What they say has been added to the Tenth Commandment.
What they say has been added to the Tenth Commandment.
§ 81. To the Tenth Commandment, about not coveting [non concupiscendo] [Exod. 20:17], they say that this has been added: “We must not cling with our heart to what we desire [concupiscimus], even if we are not thinking about the fulfillment of desire [concupiscentiae]” (p. 206).
We respond. Christ teaches (Matt. 5:28) that the divine Law forbids not only actual covetousness—that is, a deliberate covetousness aimed at with full consent—but any wrongful desire at all, even original concupiscence, and thus its first and even involuntary stirrings. The apostle teaches the same (Rom. 7:14). They do not add this interpretation to the Law but deduce it from the text itself, against the Pharisaic corruptions of the Law. Moses says: תִתְאַּוֶהאֹל [“You shall not desire”] (Deut. 5:21). The word אָוֶן means “restlessness,” which produces anxiety, and quite often it is used for original concupiscence, which always produces corrupt emotions (Ps. 119:133; Prov. 6:18; etc.). Thus the evil of the heart which reason does not consider nor acknowledge as sin is being accused. “I would not have known coveting [concupiscentiam] if the Law had not said, ‘You shall not covet [non concupisces]’ ” (Rom. 7:7).
Moses and the prophets teach that this is the true explanation of this commandment about not coveting. “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil every day” (Gen. 6:5; 8:21). “Who can discern his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults” (Ps. 19:[12]). (This is because, unknown to us, corrupt thoughts and suggestions are always arising in our hearts. Therefore no one knows the number of his sins.). “Therefore every saint shall pray to You for the forgiveness of sins” (Ps. 32:6). (Although the saints resist corrupt desires by mortifying them through the Spirit, yet they are compelled to keep asking God for forgiveness of their sins every day because of those inner sins.) “You have set our secret sins in the light of Your countenance” (Ps. 90:8). “The heart of man is deceitful and corrupt. Who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9).
In its own place we have showed that the original sin propagated into all the descendants of Adam is sin, truly and in the proper sense of the word [On Original Sin (Commonplace XII), §§ 56–89]. Therefore it will surely be revealed and accused in some commandment of the Law, which is the perfect norm of righteousness and integrity. However, if the first involuntary stirrings of covetousness [concupiscentia] are accused by God’s commandment, all the more is it understood that we are forbidden to cling with our hearts to those things that we covet illicitly. “If riches increase, set not your heart on them” (Ps. 62:10). “The Lord hates a heart that devises wicked plans” (Prov. 6:18). “The thoughts of the evil man are an abomination to Jehovah” (Prov. 15:26). “Remove the evil of your thoughts” (Isa. 1:16).