Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 8 · Dialogue 9
DIAL IX.
Verse 9. Now ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the spirit of God dwelleth in you: but if any man hauehave not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his.
Tim.
VVHat doth this Text containe?
Silas.
An application of the former doctrin vntounto the beleeuing and Christian Romanes. For that which he before had generally taught of the sanctification of the Spirite, and of the desire and study both of spirituall and carnall men, hee doth nowe particularly apply it to the Saints at Rome, as his manner is. The summe whereof is thus much; That they which are after the flesh and carnall men, sauour the thinges of the flesh wholly minding and caring for thinges that bee carnal and euill; and so they with their course of life perish as enemies to God; whereas spirituall men minde and care for spirituall and good things, pleasing God as his friends and children. From whence the Apostle doth gather, that seeing the Romanes were not in the flesh, but in the spirit, spirituall not carnall men: therefore they were none of Gods enemies, but his friends and children, being reconciled vntounto him and pleasing him made partakers of his spirit and of his Son, and therefore free from condemnation, as he had vniuersally taught in the first verse of this Chapter.
Tim.
What may we learn for our instruction, from this preceeding and method of the Apostle?
Silas.
From hence wee learne the way of cutting and deuiding the word of God aright, to be this: namely first, to propound doctrine generally, setting it forth by similitudes, confirming it by reasons. Secondly, to descend to particular applying it to the vse of eueryevery Christian in the assembly, for teaching, confuting, reproouing, for exhorting, and for comforting: this application is the life and soule of doctrine, and as a whetstone to set an edge on it; it is frequent in scripture.
Tim.
Now shew vsus the seuer all parts of this text?
Sylas.
The parts bee two: first, a proposition in these words, … Romanes are not in the flesh; it is set foorth by the contrary, but ye are in the Spirit. Secondly, a confirmation of the things propounded by two prooses or reasons; the one is taken from the efficient cause; to wit, the Spirit of God dwelling in them: the second is taken from their communion with Christ, whose members they are; and therefore cannot be in the flesh but in the spirit.
Tim.
What doth it signifie to be in the flesh?
Silas.
It signifies two thinges in Scripture; one is to be an infirme and weake man, to hauehave flesh, and body, and soule, as other fraile men hauehave, 2 Cor. 10, 3. Secondly, to be carnall and vnregenerate, as we are all by nature; to wit, when in all our actions we are all ruled and gouerned by the sence and affection of our nature, not yet regenerate by Christ; thus it must be taken here.
Tim.
Is there any difference betweene being in the flesh, and hauing flesh in vsus?
Silas.
Yea very much; for the most godlie which are most renued, yet still hauehave some flesh and corruption in them, being regenerate in part onelyonly; as we hauehave seen out of the 7. Chapter to the Romanes, in the example of Paul: but to bee in the flesh, agreeth to men wholly vnregenerate.
Tim.
Whereunto doth this interpretation serue vsus?
Silas.
First, to reproue such as doe interpret this clause of Mariage, as the Pope Syritius did, thereby to condemne the mariage of Ministers. Secondly, it doth admonish vsus, that it is a danger alwayes to vnderstand the Scripture according to the proper signification of the words; for then wee must say, that there are men liuing that are without flesh, and bone, bloud and body; because Paul sayth here of the liuing and beleeuing Romanes, that they are not in the fleshut is therfore a figuratiue speech to be vnderstood of the corruption of nature: in Scripture Dianoia and not To rheton onelyonly must be obserued.
Tim
What is it to be in the Spirite?
Silas.
First, that the elect though they be borne in sinne yet doe not alwayes abide in the estate of corruption, but are translated into the estate of grace, being of meere carnall men, partly spirituall. Secondly though many at once hauehave both flesh and spirit in them, yet none can be both in the flesh and in the Spirite, these are such contraries as they cannot stand together. Thirdly, that it is the essentiall property and most certaine rule of a Christian, by al means to auoide the affections of the flesh, and in all things to be carried by the Spirit. Lastly, we are taught by this example, of Paul to iudge charitably of such Christians, which professe Christ and doe not thinges contrary vntounto their profession, that they are not carnall but spirituall. This is the cannon and rule of Charity, which indeed is not so certaine but that it may deceiue, because it cannot looke to things within, and hypocrites beare a shew of piety without substance. Therefore the spirite of discerning spirits, is a great blessing, the Apostles excelled in it.
Tim.
Come we now to the reasons to proue that they are not in the flesh but in the spirit.
Sil.
The first reason is this; The spirite of God dwels in you, therefore ye are not in the flesh to walke after it, but in the spirit.
Tim.
What is meant here by the spirit of God?
Sylas.
The third person in the Trinity, called the Holy Ghost; and the word God, is put personally for God the Father, the first person in Trinity, of whome the spirit proceedeth; so as he is also the spirit of the Son.
Tim.
What doe ye learne by this, that he is called the spirit of God?
Silas.
That the Holy Ghost doeth proceede from God the Father, Iohn 15, 26. As also from God the Sonne; and therefore he is in the latter part of this verse, called the spirit of Christ.
Tim.
What is signified here, by the dwelling of the spirite in vsus?
Silas.
The word (dwelling) is taken from men which dwell in houses; who doe not onelyonly possesse their houses, but command and gouerne all things therein, at their pleasure: likewise the holy Spirite not onelyonly filles the hearts of the faithfull, but also rules and gouernes them, enlightening them to know, and directing them to do things pleasing vntounto God, according to the measure of the Spirite. For howsoeuer the flesh may rebell, yet the Spirite still possesseth the godly, and hath the dominion and vpper hand.
Tim.
What doth this borrowed speech of dwelling put vsus in minde of?
Sil.
Not onelyonly of the efficacy of the Spirite, but of his continuance in the faithfull vntounto the end. For he is not in vsus as a guest to lodge for a night and be gone, but as an Inhabitant to dwell and abide in vsus, euen to the death, and for euer, Iohn, 14, 23. The Spirite which I will giuegive you shall abide with you for euer. Therefore they are in an error, who thinke that the Spirit of Christ once had, can bee vtterly lost. Indeed false doctrine and corrupt manners may hinder the working of the Spirite, but cannot extinguish the grace of the Spirite. Secondly, this word [dwelling] puts vsus in minde of the presence of the Spirite in the faithfull, that it is not by immensity and infinitnesse of his poweras in other Creatures, but by presence of grace and of his healthfull effects.
Tim.
How manifold is the grace of the Spirite which belongeth specially vntounto the elect?
Silas.
Three-fold: First, vnion with Christ, to bee one with Christ, as his members, whereof follow vnion with his perfect iustice and all merite. Secondly, sanctification to be made new Creatures, to be able to hate euill, and to louelove and doe good. Thirdly, adoption, and sealing vp to vsus our saluation: The Spirit witnesseth to vsus that we are the Children of God.
Tim.
What be the effects of the Spirite?
Silas.
Sundry, but especially two: First, to leade vsus into all truth, sufficient to our saluation. Secondly, to strengthen and comfort our hearts vnderunder the Crosse. Iohn. 14.
Tim.
What lessons learne we from hence, that the Spirite dwels in the faithfull?
Sil.
First, the blessed condition of true beleeuers, for whom Christ not onelyonly dyed and rose againe, iustifying them by faith; but also by his Spirit regenerates & quickens them to make them liuely members of himselfe. Secondly, the man which hath in him the Spirite of Christ dwelling, cannot follow and obey the lusts of the flesh, and they which be such, they hauehave not the Spirite of Christ dwelling in them. Lastly, as all in the house doe submit themselues vntounto the command of the chiefe House-holder, so Gods Children are content to be at the direction and page missing after the Spirit, in newnesse of life, Rom. 8, 5, 6, 9.
Tim.
Hauing now shewed after what sort we are ioyned to Christ by faith, shew vsus after what sort Christ by his spirit, doth … himselfe vntounto vsus?
Silas.
First, Christ giueth the elect his Spirite, to incorporate them into himselfe, 1 Cor. 6, 17. Secondly, the same his spirit doth regenerate them, and quicken their soules by grace, that they may become his liuelie members. Ephes. 2, 1, 4, 5. Thirdly, vponupon the elect being now become his members, hee bestoweth his benefits by his spirit, giuing them righteousnesse, holinesse, peace, ioy, and life. Fourthly, he putteth his spirit into them, to direct and gouerne them in the wayes of God, that they may do the workes pleasing to him. Note this, that these seuerall actions of faith and of the spirite, howsoeuer in the order of causes some go before, others followe, and some are felt of vsus before others, yet in respect of time they are all wrought togither.
Tim.
What instructions are we to learne from this spirituall vnion?
Silas.
First we learne what a noble worke our Vnion with Christ is, vntounto which are required so many seuerall actions both of faith and of the spirit. Secondly, we are taught, that this vnion is to be taught and prized aboue all things as being the foundation and roote of all that good which we hauehave by Christ. Thirdly, it confutes such as hauehave thought our vnion with Christ to hauehave beene a naturall commixtion of substances, his & ours togither; or to be nothing else but an agreement between minds and wils, such as may bee betweene friends, or man and wife, or Prince and subiect. Lastly, it doth admonish all men what a needfull thing it is, to be endued with faith and the spirit, seeing without these there can be no vnion had with Christ.
Tim.
And if wee hauehave no vnion with Christ through the spirit and faith, can we not be Christians?
Silas.
Without this vnion wee may bee Christians by profession, and before men, but before God we cannot; for it is plainly saide, If we hauehave not the spirit of Christ, wee are none of his. And if we neither hauehave Christs spirite, nor be none of his, we cannot be Christians otherwise then in name: for as a branch and a member are saide to liue so long, as they do partake in the iuice of the Vine, and life of the body, from whence beeing seuered, they are dead and withered, cut off, and cast out: so it is with vsus, we hauehave the life of a Christian by being Christs, and hauing his spirit, Iohn 15, 1, 2, 3. Gal. 2, 20.
Tim.
What profit are we to make of this point, that euerie true Christian is one with Christ, & hath his spirit?
Silas.
First, this reprooues such as vse to excuse their sinnes, by saying they are flesh and bloud, and not spirituall; which is as much to say, as that they are no Christians: for if they be of the body of Christ, they must of necessity hauehave his spirit, and be spirituall. Secondly, it reproues the Papists, that withhold the Scriptures from Gods people, vppon pretence that they hauehave not Gods spirit; they might euen as wel say that they are no Christians. For to be a member of Christ, and to be led by the spirit of Christ, they be things that go necessarily together, & cannot be puld asunder, no more thē can a liuing member of a naturall body, bee seuered from the soule; euen so can no Christian be without Christs spirit. Lastly, this reproues such as say, we must alwaies doubt, whether we hauehave the spirit of Christ or no, which wee ought no more to doubt of, then whether wee bee Christians or no.
Tim.
I, but many pretend themselues to be one with Christ, and to hauehave his spirit, and so to bee good Christians which yet are not? How then shall we be sure of these things?
Sil.
We shall surely know it by the effects of our spirituall vnion, to wit, Iustification and the fruits thereof, as they are laide forth, Rom. 5, 1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 11. Also by the effects of our Sanctification, as they are laid forth, Rom. 7, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Psal. 15. throughout. 2 Pet. 1, 6, 7.