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

Thus we see how CHRIST who is God, partakes of our nature: now consider how we by Christ who is man, partake of the divine nature. Here the wicked begin to clap their wings, and boldly to infer, that they partake Gods nature, because GOD partakes their nature. But if this were enough to save men, because Christ took our flesh, call Cain and Judas out of hell, yea let hell it self be as imaginary as is Purgatory. A father hath ten sons, nine of them are sick: do they all certainly recover because the tenth is sound? yet they come all from the loins of one father. All the house of Cis are not kings, because Saul is one. It is not enough that Christ comes near thee in the flesh, unless thou come near him in the spirit. Though there be sap in the vine, congruent and potential to bring forth fruit in the branches: yet doth not this vine communicate his sap to Oaks and briers, albeit these partake of the general nature of wood. Yea after that the very branches of the vine are broken off and dead, the vine ministers to them no more sap, though they retain the vines species and nature. So that it is not our participation of Christs humane nature, that makes us happy; but of his divine: that partaking is by flesh, but this is by faith. It is probable that some were lost, who were even kin to Christ in the flesh: yet it must needs be granted, that to partake of the same blood, is a degree nearer, than to partake of the same nature. Matthew and Luke set down Christs Genealogy; the one, his line royal, the other, his line natural. But Christ himself sets down another Genealogy, a new one a spiritual one:^c my mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God, and do it. He affirms these to be as near to him in the faith, as his own mother in the flesh. And she was more blessed Percipiendo fidem, quàm concipiendo carnem; in ⟨p. 72⟩being the daughter, than in being the mother of Christ. The Jews thought it a great privilege to be Abraham's sons: yet one that called himself son of Abraham, fries in hell. The damned churl could say;^d Father Abraham have mercy on me: the flesh was not made after the Image of God, but the spirit: therefore God is not called Pater corporum, the father of bodies; but Pater spirituum, ^e