Part 24

Whatever they may think, we are persuaded, the great master of the house is angry with them, for being angry with us without a cause. He therefore now, by his providence, bids us “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind,” or call in the publicans and harlots, the common cursers and swearers, and sabbath-breakers, and adulterers, who, perhaps, never entered a church door, or heard that JESUS CHRIST died for such sinners as they are. We, through grace, have obeyed the command, we have gone out, though exposed to much contempt for so doing, and, blessed be GOD, our labour has not been in vain in the LORD. For many have been made willing in the day of GOD’s power; and, we would speak it with humility, we can go chearfully to our Saviour, and say, “It is done, LORD, as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.” He is therefore pleased, in spite of all opposition from men or devils, to continue, and renew, and enlarge our commission; he hath sent us literally into the highways and hedges; and, I trust, has given us a commission to compel sinners to come: For, could we speak with the tongues of men and angels, yet if the LORD did not attend the word with his power, and sweetly inclined men’s wills to comply with the gospel-call, we should be as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. But this we believe our Saviour will do, for his house must be filled: every soul for whom he has shed his blood, shall finally be saved, “and all that the Father hath given him, shall come unto him, and whosoever cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out.” This comforted our LORD, when his gospel was rejected by the _Jews_. As though he had said, Well, tho’ you despise the offers of my grace, yet I shall not shed my blood in vain; for all that the Father hath given me shall come unto me.