10 And if Christ be in you. That which before he said of the spirit, now he saith of Christ: whereby is declared the manner of Christs dwelling in us. For as by his spirit he consecrateth us for temples to himself, so by the same spirit he dwelleth in us: and now he doth more clearly open that, which we touched before:1 namely, that the sons of God are counted spiritual, not in respect of a full and absolute perfection, but only for the newness of life is begun in them. And here is a preoccupation, whereby he preventeth that doubt, which might otherwise vex us. For howsoever the spirit possesseth one part of us, yet we see another part to be holden still of death. Therefore he answereth, that in the spirit of Christ there is a virtue of quickening, which is of power to swallow up our mortality. Whereupon he inferreth, how we are patiently to expect, till the relics of sin be utterly abolished. Furthermore, the Readers have bin already admonished, that by the word spirit they understand ⟨p. 99⟩not our soul, but the spirit of regeneration: which spirit Paul calleth life, not only because it liveth, and florisheth in us, but because by his strength it quickeneth us, until at the length our mortal flesh being extinguished, it doth perfectly renew us: as on the contrary the word body, signifieth that gross mass, which is not yet cleansed by the spirit of GOD, from the dregs of the earth, which savour of nothing but that is gross. For otherwise to attribute unto the body the guiltiness of sin were absurd. Again, the soul is so far from being life, that it liveth not it self. Then the meaning of Paul is, although sin doth judge us unto death, so far forth as there remaineth yet in us the corruption of the first nature, yet is the spirit of God the conqueror: neither doeth this hinder any whit: namely, that we are only endued with the first fruits, because even one sparkle thereof, is the seed of life.
10 And if Christe bee in you. That which before he said of the spirite, now hee saith of Christe: whereby is declared the maner of Christes dwelling in vs. For as by his spirite he consecrateth vs for temples to himselfe, so by the same spirit he dwelleth in vs: and now he doth more cleerely open that, which wee touched before:1 namely, that the sonnes of God are counted spirituall, not in respect of a full and absolute perfection, but onely for the newnesse of life is begun in them. And here is a preoccupation, whereby he preuenteth that doubt, which might otherwise vexe vs. For howsoeuer the spirit possesseth one part of vs, yet we see another parte to be holden styll of death. Therefore hee answereth, that in the spirite of Christe there is a vertue of quickening, which is of power to swallow vp our mortalitie. Whereupō he inferreth, how we are paciently to expect, till the reliques of sin be vtterly abolished. Furthermore, ye Readers haue bin alredy admonished, yt by the word spirit they vnderstand ⟨p. 99⟩not our soule, but the spirite of regeneration: which spirite Paule calleth life, not onely because it liueth, and florisheth in vs, but because by his strength it quickeneth vs, vntill at the length our mortall flesh being extinguished, it doth perfectly renewe vs: as on the contrarie the worde body, signifieth that grosse masse, which is not yet cleansed by the spirite of GOD, from the dregges of the earth, which sauour of nothing but that is grosse. For otherwise to attribute vnto the body the guiltinesse of sinne were absurde. Againe, the soule is so farre from beeing life, that it liueth not it selfe. Then the meaning of Paul is, although sin doth iudge vs vnto death, so farre foorth as there remaineth yet in vs the corruption of the first nature, yet is the spirite of God the conquerour: neither doeth this hinder any whit: namely, that wee are onely indued with the firste fruites, because euen one sparkle thereof, is the seede of life.
- 1How Christ dwelleth in us.How Christe dwelleth in vs.
