The Westminster Larger Catechism

Questions 98—100: On the Ten Commandments

Q. 98. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?

A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone^a; and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man^b.

^a Deut. 10:4; Exod. 34:1-4 ^b Matt. 22:37-40

Q. 99. What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?

A. For the right understanding of the ten commandments, these rules are to be observed:

1. That the law is perfect, and bindeth every one to full conformity in the whole man unto the righteousness thereof, and unto entire obedience for ever; so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin^a.

^a Ps. 19:7; James 2:10; Matt. 5:21,22

2. That it is spiritual, and so reacheth the understanding, will, affections, and all other powers of the soul; as well as words, works, and gestures^b.

^b Rom. 7:14; Deut. 6:5 compared with Matt. 22:37-39; Matt. 5:21,22,27,28,33,34,37-39,43,44

3. That one and the same thing, in divers respects, is required or forbidden in several commandments^c.

^c Col. 3:5; Amos 8:5; Prov. 1:19; 1 Tim. 6:10

4. That as, where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden^d; and, where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded^e: so, where a promise is annexed, the contrary threatening is included^f; and, where a threatening is annexed, the contrary promise is included^g.

^d Isa. 58:13; Deut. 6:13 compared with Matt. 4:9,10; Matt. 15:4-6 ^e Matt. 5:21,22-25; Eph. 4:28 ^f Exod. 20:12 compared with Prov. 30:17 ^g Jer. 18:7,8; Exod. 20:7 compared with Ps. 15:1,4,5 and with Ps. 24:4,5

5. That what God forbids, is at no time to be done^h; what he commands, is always our dutyⁱ; and yet every particular duty is not to be done at all times^k.

^h Job 13:7,8; Rom. 3:8; Job 36:21; Heb. 11:25 ⁱ Deut. 4:8,9 ^k Matt. 12:7

6. That under one sin or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden or commanded; together with all the causes, means, occasions, and appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto^l.

^l Matt. 5:21,22,27,28; Matt. 15:4-6; Heb. 10:24,25; 1 Thess. 5:22; Jude 23; Gal. 5:26; Col. 3:21

7. That what is forbidden or commanded to ourselves, we are bound, according to our places, to endeavour that it may be avoided or performed by others, according to the duty of their places^m.

^m Exod. 20:10; Lev. 19:17; Gen. 18:19; Josh. 24:15; Deut. 6:6,7

8. That in what is commanded to others, we are bound, according to our places and callings, to be helpful to themⁿ; and to take heed of partaking with others in what is forbidden them^o.

ⁿ 2 Cor. 1:24 ^o 1 Tim. 5:22; Eph. 5:11

Q. 100. What special things are we to consider in the ten commandments?

A. We are to consider, in the ten commandments, the preface, the substance of the commandments themselves, and several reasons annexed to some of them, the more to enforce them.