You Shall Not Covet

For a description of these resources, read the Introduction to Section F (PDF).

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Resource 1: Secrets of Heaven

Forms of goodness related to these two commandments:

  • Love the Lord and your neighbor above yourself and the world.

  • Let the Lord build a will of love within you.

  • Let the good of faith and a desire for that good reign within you.

  • Desire what is good.

  • Entertain an affection for what is good and true.

  • Have a will for good.

  • Let a love for good and a will for good be central goals in your life.

    • Let them be your very life.

  • Will and intend what is good.

    • Notes:

      • A person is such as his or her will is.

      • The will is the person him- or herself.

  • Let love, mercy, peace, and goodness come forth from a heart that has been given to you by the Lord.

  • Let a will for good go forth into words and action.

  • Do what is good.

  • Notes:

    • Will and action do not conflict with each other. Action is in the will, and the will is in the action.

    • It is similar to effort and motion.

      • Motion is ongoing effort. When effort ceases, motion ceases.

      • Therefore there is nothing essential in motion except effort. Effort is the essential element within motion.

      • Effort in a person is will, and motion is action.

      • Effort and motion in a person are living.

  • Let people enjoy the goods of love and truths of faith that are theirs, and support these things in them.

    • Let people enjoy the following things, and support these things in them:

      • Good in general [meant by “house” in this commandment].

      • Truth in general [meant by “ wife” in this commandment].

      • Desire for spiritual truth [meant by “male servant” in this commandment].

      • Desire for spiritual good [meant by “female servant” in this commandment].

      • Desire for earthly good [meant by “ox” in this commandment].

      • Desire for earthly truth [meant by “donkey” in this commandment].

Resource 2: The Apocalypse Explained

Forms of goodness related to not coveting your neighbor’s house:

  • Be in goodwill toward your neighbor from the Lord.

  • Entertain desires that flow from love of the neighbor.

  • Let people enjoy their own houses and their own goods.

  • Let people enjoy their possessions and wealth.

  • Desire that people enjoy what is their own.

    • Note: That which is a person’s own is also meant by a person’s “house” in this commandment.

  • Love what is good.

  • Entertain a desire for what is good.

  • Desire, long for, and will what is good.

Forms of goodness related to not coveting your neighbor’s wife, etc.:

  • Love of the Lord

  • A love of governing or ruling from a love of useful service.

  • Desire that people enjoy what is their own

  • Note: Things that are a person’s own include the following:

    • Desire for spiritual truth and good [meant by “wife” in this commandment].

    • Desire for rational truth that serves the spiritual part of the person [meant by “male servant” in this commandment].

    • Desire for rational good that serves the spiritual part of the person [meant by “female servant” in this commandment].

    • Desire for earthly good [meant by “ox” in this commandment].

    • Desire for earthly truth [meant by “donkey” in this commandment].

  • Entertain desires that flow from love of the Lord

Final note:

  • All goods and the truths flow from love of the Lord and love of the neighbor.

Resource 3: Principles of Life

This resource discusses only the commandments on murder, adultery, stealing, and bearing false witness against your neighbor.

Resource 4: True Christianity

Opening concepts:

  • People ought to do what is good.

  • Good is also to be wanted, desired, and willed.

  • Good relates not only to the outer self but also to the inner self.

  • The inner features of the church have to do with desiring what is good.

Forms of goodness related to these two commandments:

  • Desire and will all the forms of goodness that are outlined in the prior commandments.

  • Desire things that are in harmony with the spirit.

  • Desire the spiritual things of the church.

  • Desire goodwill and faith.

  • Let your inner and outer self be one.

    • Note: This is what it means to be born anew.

  • Therefore, be born anew, that is, be regenerated and become an “internal” person from the Lord.

  • Let the desires of your flesh become linked to and governed by the affections, desires, and delights of the spirit.

Notes on desires of the spirit:

  • Desires of the spirit are what angels have.

    • Therefore, they are to be called truly human.

  • For this reason, to the extent that a person satisfies the desires of the spirit, he or she is a truly human being and an angel.

    • Therefore, satisfy the desires of the spirit.

  • Desires of the spirit may be compared to…

    • Juicy and delicious grapes; also to the taste of wine that is pressed from them.

    • Stables where there are noble horses, sheep, and lambs.

    • Gold.

    • Silver.

    • Rubies.

  • By comparison, the lusts of the flesh are like…

    • Shriveled and dried up grapes and wild grapes.

    • Stables where there are donkeys, goats, and pigs.

    • Dross.

    • Limestone.

    • Coral.

The connection between heavenly desire and action:

  • Heavenly desire and action are connected…

    • Like blood and flesh.

    • Like flame and oil.

  • Heavenly desire is within behavior…

    • As air from the lungs is within breathing or speaking.

    • As wind is in a sail when a ship is moving.

    • As water is on the wheel that gives motion and action to machinery.