Quest. But, what is it to obey the gospel ?
Ans. To obey the gospel is to entertain the offers of it ; for indeed though the gospel command us to believe in the Son of God, yet withal it offers the very command unto us ; to believe in Christ, being in effect a command to receive him, which supposeth an act of giving and tendering something to us. Now when we do not receive and entertain with our whole heart Christ and his benefits, freely ofi'ered, we disobey the gospel, and so pro- cm'e danger to ourselves.
But more particular^, he obeys the gospel that is sensible of his own miserable and. sinful condition, and from a sense thereof hungereth after the grace and favour offered in Jesus Christ to pardon sin, which when he hath once obtained, [he] walks answerable to that great mercy received. He that receives v^hole Christ to justify him, and sanctify him too ; that re- ceives Christ as a king to rule him as well as a priest to save him, such a one receives the gospel. But those that are not sensible of their misery, or if they be, will not go to Christ, but, as desperate persons, fling away the potion that should cure them, these are far from obeying the gospel of God. Such likewise as pretend. Oh, Christ is welcome with the pardon of sin, but yet live in gross wickedness, against knowledge and conscience, and suffer him not to bear sway in their hearts, as if Christ came by blood alone, and not by water ; whereas indeed he came as well by water to sanc- tify us, as by blood to die for us.
Many there are that think they obey the gospel, who are indeed very rebels and enemies unto it. They welcome the gospel, and they hate popery, &c., but notwithstanding they will be their own rulers, and live as they list ; they will not deny themselves in their beloved sins ; they are full of revenge, notwithstanding the gospel saith, ' This is my commandment, that you love one another,' John xv. 12. That ' bids them deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly,' Titus ii, 12 ; yet they will riot, and follow their base courses still. The gospel teacheth a man to acknowledge God in
OOB THE UNGODLY S MISERY.
. all his ways, to deal with God in all things he goes about. Now, when a man hves without God in the world, saying, God is merciful, and Christ is a Saviour, and yet persists in those waj's which seem good in his own eyes, never looking to God to guide him, or his law to rule him, how can such a one be said to obey the gospel ?
That u-orks have no place in the act of justification. But some others there are amongst us, that regard not Christ and his satisfaction alone, but join faith and works together in justification ; they will have other priests, and other intercessors than Christ. Alas ! beloved, how are these men fallen from Christ to another gospel, as if Christ were not an all-sufficient Saviour, and able to deliver to the uttermost ! What is the gospel but salvation and redemption by Christ alone ? Gal. ii. 16.
Therefore Rome's church is an apostate church, and may well be styled an adulteress and a whore, because she is fallen fi-om her husband Christ Jesus.
And what may we think of those that would bring light and darkness, Christ and antichrist, the ark and Dagon together ; that would reconcile us, as if it were no such great matter! Beloved, they that join works with Christ in matter of justification, err in the foundation. The veiy life and soul of religion consists in this. What was the reason the Jews stumbled at this stumblingblock, and were never benefited by Christ ? Why ? They set up a righteousness of their own, which could not stand, but soon failed them. So when a man sets up a righteousness of his own, neglecting the righteousness of Christ, it is impossible he should ever be saved, living and dying in that error, Philip, iii. 10.
Why disobedience against the f/osj^el is so great a sin. Therefore, I beseech you, take heed of disobeying the gospel of Jesus Christ in any kind what- soever, for of all sins this is the greatest, as shall appear by these reasons.
Reason 1. First, because sins against the gospel are sins against those at- tributes, uherein God uill glorify himself most, as his gi'ace, mercy, loving- kindness, &c. Therefore the gospel is called gi'ace, because it publisheth, offers, and applies gi'ace. Now sins against mercy are greater than sins against justice ; for God hath made all things for the glory of his mercy. Even among men, are not sins against favoiu's the gi'eatest sins ? To wrong a man whether he deserves well or ill is an offence. But what man will have his courtesies rejected, though never so mean ? Love deserves love ; favour deserves respect again. But now when we obey not the gospel, we neglect and despise the goodness and mercy of God. Oh what excellent blessings doth the gospel reveal, if we had hearts to value them ! Doth not the gospel bring salvation ! Is it not the word of grace, the word of life, the word of the kingdom ? Beloved, I beseech you, lay these things to heart, for whensoever you refuse the gospel of Christ, you refuse with it the word of grace, of the kingdom of heaven, and eternal life, and all. Therefore the sins of the gospel must needs be the gi'eatest sins.