A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

7. If all this be not enough to show you the Honourable Nature of Holiness, I will speak the highest word that can be spoken of any created nature under heaven, and yet no more then God hath spoken; even in 2 Pet. 1. 4. where it is expressly said, that the Godly are [partakers of the Divine Nature.] I know that it is not the Essence of God that is here called the Divine Nature that we partake of: we abhor the thoughts of such blasphemous arrogancy, as if that grace did make men Gods. But its called the Divine nature, in that it is caused by the Spirit of God, and floweth from him, as the Light or sunshine floweth from the sun. You use to say, the sun is in the house, when it shineth in the house, though the sun it self be in the firmament: so the Scripture saith that God dwelleth in us, and Christ and the spirit dwelleth in us, when the Heavenly Light and Love and Life, which streameth from him dwelleth in us; and this is called the Divine Nature. Think of this, and tell me whether higher and more Honourable things can easily be spoken of the sons of men, 1 Joh. 4. 16. [God is Love; and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God, and God in him.] O wonderful advancement! high expressions of a creatures dignity! Blessed be that Eternal Love that is thus communicative, and hath so ennobled our unworthy souls: with what alacrity and delight should we exalt his name by daily praises that thus exalteth us by his unspeakable mercy? Psal. 75. 10. & 89. 16, 17. [Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance: In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted: For thou art the glory of our strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted: For the Lord is our defence, and the holy one of Israel is our King.] ⟨p. 246⟩Psal. 148. 13, 14. [Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his Name alone is excellent: his Glory is above the Earth and Heavens: He also exalteth the horn of his people; the Praise of all his Saints.] He hath first exalted our blessed Head, even highly exalted him by his own right hand, and given him a name above every name,