The Saints Amity with God in Christ, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 1 · Chapter 10 · Section 5
SECT. 5. The Friends of Chriſt muſt endeavor after a greater Latitude of interne Uniformitie with, and externe Conformitie unto Chriſt.
5.5. Advice for an Uniformitie with, and Conformitie to Chriſt. THE friends of Chriſt ſhould endeavor after the greatſt Ʋniformitie with, and Conformitie to Chriſt, that may be. This is another great Admonition, and Advice for Chriſt's friends, in order to their living up to their Dignitie, and Relation.lOmnes effectus tunc maxime perfecti ſuni, quando maximè ſimilantur Cauſae. Aquin. contra Gent. l. 2. c. 46. Wherein conſiſts the perfection of an Intelligent creature, but in Divine Aſſimilation to, or Reſſemblance of Chriſt his Creator? Are not al effects then moſt perfect, when they moſt reſſemble their Firſt Cauſe? And ſurely the more perfect Chriſt's friends are, and the more like to him, the better friends they wil approve themſelves. Again, al friendſhip imports ſome kind of Ʋnion, or Ʋnitie in Ends, and deſignes: Now there can be no real union, or unitie in one commun end, unleſſe there be Ʋnion, Ʋnitie, or Ʋniformitie of wils, and actions: mAmicorum proprium eſt iaem Velle & nolle. Aqu. contra Gent. l. 3. c. 151.It is the proper character of friends, to Wil, and Nil, to rejoice and grieve in the ſame things. A ſingularitie of Wils, and conformitie of Actions, gives much perfection to friendſhip. Al friendſhip requires ſome degree of interne Ʋniformitie, as alſo externe Conformitie: and the more Ʋniforme, and Conforme friends are, in what is good, the better wil their friendſhip be. Difformitie, and diſſimilitude in Spirits, or Actions, is that which makes a great breach on Amitie. For al Friendſhip is founded in ſimilitude or likenes: and the more like men are in virtuous Qualities, the better friends they make. I interpoſe virtuous Qualities, as the foundation of this ſimilitude, and friendſhip; becauſe there is no genuine ſimilitude or friendſhip, but what hath its riſe from Virtue. Al vicious perſons are difforme, and diſſonant, not only from virtuous men, but alſo among themſelves. Sin is but a Chaos, or maſſe of Confuſion, difformitie, and diſagreement: al luſts are irregular, turbulent, factious, diſſonant, and jarring among themſelves, as wel as with Virtues. Therefore vicious men, whatever their pretenſions may be, can never attain to any ſincere, ſolid Amitie; becauſe they can never have any virtuous Ʋniformitie, or Reſſemblance. It is the ſerious, virtuous perſon only, that may lay claim to true Ʋniformitie, and friendſhip, as Plato, and other Philoſophers have, long ſince, determined. Now then, this being the true Idea of al Amitie, whether Divine or human, that it be founded on ſome virtuous Ʋniformitie, and Conformitie; hence it neceſſarily follows, that the more Ʋniforme with, and Conforme to Chriſt his friends are, the more they live, and walk, and Act up to the Dignitie of their Relation to him, as friends.
(1.)1. Interne Uniformitie with Chriſt. The friends of Chriſt ſhould labor after the neareſt interne Ʋniformitie with Chriſt: their Spirits ſhould riſe up to the higheſt Reſſemblance of Chriſt: They ſhould endeavor to have the Image of Chriſt drawen in more lively characters on their hearts. Undoutedly, the more the friends of Chriſt participate with him in the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. the more lively Impreſſes, and Stampes of his Image they receive upon their ſouls, the better friends they are. Thus much is contained in that excellent Admonition and Advice of Paul, Rom. 12.1, 2.Rom. 12.1, 2. v. 1. he exhorts them, to preſent their bodies, (or whole perſons) a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, &c. i e. to approve themſelves, what they profeſſed, real, and loyal friends of Chriſt. But how might they attain to this? That he expreſſeth, v. 2. And be not conformed unto this world [i. e. Let not your hearts be ſhaped, moulded, or formed according to the Humors, luſts, faſhions, or any other deceitful Ideas of this world] but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds [i. e. Let your minds be ſtript of their old corrupt Forme, received from the firſt Adam, and be clothed with the new Divine Forme, or Image of Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, as Epheſ. 4.22, 23. whence it follows,] that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect wil of God, i. e. that ye may approve your ſelves Loyal friends of Chriſt. The more the friends of Chriſt are transformed, by the renewing of their minds, into the Image of Chriſt, the more they wil come to have one and the ſame Mind, and Spirit with Chriſt; the more they wil mind, affect, and delight in, what Chriſt minds, affects, and delights in moſt. Doth not the pooroEadem velle ac eadem nolle, ea demum vera Amicitia. Heathen teach us, that this is true friendſhip, to wil and nil the ſame things? What makes men better friends than an Ʋnitie, or Similitude of Wils? Muſt not then the friends of Chriſt, Studie, and affect a ſimilitude, yea, Ʋnitie of Wil with Chriſt? What makes a greater Schiſme on friendſhip with Chriſt, than Pluralitie of Wils? Identitie, or Samenes of Wil with Chriſt, prevents a world of ſin, and is the Life of Grace. A friend of Chriſt ſhould have his wil broken to pieces, that it may be made one With the Wil of Chriſt; to mind and intend the ſame things with Chriſt. Yea, is not this one of the higheſt degrees of true Amitie with Chriſt? Doth Chriſt mind, and intend the Glorie of his Father moſt? And ſhal not the friends of Chriſt endeavor after the ſame mind with Chriſt herein? O what Strong Intention, what pure aimes, ſhould they have at the Glorie of God? How ſhould al the concernes of ſelf, be quite melted into, and ſwallowed up in the Concernes of God, and his Glorie? Again, doth Chriſt Love and Affect Grace, more than the whole Creation beſides? And ſhal not the friends of Chriſt love and affect Grace, more than al things elſe? Farther, doth Chriſt delight in nothing ſo much as in doing, and ſuffering his Father's Wil? Was it his meat and drink to do, and ſuffer the ſame? O then! how much ſhould the friends of Chriſt delight in doing, and ſuffering God's wil? What complacence ſhould they take in Active, and Paſſive obedience? Thus the friends of Chriſt ſhould ſtudie, and affect a greater Latitude of interne Ʋniformitie with Chriſt, in Mind, Wil, and Affection. And, without al peradventure, the more they partake of one and the ſame Divine Nature and heart with Chriſt, the more faithful, and complete friends are they.
(2.)2. Externe Conformitie to Chriſt. The friends of Chriſt muſt ſtudie and endeavor, not only Interne Ʋniformitie with, but alſo externe Conformitie to Chriſt: They muſt not only mind, and affect, but alſo Talk, and Act, and Live as Chriſt. True friendſhip, even among men, requires not only Habitual, and inward Reſſemblance in Nature, diſpoſitions, Principles, and Affections; but alſo actual, and outward Conformitie in Converſation, and Actions: So here, Divine Amitie with Chriſt, implies, not only interne, habitual Aſſimilation to him; but alſo externe, actual Imitation of him: and the greater Latitude of degrees the friends of Chriſt attain herein, the more real, and viſible, yea glorious, wil their Amitie appear to be. This was Paul's greateſt Ambition to be an Imi…ator of Chriſt; which he commends alſo to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.1.1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, even as I alſo am of Chriſt. So Epheſ. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God, Epheſ. 5.1.as dear Children. It is the Ambition of pious Children to imitate their Parents, in what is good: As they partake with them, in one and the ſame Nature, and likenes; ſo would they fain conforme to them, by one and the ſame Actions, and Mode of life. Parents Exemples, are uſually more forcible and binding, than their precepts to their Children. And this ariſeth from that natural friendſhip or Ʋniformitie of Nature, which is betwixt Parents and Children. Such ſhould the Exemple of Chriſt be to his Children, and friends by Grace: as they have his Divine Nature communicated to them, and thereby an Ʋniformitie of Spirits; ſo alſo ſhould they ſtudie, and affect, a conformitie to, or Imitation of him in al their Actions, and Converſation. Did Chriſt break thorow al Tentations and Difficulties, to do, and ſuffer his Father's Pleaſure? Should not then his friends, arme themſelves with the ſame mind, in doing and ſuffering the wil of God? Is it not greatly unbecoming a friend of Chriſt, to be thruſt off from a dutie, either by the Frowns, or Smiles of this lower world? Was David, that Noble friend of Chriſt, ſcoffed off from his dutie by Michal? Doth he not rather gain courage by al her ſcoffes; and crie out, if this be to be vile, I wil be more vile yet? True friendſhip gains force, and ſtrength by oppoſition: the more its Conformitie to Chriſt is oppoſed, the more zelous and active is it therein. Again, Did Chriſt take upon him the Forme of a Servant, humble himſelf, and become obedient even to the Death? O then! how lowly, how humbly, how ſelf-abaſedly ſhould the friends of Chriſt walk?Phil. 2.5. This is wel improved by Paul, Phil. 2.5, 6, 7, 8. Having v. 3, 4. Exhorted them to Humilitie and Self-denial; he brings Chriſt's Humilitie, and Self-denial, as a copie and patterne, v. 5. Let this mind be in you, which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. As if he had ſaid; was Chriſt ſo humble? And is it not a ſhame, that Chriſtians, who profeſſe friendſhip with him, ſhould be ſo ſtately, ſo proud? It is a good obſervation of Divines, that Chriſt's Human Nature, though clothed with ſo much Glorie, is the humbleſt Creature that ever was. O then! what a prodigious thing is it, that our black Natures, which are clothed with ſo much Deformitie, and ſtuffed out with ſo much Malignitie, and Venome of ſin, ſhould be ſo proud as they are? Think on this, and ever more abhor pride. So for the other parts of Chriſtian Converſation, the Exemple of Chriſt ſhould be the Soverain Motive, as alſo an Ʋniverſal Idea, and Copie of his friends Imitation. Would the friends of Chriſt, when they are about any irregular undertakement, conſider, Would Chriſt, if he were on earth, do ſo, and ſo? Is this becoming the Dignitie of that Amitie I profeſſe towards Chriſt? Wil this pleaſe my Lord? Do I herein imitate that Copie, and patterne, he has ſet me? I ſay, would the friends of Chriſt, thus reaſon, and argue themſelves into an Imitation of, and Conformitie to Chriſt; how harmonious, beautiful, viſible, flouriſhing and efficacious would their friendſhip be? But ah! alas! how far ſhort of Conformitie to, and Imitation of the Life of Chriſt, that Admirable, and moſt glorious miroir of Sanctitie, do many profeſſed friends of Chriſt come? Yea, have not the beſt of Chriſt's friends great cauſe to be daily humbled, and aſhamed of their defects, as to this piece of Divine Conformitie?