A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 25
CHAP. 25.
Of the tenth Commandement.
Sinne that cōmeth not ſo farre as conſent, is concupiſcence:
The cauſe,
Firſt, Adams ſinne.
Ariſing from the firſt, Originall Corruption.
The degrees, euill thoughts
Neuer liked of.
Liked of, but reiected.
EXOD. 20. verſ. 17. Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours wife, nor his man-ſeruant, nor his maid-ſeruant, nor his oxe, nor his aſſe, nor any thing that is thy neighbours.
Q. SO much of the Commandements that forbid thoſe ſinnes againſt our neighbour, which come to conſent, or further. The tenth Commandement followeth, which forbiddeth thoſe ſinnes which come not ſo farre. What is that Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not couet, &c.
Q. Is here forbidden all coueting, or deſire?
A. No: There is a naturall deſire of meate, drinke, ſleepe, and poſteritie, which kept within their bounds, Deut 12. 25. Gal. 5. 17.are not to be condemned. Likewiſe the ſpirit (after a ſort) deſireth and luſteth againſt the fleſh, as well as the fleſh againſt the ſpirit.
Q. What is the coueting then that is here condemned?
A. That which is called Concupiſcence.
Q. VVhat is that?
A. All vnlawfull coueting of pleaſures or profit, which concerne our neighbour, and in them all other luſts and deſires againſt our neighbour, which come not to conſent; and therfore it is not ſimply ſaid, Thou ſhalt not couet, or, thou ſhalt not couet a wife, a man-ſeruant, &c. but, Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours wife, &c.
Q. Why is there heere ſpeciall mention of ſeruants, oxe, and aſſe?
A. Becauſe there was ſpeciall vſe of theſe amongſt Gods people then, more then amongſt vsus, for (as the Rabbines alſo hauehave truly obſerued) the Scripture vſeth to ſpeake of things that fall into the common practice of mans life.
Q. This Commandement then reacheth further then all the former?
A. Yea verily: in which reſpect, the Apoſtle confeſſeth, that notwithſtanding he profited in the knowledge of the Law aboue his fellowes; yet hee knew not what ſinne was, vntill (hauing commenced Doctor Rom. 7. 7.in the ſchoole of the holy Ghoſt) through the knowledge of the Goſpell, he vnderſtood this Commandement. And therefore it is no great maruell, if the great Doctors in Poperie remaine ignorant of this Commandement. Further, by this Commandement eſpecially are all men conuinced of ſinne, becauſe all Pſal. 143. 2. Rom. 7. 7.men couet.
Q. VVhat learne you from hence?
A. The errour of the Papiſts, which denie Concupiſcence to bee a ſinne; and that hold, that wee hauehave Gal. 5. 16. 17.free will to doe good or euill; whereas we cannot but couet euill, vntill we be borne anew; and the very coueting of euill, is a ſinne.
Q. If we ſinne neceſſarily, and cannot but ſinne, then it ſeemeth we are not to be blamed.
A. That followeth not: for though wee ſinne neceſſarily, yet we ſinne voluntarily alſo: therefore that excuſe which the neceſſity of ſinning may ſeeme to make for vsus, our willingneſſe to ſinne doth take from vsus. Beſides, this neceſſity is no other then that which we brought vponupon our ſelues: therefore as drunkennes excuſeth not the murtherer, becauſe hee dranke willingly; no more doth the neceſſity of ſinning excuſe vsus, becauſe (by our voluntary drinking of Satans poyſoned cup, in Adams loynes) wee brought it vponupon our ſelues.
Q. Shew me firſt the cauſes, then the degrees of concupiſcence,
A. The cauſe thereof is either firſt and mediate, or immediate and ſecondarie.
Q. VVhat is the firſt cauſe?
A. That ſinne which Adam committed firſt, and which wee alſo hauehave committed in Adam, the guilt thereof (by propagation and generation) being deriued to vsus; conſidering that as Adams integrity ſhould hauehave been ours, if he had ſtood in it: ſo was his tranſgreſſion ours, the couenant being made with him, both for himſelfe, and all mankinde that were to come of him.
Q. VVhat familiar example is there, to make this ſomewhat more plaine?
A. A man being a ſlaue, his progenie (to all poſterities) are ſlaues. A man alſo being attained of high treaſon, the attaint of blood reacheth to his poſteritie. The young ſerpents and wolues that neuer ſtung men, nor deuoured ſheepe, are notwithſtanding worthie to die; yea, while they are in their dams bellies.
Q. VVhat is the ſecondarie or immediate cauſe?
A. That ſinne which is commonly called Original ſin, conſiſting in the depriuation of good, and proneneſſe to euill; which ſinne is in vsus from the firſt minute Jam. 1. 14. Rom. 1. 22. 23. Mat. 15. 19.and moment of our conception. And this maketh againſt the Pelagians, who teach, that ſinne commeth by imitation onelyonly; whereas this corruption is in all men hy nature, and is the puddle and ſinke, from which all other ſinnes doe flow: which the more it is preſſed, the more it breaketh forth; as mighty ſtreames that cannot be ſtopped, till God (by his holy ſpirit) do Iam. 1. 14.reſtraine it: whence all other ſinnes, hauing their proper and ſpeciall names, this is called by the common and generall name of aRom. 7. 7. 8. 17. & Iam. 1. Heb. 12. 15.SINNE.
Q. VVhat are the degrees of Concupiſcence forbidden heere?
A. The firſt is, wandring and euil thoughts, though wee neuer like of them: for euen the very riſing of ſuch thoughts in our minds, argueth our corruption of nature: for were it not for that inborne corruption, ſuch thoughts could not once enter into our ſoules, further then they were offered vntounto vsus by ſome outward tentation of the diuell, or of the world, as it was Mat. 4. 1. 2. &c.vntounto our Sauiour Chriſt. And although in the incorrupt ſtate of man, he might dutifully hauehave thought of the tranſgreſſion of the Commandement, with a perfect hatred of it; yet the ſame ſhould not hauehave beene (as now it is) ſuddenly riſing in the minde, without thinking or meditation of the naughtineſſe and hatefulneſſe thereof; where now theſe thoughts riſe ſuddenly, and the hatred and deteſtation commeth after, and is not in ſuch perfection as then it ſhould hauehave been. Whereas the Lord our God hath the eyes of his glory ſo pure, that hee will not allow of the leaſt corruption Habak. 1. 13.in the temple of our hearts, where hee ſeateth himſelfe.
Q. VVhat is the ſecond degree of Concupiſcence?
A. When there are wandring wicked thoughts with ſome liking, though we reiect them. Hither may be referred firſt, vaine, ſudden wiſhes; then dreames, which hauehave ſome euill in them, and yet are not from any liking of thoſe things when a man is awake, but which a man when he is awake miſliketh.
Q. So much of the Commandement: What is the vſe of it?
A. It teacheth vsus more then all other Commandements of the ſecond table doe, that wee are miſerable and wretched by nature, ſubiect to the curſe and wrath of God.