Larger Catechism

The Westminster Larger Catechism (1647) was written by the same Assembly that produced the Shorter Catechism, but it was intended for a different audience. While the Shorter version was for "weaker capacity" (children and beginners), the Larger Catechism was designed for the pulpit, to guide ministers in their preaching and to provide a more exhaustive, academic defense of Reformed doctrine.

It consists of 196 questions and answers and is renowned for its detailed "case study" approach to ethics, particularly in its expansion of the Ten Commandments.

Part 1: The Knowledge of God (Questions 1–90)

Theology and the Trinity

Like the other Westminster standards, it begins with man’s chief end (glorifying and enjoying God) and the sufficiency of Scripture. It provides a more robust defense of the Trinity, detailing the distinct properties of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and how they are one in substance.

Decrees, Creation, and Providence

The Larger Catechism goes into greater detail regarding God’s sovereignty. It explains how God's decrees are His wise, free, and holy acts. It also provides a more descriptive account of the creation of man, emphasizing the "Law of God" written on the heart of Adam before the Fall.

The Fall and the State of Sin

It meticulously defines the "misery" of the fall. It describes not just the loss of communion with God, but the corruption of the whole nature, which is called "Original Sin." It lists the consequences of sin as being under God's wrath, the curse of the law, and "all miseries in this life and that which is to come."

The Mediator: Jesus Christ

This section is a masterpiece of Christology. It explains:

• Why the Mediator must be God: To sustain the weight of God's wrath and give worth to His sacrifice.

• Why the Mediator must be Man: To suffer in our nature and have a feeling for our infirmities.

• The Estates of Christ: It differentiates between Christ’s Humiliation (His birth, suffering, and death) and His Exaltation (His resurrection, ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God).

Part 2: The Duty of Man (Questions 91–153)

This is the most famous and substantial portion of the Larger Catechism. It provides an "exhaustive" look at the Moral Law.

The Rules for Understanding the Commandments

Before listing the Commandments, the Catechism provides eight rules for interpreting them. These rules are vital for Covenanter ethics. They include:

• Where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden.

• Where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded.

• That which is forbidden to ourselves, we are bound to avoid in others (and vice versa).

The Detailed Commandments (Q. 102–152)

The Larger Catechism takes each of the Ten Commandments and breaks them down into two massive lists: Duties Required and Sins Forbidden.

• The 2nd Commandment: This is where the Regulative Principle of Worship is defined most strictly. It forbids all "devised" worship and religious imagery.

• The 4th Commandment: It provides a very high view of the Sabbath, requiring the cessation of all worldly employments and recreations.

• The 5th Commandment: This was crucial for the Covenanters. It defines the duties of Superiors (Kings, Parents, Elders), Inferiors (Subjects, Children), and Equals. It argues that if a "Superior" (a King) fails in his duty, he loses his moral authority.

The "Aggravation" of Sin

Question 151 is unique; it asks, "What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?" It explains that sins are worse if they are committed by people of high standing, or if they are done willfully, or if they happen on the Sabbath.

Part 3: The Means of Grace (Questions 154–196)

The Word and Sacraments

The Catechism explains how the Holy Spirit makes the reading and preaching of the Word an "effectual means of salvation."

• Baptism: Discusses the "improvement" of our baptism, the idea that we should think back on our baptism throughout our lives to strengthen our faith.

• The Lord's Supper: Provides a very high "spiritual presence" view of the meal, warning against "unworthy" participation.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Catechism ends with a massive, clause-by-clause breakdown of the Lord’s Prayer, teaching the believer exactly what they are asking for in every phrase, from "Our Father" to "Amen."

Covenanter Significance

For the Covenanters, the Larger Catechism was the legal and ethical "code" for a Christian society. Its section on the 5th Commandment provided the theological justification for resisting King Charles I and Charles II: because the Kings had failed their duties as "Superiors," the people (as "Inferiors") were released from their obligation of blind obedience.

A full version of the Larger Catechism can be found here.