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_.