Volume II Part 11 (2/2)
We undoutedlie beleif, that insamekill as it was impossibill that the dolouris of death sould reteane in bondage the Author of lyff, that our Lord Jesus Chryst crucifeit, deid, and buryit, quha discendit into h.e.l.l, did raise agane for our justificatioun, and distroying [of] him who was [the] author of death, brocht lyfe agane to us that war subject to death and to the bondage of the same. We knaw that his resurrectioun was confirmit be the testimonye of his verray ennemeis; by the resurrectioun of the deid, quhais sepulturis did oppin, and thay did arise and apperit to many within the Citie of Jerusalem. It was alssua confirmit be the testimonie of [his] Angellis, and be the senses and jugementis of his Apostleis, and [of] utheris, quha had conversatioun, and did eit and drynk with him efter his resurrectioun.
ASCENSIOUN.--CAP. XI.
[Sidenote: Act. 1.]
[Sidenote: Mat. 28.]
[Sidenote: 1 Joan. 2.]
[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 2.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 110.]
[Sidenote: Apoc. 20.]
[Sidenote: Esai. 66.]
[Sidenote: Esai. 7.]
[Sidenote: Collos. 1.]
[Sidenote: Heb. 9. 10.]
We nathing dowt, bot that the selff samyn body, quhilk was borne of the Virgine, was crucifeit, deid, and buried, and quhilk did ryse agane, did ascend into the heavinis for the accompleischment of all thingis; quhair, in oure names, and for our confort he hes resavit all power in hevin and in earth, quhair he sittis at the rycht hand of the Father inaugurat in his kingdome, advocat and onlie Mediatour for us; quhilk glorie, honour, and prerogatyve he allone amangis the brethren sall possesse, till that all his ennemyes be maid his futestule, as that we undoubtedlie beleif thay sall be in the finall jugement; to the execution quhairof we certainlie beleif that the same oure Lord Jesus sall visibillie returne as that he was sene to ascend: And than we firmlie belief, that the tyme of refresching and rest.i.tutioun of all thingis sall c.u.m, in samekill that thay that from the begynning have sufferit violence, injurie, and wrang for rychteousnes saik, sall inherit that blissit immortalitie promesit from the begynning; bot contrariewyse, the stubburne, in.o.bedient, cruell, oppressouris, filthy personeis, adulteraris, and all sortis of unfaithfull [men] sall be cast in the dungeoun of utter darknes, quhair thair worme sall not dye, neather yitt thair fyre [sall] be extinguischeit. The remembrance of the quhilk day, and of the jugement to be execut.i.t in the same, is not onlie to us ane brydill quhairby oure carnall l.u.s.tis ar refranit; but alsso sick inestimabill confort, that neather may the threatning of wardlie princeis, neyther yitt the feir of temporall death and present daingear move us to renunce and forsaik that blissit societie, quhilk we the members have with oure Head and onlie Mediatour Christ Jesus, whome we confesse and avow to be the Messias promissed, the only Head of his Kirk, our just Lawgevar, oure onlie Hie Preast, Advocat, and Mediatour. In whiche honouris and offices, yf man or angell presume to intruse thame selfis, we utterlie detest and abhorre thame, as blasphemous to oure Soverane and Supreame Governour, Christ Jesus.
FAITH IN THE HOLY GHOST.--CAP. XII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 16.]
[Sidenote: Joan. 14. 15. 16.]
[Sidenote: Rom. 5.]
[Sidenote: 2 Corin. 3.]
This our Faith, and the a.s.surance 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, 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 p.r.i.c.ked, see the lycht when it schynes, nor a.s.sent to the will of G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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.”
THE CAUSE OF GOOD WORKIS.--CAP. XIII.[232]
[232] In the old printed copies, including the Acts of Parliament 1567, this Chapter is numbered 14, and the mistake is continued throughout, so that the last Chapter 25, is numbered 26.
[Sidenote: John. 15.]
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