Your Legal Resource
The Tenth Commandment By Thomas Watson
The TENTH Commandment
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17
This commandment forbids covetousness in general, "You shall not covet;" and in particular, "Your neighbor's house, your neighbor's wife, etc.
I. It forbids covetousness in GENERAL. "You shall not covet." It is lawful to use the word, yes, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation of poverty: "Give me not poverty, lest I steal, and take the name of my God in vain" (Proverbs 30:8, 9); and as may enable us to honor God with works of mercy. "Honor the Lord with your substance." Proverbs 3:9. But all the danger is when the world gets into the heart. Water is useful for the sailing of the ship: all the danger is when the water gets into the ship. So the danger is when the world gets into the heart. "You shall not covet."
[1] What is it to covet?
There are two words in Greek that set forth the nature of covetousness. Pleonexia, which signifies an "insatiable desire of getting the world." Covetousness is dry dropsy. Augustine defines covetousness, "to desire more than enough;" to aim at a great estate; to be like the daughter of the horse-leech, crying, "Give, give." Proverbs 30:15. The other word is Philarguria, which signifies an "inordinate love of the world." The world is the idol. It is so loved, that a man will not part with it for any price. He may be said to be covetous not only who gets the world unrighteously�but who loves it inordinately.
For a more full answer to the question, "What is it to covet?" I shall show in six particulars, when a man may be said to be given to covetousness:
(1) A man may be said to be given to covetousness when his thoughts are wholly taken up with the world. A godly man's thoughts are in heaven; he is thinking of Christ's love and eternal recompense. "When I awake I am still with you," that is, in divine contemplation. Psalm 139:18. A covetous man's thoughts are in the world; his mind is wholly taken up with it; he can think of nothing but his shop or farm. The imagination is a mint-house, and most of the thoughts in a covetous man's mint are worldly. He is always plotting and projecting about worldly things; like a virgin whose thoughts all center upon her suitor. "Their mind is on earthly things." Philippians 3:19
(2) A man may be said to be given to covetousness when he takes more pains for getting earth than for getting heaven. He will turn every stone, break his sleep, take many a weary step for the world; but will take no pains for Christ or heaven. After the Gauls, who were an ancient people of France, had tasted the sweet wine of the Italian grape, they inquired after the country, and never rested until they had arrived at it; so a covetous man, having had a relish of the world, pursues after it, and never ceases until he has got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. He would be content if salvation were to drop into his mouth, like a ripe fig into the mouth of the eater (Nahum 3:12); but he is loath to put himself to too much sweat or trouble to obtain Christ or salvation. He hunts for the world�but he only wishes for heaven.
(3) A man may be said to be given to covetousness when all his discourse is about the world. "He who is of the earth, speaks of the earth." John 3:31. It is a sign of godliness to be speaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan. "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious;" he speaks as if he had been already in heaven. Eccl. 10:12. So it is a sign of a man given to covetousness to speak always of secular things, of his wares and business. A covetous man's breath, like a dying man's, smells strong of the earth. As it was said to Peter, "Your speech betrays you;" so a covetous man's speech betrays him. Matt 26:73. He is like the fish in the gospel, which had a piece of money in its mouth. Matt 17:27. "The words are the looking-glass of the heart," they show what is within. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45
(4) A man is given to covetousness when he so sets his heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them, he will part with heaven. For the "wedge of gold," he will part with the "pearl of great price." When Christ said to the young man in the gospel, "Sell all, and come and follow me." "He went away sorrowful." Matt 19:22. He would rather part with Christ than with all his earthly possessions. Cardinal Bourbon said, he would forego his part in paradise, if he might keep his cardinalship in Paris. When it comes to the critical point that men must either relinquish their estate or Christ, and they will rather part with Christ and a good conscience than with their estate, it is a clear case that they are possessed with the demon of covetousness! "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." 2 Timothy 4:10
(5) A man is given to covetousness when he overloads himself with worldly business. He has many irons in the fire; he takes so much business upon him, that he cannot find time to serve God; he has scarcely time to eat his food�but no time to pray. When a man overcharges himself with the world, and as Martha, cumbers himself about many things, that he cannot have time for his soul, he is under the power of covetousness.
(6) He is given to covetousness whose heart is so set upon the world, that, to get it, he cares not what unlawful means he uses. He will have the world by fair means or foul; he will wrong and defraud, and raise his estate upon the ruins of another. "The balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress. . . . Ephraim said, "Yet I become rich." Hos 12:7, 8. Pope Sylvester II sold his soul to the devil for a popedom.
Use. "Take heed and beware of covetousness." Luke 12:15. It is a direct breach of the tenth commandment. It is a moral vice, it infects and pollutes the whole soul.
(1) Covetousness is a SUBTLE sin. It is a sin that many cannot so well discern in themselves. This sin can dress in the attire of virtue. It is called the "cloak of covetousness." 1 Thess 2:5. It is a sin that wears a cloak, it cloaks itself under the name of frugality and good taste. It has many pleas and excuses for itself; more than any other sin�such as providing for one's family. The more subtle the sin is, the less discernible it is.
(2) Covetousness is a DANGEROUS sin. It checks all that is good. It is an enemy to grace; it damps holy affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The hedgehog, in the fable, came to the cony-burrows, in stormy weather, and desired harbor; but when once he had got admission, he set up his prickles, and never ceased until he had thrust the poor conies out of their burrows! Just so, covetousness, by fair pretenses, winds itself into the heart; but as soon as you have let it in, it will never leave until it has choked all good beginnings, and thrust all piety out of your hearts. "Covetousness hinders the efficacy of the Word preached."
In the parable of the sower, the thorns, which Christ expounded to be the cares of this life�choked the good seed. Matt 13:22. Many sermons lie dead and buried in earthly hearts. We preach to men to get their hearts in heaven; but where covetousness is predominant, it chains them to earth, and makes them like the woman which Satan had bent down for eighteen years so that she was unable to stand up straight. Luke 13:11. You may as well bid an elephant fly in the air�as a covetous man lives by faith. We preach to men to give freely to Christ's poor; but covetousness makes them like the man in the gospel, who had "a withered hand." Mark 3:1. They have a withered hand, and cannot stretch it out to the poor. It is impossible to be earthly-minded and charitably-minded. Covetousness obstructs the efficacy of the Word and makes it prove abortive. Those whose hearts are rooted in the earth will be so far from profiting by the Word, that they will be ready rather than deride it. The Pharisees, who were covetous, "derided him." Luke 16:14.
(3) Covetousness is a MOTHER sin. It is a radical vice. "The love of money is the root of all evil." 1 Tim 6:10. "O accursed lust for gold! what crimes do you not urge upon the human heart!" Virgil. He who has an earthly itch, a greedy desire of getting the world, has in him the root of all sin. Covetousness is a mother's sin. Covetousness is a breach of all the ten commandments.
It breaks the first commandment; "You shall have no other gods but one." The covetous man has more gods than one; Mammon is his God. He has a god of gold, therefore he is called an idolater. Col 3:5.
Covetousness breaks the second commandment: "You shall not make any graven image, you shall not bow yourself to them." A covetous man bows down, though not to the graven image in the church�yet to the graven image on his coin.
Covetousness is a breach of the third commandment; "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Absalom's design was to get his father's crown, which was covetousness; but he talked of paying his "vow to God," which was to take God's name in vain.
Covetousness is a breach of the fourth commandment; "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy." A covetous man does not keep the Sabbath holy; he will do his business on a Sabbath; instead of reading in the Bible, he will cast up his accounts.
Covetousness is a breach of the fifth commandment; "Honor your father and your mother." A covetous person does not honor his father if he does not help him in his necessities. Nay; he will get his father to make over his estate to him in his lifetime, so that the father may be at his son's command.
Covetousness is a breach of the sixth commandment; "You shall not kill." Covetous Ahab killed Naboth to get his vineyard. 1 Kings 21:13. How many have swum to the crown�in blood?
Covetousness is a breach of the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery." It causes immorality; you read of the "hire of a whore." Deut 23:18. An adulteress for money sets both conscience and chastity to sale.
Covetousness is a breach of the eighth commandment "You shall not steal." It is the root of theft: covetous Achan stole the wedge of gold. Thieves and covetous are put together. 1 Cor 6:10.
Covetousness is a breach of the ninth commandment; "You shall not bear false witness." What makes the perjurer take a false oath but covetousness? He hopes for a reward.
It is plainly a breach of the tenth commandment; "You shall not covet." The mammonist covets his neighbor's house and goods, and endeavors to get them into his own hands. Thus you see how vile sin covetousness is! It is a mother's sin! It is a plain breach of every one of the ten commandments.
(4) Covetousness is a DISHONORABLE sin to religion. For men to say their hopes are above�while their hearts are below; to profess to be above the stars�while they "lick the dust" of the serpent; to be born of God�while they are buried in the earth; how dishonorable is this to religion! The lapwing, which wears a little coronet on its head, and yet feeds on dung, is an emblem of such as profess to be crowned kings and priests unto God and yet feed immoderately on earthly dunghill comforts. "Do you seek you great things for yourself? seek them not!" Jer 45:5. What, you Baruch, who are ennobled by the new birth, and are illustrious by your office, a Levite, do you seek earthly things, and seek them now? When the ship is sinking, are you trimming your cabin? O do not so degrade yourself, nor blot your escutcheon! "Do you seek you great things for yourself? seek them not!" The higher grace is, the less earthly should Christians be; as the higher the sun is, the shorter is the shadow.
(5) Covetousness is a DAMNING sin. It exposes us to God's abhorrence. "The covetous, whom the Lord abhors." Psalm 10:3. A king abhors to see his statue abused, so God abhors to see man, made in his image, having the heart of a beast. Who would live in such a sin�as makes him abhorred of God? Whom God abhors he curses, and his curse blasts wherever it comes!
Covetousness brings men to eternal ruin and shuts them out of heaven. "This you know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Eph 5:5. What could a covetous man do in heaven? God can no more converse with him�than a king can converse with a swine! "Those who will be rich fall into a snare, and many hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition." 1 Tim 6:9. A covetous man is like a bee that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns itself. As a ferryman, to increase his fare, takes in too many passengers, that he sinks his boat; so a covetous man takes in so much gold to increase his estate, that he drowns himself in perdition! I have read of some inhabitants near Athens, who, living in a very dry and barren island, took many pains to draw a river to the island to water it and make it fruitful; but when they had opened the passages and brought the river to it, the water broke in with such force, that it drowned the land and all the people in it. This is an emblem of a covetous man, who labors to draw riches to him, and at last, they come in such abundance, that they drown him in perdition! How many, to build up an estate, pull down their souls! Oh, then, flee from covetousness! I shall next prescribe some remedies against covetousness.
[2] I am, in the next place, to solve the question, What is the CURE for this covetousness?"
(1) Faith. "This is the victory that overcomes the world�even our faith." 1 John 5:4. The root of covetousness is distrust of God's providence. Faith believes that God will provide; that he who feeds the birds will feed his children; that he who clothes the lilies will clothe his lambs; and thus faith overcomes the world. Faith is the cure of care. It not only purifies the heart�but satisfies it; it makes God our portion, and in him, we have enough. "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, the lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage." Psalm 16:5, 6. Faith, by a divine chemistry, extracts comfort out of God. A little, with God�is sweet. Thus faith is a remedy against covetousness; it overcomes, not only the fear of the world�but the love of the world.
(2) The second remedy is judicious considerations.
1. Ah, what poor things, are these earthly things�that we should covet them! They are far below the worth of the soul, which carries in it a semblance of God. The world is but the workmanship of God, the soul is his image. We covet that which will not satisfy us. "He who loves silver, shall not be satisfied with silver." Eccl 5:10. Solomon had put all the creatures in a scale, and distilled out their essence, and behold�"All was vanity." Eccl 2:11. A man with dropsy�"the more water he drinks, the more he craves." Just so, the more a covetous man has of the world, the more he thirsts. Worldly things cannot remove the trouble of mind. When King Saul was perplexed in conscience, his crown jewels could not comfort him. 1 Sam 28:15. The things of the world can no more ease a troubled spirit�than a gold cap can cure the headache! The things of the world cannot continue with you. The creature has a little honey in its mouth�but it has wings to fly away. Earthly things either leave us�or we leave them! What poor things are they to covet!
2. The second consideration is the frame and texture of the body. God has made the face look upward towards heaven. "He gave the man an uplifted face, with the order to gaze up to Heaven." Ovid. Anatomists observe, that whereas other creatures have but four muscles to their eyes, man has a fifth muscle, by which he is able to look up to heaven. And as for the heart, it is made narrow and contracted downwards�but wide and broad upwards. As the frame and texture of the body teach us to look to things above, so especially the soul is planted in the body, as a divine spark, to ascend upwards. Can it be imagined that God gave us intellectual and immortal souls�to covet earthly things only? 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 third consideration is the examples of those who have been despisers of the world. The primitive Christians were sequestered from the world and were wholly taken up in converse with God. They lived in the world�yet above the world. They were like the birds of paradise, which soar above in the air, and seldom or never touch the earth with their feet. Luther says that he was never tempted to the sin of covetousness. Though the saints of old lived in the world�they traded in heaven. "Our conversation is in heaven." Phil 3:20. The Greek word signifies our commerce, or traffic, or citizenship, is in heaven. "Enoch walked with God." Gen 5:24. His affections were sublime; he took a turn in heaven every day. The righteous are compared to a palm tree. Psalm 92:12. Philo observes, that whereas all other trees have their sap in their root, the sap of the palm tree is towards the top; and thus is an emblem of saints, whose hearts are in heaven, where their treasure is!
(3) The third remedy for covetousness is to covet spiritual things more. Covet grace, for it is the best blessing, it is the seed of God. 1 John 3:9. Covet heaven, which is the region of perfect happiness�the most pleasant climate. If we covet heaven more�we shall covet earth less! To those who stand on the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania seem but as small villages; so if our hearts were more fixed upon the Jerusalem above, all worldly things would disappear, would diminish, and be as nothing in our eyes. We read of an angel coming down from heaven, and setting his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the earth. Rev 10:2. Had we been in heaven, and viewed its superlative glory, how would we, with holy scorn, trample with one foot upon the earth and with the other foot upon the sea! O covet after heavenly things! There is the tree of life, the mountains of spices, the rivers of pleasure, the honeycomb of God's love dropping, the delights of angels, and the flower of joy, fully ripe and blown. There is the pure air to breathe in; no fogs or vapors of sin arise to infect that air�but the Sun of Righteousness enlightens the whole horizon continually with his glorious beams. O let your thoughts and delights be always taken up with the city of pearls, the paradise of God! It is reported of Lazarus that, after he was raised from the grave, he was never seen to smile or take delight in the world. Were our hearts raised by the power of the Holy Spirit up to heaven, we would not be much absorbed with earthly things.
(4) The fourth remedy is to pray for a heavenly mind. "Lord, let the loadstone of your Spirit draw my heart upward. Lord, dig the earth out of my heart! Teach me how to possess the world, and not love it; how to hold it in my hand, and not let it get into my heart!"
II. Having spoken of the command in general, I proceed to speak of it more PARTICULARLY. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife," etc. Observe the holiness and perfection of God's law, which forbids the first motions and risings of sin in the heart. The laws of men take hold of actions, but the law of God goes further�it forbids not only sinful actions�but sinful desires. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house." It is not said, "You shall not take away his house;" but "You shall not covet it." These lusts and desires after the forbidden fruit are sinful. The law has said, "You shall not covet." Rom 7:7. Though the tree bears no bad fruit, it may be faulty at the root; so though a man does not commit any gross sin, he cannot say his heart is pure. There may be faultiness at the root: there may be sinful covetings and lustings in the soul.
Use. 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; like charcoal which is ever sparkling, the sparks of pride, envy, covetousness, arise in the mind. How should this humble us! If there is not sinful acting, there are sinful covetings. Let us pray for mortifying grace, which like the water of jealousy, may make the thigh of sin rot!
[1] "You shall not covet your neighbor's HOUSE." How deprived is man since the fall! He knows not how to keep within bounds�but covets more than his own. Ahab, one would think, had enough: he was a king, and we would suppose that his crown revenues would have contented him, but he was coveting more. Naboth's vineyard was in his eye, and he could not rest until he had it in possession. Were there not so much coveting, there would not be so much bribing. One man takes away another's house from him. It is only the prisoner, who lives in such a tenement that he may be sure none will seek to take it from him!
[2] "You shall not covet your neighbor's WIFE." This is a bridle to check the inordinate and brutish lusts. It was the devil that sowed another man's ground. Matt 13:25. But how is the hedge of this commandment trodden down in our times! There are many who do more than covet their neighbors' wives! they take them. "Cursed be he who lies with his father's wife; and all the people shall say, Amen." Deut 27:20. If it were to be proclaimed, "Cursed be he who lies with his neighbor's wife," and all that were guilty should say, "Amen," how many would curse themselves!
[3] "You shall not covet your neighbor's man-servant, nor his maidservant." Servants, when faithful, are a treasure. What a true and trusty servant Abraham had! He was his right hand. How prudent and faithful he was in the matter entrusted with him, of getting a wife for his master's son! Gen 24:9. It would surely have grieved Abraham if anyone had enticed away from his servant from him. But this sin of coveting servants is common. If one has a good servant, others will be laying snares for him, and endeavor to draw him away from his master. This is a sin against the tenth commandment. To steal away another's servant by enticement is no better than direct thieving.
[4] "You shall not covet your neighbor's ox, nor his donkey, nor anything which belongs to your neighbor." Were there no coveting ox and donkey, there would not be so much stealing. First men break the tenth commandment by coveting, and then the eighth commandment by stealing. It was an excellent appeal that Samuel made to the people when he said, "Witness against me before the Lord, whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey, or who have I defrauded?" 1 Sam 12:3. It was a brave speech of Paul, when he said, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel." Acts 20:33.
What MEANS should we use to keep us from coveting that which is our neighbor's?
The best remedy is contentment. If we are content with our own, we shall not covet that which is another's. Paul could say, "I have coveted no man's gold or silver." Whence was this? It was from contentment. "I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content." Phil 4:11. Contentment says as Jacob did, "I have enough." Gen 33:11. I have a promise of heaven, and have sufficient to bear my charges there; I have enough. He who has enough, will not covet that which is another's. Be content! "In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content�whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need." Philippians 4:12
(1) The best way to be contented, is, to believe that condition to be best, which God by his providence carves out to you. If he had seen fit for us to have more�we would have had it. Perhaps we could not manage a great estate. It is hard to carry a full cup without spilling�and a full estate without sinning! Great estates may be snares. A boat may be overturned by having too much sail. Believing that estate to be best which God appoints us, makes us content; and being content, we shall not covet that which is another's.
(2) The way to be content with such things as we have, and not to covet another's, is to consider the less we have, the less account we shall have to give at the last day. Every person is a steward and must be accountable to God. Those who have great estates have the greater reckoning. God will say, "What good have you done with your estates? Have you honored me with your substance? Where are the poor you have fed and clothed?" If you cannot give a good account, it will be sad. It should make us contented with a less portion, to consider�the fewer riches, the less reckoning. This is the way to have contentment. There is no better antidote against coveting that which is another's than being content with that which is our own.
