Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular…Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler…

The first sermon of the Creation.

TO the intent good children that you may the better understand the true Christian faith and doctrine, you must first of all learn and know ⟨image 132⟩that God is a spiritual or ghostly substance,¹ as Christ saith John the .iiii. God is not a bodily thing which may be seen and felt. He is present in every place, he seeth and beholdeth all things, which we do, speak, or think, and yet he is not measured with any end, time or place. And forasmuch as mans wit could not search or find out the knowledge of this high mystery of the substance of God, Christ himself the son of God did open to us that believe in him what God is. That is to say, that there is God the father, God the son, and God the holy ghost, three persons, and yet one true and everlasting God. And it is your bounden duty (good children) diligently to learn this lesson. And although these things pass all mens capacities, ⟨p. cx⟩and is a doctrine hard for you to learn, yet in time to come you shall hear more of this matter. In the mean season bear away (I pray you) this one lesson, that there is one true and everlasting God, and yet three persons, the father, the son and the holy ghost And this we call the Trinity, because these three, the father, the son and the holy ghost are one godly substance. And it is a great shame for you that be christen children, not to learn this lesson. For all you were baptised in the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy ghost, and thereby you were made christen and the children of God, and obtained remission of your since. Wherefore it is your duty to learn & know, in whose name you are baptised, that so you may truly know God and your