3. The child which is not yet born, subsists indeed by the air, as does every thing which has life; but feels it not, nor any thing else, unless in a very dull and imperfect manner. It hears little, if at all, the organs of hearing being as yet closed up. It sees nothing, having its eyes fast shut, and being surrounded with utter darkness. There are, it may be, some faint beginnings of life, when the time of its birth draws nigh; and some motion consequent thereon, whereby it is distinguished from a mere mass of matter. But it has no senses; all these avenues of the soul are hitherto quite shut up. Of consequence, it has scarce any intercourse with this visible world; nor any knowledge, conception or idea, of the things that occur therein.

4. The reason why he that is not yet born, is wholly a stranger to the visible world, is, not because it is afar off. It is very nigh. It surrounds him on every side. But partly, because he has not those senses, they are not yet opened in his soul, whereby alone it is possible to hold commerce with the material world; and partly because so thick a veil is cast between, through which he can discern nothing.

5. But no sooner is the child born into the world, than he exists in a quite different manner. He now feels the air with which he is surrounded, and which pours into him from every side, as fast as he alternately breathes it back, to sustain the flame of life. And hence springs a continual increase of strength, of motion and of sensation: all the bodily senses being now awakened, and furnished with their proper objects.

*His eyes are now opened to perceive the light, which silently flowing in upon them, discovers not only itself, but an infinite variety of things, with which before he was wholly unacquainted. His ears are unclosed, and sounds rush in, with endless diversity. Every sense is employed upon such objects as are peculiarly suitable to it. And by these inlets, the soul having an open intercourse with the visible world, acquires more and more knowledge of sensible things, of all the things which are under the sun.

6. *So it is with him that is born of God. Before that great change is wrought, although he subsists by him, in whom all that have life live and move and have their being, yet he is not sensible of God; he does not feel, he has no inward consciousness of his presence. He does not perceive that divine breath of life, without which he cannot subsist a moment. Nor is he sensible of any of the things of God. They make no impression upon his soul. God is continually calling to him from on high, but he heareth not; his ears are shut; so that the voice of the charmer is lost to him, charm he never so wisely. He seeth not the things of the Spirit of God, the eyes of his understanding being closed, and utter darkness covering his whole soul, surrounding him on every side. It is true, he may have some faint dawnings of life, some small beginnings of spiritual motion; but as yet he has no spiritual senses, capable of discerning spiritual objects. Consequently he discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God. He cannot know them; because they are spiritually discerned.

7. *Hence he has scarce any knowledge of the invisible world, as he has scarce any intercourse with it. Not that it is afar off. No: he is in the midst of it: it incompasses him round about. The other world, as we usually term it, is not far from every one of us. It is above, and beneath, and on every side. Only the natural man discerneth it not; partly, becausehe has no spiritual senses, whereby alone we can discern the things of God; partly, because so thick a veil is interposed, as he knows not how to penetrate.

8. *But when he is born of God, born of the Spirit, how is the manner of his existence changed? His whole soul is now sensible of God, and he can say by sure experience, Thou art about my bed, and about my path; I feel thee in all my ways. Thou besettest me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me. The Spirit or breath of God is immediately inspired, breathed into the new-born soul. And the same breath, which comes from, returns to God: as it is continually received by faith, so it is continually rendered back by love, by prayer, and praise, and thanksgiving: love and praise and prayer being the breath of every soul which is truly born of God. And by this new kind of spiritual respiration, spiritual life is not only sustained, but increased day by day; together with spiritual strength and motion and sensation. All the senses of the soul being now awake, and capable of discerning spiritual good and evil.

9. *The eyes of his understanding are now open, and he seeth him that is invisible. He sees what is the exceeding greatness of his power, and of his love toward them that believe. He sees that God is merciful to him a sinner; that he is reconciled through the Son of his love. He clearly perceives both the pardoning love ofGod, and all his exceeding great and precious promises. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined, and doth shine, in his heart, to enlighten him with the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. All the darkness is now passed away, and he abides in the light of God’s countenance.

10. *His ears are now opened, and the voice of God no longer calls in vain. He hears and obeys the heavenly calling: he knows the voice of his Shepherd. All his spiritual senses being now awakened, he has a clear intercourse with the invisible world. And hence he knows more and more of the things which before it could not enter into his heart to conceive. He now knows what the peace of God is: what is joy in the Holy Ghost: what the love of God which is shed abroad in the hearts of them that believe in him through Christ Jesus. Thus the veil being removed, which before intercepted the light and voice, the knowledge and love of God, he who is born of the Spirit, dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

II. 1. Having considered the meaning of that expression, whosoever is born of God, it remains in the second place to enquire, in what sense he doth not commit sin.