The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 10
The Tenth Commandment.
Thou ſhalt not Covet thy Neighbors Houſe, thou ſhalt not Covet thy Neighbors Wife, nor his Servant, nor his Maid, nor his Ox, nor his Aſs, nor any thing that thy Neighbor hath.
TO Covet, is to think inwardly, and alſo to deſire any thing whereby our Neighbor may be hindred, albeit there enſue no aſſent of the Will to commit that evil. And by Coveting here is to be underſtood, That not onelyonly evil actually committed is ſin, but harboring in the heart, although it never cometh into act: So that this Commandment is as it were added for the explaining of the former, becauſe the more ignorant people ſeeing no puniſhments inflicted for evil affections, would not otherwiſe have thought them to be ſins. And it might be added to convince every man of Sin, for we all bear in us Luſt, the tinder of Vice. And this coveting what is anothers, doth always argue a minde either luſtful, or not contented, which is againſt all true Piety. By the words, Houſe, Wife, Maid, Ox, &c. the Commandment is illuſtrated, as by an Argument drawn from the diſtribution of the Objects of Concupiſcence: Whence it is apparent, That onelyonly evil concupiſcence is condemned in this place, Gol. 3.5. for there is a good concupiſcence or deſire; as of Meat and Drink, and that of the Spirit, Gal. 5.17. So then here are rehearſed the Objects of all Luſts for the moſt part, whereby we are ſtirred up to the tranſgreſſing of any Commandment of the latter Table. In the other Commandments not onelyonly wicked deeds, but alſo counſels and deliberate conſent of the Will is forbidden; but in this is required ſomewhat more, namely, that we be not tickled with any kinde of Luſt, although our Will conſent not, yea alſo though it be againſt it: For here are forbidden all firſt motions of the Minde unto ſin, ſpringing from Original Sin, though no conſent be yielded unto them; and we are here commanded to keep our very hearts and mindes free from evil motions and thoughts againſt any of the Commandments of God, and to be well contented with our own. Thus the motions unto ſin forbidden in this Commandment ſpring from Original Sin, or the fleſh in us; other evil motions we are ſubject unto, that are ſuggeſted by the Devil, which are not our ſins, unleſs by conſenting we make them ſo. And the Duty here commanded, is our thorough Sanctification, not onelyonly in deed, but even in heart and thought alſo, as in 1 Theſſ. 5.23. the parts whereof are Mortification, the putting off the Old Man, which is corrupt through deceiveable luſts, Eph. 4.24. and Vivification, the putting on of the New Man, which after God is created in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, Joh. 3.5. otherwiſe called Regeneration or a New-birth. The Sum of this Commandment forbiddeth all ſins before conſent and reſolution; all ſins without us, as Adams ſin; and all ſins within us, as the effect of the former. The Scope and end of this Commandment, is a Rightneſs and Inward Obedience of all our affections towards God and our Neighbor. This Commandment is added to be a Declaration of the former, and that Univerſal, becauſe this is ſpoken of the whole in general; and is added to be as a Rule or Level, according to which we muſt take and meaſure the inward Obedience of all the other Commandments. Hereby not onelyonly corrupt inclinations are ſins, but the thinking of evil is ſin. Unto this Commandment is Original ſin or Concupiſcence repugnant, which is an inordinate appetite, and a corrupt inclination and proneneſs in the Minde, Will and Heart, contrary to God, and deſiring thoſe things that God forbiddeth in his Law, which enſued upon the Fall of our firſt Parents. Every Breach of this Commandment may be termed Covetouſneſs: Now covetous men, the more they devour, the more they covet, like the Grave or the Barren Womb, Prov. 30.14, 15. like Dropſie men, or Pharaohs lean Kine: Thus Ahab, that had a Kingdom at command, covets a petty Vineyard, which coſts poor Naboth his Life and Living; but withal, covetous Ahab purchaſed more then he coveted, the Wrath of God, the Deſtruction of his perſon, the ruine of his Houſe, the loſs of his Kingdom, and the undoing of all his Poſterity, 1 Kings 21.16. The covetous man ſees nothing in another without grief to himſelf; the more he hath, the more he thinks he hath not; the fuller his Coffers are, the emptier he judgeth them; he as much wants what he hath, as what he hath not; the ſeaſonableneſs of Weather and fruitfulneſs of Seaſons trouble him, becauſe others partake of Gods Providence; he prays for a Dearth or Famine, that his commodities may ſell for more then he values his Soul at; he hates the Rich, becauſe he hath not ſomewhat they poſſeſs; he hates the Poor, becauſe they crave away his Life: As for Spiritual matters, he counts Salvation it ſelf not worth one years Extortion. This Sin of Covetouſneſs may be in the Poor as well as in the Rich, when they uſe ungodly ſhifts and unlawful means to ſtore themſelves with Meat or Money, or any other thing, which is right Covetouſneſs; and when they murmure and grudge at their condition, not bearing the burthen of Poverty patiently, murmuring alſo at him that ſendeth it: for whoſoever diſdaineth his preſent ſtate, becauſe it is not higher, richer and better, is covetous: This was the ſin cauſed the Rich man to forgo the Savior of Mankinde, rather then his Temporal Poſſeſſions; this makes it is as difficult a matter for the Rich to enter Heaven, as a Camel the Needles eye; this made Achan play the Thief; this brought him to ſo fearful an end, Joſh. 7.25. This brought the leproſie on Gehazi, and Judas to his own Gallows, Mat. 27.5. This is the occaſion of all corruptions in all Profeſſions, in all Ages, in all degrees of men, indeed the very Root of all evil.
Thou ſhalt not Covet] The cogitation or motion of the heart is of three ſorts; viz.
1. Some glancing or ſudden thought ſuggeſted to the minde by Satan, which ſuddenly vaniſheth away, and is not received of the minde: The ſigns to know and diſtinguiſh theſe diabolical Temptations from the motions of our own Fleſh, may be ſuch as theſe; viz.
1. They are ſudden, and come into the minde without any object leading thereunto.
2. They are often, yea thouſands of times iterated without intermiſſion, to the infeebling of the faculties of minde and body, and weakning of the ſenſes.
3. They are motions oft horrible to Nature, as to Murthers of others or ones ſelf.
4. They move to things unpleaſing, tedious and irkſom.
5. They are violent, and enforce almoſt to the doing of that unto which we are moved.
2. The Second is a more permanent Thought or Motion, the which as it were tickleth and inveigleth the minde with ſome inward joy.
3. The Third is a cogitation drawing from the Will and Affection full aſſent to ſin. Now we are to underſtand this Commandment of the Second ſort of Motions onelyonly: for the Firſt ſort, being a ſudden thought ſuggeſted to the minde by Satan, is no ſin of ours, but the Devils: And the Third kinde, which have conſent of Will, belong to the Five former Commandments.
In this Commandment are prohibited theſe and the like ſins; viz.
1. Concupiſcence it ſelf, namely, Original corruption, in as much as it is hurtful to our Neighbor, Jam. 1.14.
2. Each corrupt and ſudden cogitation and paſſion of the heart, ſpringing out of the bitter root of concupiſcence, Gal. 5.17. To this place appertaineth Satans ſuggeſtion, if after the firſt offer it be entertained and received in the Cloſet of the heart.
3. The leaſt cogitation and motion, the which, though it procure not conſent, delights and tickles the heart: Of this kinde are theſe fooliſh Wiſhes, I would ſuch a Houſe were mine, Such a Living, Such a thing, &c. And hitherto may we refer all unchaſte Dreams, ariſing from the force of concupiſcence.
Here are comcommanded
1. A pure heart towards our Neighbor, 1 Tim. 1.15.
2. Holy cogitations and motions of the Spirit, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. Eph. 4.23.
3. A conflict againſt the evil Affections and Luſts of the fleſh, Rom. 7.22, 23. 2 Cor. 12.7.
That we may be the better preſerved from this ſin of coveting,
1. Let us conſider our unworthineſs of thoſe things we have of our own, be they never ſo mean in reſpect of the ſuperfluity of others.
2. Let us conſider the Providence of God, which appoineth for every one as he ſeeth moſt fit and convenient.
3. Let us conſider the deceitfulneſs of our own hearts, which, for ought we know, would not be fully ſatisfied, did we enjoy what we covet.
4. Let us ſhut our eyes againſt the beholding of tempting objects; for by the outward ſenſes, the fire of concupiſeence is kindled within us; and withal, let us ardently and conſtantly pray for the extinguiſhing of this fire, and to have a fire of heavenly deſires kindled in us.
The covetous are Idolaters two ways; viz.
1. Becauſe they prefer their Riches in their affection before God, the gift before the Giver; depending more on them then on God, truſting in them as in God.
2. Becauſe they account their life to conſiſt in their Riches, and to reſt upon their Wealth, rather then to ſtand on the Providence of God, failing of all hope, and comfort and joy, when their Wealth faileth them. This was Satans bait even to our Savior Chriſt himſelf, to tempt him to Idolatry, when he offered him the Kingdom of the World, and the glory thereof.
The evils of covetouſneſs; viz.
1. It ſetteth the minde upon a Rack, fretting, fuming, vexing, tormenting, diſordering, diſquieting and diſtempering it ſelf.
2. It bewrayeth much impiety and infidelity, that their hearts are deſtitute of true godlineſs, whatſoever ſhew they make to the contrary, 1 Tim. 6.6. Pſ. 119.36. Jam. 1.27. for the ſoul which is heavenly in them, is made earthly.
3. There is no ſin which a covetous man wil not commit for his gain, therefore the Apoſtle calls it the Root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10. it is in effect the breach of the whole Law, it ſetteth up a ſtrange or falſe god in the heart, therefore it is called the worſhipping of Images, Col. 3.5. and the covetous perſon an Idolater, Eph. 5.5. he will Swear, Curſe and Blaſpheme to get an Half-peny, Prov. 30.9. he regardeth the Sabbath not ſo much as his Purſeſtrings; nay he will damn his Soul to fill his Purſe, Amos 8.5. This was the cauſe of lying in Gehazi, 2 Kings 5.25. of Murther in Ahab, 1 Kings 21.19. of Treachery in Judas, Mat. 26.15. of Theft in Achan, Joſh. 7.21. of Apoſtacy in Demas, 2 Tim. 4.10.
The thoughts of the heart being chiefly concerned in this Commandment, conſider three ways to diſcern the thoughts that are conveyed into the minde by the Devil:
1. They come ſpeedily, as lightning into a houſe, and in a maner forced into the minde, as that the party cannot avoid them; and they come into it again and again, yea a thouſand times a day.
2. Becauſe they are directly againſt the light of Nature, the ſparks whereof are not quite extinct in us by ſin, for every man thinks reverently of God by Nature.
3. At the firſt conceiving of them the party is ſmitten with an extraordinary fear, his fleſh is troubled, and oftentimes ſickneſs and faintings do follow.
Unclean thoughts, wch have their reſidence in the minde of man, are of two ſorts; viz.
1. Inward, and ſuch as have their Original from the fleſh, and ariſe of the corruption of mans Nature, though ſtirred up by the Devil: Theſe at the very firſt conceiving are our ſins, though they have no long abode in the heart.
2. Outward, and are ſuch as have relation to an outward cauſe or beginning: Of which ſort are thoſe evil thoughts that are conveyed into the minde by the Devil, and if we take no pleaſure in them, nor yield conſent unto them, they are not to be accounted our ſins but the Devils, by whom they were ſuggeſted.
Divers are the kindes of wicked Thoughts: Theſe three are the moſt common; viz.
1. Voluptuous, ſet upon Vanities, Pleaſures, Delights, Sports, and ſuch like.
2. Ambitious, ſet upon Pride, aſpiring after Honor, who ſhall be greateſt.
3. Malicious, enviouſly bent towards others, ſeeking to do Miſchief.
The Conditions required in Wiſhing Evil againſt others, that our Thoughts may not be evil; viz.
1. All Imprecations or evil Wiſhings, which are made abſolutely without ſome Propheſie or ſpecial Revelation, are Sins.
2. They muſt be done without private hatred and deſire of Revenge.
3. They muſt be done in reſpect of Gods glory onelyonly, and the preſervation of the true Church.
4. We muſt not imprecate, or wiſh evil, as it is an evil; as it is the Deſtruction of them againſt whom we wiſh it.
Two ſpecial Rules to guard and keep the heart ſafe from evil thoughts:
1. That the Word of God dwell plentifully in us, by daily meditation of the Commandments, Promiſes and Threatnings revealed in the ſame.
2. To eſtabliſh our Thoughts by counſel, Prov. 20.18. that is, not once to think or conceive ſo much as a thought, but upon advice and direction taken at God and his Word. This Rule we muſt practice in the uſe of our Senſes, Speeches and Actions.
Can man be, when the Heart gives not conſent,
Guilly the Breach of this Commandment?
'Tis ſo: for ſince our Parents fell, we all
Are ſubject to this Sin Original;
…et ſo, as firſt we muſt take pleaſure in
This new conceived Embryo of Sin:
…r if we hate the Thought, ſtrive to reject
The Motions that do on our Hearts reflect,
The Sin is Satans, and not ours; for we
Not tickled with this thought of Sin, are free.