The _Catechism_ for children was published in 1537, and was meant,
according to the author, to give expression to a simple piety, rather
than to exhibit a profound knowledge of religious truth. But, as Calvin
himself felt later, it was too theological for children, and was
superseded by a second Catechism, published immediately after his return
to Geneva in 1541. The first Catechism was entitled _Instruction and
Confession of Faith for the use of the Church of Geneva_. It expounded
successively the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's
Prayer, and the Sacraments. The duties of the pastorate and of the
magistracy were stated in appendices.[124]
The _Confession of Faith_ had for its full title, _Confession de la Foy
laquelle tous bourgois et habitans de Genève et subjectz du pays doyvent
jurer de garder et tenir extraicte de l'Instruction dont on use en
l'Église de la dicte ville_.[125] It reproduced the contents of the
_Instruction_, and was, like it, a condensed summary of the
_Institutio_.
This Confession has often been attributed to Farel, but there can be
little doubt that it came from the pen of Calvin.[126] It was submitted
to the Council and approved by them, and they agreed that the people
should be asked to swear to maintain it, the various divisions of the
districts of the town appearing for the purpose before the secretary of
the Council. The proposal was then sent down to the Council of the Two
Hundred, where it was assented to, but not without opposition. The
minutes show that some members remained faithful to the Romanist faith.
They said that they ought not to be compelled to take an oath which was
against their conscience. Others who professed themselves Protestants
asserted that to swear to a Confession took from them their liberty.
"We do not wish to be constrained," they said, "but to live in our
liberty." But in the end it was resolved to do as the Council had
recommended. So day by day the _dizenniers_, or captains of the
divisions of the town, brought their people to the cathedral, where the
secretary stood in the pulpit to receive the oath. The magistrates set
the example, and the people were sworn in batches, raising their hands
and taking the oath. But there were malcontents who stayed away, and
there were beginnings of trouble which was to increase. Deputies from
Bern, unmindful of the fact that their city had sworn in the same way to
their creed, encouraged the dissentients by saying that no one could
take such an oath without perjuring himself; and this opinion
strengthened the opposition. But the Council of Bern disowned its
deputies,[127] and refused any countenance to the malcontents, and the
trouble passed. All Geneva was sworn to maintain the Confession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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