Prima the first things, in reference to the middle and last things

The new Birth.

JOH. 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

WE read in the former Chapter, John 2.23. ¹When Jesus was at Jerusalem, at the feast of the Passover, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did: Amongst those many, here is one of them (saith St. Austin;) what one? of all men the most unlikely is a Jew, of all Jews a Ruler, of all Rulers a Pharisee; Have any of the Rulers, or the Pharisees believed on him? But howsoever it seem thus unlikely unto us, the Spirit of God bloweth where it listeth; here is amongst many believers one Nicodemus, and he is a man of the Pharisees, a Ruler of the Jews; vers. 1 a Jew, a Ruler, a Pharisee, ²God is able even of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham; yea, we see here (be they never so stony) our Saviour melts one of them with a miracle, and by a new birth he will make him a son of Abraham indeed. A miracle brings him to Christ, and Christ brings him to a new birth: The first Nicodemus confesseth, vers. 2 Rabbi (faith he to our Saviour) we know that thou art a Teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou dost, except God be with him. The second our Saviour affirmeth, as if he had answered, to say, I am sent from God, and not to be born again, will never help thee to Heaven; thy confession is right, that I am sent from God, but thy conversation is wrong, that art not born again: thou comest to me with confession of thy faith, but here is a further Catechism, another lesson; and therefore (as thou callest me Rabbi) if thou wilt be a Scholar in my School, thou must learn these principles, these rudiments, these first things, this text, this A, B, C, of Christian