QUEST. CXLVI. Which is the tenth Commandment?

ANSW. The tenth Commandment is, [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.]

QUEST. CXLVII. What are the duties required in the tenth Commandment?

ANSW. The duties required in the tenth Commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition, and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbour, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him tend unto and further all that good which is his.

QUEST. CXLVIII. What are the sins forbidden in the tenth Commandment?

ANSW. The sins forbidden in the tenth Commandment, are, discontent with our own estate; envying, and grieving at the good of our neighbours, together with all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his.

THE

HE general design of this commandment, is, to regulate and set bounds to our desires; and it contains a prohibition of coveting those things, that belong not to us. It is not to be split into two Commandments, as the Papists pretend; supposing that, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, is the ninth, and, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, &c. is the tenth Commandment; since these are only particular instances of the breach of the same Commandment, and the argument taken from the repetition of the words, Thou shalt not covet, is so very weak and inconclusive, that it would hardly have been made use of by them, had they not thought it necessary, some way or other, to make up the number ten; having as was observed, under a foregoing head, determined the second Commandment, not to be distinct from, but an appendix to the first *. But passing this by, we proceed to consider,

I. The duties required therein, which may be reduced to two heads;

1. Contentment with our own condition; by which we are not to understand that we are to give way to indolence or stupidity, but to exercise a composure of mind, acquiescing in the divine dispensations in every condition of life. Thus the apostle says, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith * See Page 509.

to be content, Phil. iv. 11. And this being applicable to all sorts of men, we may consider it,

(1.) As a grace that is to be exercised by those who are in prosperous circumstances in the world. Thus the apostle says, I know how to abound, ver. 12. and to be full, as well as to suffer need. We often find, that they who have the greatest share of the good things of this world, are so far from being satisfied with it, that their covetousness increaseth in proportion to their substance. But such ought to consider, that this is most unreasonable and ungrateful; and may justly provoke God to take away the blessing which he has given them, or add some circumstances thereunto, that will tend to embitter them; and it is a giving way to such a temper of mind as renders them really miserable in the midst of their abundance. But that which we shall principally consider, is,

(2.) How this grace of contentment is to be exercised by those who are in an afflicted state, together with the motives and inducements leading thereunto. And,

[1.] We will suppose persons under bodily weakness or pain, which tends much to embitter the comforts of life, by which means they are made uneasy; and, indeed, it is impossible, from the nature of the thing, for them not to complain, or groan under the burdens that are laid on them, as the Psalmist did, who speaks of himself as weary of his groaning, Psal. vi. 6. nor is it unlawful, provided they do not repine at, or find fault with, the methods of God's providence, in his dealing with them. Nevertheless there are some things that may induce them to be contented.

1st, When they consider, that the body gave occasion to the first entrance of sin into the world, and bears a part with the soul in all the sins committed, and guilt contracted thereby. It is therefore no wonder, when we find that it has its share in those miseries that attend it.

2dly, Bodily diseases are our monitors, to put us in mind of the frailty of our present state; and therefore, since they are the harbingers of death, we are hereby forwarned, to prepare for it, as making sensible advances towards it.

3dly, The greatest pains that we are liable to, are far short of what Christ endured for us; in which respect our afflictions are comparatively light, and a convincing proof, that they are not certain indications of our being rejected by God, Eccl.

ix. 1.

4thly, As God will not lay more on us than he will enable us to bear; so none of these afflictive dispensations shall have a tendency to separate the soul from Christ. Though we sometimes complain that this is a great interruption to the exercise of grace; yet this shall not be charged upon us as

our fault, any otherwise than as it is the effect of that sin, which is the procuring cause of all affliction.

5thly, The heavier our afflictions are at present, the more sweet and comfortable the heavenly rest will be, to those who have a well-grounded hope that they shall be brought to it, Job iii. 17. 2 Thess. i. 7. 2 Cor. iv. 17.

[2.] If our condition be low and poor in the world, we are not without some inducements to be content. For,

1st, Poverty is not, in itself, a curse, or inconsistent with the love of God, since Christ himself submitted to it, 2 Cor. viii. 9. Matt. viii. 20. and his best saints have been exposed to it, and glorified God, more than others, under it, 2 Cor. vi. 10.

2dly, How poor soever we are, we have more than we brought into the world with us, or than the richest person can carry out of it, Job i. 21.

3dly, They who have least of the world, have more than they deserve, or than God was under any obligation to give them.

[3.] Suppose we are afflicted in our good name, and do not meet with that love and esteem from the world, which might be expected; but, on the other hand, are censured, reproached, and hated by those with whom we converse. This should not make us, beyond measure, uneasy. For,

1st, We have reason to conclude, that the esteem of the world is precarious and uncertain; and they who most deserve it, have oftentimes the least of it. Thus our Saviour was one day followed with the caresses of the multitude, shouting forth their hosannah's to him; and the next day the common cry was, crucify him, crucify him. And when the apostle Paul and Barnabas, had healed the cripple at Lystra, they could, at first, hardly restrain the people from offering sacrifice to them; but afterwards they joined with the malicious Jews in stoning them, Acts xiv. 18, 19. And Paul tells the Galatians, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their eyes, and have given them to him;' but a little after this, he complains that he was become their enemy, because 'he told them the truth,' Gal. iv. 15, 16.

2dly, The esteem of men is no farther to be desired, than as it may render us useful to them; and if God is pleased to deny this to us, we are not to prescribe to him, what measure of respect he shall allot to us from the world, or usefulness in it.

3dly, Let us consider, that we know more evil abounding in our own hearts than others can charge us with. Therefore, how much soever they are guilty of injustice to us; yet this affords us a motive to contentment. Besides we have not

brought that honour to God that we ought; therefore, how just is it for him to deny us that esteem from men which we desire?

[4.] Suppose we are afflicted in our relations; there are some motives to contentment. Thus if servants have masters who make their lives uncomfortable, by their unreasonable demands, or unjust severity, such ought to consider, that their faithfulness and industry will be approved of, by God, how much soever it may be disregarded, by men; and a conscientious discharge of the duties incumbent on them, in the relation in which they stand, will give them ground to expect a blessing from God, to whom they are herein said to do service, which shall not go unrewarded, Eph. vi. 7, 8.

On the other hand, if masters are afflicted, by reason of the stubborn and unfaithful behaviour, or sloth and negligence, of their servants; let them enquire, whether this be not the consequence of their not being so much concerned for their spiritual welfare as they ought, or keeping up strict religion in their families? or, whether they have not been more concerned that their servants should obey them, than their great master, which is in heaven?

Again, if parents have undutiful children, which are a grief of heart to them; let them consider, as a motive to contentment, whether they have not formerly neglected their duty to their parents, slighted their counsels, or disregarded their repoofs? so whether they have not reason to charge themselves with the iniquity of their youth? and enquire, whether God be not, herein, writing bitter things against them for it? or, whether they have not neglected to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? These considerations will fence against all repining thoughts at the providence of God, that has brought these troubles upon them. And, as a farther inducement to make them easy, let such consider, that if this does not altogether lie at their door, but, they have been faithful to their children, in praying for, and intructing them, God may hear their prayers, and set home their instructions on their hearts, when they themselves are removed out of the world.

On the other hand, if children have wicked parents, whose conversation fills them with great uneasiness; let such consider, that this has been the case of many of God's faithful servants; such as Hezekiah, Josiah, and others; and they may be assured, that they shall have no occasion to use that proverb, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's 'teeth are set on edge,' Ezek. xviii. 2.

[5.] If we are afflicted, by reason of the treachery and unfaithfulness of pretended friends, which wound us in the most.

tender part, Psal. lv. 12, 13. we may be induced to be content. For,

1st, We have no ground to expect perfection in the best of men, nor that their love and favour is immutable; neither is our conduct always such, that we do not often forfeit the respect, which we once had from others.

2dly, If our friends deal deceitfully with us, or are unfaithful to us, without just ground; this is not without the permission of the wise and over-ruling providence of God, who, sometimes, orders it to take us off from a dependence upon men, or expecting too much happiness from them; which is to be sought for only in himself, Isa. ii. 22.

3dly, This is our encouragement, when we find a change in the behaviour of friends towards us, that our chief happiness consists in the unchangeable love of God, Mal. iii. 6.

[6.] When we are afflicted in the loss of friends, or near relations; let us consider, as a motive to contentment,

1st, That there is no reversing or altering the decree of God, which fixes the bounds of men's continuance in this world, Job xiv. 9.

2dly, All the comfort we have in friends and relations is a peculiar blessing from God; and he sometimes afflicts us in the loss of them, that he may draw off our affections from the best creature-enjoyments, and we may take up our rest intirely in himself. Moreover, we had never any reason to look on our friends as immortal, any more than ourselves; and therefore ought to say as David did when he lost his child, I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me, 2 Sam. xii. 23. and so. far as self-love is concerned herein, we have reason to give a check to the excess thereof, by the exercise of self-denial, and say with David, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it, Psal. xxxix. 8. or follow the example of Aaron, concerning whom it is said, that, when he lost two of his sons at once, by a public and awful stroke of divine justice, he held his peace, Lev. x. 3.

[7.] If we are afflicted by the want of success, or the many disappointments that attend us, in our lawful callings, in the world, we have reason, notwithstanding, to be content, if we consider,

1st, That it is the sovereign hand of God that orders our condition therein, as to what respects the success or disappointments that attend it; therefore we are not to strive against our Maker, or find fault with his will, who may do what he pleases with his own.

2dly, A man's happiness does not really consist in the abundance of what he possesses, Luke xii. 15. but rather in his having a heart to use it aright; therefore we ought to say to