Questions on Chapter 10.

silence in a just cause; all tale-bearing, whispering, detracting; all rash, harsh, and unjust censuring — it condemns all concealing, excusing, or extenuating sins, and all raising or circulating false rumors, and even all countenancing evil reports concerning our neighbor, whether true or false, when the object is, not to do good to others, but injury to him. “Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law!” VI. “THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE, THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE, NOR HIS MAN-SERVANT, NOR HIS

MAID-SERVANT, NOR HIS OX, NOR HIS ASS, NOR ANY THING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOR’S.”

This commandment is directly opposed to that love of the world which is represented by St. John as inconsistent with the love of God. “If any man love the world,” saith the apostle, “the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15. To covet, is earnestly to desire or long after an object, that we may possess and enjoy it. It may be taken in a good sense, as in the passage, “Covet earnestly the best gifts;” but when it has for its object the property of our neighbor, and amounts to a desire unlawfully to possess that which belongs to another, it is founded in practical injustice, and is one of the most widely-extended and pernicious sins. It is at the root of nearly all dishonesty and fraud. Indeed, it comprehends “the love of money,” which, the apostle teaches, “is the root of all evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10. As an eminent author has said. “This is a most excellent moral precept, the observance of which will prevent all public crimes; for he who feels the force of the law that prohibits the inordinate desire of any thing that is the property of another, can never make a breach in the peace of society by an act of wrong to any of even its feeblest members.” “Lord have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.” QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER 10.

QUESTION 1. In what is our duty to our neighbor embraced?

2. How is this proved by both Christ and St. Paul?

3. What two things are here to be considered?

4. What is embraced in the scope of the sixth commandment?

5. What does it forbid?

6. When is war justifiable, and when is an individual justifiable for engaging in it?

7. Why does this law prohibit dueling?

8. Does it prohibit suicide? and wherefore?

9. What sins of less magnitude does this law prohibit?

10. What is included under the head of theft?

11. What under the head of bearing false witness?

12. What under the head of covetousness?