6. Christ (amazing love!) ‘was made a curse for us,’ and thereby redeemed us from the curse of the law. He subjected himself to the law in active as well as passive obedience, and his obedience even to death was for our justification.—Mason.
7. Those whom God justifies, he also glorifies; and because Christ lives, blessed be God! we shall live also. Nevertheless, the strongest believer has as much need to come to Christ every day for fresh strength, as if he had never believed before; and if he were to depend on his own faithfulness, and not on the faithfulness of the Son of God, he would soon desert the Lord Jesus Christ.—Mason.
8. The symbol of regeneration, or water baptism. Although the regenerate believer feels an assurance that he forms part of Christ’s mystical body, and is saved by grace, and loves God because God first loved him, this does not prevent, but approves, his following the example of his Redeemer, in a symbolical or water baptism. Thus he publicly puts on Christ; he is buried with him in baptism, and rises to newness of life. Colossians 2:12, 13.—Ed.
9. Believer, if thou art rejoicing in this great and finished salvation, never forget that thine only evidence is—sorrow for thy sins, which caused the shedding of this precious blood, and a love of holiness. If sin be deplored, not only art thou redeemed from its curse, but also delivered from its power. The grace that justifies quickens us to good works, that we may walk therein.—Ed.
10. Because it is tainted by sin.—Ed.
11. The best righteousness that can be produced by fallen man is impressively designated by Isaiah, ‘A bed shorter than a man can stretch himself on, and a covering narrower than he can wrap himself in.’—Ed.
12. The way of salvation by works was blasted by the curse upon Adam’s sin, so that it cannot work life in us, or holiness, but only death.—Ed.
13. To divert or turn aside from an intended course; not to divert or amuse.—Ed.
14. Bunyan, in his Creation Spiritualized, or Exposition on Genesis, has shown that the fig-leaf aprons are a type of man’s attempt to cover his sins by his own good works, which soon fade, become dung, or are burned up. But the righteousness that God provides endureth for ever. See vol. i., p. 440.—Ed.
15. The marginal notes to the Bible are exceedingly valuable, especially to the unlearned. There we find that Jedidiah means ‘beloved of the Lord.’—Ed.