Chapter 12. Faith in the Holy Ghost

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:⁷²⁷²Matt. 16:17; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13. whom we confess God, equal with the Father and with the Son;⁷³⁷³Acts 5:3-4. who sanctifies us, and brings us in all verity by his own operation; without whom 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, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quicken that which is dead, remove the darkness from our minds, and bow our stubborn hearts to the obedience of his blessed will.⁷⁴⁷⁴Col. 2:13; Eph. 2:1; John 9:39; Rev. 3:17; Matt. 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41; John 6:63; Micah 7:8; 1 Kings 8:57-58. And so, as we confess that God the Father created us when we were not;⁷⁵⁷⁵Ps. 100:3. as his Son, our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him;⁷⁶⁷⁶Rom. 5:10. so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost does sanctify and regenerate us, without all respect of any merit proceeding from us, be it before or be it after our regeneration.⁷⁷⁷⁷John 3:5; Titus 3:5; Rom. 5:8. To speak this one thing yet in more plain words: as we willingly spoil ourselves of all honour and glory of our own creation and redemption,⁷⁸⁷⁸Phil. 3:7. 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 continues us in the same,⁷⁹⁷⁹Phil 1:6; 2 Cor. 3:5. to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace.⁸⁰⁸⁰Eph. 1:6.