ork out his own salvation, and that
because it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do. Because
God worketh all, therefore he should work; so reasoneth the apostle. So
that God's working is an argument and motive to the man to work, and not
an argument to him to lie by idle and do nothing. And here is the holy
art and divine skill requisite in this business, to wit, for the
believer to be as diligent and active as if he could bring forth fruit
in his own strength, and by his own working; and yet to be as abstracted
from himself, his own grace, ability, knowledge, experience, in his
working, as if he were lying by like a mere block, and only moving as
moved by external force.

5. The soul that would make progress in Christianity, and grow in grace,
would remember that Christ is proposed to us as a copy, which we are to
imitate, and that therefore we should set Christ continually before us
as our pattern, that we may follow his steps, 1 Pet. i. 15, and ii. 21.
But withal it would be remembered, that he is not like other ensamples
or copies, that can help the man that imitateth them in no other way
than by their objective prospect; for looking by faith on this copy,
will bring virtue to the man that studieth to imitate, whereby he shall
be enabled to follow his copy better. O! if we knew in experience what
this were, to take a look of Christ's love, patience, long-suffering,
meekness, hatred of sin, zeal, &c, and by faith to pore in, till, by
virtue proceeding from that copy, we found our hearts in some measure
framed into the same disposition, or at least more inclined to be cast
into the same mould!

6. The believer would act faith on Christ, as the head of the body, and
as the stock in which the branches are ingrafted, and thereby suck sap,
and life, and strength from him, that he may work, walk, and grow, as
becometh a Christian. The believer must grow up in him, being a branch
in him, and must bring forth fruit in him, as the forementioned places
clear. Now, Christ himself tells us, that the branches cannot bring
forth fruit, except they abide in the vine; and that no more can his
disciples bring forth, except they abide in him, John xv. Therefore, as
it is by faith that the soul, as a branch, is united to Christ, as the
vine; and as it is by faith that they abide in him; so it is by faith
that they must bring forth fruit; and this faith must grip Christ as the
vine, and the stock or root from which cometh