Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant… I. IT FORBIDS COVETOUSNESS IN GENERAL: "Thou shalt not covet." It is lawful to use the world; yea, and to desire so much of it as may — 1. Keep us from the temptation of poverty: "Give me not poverty, lest I steal, and take the name of my God in vain." 2. As may enable us to honour God with works of mercy: "Honour the Lord with thy substance." But all the danger is when the world gets into the heart. The water is useful for the sailing of the ship; all the danger is when the water gets into the ship; so the fear is when the world gets into the heart.What is it to covet? There are two words in the Greek which set forth the nature of covetousness — 1. Pleonexia, which signifies an "insatiable desire of getting the world." Covetousness is a dry dropsy. 2. Philargyria, which signifies an "inordinate love of the world." He may be said to be covetous, not only who gets the world unrighteously,but who loves the world inordinately. But, for a more full answer to the question,What is it to covet? I shall show you in six particulars when a man may be said to be given to covetousness. 1. When his thoughts are wholly taken up about the world. 2. A man may be said to be given to covetousness when he takes more pains for the getting of earth than for the getting of heaven. The Gauls, who were an ancient people of France, after they had tasted of the sweet wine of the Italian grape, inquired after the country, and never rested till they had arrived at it; so a covetous man, having had a relish of the world, pursues after it, and never leaves it till he hath got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. 3. A man may be said to be given to covetousness when all his discourse is about the world. 4. A man is given to covetousness when he doth so set his heart upon worldly things that for the love of them he will part with heavenly; for the "wedge of gold" he will part with the "pearl of great price." 5. A man is given to covetousness when he overloads himself with worldly business. He takes so much business upon him that he cannot find time to serve God; he hath scarce time to eat his meat, but no time to pray. 6. He is given to covetousness whose heart is so set upon the world that, to get it, he cares not what unlawful indirect means he useth; he will have the world, "by right or wrong"; he will wrong and defraud, and raise his estate upon the ruins of another.I shall prescribe some remedies and antidotes against this sin. 1. Faith: "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." The root of covetousness is the distrust of God's providence; faith believes God will provide — God, who feeds the birds, will feed His children, He who clothes the lilies will clothe His lambs; and so faith overcomes the world. 2. The second remedy is judicious consideration. (1) What poor things these things below are that we should covet them. (2) The frame and contexture of the body. "God hath made the face to look upward towards heaven." Can it be imagined that God gave us intellectual, immortal souls to covet only earthly things? What wise man would fish for gudgeons with golden hooks? Did God give us glorious souls only to fish for the world? Sure our souls are made for a higher end — to aspire after the enjoyment of God in glory. (3) The examples of those who have been contemners and despisers of the world. The righteous are compared to a palm-tree. Philo observes that whereas all other trees have their sap in their root, the sap of the palm-tree is towards the top: the emblem of the saints, whose hearts are above in heaven, where their treasure is. Covet spiritual things more, and you will covet earthly things less. Covet grace; grace is the best blessing — it is the seed of God, the angels' glory. Covet heaven; heaven is the region of happiness, it is the most pleasant climate. Did we covet heaven more, we should covet earth less. II. I shall speak of it more particularly: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife," etc. Observe here THE HOLINESS AND PERFECTION OF GOD'S LAW; it forbids the first motions and risings of sin in the heart: "Thou shalt not covet." The laws of men take hold of the actions, but the law of God goes further — it forbids not only the actions, but the affections. Though the tree bears no bad fruit, it may be faulty at the root; though a man doth not commit any gross sin, yet who can say his heart is pure? Let us be humbled for the sin of our nature, the risings of evil thoughts, coveting that which we ought not. Our nature is a seed-plot of iniquity; it is like charcoal that is ever sparkling; the sparkles of pride, envy, covetousness, arise in the mind. How should this humble us! If there be not sinful actings, there are sinful coverings. Let us pray for mortifying grace which may be like the water of jealousy to make the thigh of sin to rot. Why is the house put before the wife? In Deuteronomy the wife is put first: "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house." Here the house is put first. In Deuteronomy the wife is set down first, in respect of her value. She, if a good wife, is of far greater value and estimate than the house; "her price is far above rubies." When Alexander had overcome King Darius in battle, Darius seemed not to be much dismayed; but when he heard his wife was taken prisoner, now his eyes, like spouts, did gush forth water. The nest is built before the bird is in it; the wife is first esteemed, but the house must be first provided. 1. Then, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house." How depraved is man since the Fall! Man knows not how to keep within bounds, but is ever coveting more than his own. It is only the prisoner lives in such a tenement as he may be sure none will go about to take from him. 2. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife." This Commandment is a bridle to check the inordinancy of brutish lusts. 3. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's manservant, nor his maidservant." Servants, when faithful, are a treasure. But this sin of coveting servants is common; if one hath a better servant, others will be inveigling and laying baits for him, and endeavour to draw him away from his master. 4. "Nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's." Were there not coveting of ox and ass, there would not be so much stealing. First men break the Tenth Commandment by coveting, and then they break the Eighth Commandment by stealing. But what means may we use to keep us from coveting that which is our neighbour's? The best remedy is contentment. If we are content with our own, we shall not covet that which is another's. ( T. Watson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. |
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