But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit
That is, ye are not carnal, but spiritual men; or ye are not in a
state of unregeneracy, but in a state of grace: the reason
proving this is,
if so be,
or "seeing"
that the Spirit of God dwell in you;
the inhabitation of the Spirit is a distinguishing character of a
regenerate man; which is to be understood not of his
omnipresence, nor of a participation of his gifts, whether
ordinary or extraordinary: nor does the Spirit of God only dwell
in his people by his graces, but in person as in office, and in a
way of special favour; as a spirit of illumination, regeneration,
sanctification, and faith, as a comforter, a spirit of adoption,
an intercessor, and as a pledge and seal of happiness: which
inhabitation is personal; is not peculiar to him to the exclusion
of the Father and of the Son; is expressive of property and
dominion; is not confined to the souls of men, for he also dwells
in their bodies; it is operative, powerful, and perpetual; it is
the security of the saints' perseverance, and the pledge of their
resurrection and future glory. This is owing not to any goodness
in them, or to any fitness and preparations of theirs to receive
him; but to a federal union to Christ and relation to him, to our
Lord's ascension and intercession, and to the love and grace of
the Father; and this proves a man to be a regenerate man, to be
in the Spirit, and not in the flesh; for the Spirit of God is
never in this sense in an unregenerate man, nor is he in any such
sense without his grace; so that the indwelling of the Spirit is
the grand evidence of relation to God, of an interest in Christ
and union to him, and of a man's state and condition God-ward;
now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his.
By "the Spirit of Christ", is not meant the human soul of Christ;
nor his divine nature; nor his Gospel, which is the Spirit that
gives life; but the Holy Ghost, the third person in the Trinity,
the same which is called the Spirit before; and proves Christ to
be God, he proceeds from him as from the Father, is sent by him,
and with which Christ's human nature was fitted and filled. The
Jews F24 often speak of (xyvmh xwr) , or (xyvmd axwr) "the spirit of the
Messiah". Now to have him is not barely to partake of his gifts,
but of his graces; to be possessed of him as one's own; to have
communion with him, and to have him dwelling in us. There are
some who have him not, nor never will have him, being none of
Christ's; and God's elect, whilst in an unregenerate state, are
without him; and whilst such, though they are his chosen and
adopted ones, they are his by his Father's gift and his own
purchase, they are his pardoned ones through his blood, and his
justified ones through his righteousness; yet they are not his
regenerated, called, and sanctified ones; nor can they claim any
interest in him; nor are they known to be his by themselves or
others; nor have they any communion with him, or enjoyment of
him.
F24 Zohar in Gen. fol. 19. 3. & 107. 3. & 128. 3. Baal Hatturim in Gen. 1, 2. Caphtor, fol. 113. 2.