SERMON lY
Wherehy are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that hy these you might he partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. — 2 Pet. 1.4.
In these words the apostle extolleth the grace of God towards us in the gospel. In them take notice of: —
First, The means.
Secondly, The end and use of them.
Thirdly, The method and order in which this effect is wrought in US,
First, The means whereby God conveys his grace to us, viz., the promises of the gospel, which are set forth : —
1. By their excellency : exceeding great and precious promises.
2. Their freeness : are given to us.
1. Their excellency is set forth by two adjuncts. They are ' ex- ceeding great and precious : ' ra iJbk'yLcna kol rl/xLa eTrayyekfiara. The one noteth their intrinsic worth and value ; they are ' exceeding great.' The other, our esteem of them ; they deserve to be 'precious' to us.
[1.] Ta ii€^L(na, SO called from the matter of them, which are great and precious gifts, such as pardon, and life begun in sanctification and perfected in gloiy.
[2.] Ta Tt'fJLia iTraryyiXfiaTa, precious, deserving and challenging our esteem, being so suitable to our necessities and desires. Our necessity ariseth from the fears of misery so justly deserved. Our desires are after a proper happiness, which is only offered to us in the promises of God, not only as probable, but as certain to be ours, if duly qualified. Now these promises, being so great and precious, should attract us to all purity and holiness ; for what is greater, and
214 Tns FOUUTu sermon. [2 Pkt. I. 4.
(leservotli to be raore esteemed by us, iban remission of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified ?
2. Their freeness : given, made freely, made good freely.
Secondly, The end and use of them: that by these ye might he partakers of the divine nature.
By the divine nature is not meant here the essence of God, but his communicable excellencies, or such divine properties as can be im- parted to the creature, and these not considered in their absolute perfection, but as they are agreeable to our present state and capacity. These are sometimes called 'the image of God:' Col. iii. 10, 'The new man, which is renewed in holiness after the image of him that created him ; ' because they imply a likeness to him. And sometimes 'the life of God : ' Eph. iv. 18, ' Being alienated from the life of God,' because it is a vital principle. And here ' the divine nature/ and that for two reasons : —
1. Because these are communicated to us by God ; they are created in us by his divine power, and therefore the word created is so often used on this occasion : Eph. ii. 10, ' We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus ;' 2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.' Creation is proper to God. We have them by virtue of our communion with him. They flow from God, as the light doth from the sun.
2. Because by these perfections we somewhat resemble God. There- fore it is said, 1 Peter ii. 9, ' We show forth his praises : ' ra^ apeTo.^, his virtues or divine attributes, his 'wisdom, goodness, bounty, holi- ness \ for in these we mo.st resemble him. If you take in his power, there is some resemblance of that too, as to the moral exercise in taming our own flesh, mastering our inordinate lusts and passions, and vanquishing all temptations. This is a spiritual power, and so spoken of Prov. xvi. 32, ' He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty ; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.' And TTCLvra la-yvw, ' I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,' Phil. iv. 1.3. To live above the hopes and fears of the world is a great ability and power. And vanquishing the world is made the fruit of the new birth : 1 John v. 4, ' That which is born of God ovcr- cometh the world.' And in that place where the spirit of a Christian is described, it is said to be ' a spirit of love, power, and of a sound mind,' 2 Tim. i. 7. We conceive God to be a spiritual being, of in- linite wisdom, goodness, and i)ower. To his wisdom answereth the spirit of a sound mind ; to his goodness, a spirit of love ; and what is the original and pattern of the spirit of power, the very name dis- covereth, namely, God's own power. So all his attributes leave their impress upon us.
Thirdly, The way, method, and order how we receive this benefit of the divine nature. ' Having first escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.' As we die to sin, the divine nature in- creaseth in us. Tiiere is a putting off before there can be a putting on : Eph. iv. 22-24, ' We put oft' the old man, which is corrupt by its deceitful Inst.s.' We begin the work of sanctification with mortifica- tion in the first place, and then proceed to the positive duties of a new life ; for the plants of righteousness will not thrive in an impenitent