181. The internal man is regenerated first by the Lord, and the external afterwards, and the latter through the former; for the internal man is regenerated by thinking those things which belong to faith and charity; but the external, by a life in accordance therewith. This is meant by the Lord's words (John iii. 5), "Except a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"; water, in the spiritual sense, means the truth of faith, and Spirit a life in accordance therewith.