CHAPTER X.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
EXODUS XX, 17: _Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's._
The sin here prohibited is an inordinate desire for, or an unlawful lusting after, what is another man's. Thus the law of God not only condemns sinful actions, it also condemns sinful desires and thoughts. Sin has its origin in the heart. "From within, out of the heart, proceed evil thoughts," etc. Hence the law of God takes cognizance of the state of the heart, as well as of the outward conduct.
1. COVETOUSNESS CONDEMNED.
EX. XX, 17. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
DEUT. V, 21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's.
ROM. VII, 7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
1 COR. V, 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
COL. III, 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
HEB. XIII, 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
PSALM X, 3. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
MICAH II, 1. Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
HAB. II, 9. Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
MARK VII, 22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
EPH. V, 5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
PROV. XXVII, 20. Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
ECCL. IV, 8. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
ECCL. V, 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
2. UNJUST MEANS OF ACQUIRING PROPERTY CONDEMNED.
PROV. I, 18. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
1 TIM. VI, 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
MATT. XVI, 26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
JOB XXVII, 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
PROV. XIII, 7. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
1 TIM. VI, 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
PROV. XV, 6. In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
JAMES V, 1. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
LUKE VI, 24. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
JOB XX, 18. That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away a house which he builded not.
ISAIAH LVIII, 8. Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
9. In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.
JER. XXI, 12. O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
LUKE III, 13. And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
PROV. XXVIII, 8. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
PROV. XXVIII, 2. For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
PROV. XXII, 22. Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23. For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
JER. VII, 11. Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.
3. THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN RICHES.
PSALM XLIX, 6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.
PSALM LII, 5. God shall likewise destroy thee forever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place, and root thee out of the land of the living.
6. The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
PROV. XI, 28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
PROV. X, 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
PROV. XXVIII, 11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor man that hath understanding searcheth him out.
JER. IX, 23. Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches.
MARK X, 23. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24. And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
1 TIM. VI, 17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
1 TIM. VI, 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
PSALM LXXIII, 3. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
12. Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
JAMES II, 2. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3. And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool.