N00766:24
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.
Dedication: The Dedication. TO The Reverend Ministers Of the Gospel in London, Sometimes Honoured w…
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.
We do acknowledge, that in Explaining the Illustrious Article of, JUSTIFICATION, there may be Varieties of Expression among you. But are they such, we beseech you, as will Justify ⟨image ?⟩all the Discord that hath arisen thereupon? The words of the Incomparable Dr. Owen, in his Golden Book, of Justification, 1are worthy to be written in Letters of Gold: Among persons, who agree in the Substance of the Doctrine, there is some Difference about the Nature of Faith whereby we are Justified, with its proper Object in Justifying, and its Use in Justification. And an instance we have herein, not only of the weakness of our Intellects, in the Apprehension of Spiritual Things, but also of the Remainders of Confusion and Disorder in our Minds, at least, how true it is, that we know only in part, while we are in this Life. For whereas, this Faith is an Act of our minds, put forth in the way of Duty to God, yet many by whom it is Sincerely Exercised, and that continually, are not agreed either in the Nature or proper Object of it. And notwithstanding this Difference, […] do yet all of them please God, in the Exercise of Faith, as it is their Duty, and have that Respect unto its proper Object that Secures both their Justification and Salvation. And if we cannot on this Consideration bear with, and forbear one another, in our Different Conceptions, and Expressions of those Conceptions, it is a Sign we have a great mind to be Contentious, and that our Confidences are built on very weak foundations.
We do acknowledge, that in Explaining the Illustrious Article of, JUSTIFICATION, there may be Varieties of Expression among you. But are they such, we beseech you, as will Justify ⟨image ?⟩all the Discord that hath arisen thereupon? The words of the Incomparable Dr. Owen, in his Golden Book, of Justification, 1are worthy to be written in Letters of Gold: Among persons, who agree in the Substance of the Doctrine, there is some Difference about the Nature of Faith whereby we are Justified, with its proper Object in Justifying, and its Ʋse in Justification. And an instance we have herein, not only of the weakness of our Intellects, in the Apprehension of Spiritual Things, but also of the Remainders of Confusion and Disorder in our Minds, at least, how true it is, that we know only in part, while we are in this Life. For whereas, this Faith is an Act of our minds, put forth in the way of Duty to God, yet many by whom it is Sincerely Exercsed, and that continually, are not agreed either in the Nature or proper Object of it. And notwithstanding this Difference, do yet all of them please God, in the Exercise of Faith, as it is their Duty, and have that Respect unto its proper Object that Secures both their Justification and Salvation. And if we cannot on this Consideration bear with, and forbear one another, in our Different Conceptions, and Expressions of those Conceptions, it is a Sign we have a great mind to be Contentious, and that our Confidences are built on very weak foundations.