*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, because he 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 of God, 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_.