N00830:22
The blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God our Saviour, Jesus…
The blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Opened & applied, in several sermons. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel, at Boston, in N.E. ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]The blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Opened & applied, in several sermons. / By Increase Mather, praesident of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel, at Boston, in N.E. ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by Timothy Green for Nicholas Boone, 1701
Title page typeset from the transcription.
The Blessed HOPE, And Glorious Appearing of JESUS CHRIST. › Sermon 1
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.
1. Because the Gospel it self does so Teach ⟨p. 6⟩men. The Grace of God which brings Salvation, the Gospel which is a Doctrine of Grace, and which does bring to men the Tidings of Salvation, teaches them to deny all Ungodliness, that they should be careful of being Guilty of Sins against the First Table of the Moral Law: and to deny all worldly Lusts, that they should Abstain from all Sins against the Second Table of that Law: and that they should Live Soberly in respect of themselves: i. e. that they should be Temperate, & Live Righteously in respect of men. And that they should Live Godly, which implieth the Exercises of Duties of Piety and Religion, which have God for their Object. This does the Gospel Teach men.
1. Be•ause the Gospel it self does so Teach ⟨p. 6⟩men. The Grace of God which brings Salvation, the Gospel which is a Doctrine of Grace, and which does bring to men the Tidings of Salvation, teaches them to deny all Vngodliness, that they should be careful of being Guilty of Sins against the First Table of the Moral Law: and to deny all worldly Lusts, that they should Abstain from all Sins against the Second Table of that Law: and that they should Live Soberly in respect of themselves: i. e. that they should be Temperate, & Live Righteously in respect of men. And that they should Live Godly, which implieth the Exercises of Duties of Piety and Religion, which have God for their Object. This does the Gospel Teach men.
2. Another Motive the Apostle useth, is, in that such a Life is the way to Blessedness; as in the words which have been read. Holiness is the way to Happiness. They that bring forth Fruit to Holiness, shall in the End have Everlasting Life. Against this might be objected, we see Holy men many times miserable in Outward respects, and they that •ive Godly are Persecuted. The Gospel assures us, that we shall be exposed to Reproaches and many Sufferings in this world. True, (saith the Apostle) but then you must remember, there another World besides this; & in that you shall