For Christ tells you, 'you must be born again, before ye can enter into the kingdom of God.'

And of this birth I fear many that profess themselves christians, are as ignorant of as Nicodemus.

But turn at my reproof,' saith the Lord, and behold I will pour out my spirit upon you, and I will make known my words unto you.'

Now if you will turn at the reproofs of God's spirit, ye will come to know his words, and know this birth of the spirit. Prov. i. 22.

And did not Moses say, that God was the God of the spirits of all flesh.' Numb. xvi. And did not the apostle say, that in God we live, move, and have our being, as some of you poets have also said.'

And in Numb. xxvii. again, did not Moses call the Lord, 'the God of the spirits of all flesh.'

And so is not all your eyes to look up unto the Lord God, the creator of all, and the life of all; that gives breath unto all, that in him they may live, and move, and have their being.

And the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, but is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet. ii.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; mark, that Christ might bring us to God, 'being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit; by which, to wit, the spirit; 'Christ also went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, whilst the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved.' 1 Pet. iii. and the rest were drowned.

And now consider, has not the long suffering of God waited upon Christendom, and all others; and do ye think that Christ now by his spirit does not preach to the disobedient, and the spirits in prison; and consider, all that are disobedient to the spirit of God, are not your spirits in prison ?

And was not the old world overthrown by water, and they perished for their rebellion and disobedience to God? and do ye not think, that by the same word and power, that the heavens and earth which are now, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men.

So be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day and therefore as the Lord destroyed the old ungodly world by water, so will he destroy the ungodly world in the lake of fire.

And so here ye may see Christ by his spirit was a preacher to the spirits in prison, in the days of Noah to the old world; and now he is a

preacher by his spirit unto the spirits that are in prison, in you that disobey it.

For does not James tell you,' that the judge stands at the door ;' What door is this? Is it not the door of your hearts, minds, and souls?

And does not John say to the seven churches, seven times, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith to the churches? and was not this the spirit of Christ, whom John saw walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, which are the seven churches?

And does not John the divine say of the Son of God, that he stands at the door and knocks?' and saith if any man will hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me.' Rev. iii.

So what door is this that Christ knocks at? is it not the door of your hearts, minds, and souls? and therefore, do not you stop your ears, and close your eyes, like the pharisees, but hear Christ's voice, by turning at the reproofs of his spirit and his light; and then he which hath enlightened you 'will come in, and sup with you, and you with him.'

And Christ tells Pilate, when he was examining him, 'for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth, and every one that is of the truth heareth my voice; mark this, every one of you christians, every one of you that is of the truth, heareth Christ's voice; but you that are not of the truth, heareth not his voice, and will say there is no hearing of his voice nowadays.

And Pilate, the governor, said unto Christ, what is truth? and I fear that there is too many that are called christians, that crucify Christ to themselves afresh, that may say as Pilate did, 'what is truth?' so much are they strangers to it. John xviii.

And therefore, as the apostle saith to the Corinthians, examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith,' to wit, that faith which Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of,' which is holy, divine, and precious, and prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?' 2 Cor. xiii.

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So examine and prove yourselves.

Now if you do say, with what, and how shall we examine and prove ourselves? the apostle tells you, 'God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus; but we have this treasure in earthen vessels,' that the excellency of the 'power may be of God, and not of us.'

So this light that shines in your hearts, will give you the knowledge if you will come to it; and they that doth truth will come to it, that with the light he may see his works, how they are wrought in God; and it will give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ

Jesus, where he hath received the light, which is the life in him, the word. 2 Cor. iv. and Job i. 4. and Job iii. 21.

And the Lord God has promised and hath fulfilled, and is fulfilling his promise: I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and they shall walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.' Ezek. xi.

And in Ezek. xviii. cast away from you your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit,' &c.

And I will put my spirit in you, and ye shall live,' saith the Lord; and I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you: a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.' Ezek. xxxvi. 37.

And now, consider, ye christians, do ye witness this spirit? and this new heart, which all the true christians doth.

And the Lord said, that his sheep hath been scattered, and they have wandered through all mountains, and from mountain to hill; and he will seek his sheep, and I will feed them in a good pasture,' saith the Lord, ‘and cause them to lie down, and I will set one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.' Ezek. xxxiv. And is not this Christ, who is the only feeder of his sheep?

And does not Solomon acknowledge, 'how God taught Israel the good way wherein they should walk.' 2 Chron. vi.

And does not David say, 'the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he maketh me to lie down beside the still rivers; he restoreth my soul, and leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake?'

Now, can you say so, that are called christians, and acknowledge David's teacher as he did, and that the Lord is your shepherd, and that you do not want?

And David said, 'O, God thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have declared thy wondrous works.' Psalm xvii.

I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me; 'how sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than the honeycomb to my mouth.' Psalm cxix. 102.

Now, ye christians, consider this, here David acknowledged God's teaching, and how sweet his words were to him: but are God's words so sweet unto you? and do you hear God and Christ's voice?

And in Prov. iv. 11. 'I have taught thee in the way of wisdom, I have led thee in the right path.'

And the Lord said, I have taught Ephraim also to go; and when Israel

was a child I loved him, and called my Son out of Egypt, taking them by their arms, but they knew not that I healed them.' Hos. xi. 1, 3. And so ye may see here how they acknowledged the Lord's teaching. And the apostle said, 'I neither received the gospel of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.' Gal. i.

Here the apostle acknowledgeth, both how he was taught it, and how he received the gospel.

And the apostle tells the church, as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you,' for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.' 1 Thes. iv. 9.

Mark, here the church of the Thessalonians were under God's teaching, and so let all that call and count themselves christians, see if they be under God and Christ's teaching, who is love, and teaches them to 'love one another,' for it is the wicked one that teacheth them to hate one another; and John tells you, he that loveth not his brother is not of God.'

And the apostle bids them 'hold fast the word as they had been taught, that they may be able with sound doctrine to exhort and convince the gainsayers, not to persecute the gainsayers.' Tit. i. 9.

And John tells the church in his general epistle, 'the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is true, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him: and these things I have written unto you concerning them that seduce you.' Epist. i. 2.

And now, let all that are called christians, see if they are not seduced from this ANOINTING WITHIN, which the true church received from the holy one, and whether they are not seduced from this teacher which John did direct the true church unto.

And you may see how the Lord taught Moses and Aaron, and what words they should speak to Pharaoh. Exod. iv.

But Moses said, like unto me will God raise up a prophet, him shall ye hear in all things:' now consider, all ye christians, whether do ye believe that God hath raised up this prophet Christ Jesus? and if so, whether do ye hear him? who remains in the heavens till all things be restored. And consider how he doth restore, and by what? for such were restored that sat in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

And David saith, 'O, how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day through thy commandments, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies; I have more understanding than all my teachers, thy testimonies are my meditation: I understand more than the ancients, because I kept thy precept.' Psalm cxix. 99.

Now consider, who was David's teacher that he did thus profit?

Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, the holy one of Israel, I am the Lord thy God, which teaches thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go.' Isa. xlviii. 17.

So here you may see God is both the leader and teacher, that teacheth his people to profit.

And therefore all ye christians consider, how is Christ your leader and teacher? For we must tell you, the Lord God doth not change, nor his Son, and he is come to teach his children himself, who teaches them to profit, and the manifestation of the spirit of God is given to every man to profit withal.' 1 Cor. xii. 7.

And the Lord said to David, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shouldst go; I will guide thee with my eye, and therefore be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart.' Psalm xxxii.

Now here you may see the Lord God was the instructer and the teacher in his own way, and guides his people with his eye, which is spiritual.

And David said, 'Good and upright is the Lord, and therefore will he teach sinners in the way, the meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way; what man is he that feareth the Lord, him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose; his soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth; the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant.'

And David desired God's teaching, and said, 'He was the God of his salvation, and on him he would wait all the day.'

And therefore, oh, that men, called christians, would come to this meekness, and the fear of God, that they might come under this teaching, and under the guidance of his spirit, and have his secrets revealed to them. And ye may see that God is not the teacher only of his people, but he will teach sinners if they will hearken to him. Psalm xxv.

And David said, though my father and mother should forsake me, yet the Lord will take me up; and teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path.' Psalm xxvii.

And here again you may see how David doth exalt the Lord's teaching. And again, David desired the Lord to teach him to do his will, for thou art my God, and thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness,' Psalm. xliii.

So here you may see David delighted in God's teaching, and set it forth upon record, that all God's people might do the same.

And again: thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out, and spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath to the people in it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness,