It is not sufficient to be established and grounded in the faith, we must daily increase and grow and more therein… It is the holy ambition of Christians to be more like God every day… None are so knowing but that they may know more… Here we are in a state of progress, not of rest and perfection… always reaching forth and pressing onward.
To grow in faith means to persevere in faith. Man is of an active nature; either he grows better or worse. We shall not keep what we have received if we do not labour to increase in it, as a house begun to be built goes to decay and drops down more and more, if we do not go on to finish it.
Thomas Manton “The Epistle of Jude”

Regeneration consists in spiritual renovation of our nature… This will infallibly produce a reformation of life.
—John Owen “Discourse on the Holy Spirit”

Justification goes before sanctification… The grace of justification is a most free grace. It is not wrought upon any righteousness of ours, but it is before it… Let none, therefore, boast of their cleansing by Christ’s blood till they find themselves renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ… To whom there is no condemnation? To them that are in Christ Jesus. Who are they? They who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Sanctification presupposes Justification… Sanctification is a fruit of Justification.
Admirable is the comfort, which the saints in this world reap hereby… Since their sanctification is a fruit and evidence of their Justification, they take heart… Thus upheld and comforted, they continue to strive against sin till it be clean rooted out of them as well as remitted.
—William Gouge “Domestic Duties”

As the eyelid is made to open and shut, to save the eye, so patience is set to keep the soul and save the heart whole, to cheer the body again. Therefore if you note when you can go by an offence and take little wrong, and suffer trouble quietly, you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart, as if you had gotten the victory. The greater is your patience, the less is your pain…. “In all things,” says Paul, “we are more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37)… As the tree which Moses cast into the spring seasoned the bitterness of the waters, so patience, cast into our troubles, seasons the bitterness of the cross… This power has God given to patience, the medicinable virtue, that it should be like a wholesome herb in the world, or a general physician for all persons and diseases.
—Henry Smith–”The Trial of the Righteous”

The Lord Jesus had no need to bear the cross, endure trials, except to attest and prove his obedience towards God his Father. But necessary for us it is, for several reasons, to be unceasingly afflicted in this life. First, as we are by nature inclined to exalt ourselves and claim all things for ourselves, if our frailty is not set before our very eyes, we immediately value our own virtue beyond measure, unhesitatingly deeming itself unconquerable against all troubles that could beset it.
From this it comes to pass that we are puffed up in empty foolish confidence in the flesh, which later rouses us to haughtiness against God as if our own strength suffice without his grace. This arrogance he best restrains in showing us by experience how in us there lies not only stupidity–but also frailty. Therefore he afflicts us either by disgrace, by poverty, disease, bereavement, or other calamities to which—resist them as we will–directly we succumb, not having the power to bear them.
Thus humbled, we learn to call upon his power, which alone makes us stand firm, unflinching, under the weight of such burdens.
—-”The Piety of John Calvin” pp. 88

Another glorious effect of acquaintance with God, is that it makes a man like God… Company is of an assimilating nature. He that before was unholy, and like the devil, by conversion to God and converse with him is made holy like God… A full and perfect conformity and likeness to God is the very glory of glory… Be acquainted with him, and you shall be like him. Keep much in his company by faith, secret prayer, and meditation, and you will be more holy, divine and spiritual. The last effect of this acquaintance with God: it will make a man better, far more excellent in all states and relations. All his friends will have the better life with him, the whole family… will fare the better with him.
—-James Janeway “Heaven upon Earth: Jesus the best friend of man.”

The way to prevail is to get the victory over the pride of our own nature, by taking shame to ourselves, in humble confession to God; to overcome the unbelief of our hearts, by yielding to the promise of pardon; to set ourselves against those sins which have prevailed over us, in confidence of Christ’s assistance. Then, prevailing over ourselves, we shall easily prevail over all our enemies.
—Richard Sibbes “The Bruised Reed.”

Sanctification…is the immediate work of God by His Spirit upon our whole nature, proceeding from the peace made for us by Jesus Christ, whereby, being changed into his likeness, we are kept entirely in peace with God, and are preserved unblamable, or in a state of gracious acceptation with him, according to the terms of the covenant, unto the end.
—John Owen “Discourse on the Holy Spirit”

Make diligent use of your most holy faith, for the immediate performance of the duties of the Law, by walking no longer according to your old, natural state, or any principles or means of practice that belong unto it; but only according to that new state, which you receive by Faith, and the principles and means of practice that properly belong thereunto; and strive to continue and increase in such manner of practice. This is the only way to attain to an acceptable performance of those holy and righteous duties, as far as it is possible in this present life.

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