-22 Chapter 22. Of Contentment.

2-22 Chapter 22. Of Contentment.
TENTH COMMANDMENT: YOU SHALL NOT COVET
1. Contentment is a virtue, whereby the mind rests in that portion that God has given him, 1 Timothy 6:6; Hebrews 13:5; Php_4:11.1253
2. This Contentment is commanded in the Tenth Commandment,1254 as it appears by the words themselves; nor is it in any way fitting that this Commandment should be referred to that inward and original purity of righteousness which is the fountain of all obedience; for that is not generally commanded in any one Commandment, but in all; nor does it pertain more to the second Tablet (which is the condition of this precept) than it does to the first.
3. Yet, of all those virtues contained in the second Tablet, none is more internal or more intimate to primitive righteousness than contentment; and we are, as it were, led by the hand from this to contemplate and seek that contentment; therefore, by occasion of this precept, that purity is not unfitly handled here.
4. Joined to this contentment is joy for the prosperity of our Neighbour, as if it were for our own, Romans 12:15.1255
5. In that contentment and joy consists the peak and perfection of all charity toward our Neighbour. In this respect also, contentment is in a certain way the perfection of godliness and of a godly man. 1 Timothy 6:6, For godliness is great gain (μετὰ αὐταρκείας) with contentment, or producing the perfection of contentment.
6. Hence contentment is commanded in this last precept, according to that order which proceeds from the more imperfect to the more perfect, and from that which is more known to that which is less known.
7. For this is a duty that is most perfect, and most unknown to us by nature: that whatever we conceive or will, should be joined with the good of our Neighbour.
8. Therefore, by its own nature, contentment has first place among our duties to our Neighbour, as the foundation of all the rest; yet because it is last in coming into being in corrupted man, it is therefore commanded in the last place.
9. Opposed to Contentment is concupiscence, Hebrews 13:5.1256
10. By CONCUPISCENCE is not meant the power and faculty of lusting and desiring, which is natural; nor is it the act or operation of that natural faculty, which is also natural and lawful; nor is it the whole inclination of our nature which is corrupt, and which is not specially condemned by any one precept, but in the whole of the Law; nor is it all those chief and actual lusts which are inordinate, a great part of which are contrary to religion, and condemned in the first Tablet of the Law; nor lastly, is concupiscence all lusts which tend to hurt our Neighbour; for those which have a deliberate consent, joined with a purpose to prosecute them, are condemned in the several Commandments. But concupiscence is that desire by which the mind is first instigated and tickled with a desire for the good things which are our Neighbour’s, even though it has not yet come into the mind to get them by unlawful means, 1 Kings 21:2; Matthew 5:28.1257
11. Because of that affinity or near consanguinity which those first motions of injustice have with original corruption, and from which they arise, many usually confound the two. But 1. ORIGINAL SIN is an inbred habit perpetually dwelling in us, always having the same manner in respect to its existence while we live here; but these motions are transient actions proceeding from that habit. 2. That sin which dwells in us, is no more original than a general principle of all vitious actions;1258 but those acts which are condemned in this place,1259 are manifestly circumscribed as respecting only our Neighbour.
12. The Apostle himself, in Romans 7:1-25, plainly opens this precept by a Synecdoche of the operations of sin; for concupiscence (Romans 7:7) is the same as the affections of sinners (Romans 7:5); and with concupiscence effected by sin (Romans 7:8). And so it must necessarily be distinguished from sin dwelling in him (Romans 7:7).1260
13. Nor is it any marvel that the Pharisees (of whom Paul was one) did not acknowledge the first motions of concupiscence to be sins, seeing that it is still stiffly denied by their cousin germans,1261 the Papists.
14. Some divide this last precept of concupiscence in two,1262 so that one is of coveting the house, and the other of coveting the wife together with what follows. 1. They are forsaken of all reason. 2. They are constrained either to root out altogether the second precept of the first Tablet, 1263 or at least turn it into a needless appendix to the first; thus they may seem to retain ten precepts in number; or rather (which is evident in many of them) by obscuring the force of the second precept, they may distance it from themselves and their superstitions; but they are constrained to tear asunder this tenth precept. 3. They cannot with certainty determine which would be the ninth precept and which the tenth, because in the repetition of the Law in Deuteronomy 5:21, coveting the wife is put before coveting the house.1264 4. They can declare no distinct injustice between these types of covetings, from which it also comes to pass that they themselves, in explaining the Decalogue, always join (or rather confound) the ninth1265 and tenth precepts. 5. The very words of the Decalogue expressly note one precept when they forbid one act (You shall not covet); and one object (whatever is your Neighbour’s).
15. The inordinate love of ourselves, which is called φίλαυτος, is referred to in 2 Timothy 3:2 as a cause of concupiscence.
16. This self-love is the foundation and origin, in a way, of all sins, not only against our Neighbour, but also against God himself, 2 Timothy 3:2-17; 2 Timothy 4:1-22
17. This concupiscence is what John distributes into that which is of the flesh (respecting those things which pertain to food and lust); that which is of the eyes (respecting those things which pertain to outward delight and profit); and that which is of the pride of life (respecting those things which pertain to the glory and pomp of this world), 1 John 2:16.1267  
18. Opposed to joy and being well-pleased in the prosperity of our Neighbour, is envy, or an “evil eye,” Matthew 20:15,1268 and also ἐπιχαίροντες,1269 or rejoicing in the hurt of our Neighbour, Psalms 70:2-3; Obadiah 1:12.1270
19. In this last precept is commanded that perfection of Justice which in some way is explained throughout the whole second Tablet. As in the first precept of the first Tablet, all Religion is commanded in a certain manner; so that in the first precept of the first Tablet is contained that first and great Commandment, “You shall love God with all your heart.” And the second Tablet is like it: “You shall love your Neighbour as yourself.” This is contained in the last precept of the second Tablet.
20. From the perfection which shines forth in any one of these precepts, it is manifest that a perfect and accurate fulfilling of the Law is impossible, even to the faithful, by that grace which is bestowed upon them in this life. As it is well said, the rule and measure of our obedience is in the affirmative, “You shall love with all your heart;” and in the negative, “You shall not covet;” seeing that both of these are impossible in this life, it necessarily follows that none can exactly satisfy the Law.
21. In this life we know only in part, 1 Corinthians 13:9.1271 And therefore we act only in part. We have received only the first fruits of the Spirit, Romans 8:23.1272 And therefore we cannot exactly observe a Law altogether spiritually, Romans 7:1.1273 We carry about us flesh that lusts against the Spirit, Galatians 5:17.1274 Therefore we cannot obey without concupiscence, inclining and drawing us another way. Finally, we are not perfect, Php_3:12.1275 We cannot therefore perform perfect obedience; but we always need to have that petition in the heart, and in the mouth, “Forgive us our debts.”1276
22. Yet it is truly and rightly said that the yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is light, Matthew 11:30. And his Commandments are not grievous, 1 John 5:3. This is because the Law is considered there, 1. As it is observed by the faithful who delight in it, Romans 7:22; Psalms 119:14; Psalms 119:16, and not as it ought to be observed. For observing it brings rest to the souls of the faithful, Matthew 11:29 — even though the imperfection that clings to them is grievous and troublesome to them. 2. The Law is considered in respect to the spirit, not in respect to the flesh, Matthew 26:41.1277 3. It is considered in respect to Remission of sin, and of all that imperfection which clings to our endeavours. 4. In comparison to the Letter of the Law which kills.1278 5. In comparison also to the reward appointed by God for the imperfect obedience that has begun. In this sense, all afflictions are counted light, 2 Corinthians 4:17.1279
The easiness therefore, and the lightness of the Law of God,
is not in proportion to our strength, but in the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God,
together with the Communication of the
Holy Spirit, which is with all those
who love the Law of God,

Amen.

FINIS