A little Catechism, that is to say, a short instruction touching christian religion, set forth by Theodorus Beza Minister of the Church of God in Geneva.  

The first section.  
Question. 1 WHerefore hath God placed us in this world?  
Answer. To know and serve him.  
Q 2. Will he be known and served according to our understanding and will: or according to that, which it hath pleased himself, to declare and set out unto us touching the same?  
Answer. According to that which he hath declared unto us concerning the same.  
Q 3 Where hath he declared and set out the same unto us?  
A. In that book which we call the Bible, comprehending, together with divers histories, the law and the gospel.  
Q 4. Who hath made this book?  
A. God himself, by the ministry of his holy Prophets and Apostles.  
Q. 5. What is the law?  
A. The doctrine which teacheth us what we aught to do, as well towards God, as one of us towards an other.  
Q. 6. What is the Gospel?  
A. That heavenly doctrine which teacheth us, what we must believe to our salvation thorough jesus Christ only.  
Q. 7. Doth this word contain all that which we must believe and do?  
A. Yea, without having any need to add or join any thing thereto, or to take any thing therefrom.  
Q. 8. Say now the articles of your belief.  
A. I believe in God, the father almighty. &c   

The second section.  
Q. 1. Doth this Doctrine teach us, that there is but one only God, or that there are more gods than one?  
A. It teacheth that there is but one God only, and that we may not have more.  
Q. 2. Wherefore say you so?  
A. Because it must needs be, that he which is God, should be above all other things, and therefore he may not have a fellow or companion joined with him.  
Q. 3. Yet you in naming God have seemed to rehearse three, that is to say, the father, the son, and the holy Ghost.  
A. In deed there are three persons, in one only Godhead: but yet these three persons, are but one, and the self same only God.  
Q. 4. Mean you that God is divided into three parts?  
A. Not, for God can not be divided, but I say, that every one of these three persons is one, and the self same only God altogeathere perfect.  
Q. 5. How can this be?  
A. It is a mystery or secret beyond all our understanding, and yet notwithstanding most certain and sure, for God hath so declared it and set it forth unto us, by his holy word.  
Q. 6. Do you then believe in one only God, the father the son, and the holy ghost.  
A. Yea: and by God's goodness, william. die in this faith.   

The third section.  
Q. 1. How is the son of God called?  
A. JESUS CHRIST.  
Q. 2. What mean these words JESUS CHRIST?  
A. jesus is as much to say, as Saviour, and Christ is as much as anointed and consecrated to be our sovereign king, having power over all creatures, our sovereign or high prophet, who hath fully declared unto us the will of God his father, touching our salvation, and our sovereign or high priest, which hath fully appeased an pacified the wrath of God against us for our sins.  
Q. 3. What hath he done and suffered to save us?  
A. He was conceived by the holy ghost, and borne of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, etc.  
Q. 4. Can God suffer or die?  
A. No.  
Q. 5. Is not jesus Christ true and very God, eternal, with his father and the holy ghost?  
A, Yea.  
Q. 6. How then is he said to have died?  
A. Because that being very God, he was made man also, to the end that in his person our nature might bear or suffer the whole punishment due to our sins and traunsgressions.  
Q. 7. Do you mean that the son of God, was changed into man?  
A. Not, because than he should be no more God: and god can not either change himself or be changed. But being of himself very God, he hath taken our nature unto himself, that so he might be very god and very man.  
Q. 8. If he had not been God could he have been our saviour?  
A. Not, for it belongeth unto God only to pardon and forgive sins, and to give eternal life.  
Q. 9 And if he had not been man, could he have been our saviour?  
A. If he had not been man he could not have died, and therefore we ourselves should have been subject unto death.   

The fourth section.  
Q. 1. Shall all the world be saved.  
A. Not, for the greater part of the world refuse their salvation.  
Q. 2. Who then are they which shall be saved?  
A. They that have faith and believe.  
Q. 3. And what is faith?  
A. A certain persuasion and assurance, which every true christian man ought tohave, that God the father loveth him, for jesus Christ his son's sake.  
Q. 4. Wherefore do you say for jesus Christ's sake?  
A. Because that we being altogether corrupted and wholly perverse in ourselves, God could not love us, but in respect of him only, which is man altogether just and perfect, that is to say jesus Christ his son.  
Q. 5. cometh this faith of ourselves?  
A. Not, but from the only grace and goodness of God, which doth freely give it to his elect and chosen ones.  
Q. 6. And they which have this faith, are they saved?  
A. Yea of necessity, for god hath given his son to the end that every one which believeth in him, should have life everlasting: and he is not a liar.   

The fifth section.  
Q. 1. But whereby may a man know whether he have faith or no?  
A. By good works.  
Q. 2. Which be good works, and which be evil?  
A. Those only are good which he himself hath commanded, and those evil which he hath forbidden.  
Q. 3. Rehearse now the commandments of God.  
A. Hear Israel etc. The sum whereof is, thou shalt love the Lord thy God.  
Q. 4. To know God's commandments, is not only to know to say them, but men must also understand that which they say: wherefore I demand of you, what meaneth that which is said in the third commandment, to take the name of God.  
A. It is to name God, which we must never do, but upon just and good cause, and with fear of his majesty whom we name.  
Q. 5. Then it is by stronger and greater reason more forbidden to swear by God in vain that is to say, to take him for a witness and judge, without just and good cause why.  
A. It is so in deed,  
Q. 6. What meaneth it to sanctify the Sabaoth day, or day of rest.  
A. It is to dedicated and consecrated it to the glory of God.  
Q. 7. Aught we not also to dedicated unto him all the rest of the days of our life?  
A. Yea, but this day is particularly and chiefly ordained for this end and purpose.  
Q. 8. Do men forbidden to travail or work on the Saboth day, as though to labour were a thing evil of itself?  
A. Not, but they forbidden ordinary and usual labour, to do a work which is better and more profitable.   

The sixth section.  
Q 1. You have said that they only are good works which God hath commanded. Wherefore tell me can we accomplish and fulfil the commandments of God?  
A. Not, not so much as begin to do any thing, but by a certain singular and special grace of God. Yea there never hath been or shall be a man, excepting jesus Christ only, which hath perfectly fulfilled the same.  
Q. 2. Wherefore say you so?  
A. Because God will save us thorough his only mercy in jesus Christ.  
Q 3 Yet so it is that a good life is the way to salvation.  
A. It is true that repentance and amendment is joined with the forgiveness of our sins: but yet it followeth not thereupon, that we be saved by our works.  
Q. 4. And why shall we not be saved by our works seeing that they are good?  
A. Because they be not good enough for that purpose.  
Q. 5. Wherefore then are they good?  
A. To set forth God's honour: to win or else to strengthen our neighbours, and to make us know and feel in ourselves, that we are the children of God.  
Q. 6. Good works than make us not Gods children?  
A. Not, for contrariwise a man must first be the child of GOD, before he can do good works: but this is a mark or badge, whereby men may know the children of God.  
Q. 7. What then maketh us the children & sons of God?  
A. The only grace and mercy of God, by his holy spirit, because he hath elected and chosen us from before all everlastingness, according to his good pleasure.   

The seventh section.  
Q. 1. The holy ghost than is he which maketh us the children of god: but what instruments or means, doth he ordinarily & commonly use to bring us to that honour and keep us in the same?  
A. The preaching of the word prayer, and the use of the sacraments.  
Q. 2. What call you preaching of the word?  
A. An exposition of the writings of the Prophets and apostles, which is done in the Church, by such as he hath called to that holy ministry: of Whom it is said the that receiveth you receiveth me.  
Q. 3. And how do you pray?  
A. Saying. O our father which art in heaven. etc.  
Q. 4. To whom speak you these words?  
A. To God the Father.  
Q. 5. How is he your father, seeing that he hath but one only son, that is to say JESUS CHRIST?  
A. First, because that jesus Christ his eternal son being made man, is become our brother: secondly, because he loveth me in jesus Christ his son, with a greater than a fatherly love and affection.  
Q. 6. Albeit then that you direct not your speech and words either to the son or to the holy ghost, yet you do not exclude or shut out eyeher the one or the other.  
A. Not, For I can not call him Father, but in the name of his son JESUS CHRIST, nor pray unto him but by the holy ghost.  
Q. 7. And is it not lawful for a man to frame or make his prayer to the person of the son and of the holy ghost.  
A. Yea in deed. For seeing that the three persons are one only, and the self same God, invocation or prayer doth equally belong unto them. And whether I call upon the father in the name of the son by the holy ghost, or that I make my prayer unto the son to lead and bring me to the father, or that I pray the holy ghost to teach me the father and the son, all cometh to one.   

The eight section.  
Q. 1. And what is a Sacrament?  
A. It is a thing which God setteth before men's eyes in his church, to signify unto us for our salvation, an other thing which men see not.  
Q. 2. And wherefore hath God ordained these signs to his promises?  
A. For to make us so much the more assured of the certainty of them.  
Q. 3. How many such signs are there in the christian Church?  
A. Two, that is to say, Baptism, and the holy Supper.  
Q. 4. What see you in Baptism?  
A. Water.  
Q. 5. What doth this water signify unto you?  
A. The blood of jesus Christ.  
Q 6. To what end?  
A. To make clean my sins, as the water being occupied, maketh clean the filthiness of the body.  
Q 7. Doth this water make clean and purge sins?  
A. Not, but it signifieth unto me that which washeth my sins, to wit, the blood of jesus Christ.  
Q 8. Mean you that this matter or substance of the blood of jesus Christ washeth our souls?  
A. Not, for our souls can not be cleansed with any matter as our bodies. But this blood maketh me clean, because the jesus Christ hath shed it for satisfaction and full recompense of my sins.  
Q. 9 Is there then any difference between the water of Baptism, and common water?  
A. Not, as concerning the matter and substance (for it is always water) but there is very great difference, as concerning the use: for the common water serveth to wash and make clean our bodily filthinesses, and the water used in Baptism, is a sacrament, of the washing of our souls.   

The ninth section.  
Q. 1. What see you in the supper?  
A. The bread and the wine, which is there given and received according to the ordinance and institution of God.  
Q. 2. What doth this bread and this wine signify unto you?  
A. The bread signifieth to me, the body crucified for me, and the wine signifieth unto me, the blood shed out for me.  
Q. 3. To what end?  
A. To testify unto me, & to assure me, that even as this bread & this wine, are ordained for the maintenance and nourishment of this life, so our Lord jesus Christ hath given his body & his blood for me, and giveth himself to me, to the end that from him, as from a fountain there may flow unto me eternal life.  
Q. 4. Are this bread and wine our spiritual nourishment?  
A. Not, but they signify unto us that from whence very eternal life itself proceedeth, that is to say, from him which hath suffered his death and passion to take away the cause of our death, that is to say sins, and to renew us unto eternal life, thorough a spiritual liveliness, which resteth and remaineih in him.  
Q. 5. Is there any difference between the bread and wine used in this sacrament, and common bread and wine?  
A. Not, as touching the matter and substance (for it is always bread and wine) but there is very great difference, as concerning the use: for ordinary and common meats are appointed for the use of this present life, but this sacrament is ordained to signify and seal unto us our spiritual and everlasting nourishment.   

The tenth section.  
Q. 1. Wherefore hath the Lord ordained & instituted two signs in his holy supper seeing that in Baptism there is but one only?  
A. To assure us that he doth not feed us to the halves, but wholly, being not only our meat but also our drink.  
Q. 2. Where is jesus Christ now according to his human nature?  
A. In heaven, from whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.  
Q. 3. By what means can you then which are on the earth receive him?  
A. As I receive with my hand and my mouth the sacrament, that is to say, that bread and that wine, for the nourishment of this body, even so by the virtue, and power of the holy Ghost, I do inwardly and in my soul receive and embrace thorough faith our Lord jesus Christ, very God and very man, that by him I may live eternally.  
Q. 4. Do they which have no faith receive jesus Christ in the supper?  
A. Not, for jesus Christ is not received but by faith, yet do they in deed receive the sacrament, but to their condemnation.  
Q 5. How so?  
A. Because that they make no difference between common bread and common wine, and that which is the sacrament of the body and blood of jesus Christ, whom they reject and throw from them thorough their unbelief.  
Q 6. How must a man prepare himself t● come worthily to the supper?  
A. If he have true repentance of the life that is passed, confessing their sins before God, and amending them towards God and his brethren, so much as in him lieth, with aful● deliberation & purpose to be better in time to come, and embracing jesus Christ by a● true faith in his promises and sacraments for the alone and only saviour,  
Q. 7. But hath jesus Christ left it unto our liberty and choice▪ whether we will go to the supper, or not go to it?  
A. In forbidding men to resort thither unworthily, he commandeth all them which have judgement and discretion, to prepare themselves that they may repair worthily to it.  
God give us all grace to go to it to his honour and glory, and to our salvation. So be it.   

A prayer to be said of children before they study their lesson.  
Wherein shall a child address his way, in guiding himself according to thy word O Lord Open our eyes and we shall consider the marvelous things of thy la. Give us understanding, and we shall keep thy la, yea we will I keep it with our heart.  
O Lord which art the fountain of all wisdom and knowledge, seeing it hath pleased thee to give us the mean to be taught in our young age, to know how to guide ourselves holily and honestly, in all the rest of our life hereafter to come, let it please thee also to lighten our understanding (which of itself is blind) that it may comprehend and receive that doctrine and learning, which shall be taught us, confirm also and strengthen our memory to keep it well: dispose our hearts to receive the same willingly, & with such desire as is meet, lest that thorough our unthankfulness, the occasion that thou dost offer unto us, should perish and be lost. To this end power upon us we pray thee thy holy spirit, which is the spirit of all understanding, truth, judgement, wisdom and learning, which may make us able to profit so well that the pains which shall be taken in teaching us be not lost. And to whatsoever study, that we apply ourselves, grant that we may refer it to the true and right end, which is to know thee, in our Lord jesus Christ, that we may have full trust of our salvation and eternal life in thy grace, and may serve thee uprightly and purely, according to thy good pleasure, so that all that which we shall learn, may be an instrument to help us thereto. And seeing that thou dost promise to give wisdom to the little ones, and such as are humble, and on the otherside to confounded the proud in the vanity of their wits and understandings: & likewise to make thyself known unto them that be of an upright heart, & on the otherside to make blind the wicked & ungodly, we beseech thee to fashion and subdue us to true humility, that thereby we may be made apt to learn & obedient also, first unto thee, secondly unto our superiors which thou hast appointed to govern and teach us. Moreover we heartily prayer thee to dispose and frame our hearts, unfeignedly to seek thee, forsaking all fleshly and evil affections, & that we may now in such sort prepare ourselves, to serve thee hereafter in that estate & calling, which it shall please thee to ordain & appoint for us, when we shall come to age. Hear us O father of all mercy, thorough our Lord jesus Christ. So be it.   PSALM. 25 The Lord revealeth his secrets, unto them which fear him, and maketh them to know, his covenant.  

Imprinted at London by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Creed Lane, at the sign of the GILDEN TVNN. near unto Ludgate.  
Cum privilegio.  
Anno. 1578.  

HIS   printer's device of Hugh Singleton