The Forty-fourth Lord’s Day

44 The Forty-fourth Lord’s Day
Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's.
In this last Commandment is handled the estate and condition of our Neighbour in common, as appears by these last words, nor whatever is your neighbour’s. For as in the first Commandment of the first Tablet, that duty is commanded on which all other duties lie and depend; so also in this last Commandment of the last Tablet, that duty is handled on which all other duties that relate to our neighbour depend. About this state of our neighbour in common, covetousness is forbidden. This covetousness is neither to be understood as the natural faculty of coveting or desiring, which of itself is good and lawful; and it is not to be ranked with forbidden things. Nor is this covetousness to be understood as every concupiscence or lust; because such acts of filthy lust have the consent of the will joined with them to accomplish the acts of sin, if occasion were given. As such, they are prohibited in the other Commandments, according to their kinds to which they belong. Christ himself teaches about man inordinately lusting after a woman, which he callsadultery, and shows that it is forbidden in the seventh Commandment.1 Nor yet is this covetousness to be understood as that innate and inbred lust in us which is original sin, and the tinder2 to all actual sin; because that is no more forbidden in any one Commandment, than the contrary original righteousness and innocence is commanded in the whole Law. But as this primitive righteousness is commanded of us in all the Law throughout, so the contrary original sin, lust, or inclination and propensity to evil, in general, is forbidden in the whole Law, and not in any one commandment. Here then is properly understood that covetousness which is a disorderly desire or longing for anything that is our neighbour’s, though we do not fully consent to it, and though we never desire to accomplish it by unlawful means.
Doctrine 1. The first motions3 in which we are touched by an inordinate desire, are to be considered sins that are to be shunned.4
It is gathered from the words of the Commandment, because that first lusting after anything that is our neighbour’s is expressly condemned; and all other inordinate motions are of the same kind.
Reason 1 . Because such motions are contrary to the perfection of God’s Image, which we are everywhere bound to keep entire in ourselves, as much as possible. 
Reason 2. Because such motions are contrary to charity, whereby we ought to love God with our whole heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. For if this charity were perfect in us, no place would be left in us for such motions or affections, either against God, or against our Neighbour.
1 Matthew 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
2 Fuel for a fire. 
3 That is, inclinations of the heart; motivations.
4 Avoid and deliberately stay away from; stay clear of.
Reason 3 . Because in such motions there is a certain beginning of a consent to evil, though it is not full and perfect. This appears from that hidden liking and delight that usually accompanies such motions, until they are seriously repressed.
Use 1 . Of Refutation: against Papists who do not hold such first motions to be sins, and so they do not acknowledge the spiritual depth of sin; and by the same means in great part they take away the power of repentance and spiritual humiliation.
Use 2 . Of Admonition: that with all diligence we keep our hearts;1 though we cannot be altogether free from such motions, yet as much as possible, we are to keep ourselves from them; and that is for two reasons: 1. Because they have something of sinfulness in them, and also tend to promote heavier sins. 2. Because in some way they defile our mind, and make it less fit to exercise and preserve holy motions.
Doctrine 2. Everyone ought to be content with that portion and condition that God has measured out to him. 
This is hence gathered, because contentment with our own is the duty directly contrary to desiring what is another’s.2
Reason 1. Because we ought to rest in God’s dispensation, as in our Father’s good providence who knows best what is good for us. 
Reason 2. Because this contentment does much for the quietness of our mind, and so for the happiness of our life.
Reason 3 . Because the lack of this contentment argues that our love of the world and of ourselves is too great, and it comes from a perverse affection, that we are not content with our lot.
Use 1 . Of Reproof: against those who think about almost nothing else, than about how they may gain such or such a worldly thing that they do not have; so that their whole life is nothing else but a continual exercise of avarice and ambition.
Use 2 . Of Exhortation: that we may more and more strive for this contentment of mind, which is the companion of true piety, as it is said: Godliness is great gain, with a mind contented with its own condition. 7 For we brought nothing with us into this world, nor can we take anything out of it with us;8 but having food and clothing, let us be content with these. 9 But those who would be rich fall into temptation, and into a snare, and many lusts or covetings,etc.etc. 9. 
Doctrine 3. We ought to desire our Neighbour’s good as well as our own.1
1 Proverbs 4:20-27 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they arelife to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Luke 21:34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
2 Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Php_4:11-12 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
This is hence gathered, that here is forbidden the coveting of that which is our Neighbour’s; from this it follows that we should not only leave to him those things which are his, but also (which is more) heartily desire that he may keep and enjoy his own to his own contentment, and not that we should have them or desire them. So that, just as the love of God above all other things is commanded in the first Commandment, so loving our Neighbour as ourselves seems to be chiefly commanded and summed up in this last Commandment.2
Reason 1. Because love to our Neighbour ought to follow from our love to God; and God may be as well honoured by the things he gives to our Neighbour, as by the things he gives to us.
Reason 2 . Because though it is more natural to wish good to ourselves, yet it is more divine and perfect to wish good to others in such external things.
Reason 3. Because by wishing good to others, we wish good to ourselves, in as much as by the exercise of this duty, we further our own salvation.
Use . Of Reproof: against the common frailty of us all. For from this Commandment, just as from the Commandment to love God above all things, it follows that none can perfectly keep this moral Law in this life; namely, if we understand that perfection which consists in complete obedience. For otherwise, such a perfection, or integrity and sincerity, would be found in all believers, as opposed to feigning and dissimulation; and as opposed to that halting or lameness by which some duties seem to be looked after, but not all; and also such a perfection as is opposed to lukewarmness. For all believers both worship God sincerely, and desire to keep all his Commandments, and pant after a complete obedience also. Yet the Law is not proposed to us in vain for this purpose, even though we are unable to keep it fully. For from this we understand,
1. What is our duty. 
2. What are the defects under which we lie. 
3. What we may require from God; namely, that we may be freed from guilt, and renewed to a performance of our duties. 
4. That we have a mark set for us, at which we may aim in all our endeavors. 
5. That we may in part take notice of the perfection of that life which we shall enjoy in another world. 
1 Php_2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 
2 Matthew 22:39 "And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'