Concupiscence

CONCUPISCENCE. This term is made use of by S. John, to signify an irregular love of Pleasure, Wealth, and Honours, comprehended by this Apostle in the following words, All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Concupiscence is not a Sin; but it is the effect and cause of Sin. And as in both Testaments bad desires, as well as bad actions, are equally forbidden; the first and principal care of every Man who would please God, is to restrain his Concupiscence. This word is generally taken for a disorderly appetite to any thing whatsoever. The Hebrews demanding of Moses change of Diet in mutinous terms, and with an irregular desire, God punished many of them with death, and the place hereupon was called the Graves of lust. God prohibits the desiring any thing, with a love of Concupiscence, which belongs to our Neighbour. Exod. xx. 17. Deut. v. 21.Concupiscence is most generally understood in a bad sense, particularly for the inclinations of the flesh; but sometimes it is taken in a good meaning; for example, for the love of Knowledge and Wisdom; Initium sapientiæ, verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentiaWisd. vi. 18, 20.; and a little after, Concupiscentia sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum; and in Psalm lxxxiii. 3. Concupiscit & deficit anima mea in atria Domini. And Psalm cxviii. 20. Concupiscit anima mea desiderare justificationes tuas. The Lord says to Cain, who envied the favours which Abel had received from him, thy Concupiscence shall be subject to thee, and thou shalt rule over it. Sub te erit appetitus ejus, & tu dominaberis illius. Thus this passage is generally understood; but others explain it in another sense, referring ejus not to Sin, but to Abel; as if God had said to Cain, what art thou afraid of, and why doest thou suffer thyself to be so dejected? If thou doest well, doest thou not receive the reward of it? and if thou doest evil, Sin is at thy door. Abel shall be subject to thee, and thou shalt preserve thy right of Seniority over him. Thus S. Chrysostom¹ explains it after the Septuagint, and this passage has a manifest relation to that, whereby God gives Man the Superiority over Woman, Gen. iii. 16. Thou shalt be under the power of the man, and he shall rule over thee. The Hebrew, Ad virum tuum concupiscentia tua, & ille dominabitur tui.

To CONDEMN, declare guilty; is an expression used not only in judicial Acts but in every other thing likewise, which relates to them. The Priests condemn’d Lepers of impurity; that is to say, they declared them unclean, Daniel i. 10. Condemnabitis caput meum morte. Thou shalt be the cause of my being condemned to lose my Life. My mouth shall condemn me, God shall judge me by my own words. The righteous which are dead, shall condemn the Wisd. iv. 16.ungodly that are living. The conduct of the Righteous who are dead, is a condemnation of the disorders of the Wicked. It is much in the same sense that the criminal and idolatrous Jerusalem justifies Sodom and Gomorrha; she makes them appear righteous in comparison of her. Thou hast justified Ezek. xvi. 51, 52.thy sisters in all thy abominations.

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