FOOTNOTES:
[1] How blessed are those whose light shines so clearly as to be known and read of all men. A brand plucked from the burning bears the marks of fire, but is not consuming.—Ed.
[2] 'A very Abraham,' or an Abraham cove. Cant terms formerly applied to poor silly half-naked men, or to sturdy beggars. Thus the fraternity of Vacabondes, 1575, describes them:—'An Abraham man is he that walketh bare-armed or bare-legged, and fayneth hymselfe mad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a stycke with baken on it, or suche lyke toy, and nameth poore Tom.' Shakespeare alludes to them under the name of Bedlam Beggars.—Ed.
[3] To possess with or of; to cause to possess or to be possessed with—
'At the port (Lord) he give her to thy hand,
And by the way possesse thee what she is.'
Troylus and Cressida, act 4, s. 4.
__________ 'thou hast given me to possess
Life in myself for ever.'
Milton's Paradise Lost, book iii, 243.
[4] Establishes our opinions, or fixes them in us. 'Our young men being principled by these new philosophers.'—Cudworth.
'A Parliament so principled will sink
All ancient schools of empire in disgrace.'
Dr. Young.—Ed.
[5] Where is the man, except he be a willful perverter of Divine truth, who can charge the doctrines of grace with licentiousness? All hope of election or predestination arises from conformity to the image of Christ. Vain is hope except it is founded upon redemption from the curse, to walk in newness and holiness of life; equally vain is a hope founded on the wicked assumption of man to the power of forgiveness of sin.—Ed.
[6] This is admirably illustrated by the Interpreter in the Pilgrim's Progress. He shows Christian a fire burning against the wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it to quench it, yet did the fire burn higher and hotter. Christian wonders until he is taken behind the wall, and sees Christ secretly pouring the oil of grace into the fire. Before Bunyan had been behind the wall, he was scared by the father of lies, who suggested to him—'You are very hot for mercy, but I will cool you, though I be seven years in chilling your heart.' Grace Abounding, No. 118.—Ed.