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But indwelling fin, which abideth in our mortal flesh till death, shall not prevail, and have the dominion over them that are born of GOD; because they are not under the law, but under grace: And hence the Spirit of GOD which is in them fupports their renewed minds, in warring against the flesh, and is continually ftirring them up to refift its finful motions; teaching, and enabling them to mortify the deeds of the body, and even to use its members as inftruments of righteousness unto God.———But, at the refurrection, the bodies of believers alfo fhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and made like unto the glorious body of CHRIST.

The new birth also, because of our present weaknefs and infirmities, is by our LORD illuftrated to us, both by water and the wind:

1. By water; which, because it cleanses the body from outward defilement, and refreshes it when it is weary, is a proper illuftration of it: Therefore he faith, I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean, from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanfe you. This is evidently meant of a moral and spiritual cleansing by the HOLY SPIRIT, which is the water here spoken of; For, as water fanctifies unto the purifying of

Ezek, xxxvi. 25.

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the flesh, cleanfing the body from external filth, and pollution; fo the HOLY GHOST fanctifies and cleanses the foul from moral and fpiritual defilement: Hence the new birth is called the washing of regeneration. And whereas this work of the SPIRIT is thro' JESUS CHRIST; therefore CHRIST is faid to come by water, tho' not by water only, but by water and blood*: And as the SPIRIT is ministered by the preaching of the word of God's grace; therefore CHRIST is faid to fanctify the Church, and cleanse it with the washing of water by the wordt. Moreover, as the body is refreshed and ftrengthened with water, when it is weary or faint; fo the SPIRIT revives and ftrengthens the fainting and weary foul: Wherefore he faith, I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground and again, when the poor and needy Seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Ifrael will not forfake them: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of vallies.—Speaking alfo of CHRIST, he faith again; a man fhall be an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft; as rivers of water in a dry place ||— Hence the fame Prophet cries aloud; Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters.

1 John v. 6. Ifa. xxxii. 2.

+ Eph, v. 26.

Now

Ifa. xli. 17, 18.

Now by water in all these places is undoubtedly meant, the comfortable and refreshing influences of the HOLY SPIRIT, which God hath promised to his chofen in CHRIST; who alfo follow him in the regeneration; For the fouls of God's people, thro' the scorching heat of temptation, rebellious lufts, &c. are often parched as a dry and thirsty land. Wherefore JESUs, in the days of his flesh, stood and cried, faying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: And again, he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me fhall never thirst. Thus the operations of the Holy Spirit, on the fouls of God's people, are resembled by water; because of its reviving, and cleansing qualities.

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2. It is illuftrated by the wind; which is another created emblem of God's Holy Spirit.-As no creature can live a natural 'life without the air of this world; fo neither can any man have a spiritual life without the Holy Spirit breathing on him, and abiding in him. And as the wind cannot be seen by us, fo neither is the Spirit of GOD: But the effects of the wind are manifeftly felt, and enjoyed by us; and fo are the breathings and operations of the Holy Ghoft.When the Spirit, at the day of Pentecoft, was poured out upon the Apostles, it came

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as a mighty rushing wind. Indeed the manifeftation of the Spirit's power, is not always the fame; nor are its operations on the foul, equally felt by all faints: Yet the fouls of God's people live by the Spirit of CHRIST, whether its breathings are fenfibly perceived by them or not; even as animal life is preferved by means of the natural air, when the body perceives not its influence and operation. Where there is faith in CHRIST, and the love of GOD S there is the life of GOD, by the Spirit: altho' the foul feels not fenfibly its refreshing and powerful influences, but much languor or weaknefs.-The wind is not fubject to any direction or will of man; fo neither is the Spirit of God, which bloweth where, and when he pleaseth; dividing to every man feverally as he will†.— And, altho' the life of the Spirit, in the fouls of believers, be certainly felt and known; yet the manner of it is mysterious, and inexplicable.

The Spirit comes on the foul of a dead finner, in hearing or reading the word of truth, and blows upon him, that his foul may live: By which breathing of GOD's Spirit, CHRIST is formed in him, and he is a new creature; again the Spirit paffes away, nor can the believer tell from whence

• Acts ii. z.

† 1 Cor. xii. In

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it cometh, or whither it goeth: But he doth not fo pass away, as not to leave its breathing, and life in the foul; whereby CHRIST abideth in him the hope of glory.

But the finner hath no more hand in caufing the Spirit to quicken, and blow on him, than he hath in making the natural air to animate, and blow on his natural body: But it entirely depends on the fovereign will and pleafure of GOD. The Spirit quickens, and gives fpiritual life to whomfoever he will: They, therefore, who are the fons of GOD, are not made fo by being born of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God*.

The inftrument likewife, or means whereby the Spirit regenerates, and makes us new creatures, is, the preaching, and bearing of Christ's Gofpel, which is therefore called the miniftration of the Spirit; and for this caufe, faith, which is a work of the Spirit, cometh by the bearing of it. Hence he faith to the Galatians; Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? For the preaching of the cross is, to them that perifh, foolishness; but to us who are faved, it is the power of God+ And again, we preach Christ crucified,

John i. 13.

+ 1 Cor. i. 18,

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