Opening of the Ten Commandments, Commandment 10
Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, &c.
ANd it reſpects all thoſe things ioyntly, which the former aimed at ſeuerally, in regard of the very firſt vndeliberate, vnaduiſed, and vnallowed (at leaſt not conſented to) motions of the heart. Here
1. The things commanded.
2. Things forbidden.
1. The things commanded are foure.
1. A iuſt, righteous, and charitable inclination toward our neighbour, whereby we ſtand prone and apt to doe our dutie to him.
2. The ſtirring vp of all good motions that may induce vsus to doe him any good, vponupon any iuſt occaſion.
3. A cheriſhing of all good motions to his good, that are by God or man put into our mindes.
4. Perfect contentation with our owne things.
2. The things forbidden in this commandement are
1. Of omiſſion of any the fore-mentioned things, or the ſtrength or power of them.
2. In commiſſion.
1. By a bad inclination of heart againſt others, of which the Scripture ſaith, The frame of the heart is euill.
2. By bad motions, tending to hurt him in his place, perſon, ſafetie, chaſtitie, goods, good name, whether thoſe motions ariſe
1. From our owne corrupt hearts, either
1. Sleeping, in dreames.
2. Or waking, in fancies of our mindes.
2. Or be ſuggeſted from Satan, if we entertaine them with any the leaſt delight or pleaſure. If we doubt how naturall imaginations may be diſtinguiſhed from the aduentitious, we muſt know that the conceits of our hearts are either
1. Mixt.
2. Simple.
1. Mixt, where the deuill and the fleſh concurre in ſtirring them vp, and in thoſe we are euer faultie, becauſe we ioyne, or rather Satan ioynes with vsus.
2. Simple, wholly and only
1. From our ſelues, and here we alone are in blame.
2. From the deuill, which if they ſtay and procure any delight, we are acceſſarie to them; if they be preſently with deteſtation reiected, we are guiltleſſe. And theſe ſimply deuilliſh imaginations ſhew themſelues manifeſtly
1. By their ſuddenneſſe and independancie vponupon other thoughts or obiects preſent, comming in as it were by the head and ſhoulders.
2. They ſhew themſelues by their violence, and ſtirring, in that they doe as it were ouer-whelme with their force, multitude, continuance, and are more vehement and diſtempered then the naturall.
For the further vnderſtanding of the law, it muſt be knowne that eueryevery commandement and branch of a commandement is broken in regard
1. Of our owne actions.
2. In regard of our intereſt into the deeds of other men.
1. In regard of our owne actions, and that
1. Directly.
2. Indirectly.
1. Directly, in regard
1. Of the matter.
2. The cauſes.
3. The meaſure.
1. In regard of the matter of the act,
1. By commiſſion of a thing forbidden.
2. By omiſſion of a thing commanded.
2. In regard of the cauſes,
1. Mouing, if it be a ſelfe-reſpect, and not deſire of pleaſing God.
2. Finall, if we arme at our ſelues alone, not at Gods glory.
3. In regard of the meaſure of doing, if we faile of the ſtrength and perfection required.
2. Indirectly, by things of themſelues not condemned, but ſuch as to vsus proue
1. Occaſions of euill.
2. Appearances of euill.
2. EueryEvery commandement is broken, in regard of our intereſt to the deeds of other men, which are either
1. Good.
2. Bad.
1. Good, and that
1. Inwardly.
2. Outwardly.
1. Inwardly.
1. If we doe not allow them, nor reioyce in them.
2. If we doe either diſlike them, or be greeued and angrie at them.
2. Outwardly, if we
1. Neglect what might
1. Draw them thereto.
2. Confirme them therein.
2. If we practiſe any thing that might
1. Hinder them therefrom.
2. Diſcourage them therein.
2. Our intereſt into the deeds of bad men, and that likewiſe
1. Inwardly.
2. Outwardly.
1. Inwardly, either
1. If we doe not
1. Condemne them in our iudgement.
2. Be greeued and angrie at them in our affections.
2. If we doe
1. Allow them in iudgement.
2. Reioyce in them in affection.
2. Outwardly.
1. By neglecting any thing.
2. By practiſing any thing.
1 By neglecting any thing that may
1. Keepe them from committing the ſame.
2. That may draw them to repentance and amendment.
2. If we practiſe any thing
1. That may draw and induce them thereto.
2. That may harden and confirme them therein.
Men are to be drawne to well doing.
1. By words.
2. By deeds.
1. By words of exhorting, and (in a ſuperiour) commanding.
2. By deeds.
1. By giuing good example.
2. In rewarding.
3. In ioyning with them.
4. In procuring for them
1. Leaue.
2. Fit inſtruments.
3. Conuenient opportunities.
And by the contrary they muſt be kept from euill.
Men are to be confirmed in well doing,
1. By words tending to iuſtifie, and commend them.
2. By deeds, tending to countenance and reward them. And by the contrarie they muſt be drawne out of euill.
Men are hindered from well doing,
1. In word, by diſſwading, forbidding, threatning.
2. In deeds, in withdrawing leaue, inſtruments, opportunities, and by the contrary they are furthered to euill.
Men are diſcouraged in well doing,
1. By words tending to deride, calumniate and diſgrace them.
2. By deeds, in puniſhing them, or cauſing others to doe it, and by the contrarie they are in euill deeds confirmed.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Whately, Opening of the Ten Commandments (1622)