him from death; when by those evil spirits he was hurled hither and thither; and it was by the virtue of "shall come" that at last he was set at liberty from them, and enabled indeed to come to Christ. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me."

Object. 3. They shall (you say); but how if they will not; and if So, then what can "shall come" do."

Answ. True, there are some men say, "We are lords; we will come no more unto thee." Jer. ii. 31. But as God says in another case, "They shall know whose words shall stand, mine or theirs." Jer. xliv. 28. Here then is the case, we must now see who will be the liar; he that saith, 'I will not,' or he that saith, 'He shall come to me.' 'You shall come,' says God; 'I will not come,' saith the sinner. Now as sure as he is concerned in this "shall come," God will make that man eat his own words; for "I will not," is the unadvised conclusion of a crazy-headed sinner; but "shall come" was spoken by him that is of power to perform his word. "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard," said the Father: But he answered, and said, "I will not." now? Will he be able to stand to his refusal? pursue his desperate denial? No, "he afterwards repented and went." But how came he by that repentance? Why, it was wrapped up for him in the absolute promise; and therefore notwithstanding he said, "I will not," he afterwards repented and went. By this parable Jesus Christ sets forth the obstinacy of the sinners of the world, as touching their coming to him; they will not come, though threatened; yea, though life be offered them upon condition of coming.

What

Will he

But now, when "shall come," the absolute promise of God, comes to be fulfilled upon them, then they come; because by that promise, a cure is provided against the rebellion of their will. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Psalm ex. 3. "Thy people"-what people?

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'Why, the people that the Father hath given thee. The obstinacy and plague that is in the will of that people, shall be taken away. And they shall be made willing; "shall come" will make them willing to come to thee.'

He that had seen Paul in the midst of his outrages against Christ, his gospel, and people, would hardly have thought that he would ever have been a follower of Jesus Christ, especially since he went not against his conscience in persecuting them. He thought verily that he ought to do what he did. But we may see what "shall come" can do, when it comes to be fulfilled upon the soul of a rebellious sinner. He was a chosen vessel, given by the Father to the Son. And now the time being come that "shall come" was to take him in hand, behold he is over-mastered, astonished, and with trembling and reverence, in a moment becomes willing to be obedient to the heavenly call. Acts ix.

And were not they far gone (that you read of, Acts ii.) who had their hands and hearts in the murder of the Son of God and to show their resolvedness never to repent of that horrid fact, said, "His blood be on us and on our children !" But must their obstinacy rule? Must they be bound to their own ruin, by the rebellion of their stubborn wills? No, not those of them the Father gave to Christ. Wherefore, at the time appointed, "shall come" breaks in among them; the absolute promise takes them in hand; and then they come indeed, crying out to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" No stubbornness of men's will can stand, when God hath absolutely said the contrary; "shall come" can make them that had afore resolved never to come, come to him as doves to their windows.

The Lord spake unto Manasseh, and to his people, by the prophets. But would he hear? No, he would not. But shall Manasseh come off thus?

No, he shall not. There

fore, he being also one of those whom the Father had given

to the Son, and so falling within the bounds and reach of "shall come," at last "shall come" takes him in hand, and then he comes indeed. He comes bowing and bending; "he humbled himself greatly, and made supplication to the Lord, and prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and had mercy upon him." 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12.

The thief upon the cross, at first, did rail with his fellow upon Jesus Christ; but he was one that the Father had given to him, and therefore, "shall come" must handle him and his rebellious will. And behold, so soon as he is dealt withal, by virtue of that absolute promise, how soon he yields, leaves his railing, and falls to supplicating the Son of God for mercy. "Lord," saith he, "Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Matt. xxvii. 44; Luke xxiii. 39-43.

Object. 4. They shall come, say you, but how if they be blind, and see not the way? for some are kept off from Christ, not only by the obstinacy of their will, but by the blindness of their mind. Now, if they be blind, how shall they come?'

Answ. The question is not, Are they blind? But are they within the reach and power of "shall come." If so, that Christ that said, "they shall come," will find them eyes, or a guide, or both to bring them to himself. "Must, is for the king." If they shall come, they shall come. impediment shall hinder.

No

The darkness of the Thessalonians did not hinder them from becoming the children of light. "I am come," saith Christ, "that they that see not might see." And if he saith, "See ye the blind that have eyes;" who shall hinder it? Eph. v. 8; John ix. 39; Isa. xxix. 18; xliii. 8.

This promise therefore is, as I said, a pregnant promise, having in the bowels of it, all things that shall occur to the complete fulfilling of itself, they "shall come." But it is objected, that they are blind. Well, "shall come" is still

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the same, and Christ continueth to say, they "shall come to me." Therefore he saith again, "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not. I will lead them in paths that they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Isa. xlii. 16. Mark, 'I will bring them, though they be blind; I will bring them by a way they know not: I will, I will; and therefore they "shall come to me.'

Object. 5. 'But how, if they have exceeded many in sin, and so made themselves, far more abominable? They are the ring-leading sinners in the country, the town, or family.'

Answ. What then? Shall that hinder the execution of "shall come?" It is not transgressions, nor sins, nor all their transgressions in all their sins (if they by the Father are given to Christ to save them) that shall hinder this promise, that it should not be fulfilled upon them, "In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found." Jer. 1. 20. Not that they had none (for they abounded in transgression, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 9; Ezek. xvi. 48), but God would pardon, cover, hide, and put them away, by virtue of his absolute promise, by which they are given to Christ to save them. "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I procure in it." Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9.

Object. 6. But how if they have not faith and repentance? How shall they come then?'

Answ. Why, he that saith, they "shall come," shall he

not make it good? If they shall come, they shall come; and since he hath said, they "shall come," if faith and repentance, be the way to come, as indeed they are, then faith and repentance shall be given to them: for this "shall come" must be fulfilled on them.

1. Faith shall be given them. "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." Zeph. iii. 12. "There shall be a root out of Jesse, and he shall rise to reign over

the Gentiles; and in him shall the Gentiles trust." Rom. xv. 12.

2. They shall have repentance. "He is exalted to give repentance." Acts v. 30. "They shall come weeping, and seeking the Lord their God." And again, "with weeping and supplication will I lead them." Jer. xxxi. 9.

I told you before, that an absolute promise hath all conditional ones in the bosom of it, and also provision to answer all those qualifications, that they propound to him that seeketh for their benefit. And it must be so; for if "shall come" be an absolute promise, as indeed it is, then it must be fulfilled, upon every one of those concerned therein. I say, it must be fulfilled, if God can by grace, and his absolute will, fulfil it. Besides, since coming and believing are all one (according to John vi. 35, "He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst"), so, when he saith, they "shall come," it is as much as to say, they shall believe, and consequently repent to the saving of the soul. So then the present want of faith and repentance cannot make the promise of God of none effect; because this promise hath in it to give what others call for and expect. 'I will give them a heart, I will give them my Spirit, I will give them repentance, I will give them

faith.'

Mark these words: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." But how came he to be a "new creature,"