An analyticall exposition of both the epistles of the Apostle Peter illustrated by doctrines out of every text and applyed by their uses for a further progresse in holinesse / by ... William Ames ...

Verse 3. According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlinesse, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue.

The Analysis.

THe scope of the Apostle in this verse is to confirme the faith of Christians touching the multiplying of grace and peace through the knowledge of God, which he had wished unto them in the former verse. And the argument is taken from the comparing of things alike, as that particle, Accord∣ing as, intimates unto us. The things compared are. 1. The gi∣ving of peace and grace; and 2. The consequent multiplying of them. And of these he shewes that there is the same reason, both in respect of the principall cause, and the lesse princi∣pall or instrumentall cause; so that the whole argument runs after this manner; If God and our Lord Iesus Christ will give unto us grace and peace through the knowledge of him, then will

he also multiply unto us the same gifts by the same: But the for∣mer is true: Therefore the latter. The Assumption is contained in verse 3. And it is not barely set downe, but with an illu∣stration, although he addes some things to confirme the rea∣son it selfe and our faith. For in stead of grace and peace the Apostle here puts things necessary unto life and godlinesse; and in the second place glory and vertue: like as by life and glory he meanes the same thing, that he did before by peace, though in a different respect: so also by godlinesse and vertue he means the same thing that he did before by grace. The principall cause of this gifting he explains by the power which he hath, which he cals divine; the instrumentall he explaines by the object thereof, namely, Christ. For he argues from a singular effect, which doth most of all pertaine to the thing it selfe, namely to our calling, glory and vertue.

The Doctrines arising herehence.

Doct. 1. Life and glory are contained in Christian peace.

For the condition, that Christians are made partakers of by peace, is called life in respect of that inward and permanent principle of the most perfect operations, wherein consists mans felicity, which is given unto all the faithfull. And it is called glory in respect of the compleat happinesse, which flowes from that principle, and shall in its due time also ap∣peare with outward splendour.

Vse 1. This may serve to informe and instruct us, not to think meanely or contemptibly of the condition of faithfull Christians, but to judge aright according to the nature of the thing, viz. that the only life and chiefest glory is proper to them.

2. To exhort us, to preserve faith, grace, and Christian peace before all worldly things, yea, before this present life it selfe, and the glory thereof, because by our faith we shall ob∣taine a farre more perfect life and glory, according to that of Christ, He that loseth his life, shall finde and obtaine a farre bet∣ter life.

Doct. 2. Christian grace brings with it godlinesse and vertue.

For the same thing is called grace, which is the effect of Gods favour; it is called godlinesse, as it hath God for its ob∣ject:

and it is called vertue, as it perfects a man in operation.

Vse 1. This may serve to instruct us, not to boast of the grace of God, unlesse we shew it by our godlinesse and ver∣tue.

2. To reprove and condemne those, that either out of pre∣sumption or fe••ned simulation, do either separate grace from godlinesse, or grace from vertue, or vertue from either.

Doct. 3. All things necessary unto life and godlinesse are gi∣ven by God unto the faithfull.

Now to make a gift perfect 3 things are required. 1. That the gift which is given be made the receivers, or his to whom it is said to be given; for otherwise it is not a gift, or a thing actually given, but potentially only. 2. That ••t be made his absolutely or irrevocably, not conditionally, that the gift it selfe should depend upon a condition. 3. That the giver be moved for no other cause to give, but to shew and exercise his bounty and liberality. the more perfectly and purely these conditions are found in any gift, the more perfect and pure is the gift. Now all these do most exactly agree to those gifts of God, which pertaine unto life and godlinesse. As for example, Christ is said to be given for us, and also given unto us: the holy Ghost hath that name as it were appropriated unto him, that he is the gift of God: faith and repentance are expresly called the gift of God.

Vse 1. This may serve to instruct us, against the error of those, that will not take such like good things as a gift, but teach us that we must seeke for them by our own merits; for as the Apostle saith If of grace, then not by workes, for othe••wise grace were not grace: so may we also say; if of gift, then not by workes, for otherwise the gift would be no gift.

2. To admonish us, throughout our whole life to seeke for such good things after that manner as is agreeable to their na∣ture, that is, to ask, pray, and supplicate for them, &c. And in the second place to use all our endeavour to shew our selves thankfull unto God for such divine gifts.

4. Hee gives these spirituall gifts unto us by his Divine Power.

His Divine Power haeth given unto us all things, as it is in the text: the like hereunto is that in the first Epistle, c. 1. v. 5.

Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And Christ tels us, Matth. 19. 26. With men this is unpossible, but with God all things are possible: where we are expresly taught, that salvation and spirituall good things are given unto us by the power of God, to whom all things are possible, that is, his omnipotency, Ier. 31. 35. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the Sunne, &c.

Reason. Because such a power is necessarily required to bring this to passe, by reason of those strong impediments, which withstand and crosse this worke. For so Christ tels us, that the Devill as a strong man holds his palace, till a stronger then he comes upon him and overcomes him, and takes from him all his armour wherein he trusted, Luke. 11. 21, 22. This is also ful∣ly explained by the Apostle, Ephes. 4. 8. When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Where he shewes that gifts are given unto us by that very power, whereby captivity is led captive. It is expresly said Ephes. 1. 19. that it is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power, which work∣eth in us by the might of his power, and Verse 20. the same power whereby Christ was raised from the dead.

Vse 1. This may serve to refute the Remonstrants and such like men, that deny faith to be begotten in us, and our con∣version to be wrought by Gods almighty power. For they make grace only morally perswading, that may be resisted, impotent, and consequently uneffectuall.

2. To comfort the weake and all the faithfull, in that they have no reason too much to feare the gates of hell, because they have the gates of heaven making with them: although they must wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and the powers of the world, &c. Ephes. 6. 12. Yet they have a divine power, farre beyond all those enemies, to uphold them in this wrestling.

3. To exhort us, 1. To behave our selves stoutly, and shew our selves men in the cause of God, answerable to so Divine a Power, as he is ready to afford unto us. 2. To give God thankes, that hath not left us in our owne infirmities to be exposed as a prey unto our enemies, but by his divine power helpes our infirmities.

Doct. 5. This Divine Power is the power of Christ him∣selfe.

Vse 1. This may serve to confirme our faith, touching Christs divine nature. For the divine power is not separated from the divine nature.

2. To comfort us, that he who so loved us, that he gave himselfe for us, hath such sufficient strength to perfect our sal∣vation. He useth this argument to comfort his Disciples. Iohn 10. 28, 29, 30.

Doct. 6. Christ gives us these things by his divine power, when he doth effectually call us, through the knowledge of him that calleth us.

Vse. This may serve to exhort us, to apply our selves with feare and reverence unto the meanes of our calling, because Christs divine power is shewed therein.

Doct. 7. The consideration of the end whereunto we are cal∣led in Christ, should build us up in faith, hope, and all those things which pertaine unto life and godlinesse.

Therefore the Apostle here puts us in minde, that he hath called us to glory and vertue; so in the former Epistle, c. 5. v. 10. who hath called us unto his eternall glory, &c. To that purpose the Apostle Ephes. 1. 18. earnestly prayes for the E∣phesians, that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightned, to know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches, &c. Now this consideration is of great force for these reasons.

Reason 1. Because it is an argument confirming our faith, whilest we thus thinke with our selves: If God hath called us unto glory, then there is no doubt, but that he will in due time bring us unto glory, and in the meane time keepe us in the way that leadeth thereunto.

2. Because it is an argument whereby we are stirred up to labour for vertue, whilest we thus thinke with our selves: if we are called unto glory and vertue, we must not carry our selves sordidly and basely, defiling our selves with the pollu∣tions of the flesh, like Swine wallowing in the mire, but as it becomes such a calling.

Doct. 8. There is the same reason of this calling and the first gift of grace, that there is of the multiplying of all grace and peace.

For they are alike free, they do depend alike upon the di∣vine

power, they are alwayes knit and linked together: this followes from the connexion of verse 3. with the second.

Vse. This may serve to comfort us, as it is set forth, Phil. 1. 6. That he which hath begun a good works in us, will performe it untill the day of Christ.