N00766:78
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.
We are to know, That the Commandment given by God unto man, in that Covenant, is the Rule of Righteousness. That Righteousness whereon is our Claim to Happiness, must needs relate unto some Rule or other. Indeed Righteousness is but a Regular Acting, an Acting according to Rule. The Righteousness of man, must lie in his Agreeableness unto the Rule that God hath given him. Now the Law which God gave unto man, at his First Creation, is the Rule of his Righteousness; yea, 'Tis an Eternal, […] Inviolable, an Unalterable Rule. Is that Law abrogated! No, Nor never shall it be abrogated throughout Eternal Ages: God will forever Magnify it, and make it Honourable. The substance of this Law, is, T•at man do universally and unchangeably cleave to God, with all his Faculties, is his Best Good, and his Last End, and his Only Lord; and Obey His Will in all things that he knows to be so, in which Way soever, and at what Time soever, it be made known unto him. And as long as God shall be God, and Man be Man, this Law will be in force; Take away this Law, and we have no standard of Righteousness left unto us. To imagine this Law so divested of its Power, to demand perfect Obedience, that What is not so, shall be accepted as Righteousness according to Law, is to speak Evil of the Law. Hence we thus Read, in Rom. 3.31. Do we ⟨p. 6⟩make void the Law through Faith? God Forbid: Yea, we Establish the Law.
We are to know, That the Commandment given by God unto man, in that Covenant, is the Rule of Righteousness. That Righteousness whereon is our Claim to Happiness, must needs relate unto some Rule or other. Indeed Righteousness is but a Regular Acting, an Acting according to Rule. The Righteousness of man, must ly in his Agreeableness unto the Rule that God hath given him. Now the Law which God gave unto man, at his First Creation, is the Rule of his Righteousness; yea, 'Tis an Eternal, 〈…〉 Inviolable, an U••lterable Rule. Is that Law abrogated! No, Nor never shall it be abrogated throughout Eternal Ages: God will forever Magnify it, and make it Honourable. The substance of this Law, is, T•at man do universally and unchangeably cleave to God, with all his Faculties, is his Best Good, and his Last End, and his Only Lord; and Obey His Will in all things that he knowes to be so, in which Way soever, and at what Time soever, it be made known unto him. And as long as God shall be God, and Man be Man, this Law will be in force; Take away this Law, and we have no standard of Righteousness left unto us. To imagine this Law so divested of its Power, to demand perfect Obedience, that What is not so, shall be accepted as Righteousness according to Law, is to speak Evil of the Law. Hence we thus Read, in