The ma…uge and preseruation of the world.
Master's Call to Confession
The Master encourages the Scholar to set forth his belief in detail, beginning with the knowledge of God and the right service of Him.
Master. All these, my son, you've rehearsed in a general and brief way. Therefore you'll do well to explain in detail everything you've mentioned specifically, so I can clearly see what your belief is concerning each of them. And first I'd like to hear about the knowledge of God, and afterward about the right serving of him.
Scholar's Willing Obedience
The Scholar expresses his eagerness to obey the Master's request and to confess his faith to the best of his ability.
Scholar. I'll gladly obey your wish, dear Master, as far as my simple understanding will allow me.
Confession of Creation and Providence
The Scholar confesses belief in God's creation of the world through Christ, confirmed by Scripture, and in God's providential care and preservation of all creatures, calling for grateful use.
Above all things, we must steadfastly believe and hold that God Almighty, the Father, in the beginning, and out of nothing, made and fashioned this whole frame of the world, and all things whatever are contained in it; and that they are all made by the power of his Word, that is, of Jesus Christ the Son of God. This is sufficiently confirmed by the witness of the Scriptures. Moreover, when he had thus shaped all creatures, he ruled, governed, and preserved them by his bounty and generous hand; he has supplied, and still supplies most abundantly, all that is necessary for the maintenance and preservation of our life, so that we should use them as mindful and godly children ought to.
Read the original English
Master. All these (my sōne) thou hast rehersed generallye and shortelye. Therefore thou shalt do wel, to set out largelye, all that thou hast spokē particularlye: that I may playnly perceiue what thy belefe is concerning ech of them. And fyrst I wolde heare of the knowledge of god, afterward of the right seruing of hym.
Scholer. I wil wyth a good wyl obey your plesure (dear Maister) as far as my simple wytte wyll suffer me. Aboue all thynges we muste stedfastly beleue and holde: that God almyghtye, the father, in the begynnyng, & of nothyng, made & fashyoned this whole frame of the world, and al things what soeuer are conteined therin: and that they all are made by the power of hys worde, that is of Iesu Christe the sonne of God. Which thing is sufficientlye approued by witnes of scriptures. Moreouer that, whē he had thus shapen all creatures, he ruled, gouerned & saued them by hys bountie and liberall hand: hath ministred, & yet also ministreth most largelye all that is needefull, for mayntenaunce and preseruynge of oure lyfe: that we should so vse them, as behoueth myndeful and godlye chyldren.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit