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as it is written in the Law of Moses that, when God at Mount Sinai appeared
to the children of Israel and gave Moses the Ten Commandments written upon two
tablets1 of stone, He stated in the tenth commandment that
covetousness and evil desire are sins. That commandment is thus written: 'Thou2
shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any
thing that is thy neighbour's.' And in just the same way the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself says: 'Ye3 have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit
adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' And it is
said: 'God4 shall judge the secrets of men . . . by Jesus Christ'.
As the external sin results from the internal sin, that is, from evil wish
and thought, it is evident that the source and spring of every sin is man's own
heart, according as the Lord Jesus Christ says: 'The5 things which
proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.
For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: these are the things which defile
the
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man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.'1
It should be known that the nature of every sin is like that of the sin of
Adam, the father of mankind. There is only this difference, that now it occurs
in man more easily because, having taken form within man, sin becomes evident
and accomplished in outward act, in such a way that this material world with its
carnal pleasure and honour arouses in man's heart sensual longing, and Satan too
tries to beguile men with evil thoughts and deluding lies, and thus man is
tempted. But man does not become a sinner solely through temptation and through
evil thoughts and suggestions being presented to his mind, for he cannot in any
way hinder them from being excited, nor can he prevent Satan from tempting him,
just as Adam was unable to hinder the temptation presented by Satan. But man
becomes guilty and a sinner in the sight of the wise and righteous God when he
does not reject and shrink at all from those evil thoughts and imaginations
which arise in his heart, but agreeing and consenting to them gives them a place
in his heart and seeks to carry them into practice. And, if man in this manner
sins within himself, it is certain that, when he obtains power and opportunity
and when there is no fear of loss and disgrace and reproach from doing so, he
will openly commit his inward sin. From what has
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