The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part · Subpart 2 · Section · Subsection 1
What a Catechiſme is.A CATECHISME is a briefe doctrine, framed for youth & the ruder ſort, conteining in it the ſumme of the doctrine of the Law & Goſpel, or of Chriſtian religion, which being deliuered, is required againe at the handes of the auditors. It is ſo called of a Greek woord, foreign, which ſignifieth to reſound, or to returne a voice back again Eccho-like: becauſe that children did by mouth make rehearſall of thoſe thinges which were asked them, and which they had hard. Catechumeni in the primitiue church, were thoſe who learned the Catechiſme: that is to ſay, ſuch as were now of the Church, and were inſtructed in chriſtian Doctrine. Neophyti, or Nouices, were thoſe who were but new come vntounto the Church, ſo called from twoo Greeke woords, foreign and foreign, which ſignify a new plant. Of the Catechumenes there were twoo ſortes. 1 Thoſe who firſt being of ſome yeares, whether of the Iewes or of the Gentils, afterward came vntounto Chriſt, but were not as yet baptiſed. Theſe were firſt inſtructed in the Catechiſme, and afterwards baptiſed, and admitted to the Lords ſupper. 2. Thoſe who were borne in the Church. That is, the Children of Chriſtians. Theſe eftſoones after their birth, as being members of the Church, were baptiſed, and after they were growen a little elder, they were inſtructed, and confirmed by laying on of handes, and ſo dimiſſed out of the companie of the Catechumenes, ſo that it was lawfull for them thence-forward to draw neer vntounto the Lordes Supper.
This Catechiſing doctrine hath euer been in the Church. For in the olde Teſtament God himſelfe in briefe-wiſe deliuered the doctrine of the Lawe & Goſpell, the Decalog & the promiſes, as when hee ſaith, Walke before me, Gen. 17.1. Gen. 22.18.and be thou perfect. Likewiſe, In thy ſeed ſhal al nations of the earth be bleſſed. Now theſe things God would that Abraham and his poſteritie ſhould teach their Children, and their whole familie: and therefore this doctrine was framed fit for the capacity of Children, and the ruder ſort. In the old Teſtament furthermore there were alſo ſacrifices, praiers, & other things, in which the youth were inſtructed. In the new Teſtament, in the Apoſtles time, there was likewiſe a Catechiſing doctrine: as the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes reporteth. Therefore, leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, Heb. 6.1.let vsus be led forward vntounto perfection, not laying againe the foundation of repentance: that is the beginning of Chriſtian doctrine, which comprehendeth repentance and faith. Theſe firſt beginnings or principles of Chriſtian doctrine are called in the ſame place the doctrine of baptiſmes, becauſe they that were of ſome yeares before they came to chriſt, were firſt inſtructed, before they were baptiſed. It is called alſo the doctrin of laying on of hands, becauſe the Catechiſme was required at their handes (that they ſhould be able to anſwere in it) on whom hands were laid, that is to ſay, of the children of Chriſtians, who were baptiſed in their infancy. The parts of theſe rudimentes of Chriſtian doctrine, which they cal Catechiſme, are the Lawe and the Goſpel, or (as it is ſaid in the place afore named vntounto the Hebrews) repentance and faith in Chriſt. Semblably the fathers alſo write Briefe ſummes of doctrine: certain remnants of which we ſee as yet in Popery.
Now it behoueth that the youth be by and by inſtructed in this doctrine, and doe knowe the foundation. 1. Becauſe of the commandement of God,…eut. 6.7. Thou ſhalt tell them vntounto thy children. 2. Becauſe we are ſo corrupted, that, except we be timely informed of the wil of God, hardly, or neuer we learne to do things acceptable vntounto God, and ſcarſely ſuffer ourſelues with much adoe to be withdrawen from thoſe errors which happily we drunk in, in our childhood. 3. Becauſe we are to hold the foundation, vponupon which we may build, and vntounto which we may referre thoſe thinges which wee reade.
4. Becauſe God receaueth not into fauour thoſe, who by their iudgement cannot diſcerne betweene things honeſt and diſhoneſt (this is to be vnderſtood touching thoſe, who are able to receaue inſtruction) neither doth ſaluation befal to thoſe who hauehave vnderſtanding, without agniſing and profeſſion of the truth, or without faith & repentance. This is life eternall, Iohn. 17.3. Rom. 10.17.that they know thee to be the only verie God. And, faith commeth by hearing. Now no man beleeueth in him of whom he hath neuer heard. There muſt therefore in the Church be deliuered ſuch a ſumme of doctrine, of which the ruder and yonger ſort alſo may bee capable. 5. Becauſe of order and ſeemlines. For as the Children of the Iewes after Circumciſion were inſtructed in the Lawe: ſo it beſeemeth vsus alſo after Baptiſme to inſtruct our little ones in the firſt principles of Religion. 6 It is neceſſary alſo for the rude and yonger ſort that they bee ſeuered and diſcerned from the Heathen. Obiection. But we may hauehave an implicit or confuſed faith. Therefore no neede of inſtruction. Aunſwere. No faith is without knowledge: therfore there is need of inſtructiō.Rom. 10.14. Iohn. 3.36. How ſhal they beleeue in him of whom they hauehave not hard? He that beleeueth not in the Sonne, the wrath of God abideth on him.