A Body of Practical Divinity

3. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant. Servants, when Faithful, are a Treasure. What a true and trusty Servant had Abraham, he was his Right-hand! How prudent and faithful was he in the matter he was entrusted with, in getting a Wife for his Masters Son! Gen. 24.9. And surely, it would have gone near to Abraham to have had any one enticed away his Servant from him. But this Sin of coveting Servants is common. If one hath a better Servant, others will be inveigling and laying Baits for him, and endeavour 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 Thievery.

3. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant. Servants, when Faithful, are a Treasure. What a true and trusty Servant had Abraham, he was his Right-hand! How prudent and faithful was he in the matter he was entrusted with, in getting a Wife for his Masters Son! Gen. 24.9. And surely, it would have gone near to Abraham to have had any one enticed away his Servant from him. But this Sin of coveting Servants is common. If one hath a better Servant, others will be inveigling and laying Baits for him, and endeavour to draw him away from his Master. This is a Sin against the Tenth Commandment. To steal away anothers Servant by Enticement, is no better than Thievery.

4. Nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbours. Were there not coveting of Ox and Ass, there would not be so much stealing. First Men break the Tenth Commandment by coveting, and then they break the Eighth Commandment by stealing. It was an excellent Appeal that Samuel made to the People, 1 Sam. 12.3. Witness against me before the Lord, whose Ox have I taken, or whose Ass, or whom have I defrauded. And it was a brave Speech of St. Paul,