(2.) To convince and stop their mouths that refuse this calling, for the gospel bringeth grace home to us, and leaveth it upon our choice. If we will accept it, well and good ; if not, we justly deserve to be rejected for ever : Acts xiii. 2G, ' To you is this word of salvation sent' What say you to it ? God hath sent a gracious message to you in particular ; will you accept or refuse? Acts iii. 26, ' He hath sent him to you, to bless every one of you,' &c. It doth excite all, and every man, to look after the recovery of his lapsed estate ; surely God doth you no wrong if he severely punish your refusal after he hath invited you to his grace in Christ. Great is the misery of those that refuse this call : ' None of those that were bidden shall taste of my supper,' Luke xiv. 24. They are not only excluded from happiness, but they incur extreme wrath and misery : Brov. i. 24-20, ' Because I have called, and ye re- fused ; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your fear cometh.' (3.) Because to the elect he will deal congruously, and preserve the liberty of his own workmanship, and therefore dealeth with man as man ; doth not compel us to be good whether we will or no, but doth at the same time teach and draw us : John vi. 44, 45, ' No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets. And they shall be all taught of (jiod. Every man therefore that hath heaid, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me ; sweetly attemper- ing the means to our liberty, but accomi)anying them with his power- ful grace : Acts xi. '11, ' The hand of the Lord was with them, and a <rreat number believed, and turned to the Lord.' It is God doth
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all, prospering the labours of his servants. So Acts xvi. 14, ' God opened the heart of Lydia, so that she attended unto the things spoken by Paul.' God opened her heart, but by the things spoken by Paul. And God loveth to associcate or accompany his power with his own means : Rom i. 16, ' It is the power of God unto salvation.'
[2.] The interest the apostle challengeth in it : oily gospel. Doth it not derogate from the authority of it to appropriate it to any man ? I answer — No. Elsewhere it is called God's gospel : ' The glorious gos- pel of the blessed God,' 1 Tim. i, 11. He is the author. It is not an invention of man, but a secret that came from the bosom of God. Again, it is called Christ's gospel: 'The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,' 2 Thes. i. 8 ; as the principal sub-revealer, who made known «nto us most fully the mind of God. And then on the apostles, who were instruments chosen and intrusted by Christ to declare it to the world both by word and writing. The scripture is an authentic re- cord, wherein all things are delivered to us both concerning our duties and privileges. Therefore, when he saith our gospel, he doth not mean it of principal revelation, but in regard of dispensation and trust : 1 Tim. i. 11, ' The glorious gospel of the blessed God is committed to my trust.' Therefore this word our gospel is — (1.) A word of fidelity, that argued the conscience to this duty, that owneth the trust com- mitted to him, and that this was his chief work and charge : 1 Cor. ix. 17, ' A dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.' (2.) It is a word of esteem, love, and affection ; what we love we call ours : Rom. xvi. 25, 'Now to him that is able to stablish you according to my gospel.' Paul was glad he had such interest in it as to be a preacher of it ; and believers should be glad they are partakers of the benefit: Eph. i. 13, ' In whom ye trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,' It is theirs and ours. Oh, blessed be God for this ! j(3.) It is a word importing diligence — our gospel ; that which he preached with so much labour and hazard : he followed this work ■close : Acts xx. 24, ' I count not my life dear, that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.' He was willing to die and suffer anything for the gospel's sake. (4.) The consent and harmony between him and the rest of the apostles. Sometimes he calleth it my gospel, to assert his own apostolical authority, as Rom. ii. 16 ; sometimes our gospel, 2 Cor. iv. 3, to note their common consent, who were the authorised messengers of our Lord Jesus Christ, It is our gospel, the same jointly attested by all Christ's chosen messengers.