Day 61: Of the Law of God, part 2

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 41,
Larger Catechism Q. 98,
Confession of Faith Chapter 19, sections 2-3

Shorter Catechism
Q. 41. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments [c].

[c] Deuteronomy 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Larger Catechism
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 [m]; 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 [n].

[m] Deuteronomy 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
Exodus 34:1-4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. Ver.2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. Ver.3 And no man shall come up with thee, etc. Ver.4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

[n] Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Ver.38 This is the first and great commandment. Ver.39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Ver.40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Confession of Faith, Chapter 19
II. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables [b]: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man [c].

[b] James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: Ver.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Ver.11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. Ver.12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Ver.9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Deuteronomy 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Deuteronomy 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me.
Exodus 34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

[c] Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Ver.38 This is the first and great commandment. Ver.39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Ver.40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

III. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits [d]; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties [e]. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the New Testament [f].

[d] (Hebrews 9) Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; Ver.2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Ver.3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

[e] 1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Jude 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

[f] Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. Ver.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Ver.17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Ver.16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.