Annotations upon the King's book."

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven C. C. C. C. and earth.

And in Jesu Christ his only Son our Lord:

MSS. CIV.

p. 241.

The Fa

Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the thers of the Virgin Mary :

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, died, and was buried, and descended into hell:

The third day he arose again from death:

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth upon the right hand of God:

From thence he shall come to judge both quick and dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost:

And that there is an holy catholic church:

A communion of saints, remission of sins:

And that there shall be resurrection of the body:

And life everlasting. Amen.

This Credo I have translated as nigh as I can conveniently, word for word, according to the Latin.b

(i.c) By his ordinate power. This word ordinate power obscureth the sentence in the understanding of them that be simple and unlearned; and among the learned it gendereth contention and disputation, rather than it any thing edifieth. Therefore, meseemeth it better and more plain as it is in the print; or else to say, "By his ordinance." For the Scripture speaketh simply and plainly, Potestati ejus quis resistit? Et, Omnia quæcunque voluit, fecit.

(ii.) But by his grace. It seemeth these words were better out; for God giveth not his grace to let his own power and ordinance.

2

[i. e. A copy of The Institution corrected by Henry VIII. See note, p. 21. and Letters of 14th and 25th Jan. [1538.]]

b [See Institution, p. 29. and Necessary Doctrine, p. 226.]

[These Annotations are numbered as in the original manuscript. As corresponding numerals have been added to Henry VIII.'s Corrections, the passage to which each relates may be readily found.]

English Church. vol.iii.p.77.

(iii.) Only by his sufferance. This word sufferance diminisheth the goodness of God, and agreeth not with the three verbs to whom it is referred, create, make, and give; for these three verbs import more than sufferance; and all the things that be here spoken of, be good and none of them evil, and therefore we may undoubtedly say, that we have them of God's gift, and by his liberal benefit.

(iv.) As long as I persevere in his precepts and laws, one of the right inheritors of his kingdom. This book speaketh of the pure Christian faith unfeigned, which is without colour, as well in heart, as in mouth. He that hath this faith, converteth from his sin, repenteth him, that he like filius prodigus vainly consumed his will, reason, wits, and other goods, which he received of the mere benefit of his heavenly Father, to his said Father's displeasure; and applieth himself wholly to please him again, and trusteth assuredly, that for Christ's sake he will and doth remit his sin, withdraweth his indignation, delivereth him from hell, from the power of the infernal spirits, taketh him to his mercy, and maketh him his own son and his own heir: and he hath also the very Christian hope, that after this life he shall reign ever with Christ in his kingdom. For St. Paul saith, Si filii sumus, et hæredes; hæredes quidem Dei, cohæredes autem Christi.

This is the very pure Christian faith and hope, which every good Christian man ought to profess, believe, and trust, and to say of himself, even as Job said, Scio quod Redemptor meus vivit, et in novissimo die de terra surrecturus sum, et rursum circumdabor pelle mea, et in carne mea videbo Deum salvatorem meum, quem visurus sum ego ipse, et non alius. Reposita est hæc spes mea in sinu

meo.

And as for the other faith, that the good shall arise unto glory, and the evil unto pain; or that those which "per"severe in God's precepts and laws, so long as they so do, "they be the right inheritors of his kingdom;" this is not the commendation of a Christian man's faith, but a most certain proposition, which also the devils believe most certainly, and

yet they shall never have their sins forgiven by this faith, nor be inheritors of God's kingdom; because they lack the very Christian faith, not trusting to the goodness and mercy of God for their own offences; but they hate God, envy his glory, and be utterly in desperation.

For the more large declaration of the pure Christian faith, it is to be considered, that there is a general faith, which all that be Christian, as well good as evil, have: as, to believe that God is, that he is the Maker and Creator of all things, and that Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, and for his sake all penitent sinners have remission of their sins; and that there shall be a general resurrection at the end of this mortal world, at the which Christ shall judge all the good to joy without end, and the evil to pain without end; with such other like things. And all these things even the devils also believe, and tremble, for fear and grievousness of God's indignation and torments, which they endure and ever shall do. But they have not the right Christian faith, that their own sins by Christ's redemption be pardoned and forgiven, that themselves by Christ be delivered from God's wrath, and be made his beloved children, and heirs of his kingdom to come.

The other faith have all devils and wicked Christian people, that be his members; but this pure Christian faith have none, but those that truly belong to Christ, and be the very members of his body, and endeavour themselves to persevere in his precepts and laws: although many pretend to have the said pure faith, which nevertheless have it not, but only in their mouths. For as there is a love in the mouth, and a love in the heart, even so there is a faith in mouth and a faith in heart. Examine every man, if he trust in God and love God above all things; and in words, he will answer, yea; but examine every man's acts and deeds, and surely in a great number their acts and deeds condemn their words. For they walk after their own wills and pleasures, and not after God's commandments. And Christ himself saith, Qui diligit me, mandata mea servat: and St.

John saith, Qui dicit se nosse Deum, et m indata ejus non custodit, mendax est.

And therefore all those that bridle not their own appetites, but follow them, and accomplish the will of their own carnal minds, they trust in God and love God no further than the lips. And if they persuade themselves that they trust in God, and love God in their hearts, and be of any estimation before God, then be they much deceived, and as St. Paul saith, They deceive their own hearts. Our own flesh and carnal mind is contrary to the Spirit and motion of God, and they, saith St. Paul, that belong unto Christ, do crucify their flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. And contrary, he saith, they that follow the works of the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

These be very notable and fearful sentences unto all such as be not repentant, but live after their own wills and not after God's will, neither have the right faith nor love unto God, nor shall be inheritors of his kingdom. And though Christ hath paid a sufficient ransom for all the sins in the world, and is a sufficient Redeemer and Saviour of all the world, yet shall they have no part thereof, for they belong not unto Christ; and Christ utterly refuseth them for his, which have faith and love only in their mouth, and have not the same engraven in their hearts, and expressed in their acts and deeds.

St. James assimileth him, that hath this faith only in his mouth, unto a man that pitieth his naked or hungry brother, and biddeth him go warm him, or fill his belly; and yet will give him neither clothes nor meat, wherewith he may warm him or feed his hungriness. What availeth this mercy spoken only with the tongue, when he showeth no mercy in deed, in relieving his brother's necessity? But St. James saith, So say, so do; for he shall not receive mercy of God that speaketh mercifully, except he hath the same in his heart to do it in deed. For the mercy that is not in the heart, dieth even in the mouth, and he shall have judgment without mercy that showeth not mercy in deed, how

mercifully that ever he speak. And as the body is but dead that lacketh a soul, even so is that faith but dead that is but in the mouth, and doth not enter effectuously into the heart, and work accordingly.

What love soever the son pretendeth unto his father, or the servant unto his master; yet surely, all that love is but coloured and feigned, if they be not glad to accomplish the will and commandments of their father and master, and very loath and sorry to transgress any part thereof. Likewise how can the son persuade with himself that his father loveth him, favoureth him, and will do all good for him, and at length make him his heir, if he love not his father, nor be sorry to offend his father, but, like an unnatural and disobedient child, is ready to follow his own sensual mind, and to rebel against his father and all his precepts? It is not possible, that such a son should have a sure trust of his father's benignity, gracious goodness, and fatherly love towards him, unless it come either of the ignorance or else the iniquity of his father, so that he either dissemble with his father, and trust that his father knoweth not of his folly, disobedience, and rebellion; or else that he know that his father be so evil himself, that he favoureth ill-doers, and delighteth in the iniquity of his son, and loveth him never the worse for his vicious living. But to God (who knoweth all things, even before they be done, and knoweth all men's hearts even to the bottom better than they do themselves, and who also can favour no iniquity or malice of sin, but hateth it and the doers of the same) cannot be ascribed any ignorance or evilness. Therefore, let no man deceive his own mind; for no man surely can have the right faith and sure trust of God's favour towards him, and persuade with himself that God is his benign and loving Father, and taketh him for his wellbeloved son and heir, except he love God in his heart, and have a willing and glad mind, and a delight to do all things that may please God, and a very great repentance and sorrow that ever he did any thing that should offend and displease so loving a Father, whose goodness he can never ac

count.