"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
I stay not to observe in this place, the very sweet manner with which Peter, as well as the rest of the Apostles, address the Church, in their prayers and benedictions, for grace and peace. But having, more or less, called the Reader's attention to this, in every preceding Epistle, it will be the less necessary in this place, to add any further remarks. But I very earnestly intreat the Reader, to attend with me, to what the Holy Ghost by the Apostle, hath here so blessedly set forth, concerning the work of regeneration. The first call of grace, by God the Spirit is here expressly said to make, the highly favored objects of this divine love, partakers of the divine nature; and with that, of all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Reader! pause over the marvellous account; and when you have pondered it well, mark down in the memorandums of your inmost soul, the several vast blessings, as far as present apprehension can trace them, of what are included in this unspeakable gift of God.
It is God the Holy Ghost, by his quickening and regenerating grace, in giving spiritual life, to the dead in trespasses and sins, which brings the child of God, into the first discovery of God the Father's electing love; or God, the Son's betrothing and redeeming, grace. For although the everlasting love of God the Father, had been running in streams of grace from all eternity; yet, as a river underground, the blessed properties of it were neither known, nor seen, nor regarded, until at regeneration, God the Holy Ghost opened the eye of the child of God, to see the original, and eternal purpose of God the Father, in choosing the Church in Christ, before the foundation of the world; and in predestinating the Church in Christ, to the adoption of children. Ephesians 1:4-5. And never till this blessed period, when God the Holy Ghost brought forth the child of God, in the new birth of grace, had the poor sinner any apprehensions, either of the Person of Christ, or of his betrothing love, or redeeming mercy. But, as the Apostle Paul expresseth it, in his Epistle to Titus; after that, the kindness and love of God, our Savoir toward men appeared; not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on, us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; that we, being justified by his grace, should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7
I pray the Reader, not only to pause over the contemplation of this vast mercy; but, day by day, to ponder it again and again, in his walk of faith through life. Oh! the unspeakable grace, when called from darkness to light; and from the power of sin and Satan, unto the living God.
Now I beg the Reader to observe, with me, how sweetly the Holy Ghost, by the Apostle, hath marked the gracious effects, which arise out of regeneration. Before this great work of the new-birth is wrought, there is not a spiritual mercy we can claim; no, nor even know. As it was in the old creation of nature, darkness was upon the face of the deep, before the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, let there be light: Genesis 1:2-3. so, in the new creation of grace, it is all darkness upon the face of our mind, until that God, that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory, of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6. But, when this is accomplished, the new-born soul, is brought into all the privileges of his heirship. Pardon, mercy, and peace, instantly follow. He is justified freely. Christ is then seen, and known, and enjoyed, (at least there is the new birth-title to all), as made of God to his people, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30. Hence the Apostle, speaks so blessedly in this Chapter, to them that have obtained like precious faith; they are according to his divine power, even God the Spirit, who communicates the blessings from his quickening life, imparted to them, made partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world, through lust. And not only so but they have all things given to them, that pertain to life and godliness, And they are called to glory and virtue. And there are given unto them, exceeding great and precious promises. And hence, all those additions the Apostle speaks of, and which are the natural effects and consequences resulting from this one first cause, namely, regeneration, must and will appear. The child of God, by this first quickening life, from God the Holy Ghost; and by the daily renewings of God the Holy Ghost, keeping alive the grace he first imparted, will add to his faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kinkiness, charity. But, Reader! remember, these are the fruits and effects of justification; and not in the least degree contributing, as a part cause, to our justification. The Apostle saith, that being by regeneration, made partakers of the divine nature, and thereby having escaped the corruption, that is in the world, through lust; we have all things given unto us, that pertain to life and godliness. Hence, what is God's gift, cannot be brought into any account of man's merit. And, therefore, when the Apostle adds, giving all diligence, to add unto faith, virtue, and the like; these are considered, as so many fruits and evidences of our new-birth character. And the consequence will be, that if these things be in the Lord's people, and they abound in them, they themselves, will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark the Apostle's expression! Believers shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. He doth not say, that their aboundings wilt be recommendations to God; much less, so many party causes, in the promoting their salvation; That salvation is all along considered wholly in Christ. And their regeneration, by which they are made partakers of the divine nature, is wholly from God the Spirit, So that all that is here said of virtue, and brotherly kindness, and the like, are spoken of, but as effects, arising out of the first glorious cause, and only so many precious testimonies of the renewed life. And therefore, the man that lacketh these things, lacketh the sweet tokens of his Christian character, and can give no proof of a work of grace in regeneration, having passed in his heart.
I have been the more particular upon this point, than I should otherwise have been; had I not known, that men are apt to make great errors herein. I wished therefore to state, and place these important truths, on their own proper basis. Faith and all graces, are no party cause of salvation. They are fruits, and not the root, effects not causes. Salvation is wholly of Christ. Not a work wrought in us, but for us. And our new-birth, the blessed consequence of having been given by the Father to the Son, before the foundation of the world; redeemed by the Son, in the time-state of our Adam-nature from the fall; and therefore quickened by the Holy Ghost, for the everlasting enjoyment of God, in grace here, and glory forever. All spiritual pride, all pharisaical righteousness, all supposed merit in ourselves, these things are done away, in those precious views of our, mercies, and our salvation from end to end, is hereby known and enjoyed as the whole of grace; not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.