Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 36 · Verses 21-24 · Textual commentary 28
I will put my ſpirit within you.
By ſpirit here, I underſtand not the new heart, or new ſpirit mentioned in the verſe before, viz. the gifts and graces of the ſpirit, but the ſpirit it ſelf, ſo Aecolampad: Lavater, Junius and Polonius; and however it be a great diſpute among School-men, Whether the ſpirit it ſelf be given unto men, and dwell in them; ſome conclude, That the perſon of the ſpirit is not given, but dwells in us only Mediantibus donis; yet the Scripture is cleer, That the ſpirit it ſelf is given, and dwells in the ſons of men, Rom: 5.5. The love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy ſpirit which is given unto us. Here is a diſtinction made between the grace of the ſpirit, and the ſpirit it ſelfe; the grace of love is ſhed abroad … the hearts of the Saints by the ſpirit, and that ſpirit which …keth that grace in them, is given unto them; the perſon of the ſpirit is diſtinguiſhed from the gifts, and graces he works in men; 1 Cor: 6.19. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy ſpirit in you. A Temple is not for gifts or graces, but for a perſon, a Deity, and ſome ſpeciall preſence of that Deity; the world hath God in it, yet it is not call'd The Temple of God, becauſe he is in a general and common manner in the ſame, but the ſpirit is in the bodyes of the Saints, and that in a ſpecial manner, 1 Cor. 2.12. We have r…ceived not the ſpirit of the world, but the ſpirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. By ſpirit here cannot be meant gifts or graces, but the perſon of the ſpirit, who ſearcheth the deep things of God, as it is verſ. 10. and makes them known by degrees, unto thoſe he dwells in, diſcovering what God hath done for them, Rom: 8.11. If the ſpirit of him that raiſed up Jeſus from the dead dwell in you: its the ſpirit of God himſelf, who dwells in beleevers, and not only the gifts and graces of the ſpirit; theſe are in them as qualities in a Subject, but he is in them as an Inhabitant in an houſe.
The ſpirit by reaſon of its Infiniteneſſe, is every where, in Trees, Worms, Flowers, waters, all creatures; is it any other wiſe in the Saints then in them? True, the ſpirit quoad eſſentiam is in all things; yet,
Firſt, Its not in them per modum unionis, by way of union; a Fiſh is in the water, but not united to the water; the ſpirit is in the Saints by way of union, therefore is ſaid to dwell in them by his own gifts and graces; we are united to the ſpirit, and the ſpirit to us.
Secondly, Its not in them per modum gratioſae operationis, by way of gracious operation; all he doth in other creatures, is upholding their beings, enabling them to put forth their natural power, vigour, virtue, and ordering their motions to what ends he pleaſeth, he worketh nothing in them above their natures, but in thoſe he dwells, he worketh gracious effects, in thoſe the Lord gives the ſpirit unto, he worketh ſuch operations as are not elſewhere, even ſuch as are aboue nature; he is in them Speciali titulo ratione gratiae: A Gardiner worketh curious Knots in the Garden, which he doth not elſewhere; God made other works, and ſet other plants in Paradiſe than in the world.
Thirdly, As the Deity of Chriſt is every where in every creature, yet otherwiſe in Chriſts humane nature, than in any creature, Col: 2.9. ſo the ſpirit, though it be every where, yet is otherwiſe in Believers, than in other creatures, it is in them as it is in Chriſt himſelf, but not in the ſame meaſure.