N00766:173
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.
Know, First, That if you don't Live Exceedingly Watchfully and Fruitfully, and Holily, God will withdraw much of His Holy Spirit from you▪ And among other Consequences full of Darkness, that will follow upon the Withdraw of the Holy Spirit, one will be, That you will not Enjoy the Seal of it. The Seal of the Holy Spirit, is a special Operation thereof, producing a solid, powerful, wonderful, and well-grounded persuasion of our Justification. Our Justification, may be Hopefully, but will not be Joyfully Eviden•• unto us, without such a Special Operation of the Holy Spirit giving Evidence thereunto. When we set our selves to prove our Justification from our Sanctification, we do Well, we work Right, we are in an orderly way of proceeding▪ But yet we shall not well see our Sanctification, except a Special Operation of the Holy Spirit, help our sight. And if we do see out Sanctification, yet our Sight of our Justification ▪ will be but feeble, except a Special•Operation of the Holy Spirit shall comfort us. Our own Argument may make us a little Easy, and we ought to be found in that Rational Way• of Arguing; but this mere Argument will not bring us to that Joyful peace of Soul, that will carry• […] Triumphantly through the Dark Valley of the Shadow of Death, and make us Triumph over our Doubts, our Fears, and all our Discouragements. It is the Spirit of God Gloriously ⟨p. 71⟩Coming in upon our Hearts, that will Seal unto us our Justification, and cause us to Rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of glory: Which when He does, the Symptoms of a Regenerate Soul, do always accompany it. Now, Christians, If you don't maintain a very strict Walk with God, that Seal of the Holy Spirit will be denied unto you. Though you may be Justified, yet the Holy Spirit of God, will not let you see that you are so. The Holy Spirit of God being sadly Grieved by your Sins, will Retire from you; and the Evil Spirit shall then smite you either with Terror, or •ith Slumber. Man, If thou dost not look upon this Calamity, as more Dreadful a•d Bitter than Death, 'tis very sure, Thou wast never yet a Justified man; Thou art yet in the Gall of Bitterness, and the Bond o Iniquity. And let me freely say unto you. To see a man wallowing in Loathsome Filthiness, and yet Enjoying the Peace of Justified man; Oh, 'Tis a doleful Spectacle!