2 Peter 1

2nd Fruit. The unction of the Spirit (1 John 2:20): You have an unction from the holy one. This unction or anointing is nothing else but the work of sanctification in the heart, whereby the Spirit makes us partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Such as speak of the philosop…

Quest. But is it not said, that we are made partakers of the divine nature? Resp. By divine nature there, is meant divine qualities (2 Peter 1:4). We are made partakers of the divine nature, not by identity or union with the divine essence, but by a transformation into the divin…

This is good, to grow out of conceit of oneself. 2. The right manner of growth is to grow proportionably, when a Christian grows in one grace as well as another (2 Peter 1:5). To grow in knowledge but not in meekness, brotherly love, good works, this is not the right growth; a t…

When a man adopts another for his son and heir, he may put his name upon him, but he cannot put his disposition into him; if he be of a morose rugged nature, he cannot alter it. But whom God adopts he sanctifies: He does not only give them a new name, but a new nature (2 Peter 1…

1. The first benefit flowing from Sanctification is assurance of God's love. 2 Peter 1:10: Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of Sanctification.

Thus faith is the master-wheel, it sets all the other graces running. 3. As faith is the grace which God honors to justify and save: thus, indeed, it is precious faith, as the apostle calls it (2 Peter 1:1). The other graces help to sanctify, but it is faith that justifies (Roma…

9. God shows his mercy in sanctifying us (Leviticus 20:8): I am the Lord that sanctify you. This is the partaking of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). God's Spirit is a Spirit of consecration; though it sanctifies us but in part, yet in every part (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Secondly, our subjection to his will. 1. Our holiness stands in our suitableness to the nature of God: Hence the saints are said to partake of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), which is not a partaking of his essence, but his image. Herein is the saints' holiness, when they are t…

The image of Diana was had in veneration by the Ephesians, because they did suppose it fell from Jupiter (Acts 19:35). This book then of the Holy Scripture is to be highly reverenced and esteemed, because we are sure it came from Heaven (2 Peter 1:21). The two Testaments are the…

2. In the kingdom of Heaven there is a glorious fruition of all good. Had I as many tongues as hairs on my head, I could not fully describe this; I may say as (Judges 18:9-10), Heaven is called, The excellent glory, (2 Peter 1:17). I may as well span the firmament, or drain the…

Though it takes not away the life, yet the love of sin. 2. A positive part, Vivification, which is the spiritual refining of the soul, which in Scripture is called a renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), and a partaking of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The priests in the law no…

This grace of faith is Sanctissimum humani pectoris Bonum; of all others the most precious rich faith, and most holy faith, and faith of God's elect. Hence it is called precious faith (2 Peter 1:1). As gold is the most precious among the metals, so is faith among the graces.

That is the natural man coming out of the wilderness of sin, perfumed with all the graces of the Spirit. The new creature must needs be glorious, for it partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). A soul beautified with holiness, is like the firmament bespangled with glittering…

To perform duties with the inward man half awake and half asleep, as it were; to pray as if we prayed not — as on the contrary we are to use the world as if we used it not — to do the work of the Lord negligently: this provokes God to absent himself, as he did there in Song of S…

Therefore further know that the state of one that fears God and obeys him may be such as he may have no comfortable light or remembrance of what grace he formerly had. 2 Peter 1:9: one that has true grace in him only lacks the exercise of it (for I take it that place is to be un…

These two persons, Isaac & Ishmael, are two types of these two sorts of people whom God doth elect, and reject: Isaac representeth those that are chosen to salvation, who become the true members of God's Church; and Ishmael is a type of those that are rejected. Now in regard of…

In the new testament we have a worthy commandment for this purpose; Saint Paul having instructed and taught Timothy in the ways of godliness and religion, charges him, that what things he had heard and learned of him, the same he should deliver to faithful men, which should be a…

We look for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promise. These be, as Saint Peter calls them, great and precious promises, 2 Peter 1:4. And surely it must be a great and precious faith, that can constantly believe these.

The Promises are the Breasts of the Gospel; and is not the Breast for the good of the Infant? They are called Precious Promises, 2 Peter 1:4. They are as Aquavitae to a soul that is ready to faint.

Quintus Curtius writes of one, who digging in his Garden was called to be King. Thus God calls us to Glory and Virtue, 2 Peter 1:3. First, to Virtue, then to Glory.

Yes, undoubtedly. And yet this is the spiritual madness that takes place everywhere among men: for God has prepared for us two houses, one is this our body which we bear about us, which is a house of clay, as Job says (Job 4:19), "We dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is d…

True piety sheds an excellency upon a person, as the sun imparts a luster to the stars. The righteous man has God's name written upon him (Revelation 3:12) and partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Which is not by a transubstantiation into the Divine Essence, but by a tra…

3. A righteous man has more excellent promises belong to him; what a sinner has, is rather by providence than by virtue of a promise; the saints are called heirs of the promise (Hebrews 6:17). The promises are precious (2 Peter 1:4). They are the beams of the Sun of Righteousnes…

Again, works are to be done in regard of men: that our neighbor may be helped in worldly things — Luke 6:38; that he may be won by our example to godliness — 1 Peter 3:14; that we may prevent in ourselves the giving of any offense — 1 Corinthians 10:32; that by doing good we may…

For it was not the lot of any of those Primitive Christians (of whom the Holy Ghost here speaks this) [He has wrought us for this thing] that they should be in that manner changed, and so enter into glory: but the contrary. For they all, and all saints since for these 1600 years…

According to the measure of our delight in the enjoyment is our grief at the loss of these things. The apostle links the two graces of temperance and patience together in the precept (2 Peter 1:6). And it is very observable how intemperance and impatience are inseparably linked…

2. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, that is our griefs and sorrows who are his elect, his people, his seed, who flee to him for refuge, and are justified by his knowledge, or by faith in him, and for whom he makes intercession; Hence observe, that believe…

2. Because they have life from Him efficiently, as He works it in them, and by the gospel begets them; therefore He is said (1 Timothy 1:10) to have brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel, which was not known in many parts of the world, till Christ brought it…

Thus faith is expressed by knowledge (John 17:3): This is life eternal, to know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, etc. Now it cannot be eternal life, to know by a mere notional, or speculative knowledge; for several reprobate men exceed many believers in this; but it's to…

And Antinomians say, that in the regenerate and Saints there is no inherent righteousness, no grace or graces in the souls of believers, but in Christ only. And M. Saltmarsh says the same, that our sorrow, repentance, mortification, and change of the whole man, are nothing in us…

But the Mediator Christ is a Savior so molded, and contrived, that it is impossible to add to his beauty, excellency, loveliness; man or angels, could not wish a choicer Redeemer, than Christ; if your wages could add to him, he should be needy, as you are. Position 5. Free grace…

Now this he could not do: for Christ out of deliberation, and his Father's eternal counsel, absolutely, gratis, freely died for these; he died not for those, that he foresaw would never fulfill the condition, nunquam positâ conditione, nunquam ponitur conditionatum. 6. Christ bo…

This was one end of the Apostles writing their Epistles, to the intent they might teach the Church of God sundry things which else they had not known. 2 Another benefit the Churches received from these Epistles, was admonition, and putting them in remembrance of the things they…

And all this is done by the mighty power of the spirit of Christ. First, for the nature of Christ, by the precious promises of God which are made to us, and which the Holy Ghost does apply to us, we are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). There is a likeness and a…

And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple, and that other disciple was known to the High Priest, meaning himself, so that in these and other places you still find Peter and John together as very near and fast friends, they always keep together, possibly for spi…

And we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14). But it is said (2 Peter 1:17), that he received from God the same honor and glory. This is spoken of him as mediator, the glory of the Son of God incarnate was so obscured for our sakes, that he ne…

The grave was like a woman ready to be delivered, it suffered throes till this blessed burden was egested. 2. With respect to us Peter calls his death [in non-Latin alphabet] (2 Peter 1:15). I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease, the death of the godly is a going…

2. To move us to labor for it, and seek it in the first place, and to get it assured that we have a part in this blessed and joyful condition (Matthew 6:33), seek you first the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it (Luke 13:24), strive to enter in at the strait gate. So (2…

The words are few, but yet contain the sum of the whole Gospel, and they are spoken not by a man, nor by an angel, but by the Lord himself, and therefore they should be entertained with the more reverence. The Apostle Peter who was one of the parties present, could never forget…

It is a sword and so a weapon both offensive and defensive (Hebrews 4:12): The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and int…

Many times the heart is dull and needs quickening, conscience grows sleepy and needs awakening, you are too bold in sinning, cold and careless in spiritual and heavenly things. Now the first means to quicken us is Christ's divine authority (2 Peter 1:16). For we have not followe…

1. Because of his glory, which would consume and swallow us up. This was a voice from the excellent glory (2 Peter 1:17). Now if this excellent glory by the veil of the firmament were not obscured, man were not able to bear it (Job 37:20): If man speak, he shall be swallowed up.

So God beholding us guilty in the like sins, has not only pardoned our impieties and blasphemies, of his mere mercy for Christ's sake, but has also overwhelmed us with great benefits and spiritual gifts. But many of us are not only unthankful to God for this his inestimable grac…

For according to the Gospel, they that are made righteous do righteous things, but according to philosophy it is not so: but contrariwise they that do righteous things are made righteous. Therefore we being justified by faith do good works, through which (as it is said in 2 Pete…

The fourth is instinct, when God teaches by inward motion and inspiration. Thus did God usually teach the Prophets (2 Peter 1:21). Now the revelation which Paul had, was not ordinary, but extraordinary, and that partly by vision, partly by voice, and partly by instinct (Acts 9 a…

20. Will you understand, O you vain man, that faith which is without works is dead? We must therefore sow the seeds of good works in this life, if after this life we look to reap the harvest of eternal life: and give all diligence by good works to make our calling and election s…

But with David we answer: your word, O Lord, is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my paths (Psalm 119:105). With Isaiah and the rest of the holy Prophets we answer; that the Lord has delivered nothing that is obscure, doubtful, or deceiving: and with Saint Peter we confess, t…

But they lay claim to a loftier and peculiar distinction, that they faithfully committed to writing that history which they were honored to receive from its Divine Author. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, (2 Peter 1:21.) — Ed. appears purposely to have…

The swiftness of his pace, did more towards his assurance of a conquest, than the strictness of his examination. Giving all diligence to grow in grace, by adding to faith, virtue, etcetera is the direction that the Apostle Peter gives us, for making our calling and election sure…

And wherein have we any advantage of the Jews, or wherein consists the preeminence of the Gospel? They have the Word of God, that part of it which was committed to their Church, and which in its kind is sufficient to direct their Faith and Obedience; For so is the sure Word of P…