other Penal Law, in order to enrich themselves by fach villanous Means, either at the Expence of the poor Sufferers, or of the Government itfelf: But those which have been already cited are, we think, more than fufficient to fhew the ill Confequences of tranfgreffing this Divine Precept, and deter all who are not abfolutely incorrigible, from fuch profligate and ignominious Courses. Wherefore we shall now proceed to confider the Tenth, and laft Commandment in the fame Manner.

CHAP. X.

Of the good and bad Confequences of the
Obfervance, or Non-Obfervance, of the
Tenth Commandment.

T

Hou shalt not covet thy Nesghbour's House, thou halt not covet thy Neighbour's Wife, nor his Servant, nor bis Maid, nor his Ox, nor his Afs, nor any Thing that is his. Though the Duties comprehended and enjoined under thefe Words, are generally fuppofed to be Articles altogether diftin&t and different from any of thofe contained under the former Heads, efpecially as they are thus fummed up and ranged together, as a Law feparate from the reft; and accordingly are called by the Name of the Tenth Commandment, yet are they rather a fupplementary Explanation or Comment upon thole before treated of, than a new and additional Law: And this will appear very manifeftly, if we do but reflect upon each Article included therein feverally!

For Infiance, if a Man covets his Neighbour's

Wife, he is thereby guilty of Adultery, which was before forbidden by the Seventh Commandment; and by coveting either Man or Maid Servant, or Ox, or Afs, or any Thing that is his Property, he becomes equally a Tranfgreffor of the Eighth; it is therefore evident, as we obferved above, that it is rather an Illuftration of the foregoing Precepts, than a new and diftinct Precept in itfelf: In effect, what feems to have been the Intent of the Divine Lawgiver, in this Recapitulation, or fupplemental Explication, at least, in our Opinion, is, to inforce a more exact Obfervation of the foregoing Laws, than the Jews might otherwife have imagined themselves obliged to.

Though they must have known, by the express Words of the Seventh Commandment, that they muft not be guilty of actual Adultery, they might not perhaps have fo far extended this Precept, as to believe the only defiring it a Sin; and the fame may be faid of the other Articles: In a word, this Commandment feems to have been fubjoined, left the Ifraelites should have understood the others in too literal a Senfe, and may therefore properly be faid to be a fpiritual Supplement thereto. In effect, the Almighty knew his People far better than they did themselves, and what Licentiousness they were and would be prone to; he was therefore wil ling to inculcate their feveral Duties the more ftrongly into them; and yet when he had done all, we find even the very best of them great Latitudinarians in the Observance of the Moral Law, at the fame Time that they paid a fcrupulous Obedience to that which was merely Ceremonial.

Elkanah, though a good Man, had two Wives; and the Royal Pfalmift at leaft fix, befides BathSheba, as alfo many Concubines; and his Succeffor Solomon, no less than feven Hundred of the former, and three Hundred of the latter. But this was not

all;

all; for they were divorced from their Wives upon any little Diflike, or any other the most trifling Caufe; and if fuch Things were done by the very beft, in what Exceffes may we reasonably imagine others to have allowed themselves? It was therefore highly neceffary amongst fo ftiff-necked a People, that the Laws, containing their Duty to each other, fhould be more than once inculcated into them. We find, in our Saviour's Time, he charges the Scribes and Pharifees, those who were reckoned the moft rigid Obfervers of the Law, with making void the Commandments of God by their Tradition; and accordingly he there gives an Inftance how they had thereby totally explained away the Fifth.

It was then probably fo prevent thefe Enormities that the Almighty, who knew well what they were capable of, and forefaw what they would ac tually do, endeavoured by this Recapitulation of their focial Duties, to imprefs them the more ftrongly on their Minds. Befides which, the End of this Law was to teach all Men to fupprefs and refift the first Motions of every inordinate Defire, and to learn to be contented with their own Condition: Because, if we at all give Way to the former, it will naturally tempt us to endeavour to fatisfy it; which will certainly be the Occafion of fome Sin: And again, if we are discontented with the latter, and fuffer it to grow upon us, it will equally induce us to attempt to better it, though by unlawful Means. We are likewife hereby taught, to avoid repining at, or envying the Wealth, Happinefs, or Profperity of our Neighbour, left we hould be tempted to moleft him in the Enjoyment thereof, fince the one is but the too natural Confequence of the other.

What Provocation had the wicked Cain to hate his more righteous Brother Abel? Only this, that.

Ged,

mer.

God, who knew both their Hearts, had accepted the Sacrifice of the latter, and rejected that of the for. Now could Abel any way help this, or was he at all acceffary thereto? On the contrary, was not the Fault evidently in Cain alone? And does not God himself tell him fo, and caution him against giving Way to his Anger. And the LORD faid unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy Countenance fallen? If thou doeft well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doeft not well, Sin lieth at the Door. As if he had faid, Inftead of being angry with thy Brother, wherein thou finneft, amend thyfelf, and thou shalt be as much in my Favour he; but, if thou wilt not, thank thyfelf only, if thou art not accepted.

But what Effect had this mild and merciful Expoftulation and Warning of an almighty and benevolent Creator, upon that hardened Rebel, the wicked and bloody Cain? Though, would he but have turned his Eyes inward, upon his own perverfe and deceitful Heart, he must have been fenfible he was himself alone to blame, though his more righteous Brother was fo far from having done him a real Injury, that he had never fo much as harboured a Thought to wrong him; yet fuch Enmity and Hatred did the innocent Abel's upright Conduct create in his envious and gloomy Breast, that he could not be at reft till he had murdered him; being in this without a Rival; that he had even furpaffed the utmost Ambition of that Monfter in Wickedness, Caligula, whofe moft fuperlative Wantonnefs in Villany went no farther than 'to wifh all the Romans had but one Neck, that he might exterminate them all at one Blow; fince he, for aught appears to the contrary, deftroyed, at one fingle Stroke, the fourth Part of Mankind. Such are the baleful Fruits of that truly diabolical Paffion, Envy !

:

It was not to be imagined, at a Time when the Almighty more immediately took Cognizance of what was tranfacted upon Earth, than he feems to have done fince the Return of the Children of Ifrael from the Babylonish Captivity, that fo barbarous a Murder fhould be paffed over with Impunity Accordingly, we find God calling him to an Account for it directly: And the Lord faid unto Cain, where is Abel thy Brother? How mildly and mercifully does the LORD of Life yet once more treat this now inhuman Murderer! He did not ask this Question to be informed himself; he knew but too well; as the impious Cain found immediately after, but to lead him to Repentance. He does not therefore only fay, Where is Abel, but adds this Circumftance thy Brother; as what infinitely aggravated his Guilt! And what Anfwer does the hardened Rebel return to his omniscient and omnipotent Creator? First, I know not: A direct Lie! And then, Am I my Brother's Keeper ? As if he had faid, Why do you ask me fo impertinent a Question? What is it to me where he is? If you want him, go look him. Such a fwift Progrefs had Sin made in his Soul in fo fhort a Time! And to fuch a Height of Impiety was he arrived in an Inftant!

But the Moment was now come, when this obdurate Monfter was to hear his temporal Doom pronounced by the Judge of all the Earth, and to receive the immediate Reward of his Iniquity. And he faid, what haft thou done? The Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth unto me from the Ground. And now art thou curfed from the Earth, which hath opened her Mouth to receive thy Brother's Blood from thy Hand. When thou tilleft the Ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her Strength. A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth.

We may here fee, and be aftonifhed thereat, the merciful.