7. Ibid.
8. Man, in his first estate, was holy and righteous; and he continued to be possessed of this righteousness as long as he was obedient to his Creator; but as soon as he disobeyed the divine command, he lost all his holiness and righteousness at once; he emptied himself of every spark of goodness, and was full of all manner of wickedness; he forfeited all his primitive purity, and became a sinful, impure, and unrighteous creature. Hence, all mankind are destitute of original righteousness: there is none of the children of men righteous, 'no not one: there is none that doeth good, no not one' (Rom 3:10,12). What then becomes of the purity and dignity of human nature, so vainly boasted of? or how shall man be righteous before God? To this last question, we answer with Paul, in the above-quoted chapter (vv 21, 22), 'Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe.' Without this righteousness, no soul ever was, no soul ever will be, justified before God.—Mason and Ryland.
9. Great will be the condemnation of all those who profess to know God, but in works deny him; who are abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate (Titus 1:16). A great profession, without a suitable life and conversation, will only procure a greater condemnation. Therefore, up, ye sleepy virgins; up, and be doing; shew your faith by your works. There is no true religion without good works, attended with a godly walk and behaviour. There may be works seemingly good, where there is no true religion. Good works are not the causes, but the fruits and effects of true religion, of justifying faith wrought in the soul by the Holy Ghost; and where true religion is, good works, of every divine kind and quality, will naturally follow, to the glory and praise of that grace which alone brings salvation to miserable ruined sinners.—Mason and Ryland.
10. Hierocles, the Greek philosopher.
11. Bunyan must have formed his opinions of the Quakers from some persons who passed as such. No form either of doctrine or discipline had appeared in 1672. As soon as their tenets were published, they professed, as they do to this day, entire dependence upon Jesus Christ for holiness.—Ed.
12. Mr. Fowler gives no reference to any of the works of these learned divines, nor could he!! He traduces these great reformers and the doctrines of his own church, and yet was soon after made a bishop!!!—Ed.
13. The saints of God experience a mystery of iniquity, a horrible depth of corruption in their own hearts, and groan under the plague and burden of it. If we rightly know ourselves, and behold our vileness, filthiness, and exceeding sinfulness, in their true colours, we shall be obliged to own that we are very wicked, unholy, ungodly, abominable; and that a principle and inclination to evil is so prevalent in the best of us, that were God to leave us to ourselves, we should greedily commit the most heinous sins. These truly humbled persons, and these alone, are made sensible of the want of the application of the precious atoning blood of Christ to cleanse them from the pollution of sin, and of the sanctifying grace of the Spirit to deliver them from the dominion and tyranny of it.—Mason and Ryland.
14. 'Rusheth the soul.' To rush is a neuter verb, here used in an active sense;—'precipitateth' gives the correct idea.—Ed.
15. 'So natural, and ignorant,' in distinction from that spiritual wisdom which is immortal and illuminating.—Ed.
16. Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, such as disbelief, idolatry, adultery, &c. (p. 35).