The newBirth. John 3· 3• .Except amanbe born againJ he cannotfee the Kingdwi ofGod. • E read in the former Chapter, J•h. z. ·:!3. When J<[P.n.va; at Jeruft,iem, atthefe"fl ofthePaJTeovcr, many believed in his Name .when they Jaw the 'l'iracles which he did: Amongfr thofe many, h~re IS one qf them (faith .Aujlin ;) what one? of all men the molt unlikely is a Jew, of all Jews a Ruler, of all Rulers a Pharifee; Have any of the Rulers, or Pharifecs believed on him? But howfoever it feem thus unlikely unto us, the Spirit of Godbloweth where it lifteth; here Is amorigfr many believers one Nico– demUJ and he is a man ofthe Pharifees, a Ruler ofthe Jews; a Jew, a Ruler, a Phanfee; God~ableevenofthefeftonestoraifeupchildrenunto ~braham; yea, we fee here (be they never fo ll:ony) our Sav10ur melts ?ne of them w~th a m1r~cle, ~nd by.a n~w bmh he will make him a fon of .Abraham mdeed. A m1racle bnngs h1m to C_hnll:, and Chrifr brings him to a new birth: The firll: Nicodemu; confeffeth, Rabbi, (faith he to our Saviour) we 10ow that tho~t art a Teacher comefrom God, for no man can do thefe mi– racles that thou doft, except God be with him. The fecondour Saviour affirmeth, as if he had anfwered; to fay, I amfent from God, and not to be born again, will never help thee to Heaven; thy confeffion IS right, that I am fent frorn Go a; but thy conv~rfation is wrong, that art not born again: thou comell: to me with confeffion of thy faith, but here is a further Catechifm, another lefl'on; and therefore (as thou callell: me Rabbi) ifthou wilt be a Scholar in my School,thou mull: learn thefe princ!ples,thefe rudiments, thefejirft things, thi! text, this A,B,C, of Chrill:ian Religion, Except anum be bdrn a– gain, he cannotfee the Kingdom ofGod. - In profecution of which words (all tending to this one point, the new birth) we !hall follow the order fct down by the Holy Gholl:; where is, ,I. The neceffity_of it, no going to heaven without it, Except. 2. The generality of it, every man is bound to it, a man. 3. The ~11annerof it, how a man is wrought in it, he mull: be bom again: · . 4· The 1ffue of1t, what effectsare annext to it, the Kingdom of God 1 andfight oftliat · Kmgdom; ll>:>an that" born agazn jha!/fee the Kingdom of God· and, Except a man be' _born'again, hejl>allnot feetheKingdo"!ofGod. ' , l'hefe bcth~ branches, and of every of them (by Gods affill:ance) we flfall gather fume frmt for the food of your fouls. The firll: branch is the firll: word, Exfepr 1 Except. THis 'Ex.tept is without exception; for unlefs we are new borne, there is no going \ to Heaven: before we hve here we arc bQrn, and before we live I)lere we are 13 new John 2. ~;: Njcodt•muJiex. hil crar r;ui""cre: didaanr in n~ m:ne cj~. 1.1i~ dtntesfignta & pmbgi.t fJU.t..ficitblft. Aug. TrAil: in loan ]oh. 7 48• V~rr~ r. l Luk 3· 8; Vcrfc ~. >
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