A LITTLE Catechisme, that is to saye, a short instruction touching christian religion, set forth by Theodorus Beza. Minister of the Churche of God in Geneua.
The first section.
Question 1 WHerefore hath God placed vs in this worlde?
A. To know and serue him.
Qu. 2 VVill he be knowne and serued according to our vnderstanding & wil: or according to that, which it hath pleased himselfe, to declare and sette out vnto vs touching the same?
A. According to that which hee hath declared vnto vs concerning the same.
Qu. 3 VVher hath he declared and set out the same vnto vs?
A. In that booke which wee cal the Bible, comprehending togither with diuers histories, the Law and the Gospell.
Qu. 4 VVho hath made this booke?
A. God himselfe, by the ministery of his holy Prophets and Apostles.
Qu. 5 VVhat is the Lawe?
A. The doctrin which teacheth vs what we ought to do, as wel towards God, as one of vs towards another.
Qu. 6 VVhat is the Gospell?
A. That heauenlye doctrine which teacheth vs, what we must beleeue to our saluation thorow Iesus Christ only.
Qu. 7 Doth this vvord contayne all that which we must beleue and doe?
A. Yea, without hauing any neede to ad or ioyne anye thing thereto, or to take anye thing therefrom.
Qu. 8 Say novv the articles of your beliefe.
A. I beleue in god, the father almighty. &c.
The second section.
Qu. 1 Doth this doctrine teach vs that there is but one onely God, or that there are more gods then one?
A. It teacheth that there is but one God only, and that we may not haue more.
Qu. 2 VVherefore say you so?
A. Because it must nedes be, y t he which is God, shoulde bee aboue all other thinges, and therefore hee may not haue a fellowe or companion ioyned with him.
Qu. 3 Yet you in naming God, haue seemed to rehearse three, that is to say, the fathet, the sonne, & the holy Ghost?
A. In dede there are thre persons in one only Godhead: but yet these three persons are but one, and the selfe same onely God.
Qu. 4 Meane you that God is deuided into three partes?
A. No, for God cannot bee deuided, but I say, that euery one of these thre persons is one, and the selfe same onely God altogeather perfect.
Qu. 5 How can this be?
A. It is a misterye or secreat beyond al [Page] our vnderstanding, and yet notwithstanding most certaine and sure, for God hath so declared it, and set it forth vnto vs, by hys holy word.
Qu. 6 Doe you then beleeue ín one onely God, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost?
A. Yea: and by Gods goodnes, will dye in thys fayth.
The third section.
Qu. 1 How is the sonne of God called?
A. IESUS CHRIST.
Qu. 2 VVhat meane these words Iesus Christe?
A. Iesus is as much to say, as Sauiour, and Christ is as much as annointed and cō secrated to be our soueraigne king, hauing power ouer all creatures, our soueraigne or high prophet, who hath fullye declared vnto vs the will of God his father, touching our saluation, and our soueraigne or high priest, which hath fullye appeased and pacified the wrath of God against vs for our sinnes.
Qu. 3 VVhat hath he don and suffered to saue vs?
A. He was conceiued by the holy ghost, and borne of the Virgin Mary, suffered vnder Pontious Pilate. &c.
Qu. 4 Can God suffer or dye?
A. No,
Qu. 5 Is not Iesus Christ true and very God eternall, vvith his father and the holy ghoste?
A. Yea.
Qu. 6 Howe then is he sayd to haue dyed?
A. Because that being verye God, hee was made man also, to the ende that in hys person our nature might beare or suffer the whole punishmente due to our sinnes and transgressions.
Qu. 7 Do you meane that the sonne of God was chaunged into man?
A. No, because then he shuld be no more God: & God can not eyther change himselfe or be changed. But being of himselfe verye God, hee hath taken our nature vnto hymselfe, that so he might be very God and very man.
Qu. 8 If he had not bin God, could he haue bine our sauiour.
A. No, for it belongeth vnto God only to pardon and forgiue sinnes, and to giue eternall life.
Qu. 9 And if he had not bin man, could he haue bin our sauiour?
A. If he had not bin man, he coulde not haue dyed, and therfore we our selues should haue bin subiect vnto death.
The fourth section
Qu. 1 Shall all the world be saued?
A. No, for the greater part of the world refuse their saluation.
Qu. 2 VVho then are they which shall be saued?
A. They that haue fayth and beleeue.
Qu. 3 And vvhat is fayth?
A. A certaine perswasion and assurance, [Page] which euery true Christian man oughte to haue, that God the father loueth him, for Iesus Christ his sons sake.
Qu. 4 VVherfore do you say for Iesus Christs sake?
A. Bicause that wee being altogither corrupted and wholy peruerse in our selues, God could not loue vs, but in respect of him onelye, which is man altogether iuste and perfect, that is to saye, Iesus Christe hys sonne.
Qu. 5 Commeth this fayth of our selues?
A. No, but from the onely grace and goodnesse of God, which doth freely giue it to his elect and chosen ones.
Qu. 6 And they which haue this faith at they saued?
A. Yea of necessity, for God hath giuen his sonne to the ende that euerye one which beleueth in him, should haue life euerlasting: and he is not a lyer.
The fifth section.
Qu. 1 But vvhereby may a man know whether he haue faith or no?
A. By good workes.
Qu. 2 VVhich be good workes, and which be euill?
A. Those onely are good which he hymselfe hath commanded, and those euill which he hath forbidden.
Qu. 3 Rehearse now the commandements of God?
A. Heare Israel. &c. The summe wherof is, thou shalt loue the Lord thy God.
Qu. 4 To know Gods commaundements is not [Page] onely to know to say them, but men muste also vnderstand that vvhich they say: wherfore I demaund of you vvhat meaneth that vvhich is sayde in the thirde commaundement, to take the name of GOD?
A. It is to name God which we must neuer doe, but vppon iust and good cause, and with feare of his maiesty whom we name.
Qu. 5 Then it is by stronger and greater reason more forbidden to sweare by God in vaine, that is to say, to take him for a vvitnes and iudge, without iuste and good cause vvhy?
A. It is so in deede.
Qu. 6 VVhat meaneth it to sanctifie the Sabaoth day or day of rest?
A. It is to dedicate and consecrate it to the glory of God.
Qu. 7 Ought vve not also to dedicate vnto him al the rest of the dayes of our life?
A. Yea but this day is particularly and chiefely ordeyned for this end and purpose.
Qu. 8 Doe men forbid to trauaile or vvorke on the saboth day, as thogh to labor wer a thing euil of it self?
A. No, but they forbid ordinary and vsuall labor, to doe a worke which is better and more profitable.
The sixt section.
Qu. 1 You haue said that they only are good works which God hath commanded. VVherfore tel me can we accōplish & fulfil the commaundements of God?
A. No, not so much as begin to doe anye thing, but by a certaine singuler and speciall grace of God. Yea there neuer hath bine or [Page] shall be a man, excepting Iesus Christ only, which hath perfectly fulfilled the same.
Qu 2 VVherefore say you so?
A. Because God will saue vs thorowe his onely mercy in Iesus Christ.
Qu. 3 Yet so it is that a good life is the way to saluation?
A. It is true, that repentaunce & amendment is ioyned with the forgiuenesse of our sinnes: but yet followeth not therevpon that we be saued by our workes.
Qu. 4 And vvhy shall vvee not bee saued by oure vvorks, seeing that they are good?
A. Because they be not good ynough for that purpose.
Qu. 5 VVherefore then are they good?
A. To set forth Gods honour: to winne or else to strengthen our neighbours, and to make vs know and feele in our selues, that we are the children of God.
Qu 6 Good vvorks then make vs not gods childrē?
A. No, for contrariwise, a man must first be the childe of God before hee can doe good workes: but this is a marke or badge wherby a man may know the children of God.
Qu. 7 VVhat then maketh vs the children and sonnes of God?
A. The onely grace and mercye of God, by his holye spirite, because hee hath elected and chosen vs from before all euerlastingnes, according to hys good pleasure.
The seuenth section.
Qu. 1 The holy ghost then is he vvhich maketh vs the children of God: but vvhat instruments or means doth he ordinarily and commonly vse to bring vs to that honour and keepe vs in the same?
A. The preaching of the worde, prayer, and the vse of the Sacraments.
Qu. 2 VVhat call you preaching of the word?
A. An exposition of the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles, which is don in the Church by such as he hath called to that holy ministry: of whom it is sayd: he that receiueth you, receiueth me.
Qu. 3 Hovv doe you pray?
A. Saying. O our father which art in heauen. &c.
Qu. 4 To whom speak you these words?
A. To God the Father.
Qu. 5 Hovv is he your father, seing that he hath but one onely Sonne, that is to saye, IESVS CHRIST?
A. First bicause that Iesus Christe his eternall sonne, being made man is become our brother: secondly bicause he loueth me in Iesus Christ his sonne, with a greater then a fatherly loue and affection.
Qu. 6 Albeit then that you direct not your speach and words, eyther to the Sonne or to the holy ghost, yet you doe not exclude or shutte out eyther the one or the other.
A. No, for I can not cal him father but in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe, nor pray vnto him but by the holy Ghost.
Qu. 7 And is it not lavvful for a man to frame or make his prayer to the person of the sonne & of the holy Ghost?
A. Yea in deede. For seeing that the three persons are one only, and the selfe same God, inuocation or prayer doth equally belong vnto them. And whether I call vpon the father in the name of the son by the holye ghost, or that I make my praier vnto y e loue to lead and bring me to the father, or that I pray the holy ghost to teach me the father & the sonne, all commeth to one.
The eyght section
Qu. 1 And vvhat is a Sacrament?
A. It is a thing which God setteth before mens eyes in his Church, to signifie vnto vs for our saluation, an other thing which men see not.
Qu. 2 And wherefore hath God ordeyned these signes to his promises?
A. For to make vs so much the more assured of the certainty of them.
Qu. 3 Hovve manye suche signes are there in the christian Church?
A. Two, that is to saye, Baptisme, and the holy Supper.
Qu. 4 VVhat see you in Baptisme?
A. Water.
Qu. 5 VVhat doth this water signifie vnto you?
A. The bloud of Iesus Christ.
Qu. 6 To vvhat ende?
A. To make cleane my sinnes, as the water being occupied maketh cleane the filthines of the body.
Qu 7 Doth this water make cleane and purge sins?
A. No, but it signifieth vnto mee, that which washeth my sinnes, to wit, the bloude of Iesus Christ.
Qu. 8 Meane you that this matter or substance of the bloud of Iesus Christ vvasheth our soules?
A. No, for our soules can not be clensed with any matter as our bodyes. But this bloud maketh me cleane, because that Iesus Christ hath shed it for satisfaction and ful recompence for my sinnes.
Qu 9 Is there anye difference betewene the water of Baptisme, and common vvater?
A. No, as concerning the matter and substance (for it is alwayes water) but there is very great difference, as concerning the vse: for the common water serueth to washe and make cleane our bodely filthinesses, and the water vsed in Baptisme, is a sacrament of the washing of our soules.
The ninth section
Qu. 1 VVhat see you in the supper?
A. The bread and the wine which is ther giuen and receiued, according to the ordinance and institution of God.
Qu. 2 VVhat doth this bread and this vvine signifie vnto you?
A. The bread signifieth to me, the bodye [Page] crucified for me, and the wine signifieth vnto me, the bloud shed out for me.
Qu. 3 To what end?
A. To testifie vnto me, & to assure me that euen as this bread & this wine, are ordeyned for the maintenance and nourishment of this life, so our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen his body and his bloud for me, & giueth himselfe to me, to the ende that from him, as from a fountaine, there may flowe vnto me eternall life.
Qu. 4 Are this bread and vvine our spirituall nourishment?
A. No, but they signifie vnto vs y t from whence very eternall lyfe it selfe procedeth, that is to saye, from him which hath suffered his death and passion, to take away the cause of our death, that is to saye sinnes, and to renue vs vnto eternall life, thorow a spirituall liuelinesse, which resteth and remaineth in him.
Qu. 5 Is there any difference betvvene the breade and vvine vsed in this sacrament, and common breade and vvine?
A. No, as touching the matter and substance, (for it is alwayes bread and wine:) but there is very great difference, as concerning the vse: for ordinary and cōmon meates are appoynted for the vse of this present life, but this sacrament is ordeined to signify and [Page] seale vnto vs our spirituall and euerlasting nourishment.
The tenth section.
Qu. 1 VVherefore hath the Lord ordeyned & instituted tvvo signes in his holy Supper, seing that in Baptisme there is but one onely.
A. To assure vs that hee doth not feede vs to the halues but wholly, being not only our meate but also our drinke.
Qu. 2 VVhere is Iesus Christ nowe according to hys humaine nature?
A. In heauen, from whence he shal come to iudge the liuing and the dead.
Qu. 3 By what meanes can you then which are on the earth receiue him?
A. As I receiue with my hande and my mouth the Sacrament, that is to saye, that bread and that wine, for the nourishment of this body, euen so by the vertue, and power of the holye ghoste, I doe in wardly and in my soule receiue and imbrace thorowe fayth our Lord Iesus Christ, very God and verye man, that by him I may liue eternally.
Qu. 4 Doe they which haue no faith receiue Iesus Christ in the Supper?
A. No, for Iesus Christ is not receiued but by faith, yet doe they in deede receiue the sacraments, but to their condemnation.
Qu. 5 Hovv so?
A. Because that they make no differēce betwene common bread and common wine, [Page] and that which is the sacrament of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, whom they reiect and throw from thē thorowe their vnbeleife.
Qu. 6 How must a man prepare himselfe to come worthely to the supper.
A. If he haue true repentance of the life that is passed, confessing their sinnes before God, and amending them towards God and his brethren, so much as in him lyeth, wyth a ful deliberation and purpose to doe better in time to come, and imbracing Iesus Christ by a true fayth in his promises and Sacraments for the alone and onely sauiour.
Qu 7 But hath Iesus Christ left it vnto our libertye and choyse, whether vve will go to the supper, or not goe to it?
A. In forbidding men to resort thither vnworthily, he cōmandeth al them which haue iudgement and discretion, to prepare themselues that they may repaire worthily to it.
God giue vs all grace to go to it, to his honor and glory, and to our saluation. So be it.