Ver. 5. I)o ye think the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that diuelleth in tis lusteth to envy ?
This scripture hath b(>en much vexed with the several expositions of those that have dealt in it, because it doth not easily appear of what scri-ptiire or of what spirit the apostle speaketh. Two o])inions are most worthy of regard. Some interpret it of the Spirit of God, others of the corrupt spirit of man. Those that refer it to the Spirit of God read it with a double interrogation, tlius: ' Doth the scripture speak in vain? doth the Spirit that dwelleth in us lust to envy?' And they interpret it thus : Do the scriptures speak in vain to this drift and purpose to which I have spoken to you ? meaning the sentences last spoken, which are everywhere scattered throughout the word : ' Doth the Spirit that is in us lust to envy ? ' that is, the Spirit of God, doth it lust in such a carnal manner ? Their reasons are three : — (1.) Because the sentence supposed to be in the latter part of the text is nowhere found in scripture, and therefore some are forced to fly to the shift of some ancient book of piety now lost. (2.) The next is, because of that ])hrase, ' The Spirit which dwelleth in us,' which is most properly and most usually applied to the Spirit of God, who is given to us that he may dwell in us; but is not so proper to our cor- ruption, which usually is not called ' a sj)irit,' or, at least, not ' a spirit dwelling in us.' (3.) The third is taken from the first clause of the next verse, 'But he giveth more grace;' which he being a relative, must have an antecedent, and that is the Spirit of God here intended. These are the arguments.
The other oi)inion, that referreth it to the wicked spirit of man, expoundeth the ])lace thus : ' Doth the Rcri])ture say in vain ? ' that is, it is not for nothing that the scripture saith : what doth it say? That 'the spirit dwelling in us;' that is, our corrupt nature. Some say Satan — more probably the former — 'lusteth to envy ?'that is, is mightily carried forth that way. To this opinion I do incline, and my reason is, the easiness and commodiousness of the sense. The otlier is more harsh and intricate : as also the suitableness of it with the scope o£
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the apostle, whicli is to prove that carnal lusts are natural to us, and do not become him that would be a friend of God ; those that are wholly carried to evil cannot be his friends. And so both text and context runneth smoothly.
But how shall we answer the contrary arguments ?
I answer thus — (1.) The first is, that this saying, ' The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy,' is nowhere found in scripture. To which I reply, that the sense of it is found in scripture, though not the TO prjTov, the express words ; and wlien scripture is quoted gener- ally, the sense is sufficient. The apostle, writing to Jews who were versed in scripture, quoteth it generally, and at large. As also doth Peter in many places, and so Paul : 1 Cor. xiv. 21, 'In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people.' So ver. 34, ' Women are to be under obedience, as also saith the law.' Now these words are nowhere in fermmis, but are the drift of many scriptures. So Eph. v. 14, ' Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest,' &c., where there is a general citation. So here it is the drift of many scriptures to speak of the corrupt nature of man, and a wicked spirit dwelling in us ; though I conceive there is a special allusion to one place, as there is in all those other citations men- tioned ; and the place alluded to here is Gen. viii. 21, ' The imagina- tion of man's heart is evil, only evil, and that continually.' And though there be no mention of envy, yet with good reason the apostle might apply a general place to his })articular purpose. (2.) The second ar- gument is taken from the property of the phrases, spirit, and kutm- KTjaev, dwelleth, or hath taken up his habitation in us ; but this may be very fitly applied to that natural and corrupt spirit which now we have. I have observed, that it is usual in the scripture to call the bent and strong propension of the soul, either to good or evil, spirit; as ' we have not received the spirit of the world,' 1 Cor. ii. 12. And the phrase of dwellinj in tis is used by the apostle, and applied to sin, Eom. vii. 17. Neither is there any emphasis in the word to cause it to be peculiar to the gift of the Holy Ghost ; for it only noteth pro- miscuously any intimate abode. (3.) The third argument is taken from the beginning of the next verse. I answer — If you render it but ' «^ giveth more grace,' it is referred to the scriptures; if ' 7ie giveth more grace,' it is referred to God, mentioned ia ver. 4, But we shall examine that passage when we come to ver. 6.