A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Gods nature may be participated two ways; Secundum qualitatem, secundum Aequalitatem. For equality, this Trium personarum solum, as Aquin. It is only proper to the three persons of the blessed Trinity, and not communicable to any other. Our Saviour CHRIST partakes both the Divine nature, and the Humane. The Divine per essentiae Identitatem, by the Identity of his essence. The Humane, assumendo hominem in Deum; by taking mans nature into God. Non desinit esse quod erat, sed incipit esse quod non erat. He did not cease to be what he was, but he began to be what he was not. And this assumption of mans nature to the divine, did not make it God: it did rarely beautify it, not properly deify it. For as he was man he had not the essence of the deity in him, but he was in it. Yet did he so glorify it, that all the Angels of GOD worship it.^b When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith; let all the Angels of God worship him. Our neighbours of Rome tell us, that CHRIST was often worshipped as man: they urge these places, Matth. 2 11. Matth. 8.2. Matth. 9.18. Matth. 20.20. But here we doubt two things: first whether this was religious worship or civill. Next, if it were religious, whether their eye of faith saw not him God, so well as their eye of flesh saw him man. Indeed the flesh of CHRIST is to be adored for the union of the deity, because they be inseparable: but the Arians worshipped CHRIST as a creature only, not as GOD and man. Confitemur adorabilem in corpore, non secundum corpus. We adore him in his flesh, not according to his flesh: as the honour redounds to the King himself, that is done to the Crown on his head. But I durst here conclude against the Papists; that if it be unlawful to worship Christ as he is only man, then much more unlawful to worship his Image.

Gods nature may be participated two wayes; Secundum qualitatem, secundum Aequalitatem. For equality, this Trium personarum solum, as Aquin. It is onely proper to the three persons of the blessed Trinity, and not communicable to any other. Our Saviour CHRIST partakes both the Divine nature, and the Humane. The Divine per essentiae Identitatem, by the Identitie of his essence. The Humane, assumendo hominem in Deum; by taking mans nature into God. Non desinit esse quod erat, sed incipit esse quod non erat. He did not cease to be what he was, but he began to be what he was not. And this assumption of mans nature to the divine, did not make it God: it did rarely beautifie it, not properly deifie it. For as hee was man hee had not the essence of the deitie in him, but he was in it. Yet did he so glorifie it, that all the Angels of GOD worship it.