FOOTNOTES:
1 "My grace is sufficient for thee," and the language of the church, conscious of its own weakness and the Lord's all-sufficiency, is, "Draw me, we will run after thee" (Song 1:4).—Mason.
2 No outward profession is accepted, except it springs from inward love to Christ.—Ed.
3 How clearly is every seeming difficulty explained by Bunyan. The Father entered into covenant with the Son, in eternity, to save his elect; and, in time, as they appear upon earth, the Father giveth them to Christ by effectual calling, and he brings them to eternal glory.—Ed.
4 To come unto Christ, in its proper sense, is to receive him as he is offered to us in the Word; to believe in him, as a suitable and all-sufficient Saviour; to submit to his government, in both suffering and doing his will, with all lowly-mindedness and humility; and this by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit upon the soul.—Mason.
5 "Salve;" relief, aid, or help.
'Which Cambell seign, though he could not salve,
He done undoe, yet for to salve his name
And purchase honour to his friend's behalve,
This goodly counterfesaunce he did frame."
—Spenser's Faery Queen.
6 We cannot remember all God's benefits, but how prone we are to forget them all!—Ed.
7 Christian, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, was thus exercised: —"I took notice that now poor Christian was so confounded that he did not know his own voice; and thus I perceived it:—Just when he was come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him, and stepped up softly to him, and whisperingly suggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought had proceeded from his own mind." See also Grace Abounding, No. 100-102.—Ed.
8 "Warm gleads;" from Saxon glow, anything heated or hot.
"My destiny to behold her doth me leade,
And yet I know I runne into the gleade."—Wyatt.—Ed.
9 Many misspend their time in poring upon their own hearts, to find out some evidence of their interest in Christ, when they should rather be employed in receiving Christ, and walking in him, by a confident faith grounded on the Divine testimony.—Mason.
10 How striking are Bunyan's illustrations! The devil, as a roaring lion, is in pursuit of the flying sinner; he would flee faster than his infirmities will let him. We cannot wonder that modern preachers borrowed so vivid and truthful a figure.—Ed.
11 A Christian is "never safe but when watchful;" he should keep a jealous eye on his own weakness, and a believing eye on the promise and power of Christ, and he shall be preserved from falling.—Mason.
12 "Let him;" hinder him. See 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Obsolete.—Imperial Dictionary.—Ed.
13 "The Scripture contains many gracious promises in behalf of the children of believing parents; but grace is not hereditary. It is the parent's part to pray with and for, admonish, and piously train up his children; but, after all, must recommend them to the tender mercies of God, which the children of many prayers often happily experience."—Mason. O that all persons may solemnly consider this searching truth! especially the children of believers. The coming of your father or mother to Christ cannot be imputed to you; come for yourself, or you must perish. As you love your souls, believe not that awful delusion, that any ceremony could make you a child of God.—Ed.
14 "While of late;" until of late.—Ed.
15 "Lie at Jesus Christ;" to lay down, lie at the feet of Jesus Christ, to persevere like the Syrophenician woman, Mark 7:25.—Ed.
16 "Ply;" to solicit importunately.—Ed.
17 "A flam;" a fable, an imposition.
18 "Most an end;" continually, perpetually.
19 How awful is the confidence of the self-righteous pharisee; he considers himself more righteous than the poor penitent, who is clothed in Christ's righteousness, the garments of salvation.
The self-righteous says:—"Stand by, I am holier than thou. Thank God, I am not like this publican." While in God's sight, poor wretched boaster, thou art clothed in filthy rags.—Ed.
20 This nation now pays some eight or ten millions sterling a year. Had God sanctioned this diabolical trade in souls, all Christendom would have been divided into two classes-priests and slaves.—Ed.
21 "Twitting;" taunting, or rebuking.—Ed.
22 "A gload;" a warm, eager, passionate gazing: now obsolete.—Ed.
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