Our corruptions must be mortified or they will be raging and violent in the time of temptation, and like a torrent, sweep away all your convictions and resolutions. It is unmortified sin within that makes the heart like gunpowder; when the sparks of temptation fly about it (and they fall thick in a time of suffering), they but touch and explode.Flavel, John. Preparations for Sufferings: Chapter 12

When I issued the first volume of "Lectures to my Students" it was my intention to prepare another series as soon as time permitted, and I meant to include two addresses upon Commenting in the proposed selection. It struck me, however, that a better thing was possible. The two lectures might introduce the topic of exposition, and then a catalogue of Commentaries might help the student to carry the advice into practice. The making of that catalogue would, of course, be no small labor; but, once accomplished, it might be of service to many, and effect more in the direction aimed at than the most earnest exhortations. I therefore resolved to attempt the work, and here is the result.

On account of the difficulty of setting into the kingdom of God. There are innumerable difficulties in the way; such as few conquer: most of them that try have not resolution, courage, earnestness, and constancy enough; but they fail, give up, and perish. The difficulties are too many and too great for them that do not violently press forward.

Interview from Feb 2022 by Bud Alheim, Fort Lauderdale, FL

This was an interview that was done late in 2021 by Bud Alheim. It would change how I would record audiobooks. The reason is that he was using a very good mic with a pre-amp. His end of the interview was so much clearer audio that for the next few months I researched recording equipment and then settled on a Lewitt 440 Pure Mic, made in Austria, and an SSL 2 pre-amp to get the audio that is being recorded for these present narrations. There is a lot of indebtedness that we both have for John Owen that is discussed in the podcast. Bud introduced me to the Sermon, The Goodness and Severity of God in Judging Sinful Churches and Nations.

Indwelling sin works by sloth and negligence. It prevails in the soul to neglect the stirring up of continual thoughts about the things that so powerfully influence it to strict and fruitful obedience. If care be not taken—if diligence and watchfulness be not used, and all means that are appointed of God to keep a quick and living sense of them upon the soul—they will dry up and decay.

Enmity exerts itself is opposition. Enmity will oppose and contend with what it is at enmity with. Things natural and moral work this way also: as light and darkness, heat and cold oppose each other, so do virtue and vice. So is it with sin and grace. The apostle says, "These are contrary the one to the other" (Gal 5:17)—that is, they are placed and set in mutual opposition, and that continually and constantly, as we shall see.

Recording of the morning service. New Life Baptist Church, Hawesville, KY

An association of ministers, between Northampton and Boston, seem of late to have applied themselves somewhat earnestly, to invent means for promoting religion. The following is a copy of something they have agreed upon for this end, as it was sent to me, by a minister that lives that way. "The sum and substance of the answers, given by the association, to this question, What things shall be done by us, for preventing the awful threatening degeneracy and backsliding in religion, in the present day? These, we apprehend, may be reduced to the following heads...

When giving directions on how to mortify sin, it is important to properly define it. Without this, the instructions are too abstract. As well, we examine two letters written from struggling saints. One to me in the last couple of years, one written in 1754 to the Pastor Samuel Pike and Samuel Hayward. Recorded in Cases of Conscience.