35 NATURE OF GOD.

enlighteneth them by the Holy Ghost; He burneth up sins and killeth them by means of forgiveness, as fire burneth thorns and destroyeth them and one sees no trace of them. Sins and

f. 134 b

trespasses are like thorns. The Christ said in the Gospel, "Verily, verily I say unto you that he who is not born of water and Spirit shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven"; but he who is born of water and Spirit is he who is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, one God and one Lord. Let it not take thee aback when thou hearest, "the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost." Verily the Father is God; the Son is the Word which is from God; and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God through whom He sanctifieth everything; as water cleanseth the defilement of the body, so the Holy Ghost cleanseth the defilement of souls and spirits and purifieth them from sins and trespasses, so that he who is baptized in faith is cleaner than when he was born from his mother's womb, he has no sin and no iniquity. Therefore said John the son of Zacharia "Verily the Christ will baptize you with fire and Spirit."

f. 135 a

Therefore the Christ said, "He who is not born of water and Spirit shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven." God made the forgiveness of trespasses the second birth. David also prophesied by the Holy Ghost, about the immersion of the Christ and His destruction of Satan and his hosts, saying, "Thou hast broken the heads of the dragons on the water. Thou hast broken the head of the Dragon," that is, Satan and his hosts, when the Christ destroyed them by the immersion of baptism, and broke ...from men, who conquered ...by his error, and he tempted them, .....The Christ opened to men the door of repentance and forgiveness of trespasses, as He said in the Gospel to the Apostles, "Go out into all the world, and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven amongst the nations, and repentance in My

f. 135 b

name, and baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost." He that believeth and is baptized is saved and delivered and pardoned; he who believeth not hath not been baptized, and there hath been decreed against him