The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…

And these were borne, to wit, borne again, not by power of Nature, but by the grace of God, v. 13. Then it followeth, the Word became flesh, v. 14. So that it may appear plainly by the Context, that John speaketh not of the estate of the people of the New Testament, before they can enter into the visible Church, but of the spiritual estate of all the believing Saints of the Old Testament. The other place in 2 Cor. 5.16. we have opened it above. We now know no man after the flesh, no not Christ himself now. In which words it is no part of the Apostles scope or meaning to set forth what qualifications are to be attended to in admitting members into the visible Church, but to direct Church-members and all Christians, not to esteem of themselves & others according to common gifts and carnal excellencies, and outward Privileges (wherein the false Apostles gloried, v. 12.) but to live as those who have fellowship with Christ in his death and resurrection, and therefore not to live unto our selves, or to this world, but unto Christ, v. 14, 15. And lest it should be objected, Why, time hath been when you (Paul) your self have gloried in carnal excellencies and Jewish Privileges, yea and have esteemed meanly of Christ himself for his poverty sake, and because he was rejected of the high Priests and Elders: Paul answereth, though we have known Christ after the flesh, that is, though we have esteemed meanly of him, according to his mean outside; yet now henceforth we neither know or acknowledge him, or any man else according to the flesh. Where by knowing no man after the flesh, he doth not mean that be now knoweth no seed of the faithful to have any Privilege ⟨p. 110⟩or right unto Church-estate by their natural birth through the the Covenant of their Parents: but that whatsoever privilege themselves or their Parents, or any others have by their Church-estate, or Covenant, or seals of the Covenant, or gifts of knowledge and utterance, or the like, they should not acknowledge them, as things to be rested till they come to be new creatures in Christ Jesus.

And these were borne, to wit, borne againe, not by power of Nature, but by the grace of God, v. 13. Then it followeth, the Word became flesh, v. 14. So that it may appeare plainly by the Context, that Iohn speaketh not of the estate of the people of the New Testament, before they can enter into the visible Church, but of the spirituall estate of all the beleeving Saints of the Old Testament. The other place in