The Covenant of Grace

but now the Spirit of God hath further work in his own people, beyond what he worketh upon others, though he melteth both, yet hypocrites are melted as iron, which will return again to his former hardness, but his own people are melted into flesh, which will never return to his hardness more, neither can they rest in any measure of softness unto which they have attained, but still are carried toward Jesus Christ: so that the one is a temporary faith, and the other persevereth; though both work in the name of Christ, yet this difference will be found between them, not only when hypocrites come to be blasted, but even in the midden of their profession: As for the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is never president ⟨p. 66⟩of its own power, but his strength lieth out of himself in Christ; whereas hypocrites and legal Christians are confident of their faith, that they can make use of it unto such and such ends, they think they need no more but look up to Christ, and their work is at an end; and such strength they find in themselves, as that they do not fear, but that they shall carry an end all their work to Gods glory and their own: whereas the strongest faith even of the Thessalonians (whose faith was such, as none of all the Churches went before them) if it be not supplied and strengthened, they know, & the Apostle Paul knoweth that it will warp & shrink. This may we see by comparing, 1 Thes. 1.3. with Chap. 3.2,10. And the faithful people of God, Isa. 26.12. acknowledge Him to work all their works for them. And therefore as there is a real difference in the presence of the Spirit; so also in the work of faith in hypocrites, and the children of God, for the one putteth confidences in himself in the gift received, and the other in Jehovah. This is the first difference of Sanctification.

but now the Spirit of God hath further worke in his own people, beyond what he worketh upon others, though he melteth both, yet hypocrites are melted as iron, which will returne againe to his former hardnes, but his owne people are melted into flesh, which will never returne to his hardnes more, neither can they rest in any measure of softnes unto which they have attained, but still are carryed toward Jesus Christ: so that the one is a temporary faith, and the other persevereth; though both worke in the name of Christ, yet this difference will be found between them, not only when hypocrites come to be blasted, but even in the midden of their profession: As for the faith of the Gospell of Jesus Christ, it is never president