A Little Catechism 2, Section 1 – Prayer
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 vsus 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 vntounto vsus touching the ſame?
A. According to that which hee hath declared vntounto vsus concerning the ſame.
Qu. 3 VVher hath he declared and ſet out the ſame vntounto vsus?
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 vsus what we ought to do, as wel towards God, as one of vsus towards another.
Qu. 6 VVhat is the Goſpell?
A. That heauenlye doctrine which teacheth vsus, 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 vsus that there is but one onelyonly God, or that there are more gods then one?
A. It teacheth that there is but one God only, and that we may not hauehave more.
Qu. 2 VVherefore ſay you ſo?
A. Becauſe it muſt nedes be, yt he which is God, ſhoulde bee aboue all other thinges, and therefore hee may not hauehave a fellowe or companion ioyned with him.
Qu. 3 Yet you in naming God, hauehave 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 onelyonly God.
Qu. 4 Meane you that God is deuided into three partes?
A. No, for God cannot bee deuided, but I ſay, that eueryevery one of theſe thre perſons is one, and the ſelfe ſame onelyonly God altogeather perfect.
Qu. 5 How can this be?
A. It is a miſterye or ſecreat beyond al our vnderſtanding, and yet notwithſtanding moſt certaine and ſure, for God hath ſo declared it, and ſet it forth vntounto vsus, by hys holy word.
Qu. 6 Doe you then beleeue ín one onelyonly 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 vntounto vsus 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 vsus for our ſinnes.
Qu. 3 VVhat hath he don and ſuffered to ſaue vsus?
A. He was conceiued by the holy ghoſt, and borne of the Virgin Mary, ſuffered vnderunder 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 hauehave 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 vntounto hymſelfe, that ſo he might be very God and very man.
Qu. 8 If he had not bin God, could he hauehave bine our ſauiour.
A. No, for it belongeth vntounto God only to pardon and forgiue ſinnes, and to giuegive eternall life.
Qu. 9 And if he had not bin man, could he hauehave bin our ſauiour?
A. If he had not bin man, he coulde not hauehave dyed, and therfore we our ſelues ſhould hauehave bin ſubiect vntounto 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 hauehave fayth and beleeue.
Qu. 3 And vvhat is fayth?
A. A certaine perſwaſion and aſſurance, which eueryevery true Chriſtian man oughte to hauehave, 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 louelove vsus, 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 onelyonly grace and goodneſſe of God, which doth freely giuegive it to his elect and choſen ones.
Qu. 6 And they which hauehave 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 hauehave life euerlaſting: and he is not a lyer.
The fifth ſection.
Qu. 1 But vvhereby may a man know whether he hauehave faith or no?
A. By good workes.
Qu. 2 VVhichWhich be good workes, and which be euill?
A. Thoſe onelyonly 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 louelove the Lord thy God.
Qu. 4 To know Gods commaundements is not onelyonly to know to ſay them, but men muſte alſo vnderſtand that vvhichwhich they ſay: wherfore I demaund of you vvhat meaneth that vvhichwhich 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 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 vsus thorowe his onelyonly 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 vsus know and feele in our ſelues, that we are the children of God.
Qu 6 Good vvorks then make vsus 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 vsus the children and ſonnes of God?
A. The onelyonly grace and mercye of God, by his holye ſpirite, becauſe hee hath elected and choſen vsus from before all euerlaſtingnes, according to hys good pleaſure.
The ſeuenth ſection.
Qu. 1 The holy ghoſt then is he vvhichwhich maketh vsus the children of God: but vvhat inſtruments or means doth he ordinarily and commonly vſe to bring vsus to that honour and keepe vsus 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 onelyonly 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 louelove 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 vntounto 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 vntounto them. And whether I call vponupon the father in the name of the ſon by the holye ghoſt, or that I make my praier vntounto ye louelove 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 vntounto vsus 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 vsus 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vntounto you?
A. The bread ſignifieth to me, the bodye crucified for me, and the wine ſignifieth vntounto me, the bloud ſhed out for me.
Qu. 3 To what end?
A. To teſtifie vntounto 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 vntounto me eternall life.
Qu. 4 Are this bread and vvine our ſpirituall nouriſhment?
A. No, but they ſignifie vntounto vsus yt 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 vsus vntounto 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 ſeale vntounto vsus 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 onelyonly.
A. To aſſure vsus that hee doth not feede vsus 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 hauehave 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, 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly ſauiour.
Qu 7 But hath Ieſus Chriſt left it vntounto 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 hauehave iudgement and diſcretion, to prepare themſelues that they may repaire worthily to it.
God giuegive vsus all grace to go to it, to his honor and glory, and to our ſaluation. So be it.
A prayer to be ſayd of children before they ſtudy their leſſon
Wherein ſhall a childe addreſſe his way, in guiding himſelfe according to thy word O Lord. Open our eyes & we ſhall conſider the maruailous things of thy law. GiueGive vsus vnderſtanding, and we ſhal keepe thy law, yea we will keepe it with our heart.
O Lord whych art the fountaine of al wiſedom and knovveldge, ſeing it hath pleaſed thee to giuegive vsus the meane to be taughte in our young age to knovve howe to guide our ſelues holily and honeſtly, in al the reſt of our life here after to come, let it pleaſe thee alſo to lighten our vnderſtanding (vvhyche of it ſelfe is blind) that it may comprehend and receiue that doctrine and learning, vvhichwhich ſhall be taught vsus, confirme alſo and ſtrengthen our memorye to keepe it wel: diſpoſe our hearts to receiue the ſame vvillingly, & with ſuch deſire as is mete, leaſt that thorovv our vnthankfulnes, the occaſion that thou doſt offer vntounto vsus, ſhuld periſh or be loſt. To this end powre vponupon vsus we pray thee thy holye ſpirite, vvhichwhich is the ſpirite of all vnderſtanding, truth, iudgemente, vviſedome and learning, which may make vsus able to profit ſo wel that the pain vvhichwhich ſhall be taken in teaching vsus be not loſt. And to whatſoeuer ſtudy, that we apply our ſelues, graunte that we may refer it to the true and right ende, vvhichwhich is to knovve thee, in our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, that vve may hauehave ful truſt of our ſaluation and eternal life in thy grace, and may ſerue thee vprightlye and purelye, according to thy good pleaſure, ſo that al that which we ſhall learn, may be an inſtrument to help vsus therto And ſeeing that thou doeſt promyſe to giuegive vvyſedome to the little ones, and ſuch as are humble, and on the otherſide to confound the proud in the vanity of their wits and vnderſtandinges: & likewiſe to make thy ſelfe knowen vntounto them that bee of an vpryght hart, & on the otherſide to make blinde the wicked & vngodly, vve beſeche thee to faſhion and ſubdue vsus to true humility, that thereby vve may be made apte to learne & obedient alſo, firſt vntounto thee, ſecondly vntounto our ſuperiors which thou haſt appoynted to gouerne and teach vsus. Moreouer, vve hartily praye thee to diſpoſe and frame our harts, vnfeynedly to ſeeke thee, for ſaking all fleſhly and euil affections, and that vve maye nowe in ſuch ſorte prepare our ſelues, to ſerue thee hereafter in that eſtate and calling, vvhyche it ſhall pleaſe thee to ordeyne and appoynt for vsus, vvhen vve ſhall come to age. Heare vsus O father of all mercy thorow our Lord Ieſus Chriſte. So bee it.
PSALME. XXV.
The Lorde reuealeth his ſecretes, vntounto them which feare him, and maketh them to knowe his couenaunte.
¶ Jmprinted at London by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Creede Lane, at the ſigne of the gylden Tunn, neere vntounto Ludgate, and are there to be ſolde.
Cum priuilegio.
Anno. 1579.
HS
End of the text · Theodore Beza, A Little Catechism 2 (1579)