5. The first sowing of this seed, I cannot conceive to be other than instantaneous: whether I consider experience, or the word of God, or the very nature of the thing――however I contend not for a circumstance, but the substance; if you can attain it another way, do. Only see that you do attain it; for if you fall short, you perish everlastingly.
*This beginning of that vast, inward change, is usually termed _The new birth_. Baptism is the outward sign of this inward grace, which is supposed by our church, to be given with, and through that sign to all infants, and to those of riper years, if they repent and believe the gospel. But how extremely idle are the common disputes on this head? I tell a sinner, “You must be born again.” “No, say you, he was born again in baptism. Therefore he cannot be born again now.” Alas! What trifling is this? What if he was _then_ a child of God? He is _now_ manifestly a child of the devil. For the works of his father he doth. Therefore do not play upon words. He _must_ go through an entire change of heart. In one not yet baptized, you yourself would call that change, _the new birth_. In him, call it what you will; but remember mean time, that if either he or you die without it, your baptism will be so far from profiting you, that it will greatly increase your damnation.
6. The author of faith and salvation is God alone. It is he that works in us both to will and to do. He is the sole giver of every good gift, and the sole author of every good work. There is no more of power than of merit in man; but as all merit is in the Son of God, in what he has done and suffered for us, so all power is in the Spirit of God. And therefore every man, in order to believe unto salvation, must receive the Holy Ghost. This is essentially necessary to every Christian, not in order to his working miracles, but in order to faith, peace, joy, and love, the ordinary fruits of the Spirit.
Although no man on earth can explain the _particular manner_, wherein the Spirit of God works on the soul, yet whosoever has these fruits, cannot but know and _feel_ that God has wrought them in his heart.
Sometimes, he acts more particularly on the understanding, opening or _inlightening_ it, (as the scripture speaks) and _revealing_, unveiling, discovering to us _the deep things of God_.
Sometimes he acts on the wills and affections of men; withdrawing them from evil, inclining them to good, _inspiring_, (breathing as it were) good thoughts into them: so it has frequently been exprest, by an easy, natural metaphor, strictly analogous to רוח, πνεῦμα, _spiritus_, and the words used in most modern tongues also, to denote the third person in the ever-blessed Trinity. But however it be exprest, it is certain, all true faith, and the whole work of salvation, every good thought, word and work, is altogether by the operation of _the Spirit of God_.
II. 1. I come now to consider the principal objections, which have lately been made against these doctrines.
I know nothing material which has been objected, as to the nature of justification: but many persons seem to be very confused, in their thoughts, concerning it, and speak as if they had never heard of any justification, antecedent to that of the last day. To clear up this, there needs only a closer inspection of our articles and homilies; wherein justification is always taken, for the present remission of our sins.
But many are the objections which have been warmly urged, against the condition of justification, faith alone: particularly in two treatises, the former intitled, _The notions of the Methodists_ fully _disproved_: the second, _The notions of the Methodists_ farther _disproved_. In both of which it is vehemently _affirmed_, 1. That this is not a scriptural doctrine. 2. That it is not the doctrine of the church of _England_.
It will not be needful to name the former of these any more; seeing there is neither one text produced therein, to prove this doctrine unscriptural, nor one sentence from the articles or homilies, to prove it contrary to the doctrine of the church. But so much of the latter as relates to the merits of the _cause_, I will endeavour to consider calmly. As to what is _personal_, I leave it as it is. _God be merciful to me, a sinner!_