doubted, but these were occasioned, at least, in a great measure, by the crude, unscriptural, irrational explication of others, who knew not what they spake, nor whereof they affirmed."

4. It more nearly concerns the Methodists, so called, clearly to understand, explain, and defend this doctrine, because it is one grand part of the Testimony, which God has given them to bear to all mankind. It is by his peculiar blessing upon them in searching the Scriptures, confirmed by the experience of his children, that this great evangelical truth has been recovered, which had been for many years well nigh lost and forgotten.

II. 1. But what is the Witness of the Spirit? The original word uagtupia, may be rendered either, (as it is in several places,) the witness, or less ambiguously, the testimony, or the record: so it is rendered in our translation, 1 John v. 11, "This is the record, [the testimony, the sum of what God testifies in all the inspired writings], that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." The testimony now under consideration is given by the Spirit of God to and with our spirit. He is the Person testifying. What he testifies to us, is, "that we are the children of God." The immediate result of this testimony, is "the fruit of the Spirit;" namely, "love, joy, peace; long-suffering, gentleness, goodness." And, without these, the testimony itself cannot continue. For, it is inevitably destroyed, not only by the commission of any outward sin, or the omission of known duty, but by giving way to any inward sin: in a word, by whatever grieves the Holy Spirit of God.

2. I observed many years ago, "It is hard to find words in the language of men, to explain the deep things of God. Indeed there are none that will adequately express what the Spirit of God works in his children. But, perhaps, one might say, (desiring any who are taught of God, to correct, soften, or strengthen the expression :) By the Testimony of the Spirit,' I mean, an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God immediately and directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God, that "Jesus

Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me." That all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God.

consideration, I see no Neither do I conceive,

3. After twenty years further cause to retract any part of this. how any of these expressions may be altered, so as to make them more intelligible. I can only add, that if any of the children of God will point out any other expressions, which are more clear, or more agreeable to the Word of God, I will readily lay these aside.

4. Meantime let it be observed, I do not mean hereby, that the Spirit of God testifies this by any outward voice: no, nor always by an inward voice, altho' he may do this sometimes. Neither do I suppose, that he always applies to the heart, (tho' he often may) one or more texts of Scripture. But he so works upon the soul by his immediate influence, and by a strong, tho' inexplicable operation, that the stormy wind and troubled waves subside, and there is a sweet calm: the heart resting as in the arms of Jesus, and the sinner being clearly satisfied, that God is reconciled, that all his "iniquities are forgiven, and his sins covered.”

5. Now what is the matter of dispute concerning this? Not, whether there be a witness or testimony of the Spirit? Not, whether the Spirit does testify with our spirit, that we are the children of God? None can deny this, without flatly contradicting the Scriptures, and charging a lie upon the God of truth. Therefore that there is a testimony of the Spirit, is acknowledged by all parties.

6. Neither is it questioned, whether there is an indirect witness or testimony, that we are the children of God. This is nearly, if not exactly the same with "the testimony of a good conscience towards God;" and is the result of reason, or reflection on what we feel in our own souls. Strictly speaking, it is a conclusion drawn partly from the word of God, and partly from our own experience. The Word of God says, every one who has the fruit of the Spirit is a child of God. Experience or inward consciousness tell me, that I have the fruit of the Spirit. And hence I rationally

conclude, therefore I am a child of God. This is likewise allowed on all hands, and so is no matter of controversy.

7. Nor do we assert, that there can be any real testimony of the Spirit, without the fruit of the Spirit. We assert, on the contrary, that the fruit of the Spirit immediately springs from this testimony: not always indeed in the same degree, even when the testimony is first given. And much less afterwards: neither joy nor peace is always at one stay. No, nor love: as neither is the testimony itself always equally strong and clear.

8. But the point in question is, whether there be any direct testimony of the Spirit at all? Whether there be any other testimony of the Spirit, than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit.

III. 1. I believe there is, because that is the plain, natural meaning of the text, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." It is manifest, here are two witnesses mentioned, who together testify the same thing, the Spirit of God, and our own spirit. The late Bishop of London in his sermon on this text, seems astonished that any one can doubt of this, which appears upon the very face of the words. Now, "The testimony of our own spirit, (says the Bishop,) is one, which is the consciousness of our own sincerity;" or to express the same thing a little more clearly, the consciousness of the fruit of the Spirit. When our Spirit is conscious of this, of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, it easily infers from these premises, that we are the children of God.

2. It is true, that great man supposes the other witness to be "The consciousness of our own good works." This, he affirms, is "the testimony of God's Spirit." But this is included in the testimony of our own spirit: Yea, and in sincerity, even according to the common sense of the word. So the Apostle, "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in the world:" where it is plain, sincerity refers to our words and actions, at least as much as to our

inward dispositions. So that this is not another witness, but the very same that he mentioned before the consciousness of our good works being only one branch of the consciousness of our sincerity. Consequently here is only one witness still. If therefore the text speaks of two witnesses, one of these is not the consciousness of our good works, neither of our sincerity: all this being manifestly contained in "the testimony of our Spirit."

3. What then is the other witness? This might easily be learned, if the text itself were not sufficiently clear, from the verse immediately preceding. "Ye have received, not the Spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father." It follows, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."

4. This is farther explained by the parallel text, Gal. iv, 6, "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father." Is not this something immediate and direct, not the result of reflection or argumentation? Does not this Spirit cry "Abba, Father," in our hearts, the moment it is given? Antecedently to any reflection upon our sincerity, yea, to any reasoning whatsoever? And is not this the plain, natural sense of the words, which strikes any one, as soon as he hears them? All these texts then, in their most obvious meaning, describe a direct testimony of the Spirit.

5. That the testimony of the Spirit of God, must in the very nature of things, be antecedent to the testimony of our own spirit, may appear from this single consideration. We must be holy in heart and life, before we can be conscious that we are so. But we must love God before we can be holy at all, this being the root of all holiness. Now we cannot love God, 'till we know he loves us; "we love him because he first loved us." And we cannot know his love to us, 'till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit. 'Till then we cannot believe it: we cannot say, "the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

Then, only then we feel
Our interest in his blood,
And cry with joy unspeakable,

Thou art my Lord, my God.

Since therefore the testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of God and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our consciousness thereof.

6. And here properly comes in, to confirm this scriptural doctrine, the experience of the children of God; the experience not of two or three, not of a few, but of a great multitude which no man can number. It has been confirmed, both in this and in all ages by a cloud of living and dying witnesses. It is confirmed by your experience and mine. The Spirit itself bore witness to my spirit, that I was a child of God, gave me an evidence hereof, and I immediately cried, Abba, Father! And this I did, (and so did you) before I reflected on, or was conscious of any fruit of the Spirit. It was from this testimony received, that love, joy, peace, and the whole fruit of the Spirit flowed. First I heard,

Thy sins are forgiven! Accepted thou art!

I listen'd, and heaven Sprung up in my heart.

7. But this is confirmed, not only by the experience of the children of God, thousands of whom can declare, that they never did know themselves to be in the favour of God, 'till it was directly witnessed to them by his Spirit: but by all those who are convinced of sin, who feel the wrath of God abiding on them. These cannot be satisfied with any thing less than a direct testimony from his Spirit, that he is ❝ merciful to their unrighteousness, and remembers their sins and iniquities no more." Tell any of these, "You are to know you are a child of God, by reflecting on what he has wrought in you, on your love, joy, and peace:" and will he not immediately reply, "By all this I know, I am a child of the devil. I have no more love to God than the devil has my carnal mind is enmity against God. I have