N00766:117
The everlasting Gospel. The Gospel of justification by the righteousness of God; as 'tis…
The everlasting Gospel. The Gospel of justification by the righteousness of God; as 'tis held and preached in the churches of New-England: expressed in a brief discourse on that important article; made at Boston in the year, 1699. / By Cotton Mather. ; And, asserted with the attestations, of several Reverend and eminent persons, now most considerable in those churches.The everlasting Gospel. The Gospel of justification by the righteousness of God; as 'tis held and preach'd in the churches of New-England: expressed in a brief discourse on that important article; made at Boston in the year, 1699. / By Cotton Mather. ; And, asserted with the attestations, of several Reverend and eminent persons, now most considerable in those churches.
Boston: printed by B. Green for Nicholas Buttolph, 1700
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First; It may be, you are prone to think, ⟨p. 32⟩that you are in less danger of Establishing your own Righteousness, than of any other Mistake or Mischief whatsoever. I sometimes hear Unexperienced Christians, thus express themselves; Methinks to Establish my own Righteousness is the least of all my Temptations; Methinks, I see so much amiss in my self, that I find my self scarce Tempted in any Degree, to dream of being Justified by my own Righteousness. Indeed! Sayest thou so? Man, There is more cause to be Fearful of Thee, than of any man, in all the Assembly. That man, who is not aware of his Danger, to Trust in his own Righteousness, is very much in Danger of it. As it was said of some, in Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest, I have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable; So it may be said of some, Thou sayest, that thou knowest thy self to be wretched and miserable, while thou art yet vainly conceited, that thou hast need of nothing. There is an innate propensity in every man to seek a Justification by his own Righteousness; This Foolishness will not leave a man, till a terrible Correction from God, force him unto it; A man must be dragged through the Flames of Hell, by the Terrors of God, before he come to a Right mind about it. A man that is not aware of this propensity, it may be feared, is yet under the Dominion of it. He'll Die; and his Epitaph must be that of his Brother-Idolater, in Isa. 44.20▪ A Deceived Heart hath Turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his own Soul; nor say, Is there not a Lye in my Right-Hand?
First; It may be, you are prone to think, ⟨p. 32⟩that you are in less danger of Establishing your own Righteousness, than of any other Mistake or Mischief whatsoever. I sometimes hear Unexperienced Christians, thus express themselves; Methinks to Establish my own Righteousness is the least of all my Temptations; Methinks, I see so much amiss in my self, that I find my self scarc• Tempted in any Degree, to dream of being Justifyed by my own Righteousness. Indeed! Saist thou so? Man, There is more cause to be Fearful of Thee, than of any man, in all the Assembly. That man, who is not aware of his Danger, to Trust in his own Righteousness, is very much in Danger of it. As it was said of some, in