This our faith, and the assurance of the same, proceeds not from flesh and blood, that is to say, from no natural powers within us, but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Him we confess God, equal with the Father and with the Son; who sanctifieth us, and bringeth us into all truth by His own operation; without Him we should remain for ever enemies to God, and ignorant of His Son, Christ Jesus. For of nature we are so dead, so blind, and so perverse, that neither can we feel when we are pricked, see the light when it shines, nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed; only the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quickeneth that which is dead, removeth the darkness from our minds, and boweth our stubborn hearts to the obedience of His blessed will. As we confess that God the Father created us when we were not, and as His Son, our Lord Jesus, redeemed us when we were enemies to Him, so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost does sanctify and regenerate us, altogether without respect to any merit proceeding from us, be it before, or be it after our regeneration. In more plain words, as we willingly spoil ourselves of all honour and glory of our own creation and redemption, so do we also of our regeneration and sanctification: for of ourselves we are not sufficient to think one good thought; but He who has begun the good work in us is only He that continueth us in the same, to the praise and glory of His undeserved grace.
The Cause of Good Works.—Cap. XIII.
The cause of good works we therefore confess to be, not our freewill, but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus; who, dwelling in our hearts by true faith, brings forth such good works as God hath prepared for us to walk in: for we most boldly affirm, that it is blasphemy to say that Christ Jesus abides in the hearts of such as in whom there is no Spirit of sanctification. And therefore we fear not to affirm, that murderers, oppressors, cruel persecutors, adulterers, whoremongers, filthy persons, idolaters, drunkards, thieves, and all workers of iniquity, have neither true faith, nor any portion of the Spirit of sanctification, which proceedeth from the Lord Jesus, so long as they obstinately continue in their wickedness. For how soon that ever the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, which God's elect children receive by true faith, takes possession in the heart of any man, so soon does He regenerate and renew the same man; so that he begins to hate that which before he loved, and begins to love that which before he hated; and from thence comes that continual battle which is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in God's children; while the flesh and natural man, according to its own corruption, lusts for things pleasing and delectable unto itself, grudges in adversity, is lifted up in prosperity, and at every moment is prone and ready to offend the Majesty of God. But the Spirit of God, which giveth witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God, makes us to resist the Devil, to abhor filthy pleasures, to groan in God's presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption; and finally, so to triumph over sin that it reign not in our mortal bodies. Carnal men, being destitute of God's Spirit, have not this battle; these do follow and obey sin with greediness, and without repentance, even as the Devil and their corrupt lusts do prick them. But the sons of God, as before is said, do fight against sin, do sob and mourn, when they perceive themselves tempted to iniquity: and, if they fall, they rise again with earnest and unfeigned repentance. And these things they do not by their own power; but the power of the Lord Jesus, without whom they were able to do nothing, worketh in them all that is good.
What Works are reputed good before God.—Cap. XIV.
We confess and acknowledge that God has given to man His holy law, in which not only are forbidden all such works as displease and offend His Godly Majesty; but also are commended all such as please Him, and as He hath promised to reward. And these works be of two sorts; the one are done to the honour of God, the other to the profit of our neighbours; and both have the revealed will of God for their assurance. To have one God; to worship and honour Him; to call upon Him in all our troubles; to reverence His holy name; to hear His Word; to believe the same; to communicate with His holy Sacraments: these are the works of the First Table. To honour father, mother, princes, rulers, and superior powers; to love them; to support them, yea, to obey their charges, unless repugnant to the commandment of God; to save the lives of innocents; to repress tyranny; to defend the oppressed; to keep our bodies clean and holy; to live in sobriety and temperance; to deal justly with all men, both in word and in deed; and, finally, to repress all appetite for our neighbour's hurt: these are the good works of the Second Table, which are most pleasing and acceptable unto God, as those works that are commanded by Himself. The contrary is sin most odious, which always displeases Him, and provokes Him to anger. Not to call upon Him alone when we have need; not to hear His Word with reverence; to contemn and despise it; to have or to worship idols; to maintain and defend idolatry; lightly to esteem the reverent name of God; to profane, abuse, or contemn the Sacraments of Christ Jesus; to disobey or resist any that God has placed in authority, while they pass not over the bounds of their office; to murder, or to consent thereto; to bear hatred, or to suffer innocent blood to be shed if we may gainstand it; and, finally, the transgressing of any other commandment in the First or Second Table, we confess and affirm to be sin, by which God's hot displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankful world. So that good works we affirm to be these only that are done in faith, and at God's commandment, who in His law has expressed what be the things that please Him. And evil works, we affirm to be, not only those that are expressly done against God's commandment, but those also that, in matters of religion and worshipping of God, have no other assurance but the invention and opinion of man, which God from the beginning has ever rejected; as, by the prophet Isaiah and by our Master Christ Jesus, we are taught in these words—"In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The Perfection of the Law and Imperfection of Man.—Cap. XV.
The law of God we confess and acknowledge most just, most equal, most holy, and most perfect; commanding those things which, being wrought in perfection, were able to give life, and able to bring man to eternal felicity. But our nature is so corrupt, so weak, and imperfect, that we are never able to fulfil the works of the law in perfection; yea, "If we say we have no sin," (even after we are regenerate,) "we deceive ourselves, and the truth of God is not in us." And therefore it behoved us to apprehend Christ Jesus, with His justice and satisfaction, who is the end and accomplishment of the law to all that believe; by whom we are set at this liberty, that the curse and malediction of God fall not upon us, albeit we fulfil not the same in all points. For God the Father, beholding us in the body of His Son Christ Jesus, accepteth our imperfect obedience as it were perfect, and covereth our works, which are defiled with many spots, with the justice of His Son. As we have already plainly confessed, we do not mean that we are so set at liberty that we owe no obedience to the law; but we affirm that no man on earth, Christ Jesus only excepted, hath given, giveth, or shall give in work, that obedience to the law which the law requireth. When we have done all things, we must fall down and unfeignedly confess that we are unprofitable servants. And therefore whosoever boast themselves of the merits of their own works, or put their trust in the works of supererogation, boast themselves of that which is not, and put their trust in damnable idolatry.
Of the Kirk.—Cap. XVI.
As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so do we most earnestly believe that from the beginning there has been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be a Church; that is to say, a company and multitude of men chosen of God, who rightly worship and embrace Him, by true faith in Christ Jesus, who is the only Head of the same Kirk, which also is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus; which Kirk is Catholic, that is, universal, because it contains the elect of all ages, of all realms, nations, and tongues, be they of the Jews, or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with His Son Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of His Holy Spirit; and therefore it is called the communion, not of profane persons, but of saints, who, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits, to wit, of one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and of one baptism; out of the which Kirk there is neither life nor eternal felicity. And therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemy of those that affirm that men which live according to equity and justice shall be saved, what religion soever they have professed. For as without Christ Jesus there is neither life nor salvation, so shall there none be participant thereof but such as the Father has given unto His Son Christ Jesus, and those that in time come to Him, avow His doctrine, and believe into Him—we comprehend the children with the faithful parents. This Kirk is invisible, known only to God, who alone knoweth whom He has chosen, and comprehends as well, as said is, the elect that be departed, commonly called the Kirk triumphant, as those that yet live and fight against sin and Satan as shall live hereafter.