binning on theosis

Below I mentioned that a theology of participation in God was very much woven into the Reformed tradition. This struck me again today as I was reading the Scots theologian, Hugh Binning (1627-1653), who had been a professor of philosophy at the University of Glasgow prior to being called as the parish minister at Govan. I was reading some excerpts from his great work, The Common Principles of the Christian Religion (published posthumously in 1667), in which wrote of "Union and Communion with God."

I scarcely know what to quote, but in one place Binning writes,

There is a mutual inhabitation which is wonderful. Persons that dwell one with another have much society and fellowship; but to dwell one in another is a strange thing,—'I in them, and they in me;' and therefore God is often said to dwell in us, and we to dwell in him. But that which makes it of all most wonderful and incomprehensible is that glorious unity and communion between the Father and the Son, which it is made an emblem of: 'As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.' Can you conceive that unity of the Trinity? Can you imagine that reciprocal inhabitation,—that mutual communion between the Father and the Son? No: it hath not entered into the heart to conceive it! Only thus much we know, that it is most perfect, it is most glorious; and so much we may apprehend of this unity of the saints with God. O! love is an uniting and transforming thing. 'God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' He dwelleth in us by love; this makes him work in us, and shine upon us.

If you'd like to read the rest of this chapter, it is available online here.