Ch. 3 . Of regeneration. St. fledand celebrated by Báptifm but it is the wafhing, and fandifying ofthe Soul only, that baththe promifeofSalvation; But the Church. on Earthbeing as the Porch, Womb or Semi- nary to Heaven, it is notanother kind ofFaith, but that fame whichin the fincere is Caving, which is required to be profeffed in Baptifm, for admittance into the vifible Church. 6.That which is born of the flefh, is flefh and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. 6. Men generate Men. but God maketh Saints by a fpiritual generation: Nature begets but nature, but God's Spirit giveth a holy and heavenly Nature or Inclination. -7. Marvel not that I- laid unto thee,Ye muff be bornagain: 8. The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof, but canft not tell whence it cometh,and *hither it goeth : fo is everyone that isborn ofthe Spirit. 7,8.Count not this an incredible thing,Thou heareftthe found of the Wind, and knotyeft certainly by the tads, that fuck a thingas wind there is, and that itcaufeth thofe effeds,. which thy fenfe,perceiveth; but thouknòweft not fully the nature of'this wind, nor whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; and fo thou mayeft know that God's Spiritdoth this fandi- £ying work on Souls, though thou canft not comprehend the nature oftheSpirit,nor the way of itsoperation,norwhy it workethon one Soul and not on another that feemeth equal to it. 9. Nicodelnus anfwered and Paid unto him,How can thefe things be ? 9. N. The reafon ofMan, not yet illumina- ted, is aptto be fo confident in its ignorance, as to take thofe fpiritual things, for incredible, which it comprehendethnot : It lifts up it felf again! Chrih's teaching with a Hnw can thefe thingsbe ? I o. Jefus anfwered and faid unto him,Art thou a matter of Ifrael, and knoweft notthefe things ? I i.Verily verily I fayunto thee,We fpeak that wedoknow,and teftifie thatwehave feen; and ye receive not our witnefs. Io, :I t. It is a shame to thee, that art a Ma- iler of Ifrael, to be ignorant of thefe things, (without which all thy knowledge is but !hells and shadows:) I tell thee, we fpeak that which we certainly know, by intuition and experience on holySouls, and yet you carnalyews believe us nor, not knowing what your own flradows do import. _ John: Of regeneration'. Ch: 3: I2. If I have told you earthly, things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things ? 1 a. When I tell you but whatGod dothhere onEarth on all that he will lave, and illuftrate it to you by a fimilitude which your fenfes do perceive, and it isa thingthatyour Ceremonies fignifie, how flail you believe, ifI tell you the unfeen things of Heaven, if you believe not thingsfo evidentas thefe. 13. And no man hath afcended up to heaven,but hethat camedown from - heaven, even the Son ofman which is in heaven. 13: And ifyouwill not believeme, what fa: tisfying notice can you haveofthe hateofthings inHeaven : For no Man bath afcended up into, Heaven, and can tell you by fure notice what is there, but I that came down from Heaven, and fo came down by Aiming flea!, as that yet I am now in Heaven in my Godhead. 14. And as Mofes lifted up the ferpent in the wildernefs, even fo muff the Son of man be lifted up : í5.Thatwhofoeverbelieveth in him Should not perish, but have eternal life, 14, r $. And the wayofSalvation whichGod by merevealeth to you, is this, that asMofes in theWildernefs fet up a brazen Serpent, that all that were hung with Serpents might be cured, ifthey did look up to this : So I mutt be lift up on the Croft as a Sacrifice for Sin, that whoever truly believeth in me, and trufleth me as the Redeemer- and Saviour, Should not periti', but have evertsfling life. 16. For God fo loved the world,' that he gavehis only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, should not perish; but have everlaft- ing life, 16. For God,who is Love it Pelf, fo farloved lapfed and loft mankind, as thathe gavehis on- ly begottenSon to beincarnate,and to be their. Redeemer, by his meritorious Life, and Death; and Refuìreerion,andto make themthispromife, covenant and offer, thatwhoever truly believ- eth in him, should have his fin forgiven , and shouldnotperifh,buthave everlaftingbleffed l fel 17. For God fent not his Son in- to theworld to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be faxed, O ;7. Fox
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