Howe - B3999 R4 H68 1702

Part IL The Living Temple. 38 So that 7oh.. 3.5. Except a Man beborn ofWater, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdomof God. It was cer- tainly none of our Saviour's Deflgn to affert the abfolute, univerfal, Neceffi- ty ofrrafhingwith Water, equally, with being bornof the Spirit ; but whereas it was the known manner among the yews to admit Profelytes to their Religi- on, by Baptifm ( which was then rec- kon'd as a New Birth) his deign was, without reje&ing that as ufelefs (which he intended to continue in the Chri%lian ,Church) to reprefent the greater, and moft indifpenfable neceffity, of being born ofthe Spirit, added to the other, and that without this, the other alone would avail nothing. When again 'tis faid, Yam. 1. 9. 1o. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce, in that he is exalted ; but the rich, in that he is made low. It cannot be thought, that both thefe were equally intended to to enjoyn'd ; but theformer is fuppofed, as a thing that would be naturally, and of courfe ; Let him, q. d. admit he do, or he may, or it is taken for granted that he Trill re- joyce, who, being of low degree, is exalted. But the principal Deign is to thew, what it is lei; obvious to appre- hend,

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