou… wife, is put firſt, which was in the laſt place before.
Secondly, the Apoſtle, Rom. 7. calleth it foreign, in the ſingular number, and not foreign commands in the plurall number; Oleaſter upon Exod. 20. refuſeth this diviſion of theirs, and plainly ſheweth that the laſt Commandement is but one, deſiderium vxoris non conſtituit unum praeceptum, & deſiderium Aſini aliud praeceptum, ſed ambo unum praeceptum faciunt.
Ob. Sicut ſe habet actus ad actum, ſic concupiſcentia ad concupiſcentiam, but the act of adultery and the act of concupiſcence are diverſe, therefore the concupiſcence ſhould be diverſe.
Anſw. There is not a twofold concupiſcence, bu… divers acts of one concupiſcence.There is a difference betwixt the conception of ſinne and the birth and perfection of it; when it is brought forth and branched out, then it appeareth what kind of ſinne it is; it being in the ſeed it cannot be ſo diſtinguiſhed, and if every particular act of coveting doth make a diverſe Commandement, then the number of them ſhould be more then ten.
Obj. But the Hebrew Text, Exod. 20. and Deut. 5, includeth theſe which we make the firſt ſecond and Commandement in one, by the Letter ם, ſo Deu. 5. that which we make but one Commandement, the Hebrewes make it two, thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours Wife, ם thou ſhall not covet thy neighbours houſe, to be the tenth.
Anſw. How the Hebrewes ſignifie the commands to cohere and to be diſtinguiſhed.The Scriptures are diſtinguiſhed by ם, called Semucha, noting continued ſentences; and by ם which ſignifieth Petucha, the beginning of a new, but of a leſſe ſection; and theſe Semuchoth are ſet downe in the Commandes to ſignifie that there is a coheſion amongſt them, for there is a greater coheſion betwixt the firſt and ſecond Commandement than betwixt the ſecond and the third, and therefore Semucha is added to them.
Deuteronomy to be interpreted by Exodus.Againe, although the laſt Commandement be diſtinguiſhed by Semucha, Deut. 5. yet Exod. 10. it is ſet downe without any Samuch, and we muſt interpret rather Deuteronomy by Exodus, than Exodus, by Deuteronomy. For Exodus is the firſt ſetting downe of the Law, and Deuteronomy is but the repetition of the Law, and we are to obſerve that the Commandements are otherwayes pointed then any of the reſt of the Scriptures. The Commandements are pointed and diſtinguiſhed two wayes. Firſt, in reſpect of the ſentences, and next in reſpect of the verſes. In reſpect of the ſentences they are but lightly diſtinguiſhed, becauſe they joyne and couple the Commandements together which have greateſt affinity, but in reſpect of the verſes, they are fully diſtinguiſhed.
The Hebrewes have foure ſorts of diſtinctions. Firſt,The poynts of diſtinction among the Hebrewes. they have Hypoſtigma, or ſemi-inciſum, this is their meaneſt ſort of diſtinction, and this they uſe in a continued ſpeech, this diſtinction they call Tiphha, foreignwhich is leſſe then our Comma, their ſecond diſtinction which is inciſum, diſtinguiſheth ſomewhat more then ſemi inciſum, and they call it Rebhiang, foreignit anſwereth to our Comma, and they have two of theſe, Rebhiang, and Zakephkaton, the third is the more perfect diſtinction, diſtinguiſhing the whole member of a verſe, and yet continued: and this they call Atnahh, anſwering to our Colon,foreign the fourth diſtinction is the ſhuting up of … verſe fully;foreign and this they call Silluk anſwering to our punctum; example, the ſeventh Commandement is diſtinguiſhed frō the eighth, both lightly, and fully,foreign What way the cammands are diſtingui-one from another. it is fully diſtinguiſhed by this point Silluk (י) from the eight Commandement, and it is lightly diſtinguiſhed from it by the point Atnahh (^) So the eighth is both fully and lightly diſtinguiſhed from the ninth; and ſo the firſt and ſecond Commandements, which the Church of Rome would make but one, are diſtinguiſhed both fully and lightly as the reſt are, they are lightly diſtinguiſhed to teach us that they muſt be joyned together in our obedience,How they are diſtinguiſhed lightly, and fully. therefore they are ſet down with a conjunction copulative, thou ſhall not kill, & thou ſhall not commit adultery; and they are fully diſtinguiſhed, to note that they are diverſe Commandements: but theſe two thou ſhall not covet thy neighbours wife, thou ſhall not covet thy neighbours houſe, which they would make two Commandements, are onelyonly lightly diſtinguiſhed by the point Atnahh (^) and are not fully diſtinguiſhed as the reſt are, to teach us that they are but one Commandement; and here we muſt not regard the diſtinction ſo much which is marked by ם, as the pointing it ſelfe.
Concluſion.The concluſion of this is, as no man may conjoyne that which God hath ſeparated. So no man may ſeparate that which God hath conjoyned; God hath diſtinguiſhed the firſt and the ſecond Commandement, therefore they ſhould not conjoyne them; he hath conjoyned the tenth Commandement, therefore they ſhould not ſeparate nor divide it.
Errata.
PAg 4. l. 1. r. and ſpirituall adultery, p. 18. l. 6. for man, r. woman. p. 27. l 6. for parents, r. parties. p. 39. l. 32. for borne, r. begotten, p. 69, l. 34, bleſſed r. kiſſed, p. 78. 16, ſtoned r. ſcorned, p. 3…, 12, r. bleſſing of the fathers are ſtrong, p. 88. 33. for to God, r. of God. p. 48. 19. animam, r. animum. p. 163. 19, dele for. p. 170. 19, with, r. by, p. 88. 2. for firſt r. fift, p. 243. 24. ſixth. r. ſixtieth, p, 251. 2. for they r. he. p. 257, 24, children r. child. p. 272. 10, r. why did God, p 278, 35, indefinitely, r. definitely, p. 285, r. might not make bold, p, 288. 35, r. not a little, p 300. 35 dele onelyonly, p 337. 3, for pr edividento, r. praedividente. p. 340, for to his King, r. to the King, p. 307, 28, higheſt, r. fourth.
FINIS,