Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 2 · Part 87
Other things in this Commandement need not be stood vponupon.
By any thing that is his: the Lord comprehends in these words eueryevery thing how small soeuer in our account, that belongs to our neighbour.
Quest. What is the ground of this prohibition, thou shalt not in thy minde inwardly thinke on, and withall hauehave thine heart inclined to with pleasure and delight, and long after that which belongs to another or others, one or more, to his or their losse or mis-liking, though thy will giuegive no consent to get it, or to seeke after it?
Answ. Both the maintenance of inward purity according that original purity in righteousnes & holines in which man was first perfectly created according to the image of God.… 1.27. …s. 4.24. And also the maintenance of true and perfect obedience to God, not onelyonly in the purpose and resolution of his heart, and in his words and deeds, but also in his most secret thoughts, and in the in-most hidden motions of his soule,…t. 27.26. and so stand in all the words of the Law to doe them.
Quest. What is the summe of this Commandement?
Answ. That in the least thought, and in-most inward disposition of the heart we decline not from the rule of charitie and louelove of others, either the louelove of God or men, but that in our most secret thoughts and motions of our soules,…k. 10.27. we keepe our selues within the rule of true louelove towards others, both towards God, and towards men. LoueLove thinkes not euill. 1. Cor. 13.5.
The Negatiue part of this Commandement.
Quest. VVhat doth the tenth Commandement forbid?
Answ. Two things in generall.
Quest. VVhat is the first of those?
Answ. The proness and inclinations of our corrupt nature to euill, whereby a man or woman is naturally prone to thinke, will, or affect any thing that is forbidden in the Law of God, and contrary to the true louelove of God or man. Rom. 6.12. The Apostle speakes of sinne and the lusts of it; and this is called the law of the members, Rom. 7.23. and the flesh, Galat. 5.24. distinct from the lusts of it.
Quest. Is pronesse and inclination to euill in eueryevery man and woman naturally?Psal. 51.5. Ephes. 2.3.
Answ. Yes, it is in eueryevery man and woman descending from Adam by naturall generation: eueryevery man and woman comming from Adam by naturall generation, is conceiued and borne in sinne, and so hath an inbred pronesse, and inclination to euill, and to that which the Law of God forbids.
Obiection. If pronesse and inclination to euill bee in man and woman by nature; why then doth God giuegive a Law against it: for being naturall, it seemes not to be euill, or at least it cannot be helped.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; pronesse and inclination in man or woman to euill, is now naturall, and cannot bee helped, because man is now fallen from the state of innocencie, in which hee was created: but it was not so before the fall of man; God made not man prone to euill by creation, but man brought that pronesse on himselfe by his voluntarie falling from the state of innocencie, in which hee was at the first created: and therefore though pronesse to euill in man or woman bee naturall, yet it is euill; and though it cannot bee helped, yet that is through mans owne voluntary fault, and God doth still iustly giuegive a law against it.
The Anabaptists obiect against this,
Obiection Psal. 51.5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie, and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me: Say they, Dauid there confesseth not his owne sinne, but his mothers sinne; that is, the curse or punishment for sinne layd on Eua, and so on Dauids Mother, Gen. 3.16. Therefore it proues not that Dauid was conceiued and borne in sinne.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; Dauid had there no purpose, nor any cause or occasion to confesse the punishment for sinne layd on Eua, and so on his mother; but to acknowledge, and to set out his owne vilenesse, as appeares by the Context: which hee doth, not onelyonly by confessing his actuall sinnes, but also the root of them, his naturall corruption: and therfore that Exposition of theirs is contrary to the meaning of that place.
…tion.If Dauid here confesse his owne estate, then he confesseth to God, and desireth him in mercy to consider and behold him whereof he was made, as Psal. 103.14. of dust, weak flesh, vnable to resist the tempter, when the law came to him; through which weaknesse hee was ouercome in those horrible sinnes of Murther and Adultery.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; It cannot be that Dauid doth there desire God in mercy to consider him, as made of dust and weake flesh, vnable to resist the tempter: for that had been rather an extenuating and an excusing of his sinnes, then a setting himselfe out as a grieuous sinner, which was the purpose of Dauid.
Againe, the matter of Dauids making is not there spoken of, but the corruption and sinne in which hee was framed and made; and so the manner of his making, that in his frame and making he was sinfull and corrupt, and the corruption of sinne did cleaue vntounto him.
…biection.The soule of man comes from God, the matter of the body from the parents; and the soule comming from God is very good: therefore whole man is not conceiued & borne in sin.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; the soule of man as it comes from God, is very good; but being placed in the body, and ioyned with the body, it is presently depriued of the image of God, as a iust punishment for the sin of Adam & all men in him, according to that order which God set downe in the Creation, that whatsoeuer euill Adam procured, he should not onelyonly bring it on himselfe, but on all his posteritie; and by vertue of that order,Rom. 5.12. the whole man both soule and body is conceiued and borne in sinne. Hence it is said, Genes. 5.3. that Adam begate a child in his owne likenesse. And that which is borne of a woman cannot bee cleane, Iob 25.4.
Quest. What is the second thing the tenth Commandement forbids?
Ans. This; the effects & fruits of the proness and inclination of our corrupt nature to euil, that are inward in the soule.
Quest. What are those effects and fruits?
Answ. Two especially.
Quest. VVhat is the first of those?
Answ. Euill and inordinate concupiscence, eueryevery motion,Rom. 6.12. Galat. 5.17. Coloss. 3.5. euen the first motion comming from the rebellion of our nature, whereby we are stirred vp to euill, and doe with delight think any thing contrary to the louelove of God or man, though we neuer giuegive consent of will to commit that euill, as fond wishing and woulding, delightfull remembrances, and meditations of euill, Rom. 7.7. called the lusting of the flesh.
Obiection. In our nature now corrupt, the motion, appetite, or desire to such things as tend to the conseruation of nature is not euill, but such is concupiscence or appetite after meat, and drinke, and the like: therefore concupiscence is not euill and a sinne.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; Motions and appetites after meat and drink, and such like, tending to the conseruation of nature, are not euill of themselues, and as they be naturall motions; for they were in Christ, he was hungry and thirstie: but if they be immoderate and exceed a iust measure, they are euill.
Againe, there be other concupiscences and desires besides these, as after another mans house, or wife, or the like, which are euill, and cannot be so excused.
The Papists obiect
Obiection. Jam. 1.15. When lust or concupiscence hath conceiued, it brings forth sinne: and therefore lust or concupiscence it selfe is no sinne, but onelyonly brings forth sinne.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; it is no good consequent, Lust or concupiscence brings forth sinne; therefore it is no sinne: for one sinne may bring forth another: and we way rather thus conclude, lust or concupiscence brings forth sinne, therefore it is sinne: for the proper cause and mother of euill must needs be euill it selfe.
…n.That concupiscence remaining after Baptisme, is not properly sinne, nor forbidden by the Commandement of God, namely thus, sinne maketh guiltie before God of eternall death, and liable to condemnation: but the regenerate are not guiltie of eternall death: therefore concupiscence in them is no sinne.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; by this reason, there is no sinne at all in the regenerate:… 1. for there is no condemnation at all to them, they being in Christ.
Againe, neither concupiscence nor any other sinne shall condemne the regenerate; but that is not because concupiscence is no sin in them, but because both it and all other sins are pardoned to them in Christ, and so not imputed to them.
…on.Originall sinne is taken away in Baptisme: therfore concupiscence is no sinne in the regenerate.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; there be three things to be considered touching originall sinne:…. 13.23. … 2.1. the disagreement it hath with the Law of God, the corruption of nature, and the guiltinesse of it and the punishment due to it: in regard of the guiltinesse of Gods wrath, & also in regard of the punishment due to it, it is taken away in Baptisme; but in regard of the disagreement it hath with Gods Law, and the corruption of nature, it is not taken away, but still remaines in the regenerate, yet weakned through sanctification.
Quest. Are delightfull remembrances of euill in the time of sleepe, as delightfull dreames of euill, sinfull and forbidden in this Commandement?
Answ. As they be either fruits of corrupt nature, and do sauour of nature, & be agreeable to mans corruption, which is repugnant to Gods will, or be suggested by Satan,Deut. 23.10. Deut. 13.1.2. Ierem. 23.23. Ierem. 29.9.. they are euill and sinnefull, and forbidden in this Commandement: as vnchast dreames arising from the concupiscēce spoken of, Deut. 23.10. Such were the dreames of false Prophets, told by them, to draw men from the true worship of God to Apostacie.
Obiection. Delightfull remembrances of euill in the time of sleepe, as delightfull Dreames of euill cannot bee helped or avoyded.
Quest: How then are they euill and sinfull?
Answ. Though they cannot bee helped or auoyded,Eccles. 5.…. yet comming from our owne disorder in diet, in speech or meditations in the day time, they are fruites of our corruption: and the cause and occasion of them, is our selues; and so are euill and sinfull, as Eccles. 5.2.
Quest. What is the second effect and fruite of the pronesse, and inclination of our owne corrupt nature to euill, that is inward in our soules?
Answ. A suffering our selues to bee infected with those motions that Satan,1 Chron. 21.1.2. Luk. 22.3.4. Act. 5.3. Ephes. 4.23. or euill men doe put into our mindes, contrary to the true louelove of God or man: by yeelding to them, and delighting in them, and hauing our hearts tickled with delight in them.
Obiection. A man cannot withstand the motions to euill, and contrary to the louelove of God or man, that Satan brings to his minde, he hath no power of himselfe so to doe.
Quest. Why then doth God giuegive to man a law to withstand them?
Answ. Man had power to withstand them, in his state of innocencie, wherein God created him: but man lost that power by his voluntary fall from that state, and therefore God may and doth still giuegive and continue a law to man to withstand them.
Question. Are motions to euill that are cast into the mindes of men by Satan, and presently reiected and compelled, sins or no?
Answ. No, they are not, vnlesse they be receiued by some degree of delight or assent … for Christ was moued and tempted by Satan, to infidelitie, to tempt God, to Idolatrie; yet his holy heart receiued not those motions and temptations:… 4.2. to 11. … 14.30. so they neuer became his sinnes.
Question. How shall we know the motions of euill that be in our mi…ds, are put in our minds by Satan, and that they are not from the rebellion of our owne nature?
Answ. Thus; if they be against the light of nature corrupted, as for a man to kill his owne deare and louing Father or Mother, when there is no hope of gaine by it, or matter of displeasure to prouoke him thereunto: and so when blasphemous thoughts against God, come into our mindes furiously and suddenly, like flashings of lightning, and wee cannot imagine how or on what occasion wee should conceiue such thoughts;…r. 12:7. and the more we striue to beate them away, the more they come vponupon vsus: and withall they are contriued subtilly, and artificially: then they are from Satan, and messengers of Satan.
Question. How may the vglinesse of the euill motions in the soule of man, whether comming from the rebellion of our nature, or suggested by Satan, appeare?
Answer. By two reasons.
Quest. What is the first of those?
…eut. 27.26. …lat. 3.10.Answ. This; because the curse of God, both in this life, and in death, and after death; euen the paines and torments of the damned in Hell, are due to the person of man or woman, for them.
Quest. What is the second reason by which the vglinesse of euill motions in the soule of man, either comming from the rebellion of our nature, or suggested by Satan and receiued, may appeare?
Answ. This; because such motions are the roote, and beginning of all euill,Gen 6.5. in gesture, and word, and deede: for first there is a motion to euill in the soule, then delight in it, and from that comes consent of will, and after consent of will, followes execution of action.