A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§. Sect. 9 What is re∣quired in this Commande∣ment, to wit, originall righ∣teousnesse, and spirituall Con∣cupiscence.

IN the former Commandements, as we haue shewed, the Lord for∣biddeth all externall sinnes both in word and deede, together with the internall sinnes of the heart commited against our neighbours, which are ioyned with consent of the will, and commandeth the con∣trary vertues: and now in the tenth and last Commandement, that hee might shew his Law to be spirituall, and of such large extent, that no∣thing, no not the least motions or first thoughts are exempted, and out of the reach of it, hee requireth the inward purity of the minde and imaginations, thoughts and intentions, heart and affections; and the rectitude, orderly and iust gouernement of them all for our owne and our neighbours good: and contrariwise condemneth and forbid∣deth,

not onely those grosse kindes of concupiscence and lusts of the flesh, which are ioyned with consent of will, but euen the first and least moti∣ons of euill concupiscence, which goe before consent, which are the rootes, seedes, and fountaines of all other sinnes, as all euill thoughts, in∣clinations and desires which are repugnant with charity; yet thought of most, to be no sinnes, and free from the censure of law, the which the Pa∣pists doe stifly defend, making this concupiscence and lust after baptisme to bee no sinne. Now this purity of minde and heart here required, consisteth of two parts, originall righteousnesse, and perfect loue of our neighbours and our selues, and the concupiscence of the Spirit. Originall righteousnesse, is both a cleanenesse from all vnrighteousnesse, and euill concupiscence against our neighbours, and a disposition and pronenesse to all the duties of charity; the which righteousnesse, the Lord hauing in our first creation planted in our natures, doth iustly require it of vs in his Law, though by our fall in the loynes of our first parents we haue lost it, and can neuer attaine vnto it in any perfection. Yea, he doth it not onely in iustice towards all, but also in mercy towards his elect, to this end, that seeing hereby their vnrighteousnesse, corruption and misery in themselues, they might bee forced to renounce themselues and their own righteousnesse, and flee vnto Christ, that both they might be clothed with his righteousnesse, and by his Spirit be renewed according to his I∣mage, in wisdom, holines and righteousnes. Contrariwise, here is forbid∣den euill concupiscence, which is either originall concupiscence, or sin, as it is referred against our neighbours; the which is that habituall corrupti∣on of our natures, and that euill inclination and pronenesse to lust against our neighbours, contrary to the Law of God: or actuall concupiscences, which are euill motions in our mindes and hearts against our neighbours, both hurtfull and foolish; which motions are either euill phantasies and thoughts of the minde, or euill affections and perturbations of the heart; all which inclining men to euill, are repugnant to charity.

Notes

• Rom. 7. 7. & 13. 9. & 1. 24. Col. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 4. 2, 2. & 2. 11. & 23. 3. Gal 5. 16. 17.
• Rom. 7. 7. & 13. 9. & 1. 24. Col. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 4. 2, 2. & 2. 11. & 2. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 16. 17.
• Ephe. 4. 22, 23, 24. Luke 1. 74, 75. Tit. 2. 12, 13. Rom. 8. 6, 7. & 7. 8, 23. Gal. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 11.
• 1. Cor. 13. 5.