where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15) thanking God with Paul: But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord, says Jeremiah, (Jer. 20) is with me as a mighty, terrible one, therefore shall my persecutors stumble, and they shall not prevail, &c., and say with David: Blessed be the LORD, my strength, who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight; (Ps. 144) and they are not moved till they have broken their enemies to pieces: Blessed be the Lord that he has not given us as a prey in their teeth; our souls have escaped, like a bird from the fowler's snare; the cord is rent, and we are ransomed from our enemies, and out of the hand of those who hate us, &c. (Luke 1.) The Lord is a rewarder of them that diligently seek, love and serve him; (Heb. 11) as it is written: Behold the Lord cometh and his reward is with him; (Rev. 22) yea, his reward and the gift of God are eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For, if you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, you will receive the reward of your inheritance, the crown of life, which God has promised those who love him. (Rom. 6; Col. 3; James 1; 2 Tim. 4.)

As stated above, that every creature has the nature and disposition of him of whom it is born, therefore, we will speak a few words concerning the nature, properties and effects of the seed of the divine word, whereby we are begotten in the image of God; for where this seed is sown upon good ground, into the heart of man, there it grows and produces its like in nature and property, it changes and renews the whole man, from the carnal into the spiritual, the earthly into the heavenly, it transforms from death unto life, from unbelief to belief, and makes man happy, (John 3; Rom. 8; John 1; Gal. 3) for through this seed all nations upon earth are blessed. (Gen. 22.) Therefore, says James: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls. (1 Cor. 3.) It is also the pure, unadulterable milk, whereby the young and new born children of God are nurtured, till they attain to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, (Eph. 4) it is also strong food for the perfect and aged in Christ Jesus. (Heb. 5.) In short, this seed of the divine word is spiritual food whereby the whole inner man is sustained, (1 Pet. 1) so that he perish and faint not in this

wilderness aud desolate world, as all have to starve and faint who do not daily gather the bread of the divine word to satisfy their starving souls, (Deut. 8; Matt. 4) for man lives not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God. Therefore, is he blessed who hungers after this heavenly bread, and receives the ingrafted word; for it will bring forth after its nature, in due time, one hundred fold. (Matt. 13.) For, says the Lord, as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of thy mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. (Isa. 55.)

Behold, this is the nature, property and effects of the seed of the word of God, by which men are renewed, regenerated, sanctified and saved through this incorruptible seed, (namely, the living word of God which abides to eternity,) (1 Pet. 1) and are clothed with the same power from above, are filled with the Holy Ghost, (Luke 24) and are thus united to God, that they become partakers of the divine nature, and be made conformable to the image of his Son, who is the first of the regenerated, (2 Pet. 1; Rom. 8; 2 Cor. 3; Col. 1) and those who rose with him from the sleep and death of sin, henceforth serve him not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit. (Rev. 1; Rom. 7.)

He that is truly sincere, and has this principle and disposi tion in his heart, has put on Christ Jesus, is become like unto Christ and has the image of God in his heart, and is spiritually minded, is led by the Spirit in his spirit, from whose spiritual body, spiritual fruits are brought forth, as a well springing up unto eternal life. (John 4, 7.) For they are regenerated through the word which was sown in their hearts, begotten of God, and born anew to bring forth fruit of eternal life; they, therefore, as children born of God, are the same as the father, of one mind and disposition, have the divine nature of their Father, who has begotten them; whose thoughts are heavenly, whose words are truth, well seasoned, whose good works are holy, acceptable to God and man; for they are holy vessels of honor, useful and ready to every good work. (Col. 3, 4; 2 Tim. 2.)

Even as Paul (Ram. 6) exhorts those who are born of the corruptible seed of flesh and blood, who are earthly, sensual, without understanding and blind in divine things; yea, children of wrath, that they should die unto sin, mortify and bury the lusts and desires of the flesh, and then rise by virtue of the heavenly seed from the sleep and death of sin, and be regenerated, and walk in newness of life, which is the first resurrection, saying: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Eph. 5.) So does he also admonish all regenerated children of God, who have been changed in mind and disposition through the eternal saving seed of God, who have been regenerated and are risen, that they should be godly, spiritually and heavenly minded, and strive for and desire heavenly, incorruptible things; and that their heart (1 Pet. 1) should be where their treasure is, (Luke 12; Eph. 1, 2) and their conversation in heaven, as fellow saints of the house of God, telling them: If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Col. 3.) Here we have an account how the regenerated children of God have risen with Christ from the dead, and now live with him, converse upon heavenly things, and appear to the world as not living, for their life is hid in God, as St. John says: Now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3.)

With these and the like words the scriptures admonish the truly regenerated and those who have arisen, that they should take heed to their calling, and continue perfect in a new, godly walk, (Heb. 3,) for if they have been made partakers of Christ, they should persevere to the end, lest they again depart from the living God through the deceitfulness of sin and an evil heart of unbelief; and they should remain steadfast and perfect, as the chosen children of God, and inherit the kingdom of their Father, and reign in eternity and rule over sin, death, devil and hell, and all the enemies of the kingdom, whom they overcome with Christ as valiant men; therefore, will they also sit with Christ at the table of the Lord, (Luke 13)

eat the bread and drink the wine of the kingdom of heaven; even as Christ overcame, and sitteth with his Father in his kingdom which is prepared for them; as a fortified city; (Rev. 3; 2 Esd. 7, 8,) free from all care of their enemies; in full rest, full of life and joy; for they eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of Paradise; which pleasure garden is ever close to the unregenerated, who are still earthly and sensually minded, who still have by nature the vail and partition wall of sin before their hearts.

These are they, who died with Christ unto sin, and have truly risen, (Rom. 6; John 1,) these are the new born, to whom the power is given to become the sons of God, these were redeemed out of all nations, (Rev. 5, 7, 19,) these have on the wedding garments against the marriage of the Lamb, these have received the sign TAU* in their foreheads by which the servants of God are designated, (Ez. 9; Rev. 7,) these are the spiritual bride of Christ, his holy community, his spir itual body, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, (Eph. 5,) these have come to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God, which came down from heaven, (Rev. 21,) these have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly of the church of the first born which are written in heaven, (Heb. 12,) and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant; they are fellow citizens in the household of God who have put off the corruptible garment,(Eph. 2, 4; Esd. 2,) and put on the incorruptible, have acknowledged the name of God, and kept his commandments, (Rev. 14,) and the faith of Jesus; the true sheep of Christ, who hear his voice, and fol low no other; (Johh 10,) the first fruits of his creatures, have the spirit and mind of Christ, therefore, knowing what the will of the Lord is; (James 1; Rom. 8,) yea, the chosen genera tion, the spiritual and royal priesthood, a holy nation, à peculiar people; (Eph. 5; 1 Pet. 2,) who in times past were not a people, but now the people of God, for God had compassion on them these are the souls who were slain, under the altar, for the word of God. (Rev. 6.)

In short, with them old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new; but this is all of God, who has

Tau, a Hebrew word, literally a sign or mark, (Ezekiel ix., 4, 6.) This Tau, or sign, is spoken of in Isaiah Ixvi., 19, and many other parts of the scriptures.—Translator.

reconciled us unto himself through Jesus Christ; these are they who stand before the throne of God, with palms in their hands, and clothed in white, saying: Blessing, and glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power and might be unto our God forever and ever, Amen. (2 Esd. 2; Rev. 7.)

This is a short instruction concerning the spiritual resurrec tion and the new birth, and the difference between the first and second birth; between the natural and spiritual; between the earthly and heavenly; and how every one is disposed, inclined, and of what mind he is, according to his birth or origin, and that he is of the same disposition, of the same mind, and of such a nature as that is of which he is born, that which generated him; for the natural man is not spiritual, neither is that which is born of flesh and blood, the spiritual birth of God from heaven; but like produces like. (John 4.) As the natural man is, so are they, who are naturally born. Such as God is, who is a Spirit and in heaven, such are also they who are spiritually born from heaven, who far exceed those naturally born of flesh.

Here, as in a mirror, one may view and examine himself, and judge of what birth, mind, disposition, nature, life and conduct he is; for here a man, by taking a little pains, can judge and prove himself. A man's walk, word and actions, and the thoughts of his heart, all show what he is; (1 Cor. 2,) for man knows himself best, and no one knows what is in man, but the spirit which is in man.

Again as many therefore, who after having proved themselves, find that they are not renewed and regenerated after their first birth, according to the flesh, in their mind, understanding, spirit and disposition, but are yet altogether sensual, earthly, worldly and devilishly minded; and from their depraved, inbred nature, are prone and willing to do all manner of evil, they will humble themselves before God, with Jeremiah, (Jer. 3,) saying: Let us examine and prove our ways, and let us turn unto the Lord, let us lift our hand and hearts to God in heaven, and say, we have sinned before heaven and in thy sight, and have excited thy wrath: Let us weep and let our eyes run over with water; and say with David: Come let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, and entreat him that he would make glad the work of his hands, and renew us whom he created-let us humbly entreat him for his spirit, which is the great cause of all this,