' Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit,' &c. This spirit, which is connected with the water, must be the Holy Spirit, eternal God with the Father and the Son. This spirit is the holy breath of Jehovah, that can breath life into our dead souls. Did the spirit move on the water, when the earth was without form, and void, and when darkness covered the deep, Gen. 1, 2 ? he also moves on the water in baptism. He is the wind that blows in the water ; like a mighty rushing wind, he came from heaven on the day of Pentecost, and blew miraculously on the Apostles. Acts 2, 2–4. By this spirit, the children of God mortify the deeds of the body, and by him they are led. Rom. 8, 13, 14. They are led into ' all truth.' John 16, 13. This is a glorious, benevolent spirit ; he rests with his seven-fold gifts upon Jesus, ' the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and the morning star,' Rev. 22, 16 ; for he 'was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.' Heb. 1, 9. For on the branch of Jesse doth rest ' the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.' Isa. 11, 2. See also Rev. 3, 1.

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