Day 139: The Tenth Commandment

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.79-81;
Larger Catechism Q.146-148

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 79. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. 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 maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s [r].

[r] Exodus 20:17

Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.146. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shall not covet they 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 [a].

[a] Exodus 20:17

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition [s], with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his [t].

[s] Hebrews 13:5 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.
1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

[t] Job 31:29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him.
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
1 Timothy 1:5 Now, the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Ver.5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Ver.6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Ver.7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.147. What are the duties required in the tenth commandment?
A. The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition [b], 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 [c].

[b] Hebrews 13:5 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.
1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

[c] Job 31:29 If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Psalm 122:7-9 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. Ver.8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Ver.9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
1 Timothy 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Esther 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Ver.5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Ver.6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Ver.7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate [v], envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour [w], and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his [x].

[v] 1 Kings 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers: and he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
Esther 5:13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.
1 Corinthians 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

[w] Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Ver.16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work.

[x] Romans 7:7 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. Ver.8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Romans 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself [Leviticus 19:18].
Deuteronomy 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour;s house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.148. What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own estate [d]; envying [e] and grieving at the good of our neighbour [f], together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his [g].

[d] 1 Kings 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
Esther 5:13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.
1 Corinthians 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

[e] Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Ver.16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

[f] Psalm 112:9-10 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. Ver.10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Nehemiah 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

[g] Romans 7:7-8 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. Ver.8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Romans 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Deuteronomy 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

End of Lesson, Day 139

Wednesday