Wesley Corpus

And the moment a penitent sinner believes this, God pardons and absolves him. And as soon as his pardon or justification is witnessed to him by the Holy Ghost, he is saved. He loves God and all mankind. He has “the mind that was in Christ,” and power to “walk as he also walked.” From that time (unless he make shipwreck of the faith) salvation gradually increases in his soul. For “so is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and it springeth up, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” 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 bap tism. 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 achild of the devil; for the works of his fatherhe doeth. 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, meantime, that if either he or you die * Evidence, or conviction. 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.