Larger Catechism of Zacharias Ursinus (c. 1562)
1. Q. What firm comfort do you have in life and in death?
A. That I was created by God in his image for eternal life; and after I willfully lost this in Adam, God, out of infinite and free mercy, took me into his covenant of grace that he might give me by faith, righteousness and eternal life because of the obedience and death of his Son who was sent in the flesh. And that he sealed his covenant in my heart by his Spirit, who renews me in the image of God and cries out in me, “Abba,” Father, by his Word and the visible signs of this covenant.
2. Q. How do you know that God has established such a covenant with you?
A. Because I am a true Christian.
3. Q. Whom do you call a true Christian?
A. One who by true faith is grafted into Christ and is baptized in him.
4. Q. Is there then no true religion beside the Christian religion?
A. None.
5. Q. Why do you say that?
A. Because the Holy Spirit witnesses only to this religion in believers’ hearts. Only this religion promises certain deliverance from sin and death. Only this religion convicts the conscience of its purity and truth. And finally, since the beginning of the world, God confirmed only this religion by great miracles, by true predictions of future events, by protection from all enemies, and by the blood of so many holy martyrs.
35. Q. What does the gospel teach?
A. It teaches what God promises us in the covenant of his grace, how we are received into it, and how we know we are in it; that is, how we are set free from sin and death and how we are certain of this deliverance.
38. Q. What is faith?
A. It is firmly to assent to everything taught us in God’s Word, and a firm assurance by which each one is personally convinced that forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal life have been freely given him by God because of Christ’s merit, and through him, and which, having been created in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Spirit, makes us living members of Christ and produces in us true love and prayer to God.
46. Q. What does it mean to believe in God?
A. It means to be firmly convinced that this one true God who has revealed himself in the church is Lord of all creatures so that with the highest right he is able to do with them whatever he wishes, and yet he so desires our good that we ought to expect from him everything that pertains to our salvation.
49. Q. What does it mean to believe in God as “Father” and “almighty”?
A. It means to know certainly that he is both willing and able to freely and faithfully give all those things that concern our salvation.
55. Q. What does it mean to believe in the creator of heaven and earth?
A. It means to be certain not only that we were created but also that we are nourished and sustained by God, and that we and all that is ours, as well as all creatures, are so upheld and ruled by his hand that nothing can happen to us except by his good and saving will for us.
64. Q. What then does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ?
A. It means that we have this comfort that from him as our king we are given and ruled by the Holy Spirit and protected from all dangers; as our high priest we are reconciled and led to the Father so that we can ask and expect all good things from him; and as the true prophet we are illumined with the knowledge of the Father; consequently with him we become kings, who eternally reign with him over all creatures, priests, who already now offer ourselves and all that is ours as thank offerings to God, and prophets, who truly know and glorify God.
66. Q. What does it mean to believe in the Son of God?
A. It means, through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, to feel in one’s heart that we have been adopted by God as children because of his only begotten Son.
68. Q. What does it mean to believe in Christ “our Lord”?
A. It means to know for certain that since we belong to Christ he will not allow us to be removed from his hand nor are we allowed to desert him for another.
78. Q. What does it mean then to believe in Christ who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin?
A. It means to be certain in one’s heart that, even though we were all conceived and born in sin and under the anger of God, the Son of God was conceived and born true man without sin, so that by his merit and by communion with him, he might make us pure and holy.
88. Q. What does it mean then to believe in Christ who suffered, was crucified, died, and was cast into hell?
A. It means that each one personally is firmly convinced, since Christ has fully endured for us those things which we deserved, that we have been set free from the curse and eternal death and will enjoy with him blessing and eternal life. And it means that each one experiences in his heart the beginnings of the dying to sin through the Spirit of Christ.
92. Q. Who then may be said to believe in the risen Christ?
A. Those who feel in their own heart that, since death has been overcome by Christ, they have already received the beginnings of righteousness and eternal life from him, and are no more able to remain in physical death than He is, the head, of whom they are members.
97. Q. Now say what it means to believe in Christ who has been raised above the heavens.
A. It means to be certainly persuaded that Christ, as our first-born brother, has taken possession of heaven in our name so that he is now our advocate there before the Father, and after a little while will take us there to himself.
101. Q. Explain what it means to believe in Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father.
A. It means to be persuaded in our heart that Christ, our brother and our flesh, has taken over the government of the world so that he might share it with us, and in the meantime, until we fully inherit it, he guards and rules us and fills us with the gifts of his Spirit.
103. Q. What does it mean then to believe in Christ who will return as judge?
A. It means to be sustained by this comfort: after a little while Christ will return so that, after all unbelievers have been cast out to everlasting punishment, he might set us free from all evil in body and soul, show before all creatures that in him we are innocent, and take us to himself to be with him forever.
110. Q. What is the sanctification of the elect?
A. The Holy Spirit, through the ministry of the gospel, teaches the elect God’s will for them, regenerates them, and makes them, through faith, into temples of God and members of Christ, so that they might put to death the works of the flesh walk and advance in newness of life, feel comfort and joy in God, and be kept safe for eternal life.
112. Q. What does it mean to believe in the Holy Spirit?
A. It means to be convinced and feel in one’s heart that the Spirit of Christ, one true God with the Father and the Son, has begun true faith and conversion in us, is the author of everything that pertains to our sanctification, and will remain with us forever.
124. Q. But how will we personally know that we are in the church of the saints?
A. If we feel the beginnings of true faith and conversion to God in us, and if we show it by our lives.
125. Q. What does it mean to believe “a holy catholic church, the communion of saints”?
A. It means to have no doubt that a church, which has been chosen for eternal life and worships God according to his Word, is gathered and preserved on earth, from the beginning of the world to its end, by the Son of God through the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the gospel, and that we are and will remain forever living members of this church.
127. Q. How do you believe “the forgiveness of sins”?
A. I know with such certainty, that all my sins have been so forgiven because of the atonement of Christ, that God will never call me into judgment for them.
130. Q. What does it mean to believe in “the resurrection of the body”?
A. It means to be firmly convinced that on the last day our bodies, which we now have, will be completely restored, and our souls will be returned to them through the power of Christ so that we may enjoy with Christ, both in body and soul, eternal life and glory.
131. Q. What does it mean to believe in “the life everlasting”?
A. It means already now to feel in our hearts the beginnings of eternal life, and to hold on to this comfort with all our might – that after this life we will enjoy it more fully, and, after our bodies have also been raised through Christ, we will enjoy it perfectly.
132. Q. What then do we gain by this faith when we believe all these things?
A. All the things that God promised in his covenant to those who believe are valid for us, that is, we are made right with him and are heirs to life everlasting.
133. Q. How are we made right with God in this life?
A. Only by faith in Christ when God, out of sheer grace for us who believe, forgives our sins credits to us the satisfaction of Christ as if we ourselves had done it, and on account of it receives us in grace without our deserving it at all and gives us the Holy Spirit and eternal life.
219. Q. But since no one is saved except those whom God from eternity has chosen for salvation, how can you be convinced that the promise of grace belongs to you when you don’t know whether you are elect?
A. Because by true faith I accept the grace of God offered to me, and by that most certain proof I know that I have been chosen and will always be kept by God for eternal life. For if he had not chosen me from eternity, he would never have given me the Spirit of adoption.
220. Q. But how can you apply the promised grace to yourself through faith when you have been stained in so many ways by so many sins?
A. First, because God has thus revealed his mercy, that he desires to forgive all the sins of the believer, no matter how many and how great. Second, because the merit of Christ is infinitely greater than all sins, not only mine but also those of all people. Third, because God commands me to believe in Christ, no matter how much I have sinned. And, at the same time, he affirms that not to believe is a greater sin than any other that could be committed by anyone. Therefore, just because I have offended my God with so many and such great sins, I ought not to add this, by far the greatest of all sins, so that I ungratefully trample on God’s mercy and the blood of his Son which was shed for me.
221. Q. Since your faith is so weak, how do you know you are justified through it?
A. Because God receives in grace all who are given true faith, no matter how weak it is, and perfects the work he has begun in them.
222. Q. But how do you know that your faith is true and not just historical faith or fancy?
A. First, because I feel in my heart this testimony of the Holy Spirit: that I earnestly look for and receive the grace of God offered in Christ, abhor nothing more than this, the greatest sin – not to believe in Christ; and am therefore one of God’s children. Second, because I feel that true conversion to God has begun in me.
224. Q. Why do Christians need to pray to God?
A. First, because it is one of the most important parts of the worship of God which the covenant of grace requires of us. Second, because this is the way God wants the elect to gain and retain the grace of the Holy Spirit necessary for keeping his covenant, as well as all the rest of his blessings. Third, because it is a witness of the divine covenant in their hearts. For whoever prays to God properly has been given the Spirit of adoption as children and been received into the covenant of God.
232. Q. How can we have this confidence when our unworthiness is so great?
A. Since God has offered Christ to us as a Mediator who presents to the Father the petitions of those who pray in his name, he has promised that he will hear us because of Christ. And it is certain when Christ prays for us and with us that the Father cannot deny him anything.
239. Q. Why do we call God “Father”?
A. So that, when we consider that we have been adopted by God as children because we are members of Christ, we will both call on him through Christ and be convinced that he will listen to us as a gracious Father.
257. Q. Why did the Lord add: “As we forgive our debtors”?
A. First, so that we enter into prayer with true faith, conversion to God, and love for our neighbor, because, if we do not sincerely forgive others, we ought not to expect pardon from God; rather, we call down vengeance from him on our sins. Second, so that when we truly forgive others, we might have the sure testimony of the Holy Spirit in our hearts that we are children of God and obtain the forgiveness of our sins from God.
265. Q. Why did God institute the ministry of the church?
A. So that through it he might receive and keep us in his covenant, and certainly give us the confidence that we are and forever will be in it.
266. Q. Why do you say that we are received and kept in God’s covenant through the ministry?
A. Because it is the instrument of the Holy Spirit by which he works and confirms, in the hearts of the elect, the faith and conversion which God requires from us in his covenant.
275. Q. Say that more clearly.
A. Sacraments are ceremonies, instituted by God and added to the promise of grace, so that by these visible pledges and public testimonies he might represent the grace promised in the gospel, that is, the communion of Christ and all his blessings; and might assure all those who use these ceremonies in true faith that this promise certainly belongs to and will eternally be valid for them; and so that those who use them, on their part, may bind themselves to continue in true faith and piety toward God.
277. Q. But why does God add visible signs to the Word when by them, he offers and assures us of nothing other than that which is in the Word?
A. First and foremost, because of our weakness, he wants to promise us the same things in many different ways and to testify that they belong to us, so that he might assure us all the more of our faith and, as it grows, continually add to us all the spiritual gifts. Second, so that these signs may remind us throughout our lives of the love for God and our neighbor to which we obligated ourselves in the covenant established with God. Third, so that they may be marks of the confession which distinguish the church from all other peoples and sects. Fourth, so that the memory of Christ’s blessings may be clearer, longer lasting, and publicly celebrated.
278. Q. How can the sacraments make us more certain of receiving internal and spiritual things since they are external and physical?
A. It is not by virtue of the act itself, nor by any power infused or attached to the elements, that they accomplish this, but because God promises his grace to us by these ceremonies, as visible words, just as truly as he does by the Word of the gospel; and he wants them to be visible pledges of his promise which he himself gives publicly to everyone who uses them in faith, and because, by means of these instruments, the Holy Spirit confirms faith in the hearts of the elect.
288. Q. What benefit do we receive from this washing?
A. In every true conversion to God through our whole life, we are certain of the covenant established with God and of this spiritual washing done with Christ’s blood and Spirit.
299. Q. What does it mean to eat the body of Christ and to drink his blood?
A. It means to believe in Christ and, through faith and the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us, to become a member of the body of Christ so that we receive the forgiveness of sins because of that body given over to death, and so that we drink, from that blood as the fount and source, the same eternal life and righteousness which is in him through the pouring out on us of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him.
302. Q. Don’t all these things come to us even apart from the Lord’s supper?
A. Of course. When we believe the gospel and are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we certainly receive all these blessings.
303. Q. Then how does the partaking of this bread and wine benefit us?
A. First, it is a testimony and seal of an internal and spiritual eating. Second, this communion with Christ and all his blessings is increased in us through faith, so that we daily become more closely united with Christ until we are perfectly one with him in eternal life.
304. Q. Why does this ceremony assure us of communion with Christ?
A. Because, in the institution of the supper, Christ promised believers this communion with him.
312. Q. What does it mean to partake of this bread and cup in remembrance of Christ?
A. It means that we are reminded by means of this ceremony of redemption through Christ and our union with him, and are encouraged by this visible pledge with stronger faith to accept, reflect on, confess, and publicly proclaim these blessings.
316. Q. How do we know that we are members of Christ?
A. If within ourselves we feel true faith, conversion to God, and love for neighbor.
317. Q. But as long as we find that these things are not perfect in us, should we keep ourselves from the supper of the Lord?
A. No, as long as these things are genuine and not feigned in us. For Christ receives the weak, and he instituted his supper because of our weakness.
Source: Dr. Zacharias Ursinus, Large and Small Catechisms With the Heidelberg Catechism (translated by Fred H. Klooster and John Medendorp)
