material Body of Christ and so become Christiferi and Christo concorporei Christ being concorporated with them as the food is with the body for so they will expound those words of our Saviour John 6. 56. He that cateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But although in the due receiving of that Sacrament we spiritually by faith are made partakers of whole Christ and so far as saving grace is conveyed to us in the use of it we may be truly said by it as by other Ordinances to be made partakers of that which the Apostle here calleth the Divine Nature yet 1. He speaketh more generally of it here than to be restrained to the effect only of that Sacrament 2. And more spiritually than to understand any such gross absurd and blasphemous commixture and concorporation of Christ's Body with ours so as to be this partaking of the Divine nature 3. Others therefore more rightly and properly interpret it in reference to the Holy Ghost and so C. à Lapide saith we are made partakers of the Divine nature not only accidentaliter as we are by the spirit of God and the work of his grace indued with Divine Qualities and Graces wherein especially the image of God consists and so by those Divine Lineaments drawn by the finger of God which are a shadowy representation of his glorious being and holiness we are made conformable to him and as Children like unto our Heavenly Father But he would have it also understood substantialiter that we Bonavent 1. Sent. dist 14. a. 2. q. 1. Thom. p. 1. q. 43. ar 3. 6. Vasquez Valent Suarez de Deo c. l. 12. c. 5. n. 11 12. are substantially also made partakers of the Divine nature in that the very person of the Holy Ghost is united to us and dwelleth in us as in his Temple substantially and personally novo modo and so in a manner deifieth us This he proveth out of others of their Authors Nor do I deny but that some of our own * Mr. Downham Mr. Cotton Vt in perfectis sima amicitiâ necessaria est amici praesentia Divines though I know none of them that expounds this Text of it do yet hold that not only the grace but even the person of the Holy Ghost is in an especial manner in Believers who is therefore as they conceive said to be given to them 1 John 3. 24. 4. 13. Rom. 5. 5. to be and to dwell and to abide in them John 14. 16 17. 1 Cor. 6. 19. and such like But although I fully believe these Scriptures and therefore subscribe to what Lombard lib. 1. dist 14. proveth out of Antiquity that the Holy Ghost himself is given to and dwelleth in believers yet as concerning that novus modus which they speak of I must confess my own ignorance as not knowing how the Holy Ghost being God and so in his Essence substance and person alike every where should in that respect be more present in believers than elsewhere but only in a more gracious and glorious presence of manifestation of himself to them and operation in them unless they would have the third person hypostatically united to believers as Christ's humanity was to the second person which Lapide's words seem something to sound like to when he saith that the Holy Ghost personally dwells in the righteous Soul which I suppose he meant not of a personal union but only an union of persons of the person of the Holy Ghost dwelling there not as though it were so personally that the spirit and the believing Soul were one person as it was with Christ's humanity in its hypostatical union with the second person of the Blessed Trinity which yet he there compareth this to and to my apprehension doth but nicely distinguish it from it whilst in that personal Union in Christ of the second person with the humanity he makes the bond and tye to be modus substantialis but in this personal Union of the third person with a believer the tie is grace as a quality But I leave these niceties which many a gracious Soul in which the Holy Ghost dwells by his grace cannot conceive and therefore troubleth not it self with It 's sufficient for my present purpose that he confesseth this grace of the spirit to be the medium vinculum causa of this personal indwelling of the spirit in us and therefore it is that as the spirit by his grace dwelleth in us we are made partakers of the Divine nature And this fitly leads me to that which undoubtedly and if not only yet is most fully and properly intended and held out by this Expression Partakers therefore we are of the Divine Nature See Forbes of justification Cap. 8. p. 23 24 25. Id praestant Christi beneficia illud maximè quod sumus filii Dei See Bellarmin de justific l. 2. c. 5. Quomodo autem c. 1. In and by the grace of Adoption and Sonship for by Adoption being called to the fellowship of Christ in his Sonship what he is by nature we are made by grace viz. the Sons of God and so Christs father is our father and his spirit our spirit and consequently the nature of all three being but one is in this relative sense communicated to us we as Sons having our subsistence from the Son who is one with the Father and we in our manner and measure one with them both even the Children of God and so partakers of the Divine Nature So Athanasius * Orat. 4. contr Arrium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by being partakers of the Son of God members of his body of his flesh and of his bones as the Apostle expresseth it Ephes 5. 30. we become thereby partakers of God and of this he addeth this Text is to be understood But as we are the Sons of God upon a double Title both of Adoption and Regeneration for whom he adopts to be Sons John 1. 12. he begets as Sons v. 13. so we are made partakers of the Divine nature upon a double interest as relative in adoption so 2. Positive and inherent in Regeneration and it carried on in sanctification and this I conceive here especially understood So Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 4â— Deiformes effecti Cyprian de singul Cleric Deiformi conversatione Idem de unctione Chrismatis S. 3 Deifico studio Idem de aleatoribus S. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Tom. 1. de lib. arbitrio Vt in his nos filios ejus veréque Deos praestemus Bucer in Rom. 2. Concil 2. pag. 120. Calvin Beza Piscator Lapide Amesius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are made partakers of the Divine nature by partaking of the Holy Spirit as Athanasius in another place expressâ—th it de S. Trinit dialog Tom. 2. p. 164. whilest by the operation of the Divine Spirit in heart and life we are made like God in the one bearing his image
sun in which the same light abideth always which though it may be over-clouded and eclipsed yet not extinguished but so as after such overshadowings shines out in more full brightness as Mr. Peacock after a sad hour of darkness that had been upon his spirit broke out into that Divine expression the sea is not so full of water or the sun of light as God is of goodness in Christ Nay Plenitudo Deitatis the fulness of the God-head Col. 2. 9. of the whole Divine nature and all its properties and Attributes which being infinite cannot but infinitely more than fill up our greatest vacuities and emptiness But this leads me to a more particular view of this fulness of Christ which may be considered either 1. in regard of his person or 2. of his offices 1. For his Person if we consider it either quoad gratiam unionis or gratiam habitualem either the Divine Nature assuming the Humane into the same personal subsistence or that Grace which thereupon is from that Divine Nature communicated to the Humane for its compleat accomplishment there can be no less in one Christ than All fulness and perfection in himself and for all such as are united to him 1. For his Nature The fulness of the Godhead dwells in him and that Bodily Col. 2. 9. i. e. not as in the more empty shadows of the law but substantially personally that the same Person who is Man is God also and that Manhood assumed into the subsistence of the Godhead John 1. 14. The word was made flesh and then we beheld his glory as the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth that it's God who laid down his own bloud as a price of redemption for us Acts 20. 28. and that every way makes a supply to us And then how full must that needs be He would have us hungry But he is too greedy whom an Alsufficient Christ cannot satisfy That want is more than infinite which an infinite God cannot make up Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. And cannot he fill thy heart For certain Jesus Christ who is God over all Rom. 9. 5. All in All Col. 3. 11. is able to fill all in all Ephes 1. 23. 2. And this leads to that Fulness of habitual Grace which from the Divine nature flowed into the Humane Not as though the essential properties of one Nature were communicated to the other and so his Humanity were infinite omnipotent or omnipresent as the Vbiquitaries would have it but that the spirit was given to him so above measure John 3. 34. that he became such a Fountain of Grace as was not only full in himself but overflowing to the full supply of all believers And this Grace in him though but a created quality and therefore not properly infinite yet so as not limited to any kind or degree and in that sense in a manner infinite And this grace was full not only in reference to Him and His state and condition for in that sense Mary is said to have been full of grace Luke 1. 28. and Stephen and Barnabas full of the Holy Ghost Act. 7. 55. 11. 24. namely as they were filled so far as was requisite to that condition and service to which God called them But Christ who is said to be full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4. 1. and full of grace and truth John 1. 14. was full also in reference to the Grace it self in that it was in him in the greatest extension both for Kind and Degree which the Blessed Virgin and the perfectest Saint fell short of as not necessary to their place and employment as it was to Christs who as he was in himself God-Man so he was to be Head to all Believers and Fountain and common principle of all Grace in them all which necessarily required it to be a compleat over-flowing fulness And this leads me off from this fulness of Christ in reference to his Person to 2. That in the second place which concerneth his Offices To which as God called him so he fully furnished him that he might as fully execute them and so fulfill all righteousness Matth. 3. 15. as Bezaleel when called by Name was filled with the spirit Exod. 31. â— 3. to prepare all the work of the sanctuory and amongst the â—eâ—t this was one in cutting of stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set them or fill â—â—th V. 9. them as the word signifieth which were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapides impletionum Exod. 25. 7. because such preciouâ— stones so set by him did fill up the Pales and Ouches which they were set in Even such a Bezaleel was our Emmanuel compleatly filled with all grace for the rearing up and perfecting of God's Sanctuary and his so many offices were as so many Pales or Ouches of gold in which were set all those most precious graces and abilities of the spirit as so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most precious filling stones by which he most compleatly fulfilled the whole work of his Mediatorship and of all his Offices They you know were three of Prophet Priest and King and he abundantly furnished with suteable Grace perfectly to fulfill them all 1. As Prophet In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. whereby he is most fully able to enrich our empty Heads and Hearts with that saving wisdom which is able to make us wise unto salvation And if Timothy by being much in Paul's Company came thereby fully to know his Doctrine 2 Tim. 3. 10. how much infinitely more must the Son by being in his Father's bosom come to know his will And as by a faithful John 1. 18. Treasurer what in this kind was laid up by him though hid from others yet is brought forth and imparted by him to his Servants Matth. 13. 11. This full fountain is dispersed abroad as his peoples occasions require And if Paul could say that he had fully Rom. 15. â—â— preached the Gospel how much more fully doth Christ both in his own Ministry and in his Servants both commissionated and enabled by him Oh! None teacheth like him Job 36. 22. None so convincingly clearly inwardly savingly There is an abundant over-flowing fulness in him as our Prophet to fill us even the most empty and ignorant with the saving knowledge of his will How eminently wonderfully have Idiots men of weaker parts and Rom. 1â— 14. Psal 19. 7. Making wise the simple Act. 6. 10. women of the weaker Sex not only been made wise to Salvation but also to silence and confound subtlest and most profound opposers which have not been able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which they spake both Scripture and Church Story fully evidence 2. As Priest according to the Hebrew Phrase his hands were filled in his full consecration to that office which he as fully executed as is fully cleared in the Epistle to the
not be very highly prized and much loved for it I pray let our love be real to him who is substance constant to him who is an everlasting inheritance and full to him who here undertakes to fill our Treasures Even so Amen Lord Jesus SERMON XVII ON 2 PET. 1. 4. Preacht at St. Maries Cambridg March 8. 1656 7. That by these you * Efficiamini vulg fieretis Calv. might be partakers of the †Godly Prior. Translatio Tyndal Estius contra Pindar Olymp. Od. 6. Divine Nature * Should Genev THis Verse most Interpreters take to be part of the Apostles Preface to his Epistle wherein according to the old Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a skilful architect prefaceth a magnificent Palace with a stately Porch and Front so he his after discourse with a glorious Entrance It being the manner of the Apostles in the Proems of their Epistles to put together a Summary of the Gospels Mysteries so Paul usually in his and so our Apostle Peter in the entrance into his former Epistle and the same course he takes in the four first Verses of this in which the various readings are so many and both the words and connexions of sentences so dubious that it makes the sense difficult which Camerarius observes to be more in this Epistle than in most other Apostolical Writings However it 's plain that being in the sequel of the Epistle to exhort to true piety and a Vt neque breviùs nec diviniùs poterit Christi officium omnisque nostra salus per partes explicari in vers 3. gracious conversation he doth in this Preface lay down and Beza saith it could not be more briefly and divinely as a foundation of it the true causes of our Salvation and as Beza noteth especially of Sanctification As in particular 1. For the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first original cause it 's free grace by lot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 1. and gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. and to make sure of it the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is again repeated v. 4. 2. The procuring meriting cause is made the righteousness of Jesus Christ as our God and Saviour v. 1. 3. The immediate working cause is assigned to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divine power v. 3. working in us a communication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an answerable Divine nature v. 4. namely in our effectual vocation wherein we are called to glory and vertue or rather because the words in the original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius by glory and vertue that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most gloriously and powerfully so that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the vulgar it's likely found it and therefore rendred it by his own proper glory and vertue v. 3. 4. For the instrumental cause we have it twice expressed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge or acknowledgment of Jesus Christ v. 2 3. which is nothing else but that precious faith v. 1. which layeth hold on precious promises in this verse or the word being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which here signifieth promissa rather than prómissiones the benefits or things promised rather than promises and therefore are said here to be given whereas promises are rather said to be made so 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise which he Promissa vel promissiones i. e. pretiosa maxima beneficia quae per Prophetus olim se daturum promiserat c. Estius in locum See also Bellarmin de justif lib. 2. cap. 5. sect Quomodo autem c. hath promised even eternal life though with reference to the promises the promises as moral causes alluring and attracting us to all Divine Purity Dr. Hammond and the things promised faith repentance holiness grace glory mean by these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all those things which pertain to life and godliness in the beginning of the third verse and as some conceive Piscator Beza and our Translatours that glory and vertue in the end of it All these great and precious things promised as proper and Physical causes do formally make us partakers of the Divine Nature And that is the Truth expresly laid down in the words of the Text and more particularly to be made out in our handling of them That they who are effectually called are by the divine power Doct. made partakers of the Divine Nature The subject persons are such as are called to the faith and acknowledgement of Jesus Christ v. 3. The effecting cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most divine power in the same third verse And the most happy and blessed effect is answerably a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divine nature in this verse It 's neither what nature in its utmost energy can produce nor what any mere natural man or Philosopher as such whatever they talk of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest Apogaeum of their most sublime attainments can arise up to It 's only a Divine Power that can produce this Divine Nature and precious faith in Christ which alone instates the Christian believer in this most precious promise or promised mercy of being made partaker of it In the handling whereof two things I shall especially intend 1. Explication by endeavouring to shew what is meant by it and contained in it 2. Application and what improvement we are to make of it For the first what is meant by this Divine Nature and our communicating Explication or being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of it diverse men according to their different apprehensions and perswasions determine diversly They may be reduced to these three They interpret it either 1. to God simply 2. or to Christ 3. or to the Holy Ghost 1. They who are most corrupt understand it of a real participation of the Divine Essence as Osiander will have us justified by Gods and Christs essential justice and Scruetus to his very death Beza in Text. Epist. ad Barthol Carthusiensem maintained that the essential Godhead is transfused into the Godly as the Soul is into the body by which it is animated and inacted and Gerson's Contemplativi and some high flown Platonists of our times take but a little lower flight whilst they with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 18. say that by their divine contemplations they are abstracted from their own dark personality their humanity annihilated and they swallowed up Miro incognito modo à Deo rapitur in Deo suscipitur tota Deo plena fit tota in Deum transfunditur ita ut essentia Dei ejus essentiae substantiae intimè absque ullo modo creato uniatur Vide Casaub Enthusiasm pag. 113. Mores 2. lash of Alazon pag. 43. Psal 73. 28. in the profound abyss of the Divinity into which they are wholly transported Which also the even
Ranting Enthusiast-Gnosticks of this and former ages who of all men by reason of their abominable filthiness partake least of God and most of the beast and the Devil make yet greatest pretensions to whilest they give out that they are Godded with God and Christed with Christ such is their blasphemous gibberish Whatever either Fantastical or Diabolical trances such may have and divine illapses unions and communications they may vainly boast of yet I am sure that no evil dwells with an holy God Psal 5. 4. and that Christ is separate from such sinners Heb. 7. 26. What diviner raptures and heavenly ravishments I do not say a Platonick Philosopher in his speculations but an holy humble believing Soul may sometimes have in its holy meditations and devotions I neither envy nor now dispute only say with the Psalmist that it is good for me to draw near to God and that they are happiest who in a spiritual union and communion can get and keep nearest but to pretend to get so near as properly to participate of the essence of God flieth higher than Lucifer's pride Isa 14. 14. and is Antichristian Blasphemy 2 Thes 2. 4. I acknowledge some of the Fathers especially the Greek in their Rhetorical Hyperboles and desiring to express that lively image of God which his children have instamped upon them do indulge themselves a sufficient liberty as * Orat. 4. in Arrium Athanasius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and †Orat. 42. p. 680. Basil orat 3. de sp Sanct. Nazianzen in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not as though they ever meant any such abolition of our nature and transformation of it into God's or participation of his essence which being in it self infinite is therefore to the finite creature incommunicable if Christs hypostatical union did not confound the natures and their properties much less will this mystical union of God and the soul work any commixtion or tranfusion of it into the Godhead 1. The three consubstantial persons of the Sacred Trinity only in common partaking if I may so call it of the Divine nature essentially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Christs humane nature not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nestorius blasphemed for so we partake of it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and personally which is his alone prerogative 3. It 's our highest honour and happiness that we may be made partakers of it by a participation of Divine Grace and image which is wrought in us by him and by which we are made conformable to him so far as the image of his infinite holiness is expressible in a limited and restrained being as the wax receives the impression of the Seal not the essence and that in a picture is called a face or hand which hath the likeness of it as he well expresseth it and as truly addeth that he who raiseth it Dr. Spurstow upon the Text. any higher must have swelling and lofty thoughts of the creature and low and most unworthy and dishonourable thoughts of God Thus Divines say we partake of the Divine nature accidentaliter per donum gratiae sanctificantis as we have Divine Grace wrought in us by the spirit of God which makes us like God But as for Cornel à Lapide's substantialiter which he adds as we are partakers of In Textum the spirit of God himself we shall speak of that by and by we are now dealing with Enthusiasts who as the Manichees of old held that by nature we are ex traduce Dei orti drops and And so as Caelestius said without Sin as God is Augustin de gestis Pelagii cap. ult beams and particles of the Deity so they conceit that in the way of their high attainments they are partakers of the very Godhead Godded with God and Christed with Christ as their blasphemous gibberish blunders it But how much more soberly and piously doth Cyprian express it Nostra ipsius conjunctio nec miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoederat voluntates This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Divine nature is not the Divine Essence as they conceit it I acknowledge that * Tractat. de foedere in Gangraenâ doctrinae Anabaptisticae Clopenburgh and de †In Textum Dieu after him conceive otherwise and that as Jam. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of beasts signifieth Beasts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of man a man so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine nature or nature of God may Oâ—thodoxally enough be taken to signify God as considered in his own nature and being but then that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or partakers is not here meant a transfusion or communication of They understand Communion rather than Communication the Divine Essence that in that sense we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Deity but only as Heathen Idolaters 1 Cor. 10. 20. are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have fellowship with Devils so true believers have not only a real communication of Divine Grace infused into them but also a true and blessed Communion with God himself and truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son as the Apostle asserts it John 1. 3. Nor hath this exposition any thing in it which is contrary to piety or sound doctrine but yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sound a more inward and inherent communication of something and not only a bare communion and fellowship as one friend hath with another though that be included and of it some good Interpreters expound it 2. Others therefore interpret these words in reference to Christ as Ambrose and Oecumenius of his incarnation in which his humane Epist 38. nature was made partaker of the Divine because hypostatically united to it But 1. Therein the Son of God did more properly take part of our humane nature as is expresly said he did Heb. 2. 14. than we of the Divine 2. Besides that partaking was already in act ever since our Saviour's Cyprian saith divinae naturae communicamus per spiritum humanae per corpus de Nativitate Christi sect 7. birth and conception whereas this which the Apostle here speaks of was in part yet to be accomplished to believers in their several successions and further participation 3. And withall Thus all that have an humane nature might be said to be partakers of the divine which the Apostle here restrains to believers only 4. And therefore Cyril although he interpret it also with reference Catechis to Christ yet of our Symbolical partaking of him and so of God in the Eucharist This the Papists greedily swallow down as making they think for their Transubstantiation by which as they say they come to eat the very