A Treatise Concerning the Ten Commandments, Which Are the Heads of the Law.

 I. (1) I have in my former treatises set forth the lives of Moses and the other wise men down to his time, whom the sacred scriptures point out as the

 II. (5) Pride is also the cause of many other evils, such as insolence, arrogance, and impiety. And these are the beginnings of foreign and civil wars

 III. (13) Very naturally therefore, having led his people from the injurious associations prevailing in the cities, into the desert, that he might pur

 IV. (15) And some persons say that there is also a fourth cause which is not inconsistent with, but as near as possible to the truth for that, as it

 V. (18) These are the causes which may be advanced by probable conjecture, to explain the question which is raised on this point for the true causes

 VI. And first of all, I will speak of those which rather resemble heads of laws, of which in the first place one must at once admire the number, inasm

 VII. (24) Moreover, at all events, in addition to what has been already said, any one may reasonably admire the decade for the following reason, that

 VIII. (29) But what is the use now of enumerating the excellencies of the decade, which are infinite in number treating our most important task as on

 IX. (32) This, then, may be enough to say on these subjects but it is necessary now to connect with these things what I am about to say, namely, that

 X. (36) This, then, may be enough to say about the divine voice. But a person may very reasonably raise the question on what account it happened, when

 XI. (44) And, moreover, as was natural, he filled the whole place with miraculous signs and works, with noises of thunder too great for the hearing to

 XII. (50) These, then, were the things which it was necessary to explain beforehand. But now we must turn to the commands themselves, and investigate

 XIII. (59) But some persons indulge in such foolish notions respecting their judgments on these points, that they not only look upon the things which

 XIV. (64) Let us, therefore, reject all such impious dishonesty, and not worship those who are our brothers by nature, even though they may have recei

 XV. (73) And yet it is well for us, speaking with all proper freedom, to say to those who have shown themselves so devoid of sense My good men, the

 XVI. (76) Let no one therefore of those beings who are endowed with souls, worship any thing that is devoid of a soul for it would be one of the most

 XVII. (82) Having now spoken of the second commandment to the best of our ability, let us proceed to investigate the one which follows with accuracy,

 XVIII. (88) What sayest thou? I should say to the perjured man, will you dare to go to any one of your own acquaintances and say, My friend, come a

 XIX. (92) But there are also some people who, without any idea of acquiring gain, do from a bad habit incessantly and inconsiderately swear upon every

 XX. (96) The fourth commandment has reference to the sacred seventh day, that it may be passed in a sacred and holy manner. Now some states keep the h

 XXI. (102) Now, those who have applied themselves to mathematical studies, fully explain the precedence and pre-eminence to which the number seven is

 XXII. (106) And after this commandment relating to the seventh day he gives the fifth, which concerns the honour to be paid to parents, giving it a po

 XXIII. (111) Let them, then, not be ignorant that they are convicted before the two tribunals which are the only ones which exist in nature, of impiet

 XXIV. (121) Having then now philosophized in this manner about the honour to be paid to parents, he closes the one and more divine table of the first

 XXV. (132) The second commandment of this second table is to do no murder. For nature, having produced man as a gregarious and sociable creature, and

 XXVI. (135) The third commandment of the second table of five is not to steal. For he who keeps continually gaping after the property of others is the

 XXVII. (138) And after he has forbidden stealing he proceeds in regular order to prohibit bearing false witness, knowing that those who bear false wit

 XXVIII. (142) Last of all, the divine legislator prohibits covetousness, knowing that desire is a thing fond of revolution and of plotting against oth

 XXIX. (154) However, enough of these matters. Still we must not be ignorant of this fact either, that the ten commandments are the heads of all the pa

 XXX. (158) And the fourth commandment, the one about the seventh day, we must not look upon in any other light than as a summary of all the laws relat

 XXXI. (165) And the fifth commandment, that about the honour due to parents, conceals under its brief expression, many very important and necessary la

 XXXII. (168) The first table of five, then, is completed in these commandments, exhibiting a comprehensive character but of the special and particula

 XXXIII. (175) I have now spoken in this manner, at sufficient length, concerning the second table of five commandments, which make up the whole number

XXIX. (154) However, enough of these matters. Still we must not be ignorant of this fact either, that the ten commandments are the heads of all the particular and special laws which are recorded throughout all the history of the giving of the law related in the sacred scriptures. (155) The first law is the fountain of all those concerning the government of one supreme Ruler, and they show that there is one first cause of the world, one Ruler and King, who guides and governs the universe in such a way as conduces to its preservation, having banished from the pure essence of heaven all oligarchy and aristocracy, those treacherous forms of government which arise among wicked men, as the offspring of disorder and covetousness. (156) And the second commandment is the summary of all those laws which can possibly be enacted, about all the things made by hands, such as images and statues, and, in short, erections of any kind, of which the painters' and statuaries' arts are pernicious creators, for that commandment forbids such images to be made, and prohibits the cleaving to any of the fabulous inventions about the marriage of gods and the birth of gods, and the number of indescribable and painful calamities which are represented to have ensued from both such circumstances. (157) By the third commandment he restrains people from taking oaths, and limits the objects for which one may swear, defining when and where it may be lawful, and who may swear, and how the swearer ought to be disposed, both in his soul and body, and many other minute particulars, concerning those who keep their oaths, and the contrary.