Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Secondly, Faith looks not only upon the letter of the Command, but upon the life of Christ. Where all Graces are set forth in lively and orient colours, really and practically exemplified to our view. Precepts possibly may have more of ⟨p. 291⟩notion in them, but Examples have more of vivacity to attract the heart to imitation: above all the Example of Christ must be cogent to Believers, he went up and down doing of good; every step one odour of Grace or other brake from him; Subjection to Parents or Magistrates, or Zeal towards God in purging the Temple, or Humility in washing his Disciples feet, or Meekness under malicious accusations and blasphemies; or melting bowels, upon all occasions dropping Cures on the bodies, and Heavenly Truths on the Souls of Men; or admirable patience under great sorrows; and at last upon a tormenting Cross, where he drunk the bitter cup of wrath up to the bottom; and over and above all the rest, sweet Love and Obedience run through them all, with a pure intention to his Fathers Will and Glory: And Oh! what a Sampler of Grace is here? and how strongly can Faith press for an imitation! what? shall I not tread in such pure steps, my Saviour being before? Of whom shall I learn if not of my Redeemer? Did he sweat and bleed, and die on a Cross for me, and shall I not follow him? Can I rest on his Merits and precious Obedience, and wave his holy Pattern? Was he to fulfil all Righteousness, and I none at all? If I abide in him, must I not walk as he walked? If I know the truth as it is in Jesus, must not those very Graces, which were true in him, be true in me also? Why doth the Spirit come and work those Graces in my Heart, ⟨p. 292⟩but that they should be actuated? Unto what was I created in Christ, if not to good works? I find nothing but vanity in my self and my own ways, and shall I not walk in Christ and his holy Graces? If I follow him fully, shall I not see the Heavenly Canaan at last, and there receive a Crown of Life? Such a Pattern so pressed on a Believer must needs be a strong motive to the exercise of Grace. The Apostle would have us run our race, looking unto Jesus, Heb. 12.1, & 2. Fancy, as Naturalists tell us, hath done strange things; a Woman much looking on a beautiful Picture brought forth her Child very like it, as Galen relates, to be sure: Faith looking unto Jesus brings forth his Image in the Heart and Life.