Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 18
18. Q. What is the tenth Commandement?
A. Exod. 20.17.Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his man-ſervant, nor his maid-ſervant, nor his oxe, nor his aſſe, nor any thing that is thy neighbours.
Here thou art at the very foot of the ladder: and from hence thou mayſt riſe to the higheſt pitch of morall vertue, What is required in the tenth commandement.or of ſinne againſt it. If thou have this coveting after that which is thy neighbors, thou wilt not ſpare falſhood to get it. If thou canſt once out-face truth, then have at thy neighbours goods for thy profit, thy neighbours honeſty for thy pleaſure, yea thy neighbours life rather then thou wilt miſſe of either; and next, have at thy neighbours honour, that thou mayſt have none to puniſh thee; and then have at thy God in all diſobedience: for if thou ſinneſt againſt thy neighbour whom thou ſeeſt, thou wilt much more ſinne againſt thy God whom thou doeſt not ſee but in his word, and works. Therefore God requires in this Commandement, ſuch an evenneſſe of ſpirit, that nothing that is thy neighbours doe trouble thee. Hath thy neighbour better houſe, better wife, better ſervants, better cattell, better any thing then thee? thy eye may not be evill becauſe Gods is good. If thou have God, it is enough, it is all things: nothing that is thy neighbours muſt trouble thee.
This Coveting is call'd Evill concupiſcence, Col. 3.5.and is an inordinate motion of thy ſoule ſoliciting to evill againſt thy neighbour. This is of two ſorts, originall, and actuall. Originall (referred to neighbours) is part of thy fleſh, which, by proneneſſe, poyſoneth thy ſoule, and moveth thee to injuſtice. Actuall, are ill motions riſing from thence in thy mind by fooliſh fanſies, thoughts, and judgements, and in thy heart by affections, wiſhes, and deſires, inordinately carried after pleaſures (the luſts of the fleſh), profits (the luſts of the eyes), and honour (the pride of life). This Coveting muſt not be carried, in ſpeciall, after things without life, as thy neighbours houſe, nor after things with life, which are reckoned according to their honour, as, thy neighbours wife, ſervants, oxe, or aſſe: nor in generall, after any thing that is thy neighbours, that ſo thou mayſt know that nothing is to be excepted. Theſe home-bred broyles and covetings are the cauſes of all evils, when they are yeelded unto: therefore God hath ſet them at the lower end of this Ladder.
Vſe. Be carefull (my child) to watch with all care and diligence, in thy ſoule, about theſe covetings. Have ſuch a quiet reſting in God, and all that he gives thee, be it little, or be it much, that nothing that is thy neighbours trouble thee. If thou doe not, thou wilt trouble thy ſelfe, and thou wilt be provoked to hurt and trouble thy neighbour, and to riſe higher to a more direct ſinning againſt thy God.
Thus have I given thee (fit for thy capacity, I hope) a ſhort ſumme of theſe Ten Lawes of God: now look back, and let me ſee what thou haſt obſerved. Thou haſt told me that God made thee to ſerve him as he hath commanded in his Lawes.
Q. Where are theſe Laws ſet down?
A. In Exodus, and Deuteronomy.
Q. How many of them are they?
A. They are ten, in two Tables.
Q. What doth God require in the firſt?
A. My having the true God onelyonly to be my God.
Q. How canſt thou have God?
A. By cleaving unto God by Covenant.
Q. How muſt that be?
A. By knowledge, faith, love, hope, feare, confidence, patience, prayer, and vowes.
Q. What doth he require in the ſecond?
A. My giving of God his owne worſhip, and ſervice.
Q. How canſt thou doe that?
A. By abhorring the will-worſhip of Idolaters, and ſerving him according to his owne will.
Q. What doth he require in the third?
A. My worſhipping of God in his owne manner.
Q. How muſt that be done?
A. By obſerving not onelyonly the matter of his worſhip, but the manner, that it be done well.
Q. What doth he require in the fourth?
A. My worſhipping of God by his owne meanes upon that time that is appointed by him.
Q. What are his means to advance his worſhip now?
A. The Miniſtery of the word of God.
Q. What is the appointed time?
A. The ſeventh part of time; as the Sabbath was in the old World, ſo the Lords day in the new.
Q. What doth he require in the fifth Commandement?
A. Superiours, and Inferiours, with their ſeverall duties.
Q. Whom doe you meane by Superiours?
A. Thoſe that are in ſtate of excellency above us.
Q. Whom doe you meane by Inferiours?
A. Thoſe that are in ſeverall orders under them.
Q. What is it to honour them?
A. According to their order above us, to have reverence, obedience, feare and thankfulneſſe.
Q. What doth he require in the ſixth Commandement?
A. The preſervation of our owne, and our neighbours lives.
Q. May none be killed?
A. Yes: upon a juſt cauſe, by a juſt perſon, in a juſt order, and with a juſt mind.
Q. What then is murder?
A. An unlawfull hurting of the life of any man, in thought, word, and deed, or inclination.
Q. What doth he require in the ſeventh Commandement?
A. The preſervation of our owne or neighbours chaſtitie.
Q. What doe you meane by adultery?
A. Properly, the abuſing of anothers bed.
Q. What doe you meane by it here?
A. All unchaſtity in nature, preparation, or thought, word, and deed.
Q. What doth he require in the eighth Commandement?
A. The preſervation of our own, and neighbours goods.
Q. What is meant here by ſtealing?
A. A cloſe conveyance away of our owne, or our neighbours goods.
Q. What is comprehended under it?
A. All hurting of our neighbour in his goods, either in nature, or thought, word, or deed.
Q. What doth God require in the ninth Commandement?
A. The preſervation of our owne, or our neighbours truth.
Q. What doe you meane by falſe witneſſe?
A. Any teſtimony, by word, or deed, which is either againſt truth, or againſt truth and charitie.
Q. What doth God require in the tenth Commandement?
A. Such an evenneſſe of ſpirit, that nothing that is my neighbours trouble me.
Thus thou haſt heard what God is, that he made thee to ſerve him, that thou muſt ſerve him according to his Lawes, and what theſe lawes are: Now tell me.