37 A sour, crabbed Christian, is a contradiction in terms. The precept is, ‘Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you’ (Eph 4:31).—Mason
38 The true branches in Christ, the heavenly vine, are made fruitful in love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. By these it will appear that Christ is formed within us. Mere ‘lick of the tongue’ love, without these, is an unsubstantial shadow.—Ed.
39 ‘Be so taunted’; in editions previous to 1697.—Ed.
40 ‘At least wise’; to say the least.—Ed.
41 This is the proper test for a perplexed soul, when troubled about his election. If I love Christ, and am desirous to obey him, it is because he first loved me; and this is the surest proof of election. Hear the voice of God, ‘Whosoever believeth in me shall not perish, but have eternal life’; and so Paul, ‘As many as were ordained to eternal life believed’ (Acts 13:48).—Ed.
42 How very forcible is this appeal to those who profess to believe the inspiration of the Bible, but yet reject the atonement of Christ. It is to make the typical sacrifice of the clean beasts, under the law, of greater value than that of the great antitype—the Son of God.—Ed.
43 The reason why those who are guilty of the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost are never forgiven, is not for want of any sufficiency in the blood of Christ, or in the pardoning mercy of God, but because they never repent of that sin, and never seek to God for mercy through Christ, but continue obstinate till death.—Mason.