Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 20
The tenth Commandment.Tenth Commandment.
Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbours.
The Affirmative part of this Commandment is this.Affirmative part.
We are commanded here to labour, to keep our hearts pure towards our Neighbour, 1 Tim. 1. 5.
And to endeavour that the cogitations, thoughts, and motions of our hearts may be holy, and our spirits free from such vanity. To this purpose was Pauls prayer for the Thessaloniaus, 1 Thes. 5. 23. Eph. 4. 23.
And to fight against the evil affections, and lusts of the flesh, Rom. 7. 12, 24. 2 Cor. 12. 7. to the 9.
Cogitations, thoughts, or motions of the heart are of three kindes.
1. A glancing, or suddain thought suggested to the minde by Sathan,The kindes of the motions, or thoughts of the heart. This doth suddenly vanish away, and is not received of the minde; This is no sin, It was in Christ himself, when as he was tempted by the Devil, Matth. 4. 1, 3.
2 A more remaining, and abiding thought, or motion, which doth as it were tickle, and mingle the minde with some inward joy.
A thought, or motion, which draweth from the will and affection a full assent to sin.
To covet is to think inwardly, and to desire any thing, whereby our Neighbour may be hindred, although there doth ensue no assent of the will to commit that evil.
There is a concupiscence, or coveting which is evil, as when any man doth desire that which is anothers, with his loss, damage, and injury.
And there is a concupiscence, or a coveting, or a desire which is good, as when a man doth desire meat and drink for the body. And the desire of the spirit when it lusteth, fighteth, striveth, and strugleth against the flesh, Gal. 5. 17.
The Negative part of this Commandment is this.The Negative part.
Here is forbidden concupiscence it self, that is, original corruption, because it is hurtfull to our Neighbour, Jam. 1. 14.
And all sudden corrupt cogitations of the heart, which spring out of the bitter root of concupiscence, Gal. 5 17. Luke 10. 27.
And all suggestions of Sathan, which after the first offer are entertained, and received into the closet of the heart.
And the entertaining of all tickling cogitations, and motions of the heart that do thus delight it, as to say with prejudice to any, I would such a house was mine, or such a living, or such a thing.
And all unchaste dreams, which do arise from the force of concupiscence, or from the strength of any lustfull desires, which man doth suffer his heart to be possest withall
The use of the Law is this▪Vses of the Law.
1. In un-regenerate men it layeth sin open, and makes it known to them, Rom. 3. 20.
2. In unregenerate men it doth encrease sin, and that because of the flesh, and this is the cause that men do decline from the Commandment, and encline to that which is forbidden them, Rom 7. 8, 9, 10.
3. It is to denounce eternal damnation for the least disobedience, without offering any hope of pardon.
This sentence the Law doth pronounce against offendours; and by it, it doth reign and rule over a man, partly by threatning him, and partly by terrifying him, Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 7, 8.
The end of the reigning of sin in men, is to urge sinners to fly unto Christ, Rom. 11. 32. Gal. 3. 22. 24.
The continuance of the power of the Law is for ever, unless a sinner doth repent.
The very first act of repentance doth so free a sinner; as that, immediatly upon it, he is no more under the Law, but under grace, as we may see by David, 1 Sam. 12. 13. Rom. 6. 14.
If we mean to have eternal life, we must examin the course of our lives by the square of Gods Law; we must set the course due unto our sins before our eys, and bewail our miseries, and have a holy despair of our own powers, and renounce our selves, and sue unto Christ Jesus.
This is the use of the Law, in unregenerate men and women.
The use of the Law in regenerate men, is,—
—To guide them to new obedience in the whole course of their lives, and this new obedience is acceptable to God through Christ; Rom. 3. 31. Psal. 119. 24. 105.