The Duties Commanded and Sins Forbidden in the Law of God, Commandment 10
The tenth Commandement.
The Negatiue part,
Forbidding in
Generall, all euill concupiscence going before the consent of the will, and purpose of the hart. Rom. 7. 7. … 13. 9. Col. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 4. 2. 2. Pet. 3. 3. Rom. 1. 24. Gal. 5. 16, 17. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Tit. 2. 12. Ioh. 8. 44.
Particular, the concupiscence of the eyes.
Euill concupiscence is either
Originall.
Actuall.
Originall concupiscence is originall sinne, which is heere forbidden, as it is referred against the neighbour: it is also called habituall, being the euill inclination and pronenesse of our nature to lust against our neighbour, contrary to the Law of God. Rom. 8. 6, 7. … 7. 8, 23. Gal. …. 17.
Actuall concupiscences, are ill motions in our mindes and hearts against our neighbour, Gen. 6. 5. being both
Foolish.
Hurtfull.
1. Tim. 6. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 11.
These euill motions are either, euil
Phantasies and thoughts of the minde.
Affections and perturbations of the heart.
Those are euill phantasies and thoughts, which encline or stirre men vp to euill, and are repugnant to charity, 1. Cor. 13. …. These are sinnes, and heere forbidden. Pro. 24. 9. Zach. 8. 17. Deut. 15. 9. Esa. 55. 7. Act. 8. 22. Prou. 15. 26. Gen. 6. 5. … 8. 21.
The Affirmatiue part,
Requiring in vsus a pure heart towards our neighbour. 1. Tim. 1. 5.
The purenesse of our heart consisteth in
Originall righteousnesse, and fect louelove of our neighbour.
Spirituall concupiscence.
Originall righteousnesse, is both a
Cleannesse from all vnrighteousnesse, and euill concupiscence against our neighbour.
Disposition and pronenesse to all the duties of charity.
This righteousnesse, as the Lord planted it in our nature, so doth he require it in his Law; though wee hauehave lost it, and cannot fully attaine to it; and that to this end, that we seeing our vnrighteousnesse, and misery in our selues, might be forced to seeke vntounto Christ, that both we might bee clothed with his righteousnesse, and also might by his Spirit be renewed according to his image, in holinesse and righteousnesse. Luk. 1. 74, 75. Ephes. 4. 23, 24.
Spirituall concupiscence containeth the
Good motions of the Spirit.
Lusting of the Spirit against the flesh.
Euill thoughts, either
Are cast into mens minds by the diuell, which be called his suggestions.
Arise from the habituall concupiscence.
And both of them whiles we be either
Sleeping.
Awaking.
The diuell casteth his suggestions into mens mindes, either
Immediately by himselfe. 1. Chron. 21. 1. Ioh. 13. 2. Luk. 9. 46, 47.
Mediately, vsing others for his instruments. Gen. 3. 1. Iob 2. 9. Mat. 16. 23.
The suggestions of Satan, though alwayes sinfull in him, yet they are not sinnes vntounto vsus, vnlesse wee admit them, and giuegive entertainment to them: For it is not a sin to be tempted, (for Christ also was tempted) but to yeeld to the tentation. If therefore we admit them, we are defiled by them but if wee presently repell and extinguish them, they infect vsus not.
Euill thoughts arise also from our owne habituall and originall concupiscence. Luk. 24. 38. Mat. 15. 19. Gen. 6. 5.
They arise from the habituall concupiscence, it being moued or stirred vp by some obiect, either
Apprehended by the sence.
Framed by the phantasie or imagination.
Represented to the minde, by the remembrance.
Euill thoughts happen vntounto vsus,
Awaking.
Sleeping, as in dreams.
The good motions, are righteous & charitable
Cogitations concerning our neighbour.
Affections towards him.
The lusting and combate of the Spirit, against the flesh. Gal. 5. 17. whereby we must crucifie the flesh, with the lusts thereof. Gal. 5. 24.
The meanes to attaine to this purenesse of the heart, are, to
1. Walke with God, seeking to approue our hearts to him, who tryeth the hearts.
2. Obserue our
Hearts, Prou. 4. 23. that
No euil concupiscence doe arise in vsus, or enter into vsus.
If any do arise, or be admitted, that we forthwith extinguish it.
Senses.
That euill concupiscences doe not arise in vsus, or ente… into vsus, a twofold care is needfull,
Whiles wee wake, to keepe our mindes occupied about lawfull things, and not suffer them to be idle, or to wander about vanities, or vnlawfull things.
When wee are to sleepe, to commend our soules into the hands of God, to bee kept safe from tentations, and pure from concupiscences.
We are also to obserue our sences, (but especially our sight) by the ministery whereof, the obiects of concupiscence are represented to the mind. Gen. 3. 6. Iosh. 7. 21. Iob 31. 1. Psalm. 119. 37.
To these meanes we are to adde two more
The spirituall armour of God, which is mighty to cast downe imaginations, and to subdue euil thoughts. 2. Cor. 10. 5. Ephes. 6.
Feruent & faithfull prayer. Mat. 6. 13.
Those that arise from our owne corruption, if they be sudden and momentany, they are the least degree of sinne, but yet sinnes, arising from a corrupt fountaine, and arguing want of charity.
As touching dreames, those are culpable, which as they are the fruits of originall concupiscence, so also hauehave voluntary causes: as,
Wanton and vncleane dreames, following vponupon
Intemperancy in diet.
Wanton & vncleane thoughts.
Malicious dreames, proceeding from hatred of our neighbour, and such like.
Now follow the affections and perturbations of the minde, going before the purpose of the heart, or consent to practise.
T… degrees of them.
And these are either
foreign, fore-passions, or (as some speake) vnformed concupiscences, and acts of sensuality, going before the act of reason, or consent of the will.
These be the first motions of concupiscence, whereby the
Mind is withdrawne.
Heart is affected with a sudden delight, as it were a bait. Iam. 1. 14, 15.
foreign, 1. Thes. 4. 5. Passions, which are of some called, Formed concupiscences, and are acts of reason, as being deliberate desires of the heart, & hauing the consent of the will▪ either to
Take further delight onelyonly in entertaining the fore-said ill motions, and rouling them in our minds, though we consent not to the practice of them. These, with all the former, are directly and expresly forbidden in this tenth Commandement.
Put them in practice, which are forbidden in the former Commandements; as the murther, adultery, theft, false testimonies of the heart.
The sorts.
The affections of the heart, are either
foreign, wherein is auersation from that which seemeth euill, as anger, feare, &c.
foreign, wherein is a liking or desiring of that which seemeth good, as louelove, &c.
VntoUnto foreign, we are in this place to referre as branches of this Commandement, sudden anger, and the first motions of mislike, hatred, enuie, reioycing at other mens euils, &c.
foreign, which more properly is called concupiscence, is distinguished by the obiects, 1. Ioh. 2. 15. for it is either of
Pleasure, which is the lust of the flesh.
Profit, which is the lust of the eyes.
Honour, which is the pride of life.
The particular concupiscence which by name is forbidden in this Commandement, is the concupiscence of the eyes, vnderunder which, as being the most pernicious, 1. Tim. 6. 9, 10. the Lord forbiddeth all sins of the same kind, that is, all euill motions and concupiscences going before the consent of the will, or purpose of the heart.
Affirm. Remedies against the concupiscence of the eyes.
1. To mortifie selfeloue. 1. Cor. 10. 24.
2. To pull out the eyes of enuie.
3. To arme our selues with contentednes. Phil. 4. 11.
This concupiscence is distinguished according to the variety of the obiects, wch being the persons or goods belonging to other men, wee are not to couet, as our neighbours
House. Esa. 5. 8.
Field. Deut. 5. 21. 1. King. 21.
Wife.
Man-seruant.
Maid-seruant.
Cattell, as Oxe, or Asse. 1. Sam. 12. 3.
Money, apparell, stuffe. Act. 20. 33. Or any thing that is his.
In all the Commandements, adde to the
Affirmatiue part, and to all the duties therein required, the duty of
Vsing the meanes.
Shewing forth the signes.
Procuring y• same in others.
Negatiue part, and to all the vices therein forbidden, the fault of
Neglecting the goodmean….
Vsing the bad meanes and allurements to euill.
Shewing forth the signes of euill.
Being accessary to the faults of others.
Deo Gratias.
End of the text · George Downame, The Duties Commanded and Sins Forbidden in the Law of God (1620)