N00766:159
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.
The Apostle Paul, teaches us. That no man is Justified by works, but a man is Justified only ⟨p. 60⟩by Faith. But the Apostle James teaches us, That a man is Justified by Works, a man is not justified by Faith alone. And yet, however some of the Ancients, as well as Luther, stumbled at this Appearance of Contradiction, they are far from Contradicting one another. Paul treats of our Justification before God, and the Right unto Everlasting Life, thereon granted unto us. This is only by Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. James treats of that which may manifest our Justification unto Men that See and Hear our Profession of our Faith. Here Works are Significant. The Conscience of a man may be distressed with a Twofold Accusation. First, A man may be Accused of Iniquity It may be said, Thou hast broken the Law, and wronged the God that gave the Law, and the dreadful Curse of that Law, now belongs unto thee. Our Answer to This Accusation is, My Lord Jesus Christ hath fully Obeyed the Law of God, and Suffered for my Disobedience; and I do by Faith Rely on this Righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ, for Eternal Blessedness. But next, A man may be Accused of Hypocrisy It may be said, Thou Talkest of thy Faith, but is it not mere Talk? How canst thou prove, that thy Faith is any more than what is in the very Devils themselves? The Answer to this Accusation must be, The Works of a Sanctified man, which I am doing every day, are the proof of my Faith ▪ Accordingly, It is asserted by Paul; That a man is Justified alone by Faith; but it is asserted by James, That a man is not Justified by a Faith which is alone. The Question ⟨p. 61⟩discoursed by Paul is, How a Guilty person may come to be Acquitted by the Lord, from all the Guilt that lies upon him? The Answer to this Question, is, Not by any Works of our own, but only by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, on our part, only by Faith applied unto us. The Question discoursed by James, is, Whether a man pretending to Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be Saved, though he continue without the Works of an Holy Life agreeable thereunto? The Answer to this Question, is, No, such a man ha's no Saving Faith at all. Wilt thou know, O Vain man?
The Apostle Paul, teaches us. That no man is Justif•ed by works, but a man is Justified only