N00766:120
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.
If this also discover no Self Righteous persons, let a Third Question be seriously thought upon.
Thirdly. I pray, Deal Impartially; Do none of you fall in Love, with your selves, and with what you have done, in your own Righteousness? Those persons go to Establish their own Righteousness, who are Taken with any Thing, that they themselves have done, or set it so High, as to give or ask Applause, unto it. Says the Apostle, in Phil▪ 3.8, 9 I Count all but Loss and Dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own Righteousness. Man, if thou dost not count Loss, and, Dung, to be a Name Good Enough for the best Thing that ever thou didst, thou art in thy own Righteousness to this day. You have done these and those commendable Things Do you now set a Price upon the Things you have done, as if God were thereby Ingratiated? Said the Pharisee in Luk▪ 18.12. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other Men are, I Fast, and I give Tithes: How the Self-Righteous Pharisee is taken with ⟨p. 35⟩it! Perhaps, you can call to mind, I have Prayed with such Frequency, I have Heard with such Affection I have given Alms with such Liberality; And I have done such and such a Piece of Service in my Generation. Don't you now set an High Account upon what you have done? Even so High, as to fall into some Discontent, when God seems to take no Notice of what you have done. If God visit you with Crosses, and Sorrows, and Refuse to Comfort you, after all that you have done to pacify Him, are not your Souls disturbed within you, as if you were hardly dealt withal? You bring your Offerings to God, but God Hides His Countenance, and gives you no Comforts to Require your Offerings: Are not you now very wroth, and with a wrathful Countenance are you not ready to Resolve, That you will not any longer wait upon Him? Truly They were a sort of People, seeking Justification by their own Righteousness; of whom 'tis Reported, in Isa. 58.2, 3 They are as a Nation, that did Righteousness; wherefore have we Fasted, say they, and thou seest it not?