[Sidenote: Mat. 16.]
[Sidenote: Joan. 14. 15. 16.]
[Sidenote: Rom. 5.]
[Sidenote: 2 Corin. 3.]
This our Faith, and the assurance of the same, proceidis not frome
flesche and blood, that is to say, frome no naturall poweris within
us, but is the inspiratioun of the Holy Ghost: Whome we confesse God,
equall with the Father and with the Sone; who sanctifieth us, and
bringeth us in all veritie by his awin operatioun; without whome we
should remane for ever enemyes to God, and ignorant of his Sone,
Christ Jesus. For of nature we ar so dead, so blynd and so perverse,
that neather can we feill when we ar pricked, see the lycht when it
schynes, nor assent to the will of God when it is reveilled; onlie[231]
the Spreit of the Lord Jesus quickinneth that which is dead,
removeth[231] the darknes from our myndis, and boweth oure stubburne
heartis to the obedience of his blessed will. And so as we confesse
that God the Father created us when we war not; as his Sone, our Lord
Jesus redeamit us when we war ennemyes to him: so also do we confesse
that the Holy Ghost dois sanctifie and regenerat us, without all
respect of any merite proceading from us, be it befoir, or be it after
oure regeneratioun. To speak this one thing yit in more plane wordis,
as we willinglie spoyle oureselves of all honour and glorie of oure
awin creatioun and redemptioun; so do we also of oure regeneratioun
and sanctificatioun: For of our selves we ar nott sufficient to think
ane good thoght; but he who hes begune the good work in us, is onlie
he that continueth us in the same, to the praise and glorie of his
undeserved grace.
[231] In the old printed copies, "unless the Spirite, &c. quickin
that;" and "remove the," &c.: "and bow."