2 ofRegeneration. S a c r. I¡I II t ttittmtttAtwtt. VVVP4f9114MWAWVOrFivil SER MON XXXVII. Of the unexprefihlenef ofthiPnew life. JOHN 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it lifleth, and thou hearefi theJound thereof,but canft not tell whenceit cemeth,or whither ugoeth, &c. QUr Saviour inthefe wordsdoth further dear the Myftery of Regeneration Vunto Nicodemue,that fo at tall the (tales may fall from hiseyes; becaufe this fpiritual nativity was not vifible, as that of the body is, Nicodemtee would not believe any loch thing. Now our Saviour inllanceth in a very fit fimilitude, The wind blewetb Whereit lifterh, thoubeareft thefoundofit, bot thoufail it notWith thy eye, neither art thou able to tellfrom whence it cometh : So thatthis fpeech ofour Saviour doth denote the difficultyofunderftanding this fpiritual birth , not only to the corrupt underllanding, but altoto therenewed : for this in the Text ari. f th not from the imbecillity of the power or faculty to perceive,but the fubtile and purenature of the objeft tobeunderltood : It is therefore the intent of our Savi. our to expreffe this fpiritual birth, by a plain fimilitude.. Some there are that take the greekword ,r ita, for the fpirit ofGod : upon this rule , wherefoever it is with the greek article, there the fpirit ofGod is underttood ; but that is not uni- verfal,& then it would bemoll;improper: for it could beto illuftration to manifeft a thing by it fell, which our Saviour fhoulddoif we take it fo.Maldonate takes fpi- rit, or breath, for the foul ofa man, andmakes the fenfe thus ; As we do not know the nature of the foul,how it is infufed, whence it cómech, or whither it goeth, only we perceive the Itrong operationsofit;fo it isin thework ofGrace. But there is no jufl reafon to recede from ourTranflation inmaking it to liignifie the wind,and fo every thing will excellently agree. Firft, The Air isneceflary , fo that there is no living , or breathing without it: This work of Gods Spirit , is wholly neceffary for this new birth. Secondly, Thouhearet'c thevoiceofchisoaely, but thoufeeft not the winde it fall: fothe godly hear thevoice of Gods fpirit fpeaking to them to live , and as to Lazarus, to come forth out of tie grave; fo do the Children of God. Thirdly, As we cannot tell the beginingofthe winds, for although the Philo. fo'phers di(pute much, fomemaking it the fluxof the Air , others exhalations from the earth, yet there is nocertainty ; fo it is in this workofgrace. The world leech menby the word of Godnewchanged, new enlivened; theywonder and admire to fee this alteration : men are divided in their thoughts about it : fome fay , they are of God, others of thedive!, even as they differed in their thoughts about, Chrift. And then here' is the liberty of GodsSpirit inRegenerating, Ilebloneb Where he
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