V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone, in the state of glory only.

CHAPTER X.

OF EFFECTUAL CALLING.

I. ALL those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,a by his Word and Spirit, out

V. 'Eph. iv. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. 1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I. a John xv. 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Acts xiii. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Rom. viii. 28, 30. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Rom. xi. 7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Eph. i. 5, 10. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.-That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. 1 Thess. v. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. iii. 3, 6. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.--Who also hath made us able min

of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God; d taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good; and effectually drawing them to Jesus

isters of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. James i. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 1 Cor. ii. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Rom. viii. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 2 Tim. i. 9, 10. Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. See Eph. ii. 1-10.

d Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 1 Cor. ii. 10, 12. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.-Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Eph. i. 17, 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 2 Cor. iv. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

• Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

Ezek. xi. 19. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. Deut. xxx. 6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. See Ezek. xxxvi. 27. John iii. 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Gal. vi. 15. For in Christ Jesus

Christ, yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.h

II. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.'

neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. 1 Pet. i. 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

John vi. 44, 45. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.-Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

h Psa. cx. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Matt. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Rev. xxii. 17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of

life freely.

II. 12 Tim. i. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Tit. iii. 4, 5. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Rom. ix. 11. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.

*1 Cor. ii. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Rom. viii. 7-9. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ; (by grace ye are saved.)

'John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and

*

III.*Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit," who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth." So also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.o

IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common

him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Ezek. xxxvi. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. John v. 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

III. m Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Psa. Cv. 8-10. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. Ezek. xvi. 20, 21. Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? Luke xviii. 15, 16. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Acts ii. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Gal. iii. 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. See Acts xvi. 15, 31-33; 1 Cor. i. 16; John iii. 6.

" John iii. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

• John xvi. 7, 8. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when le is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. 1 John v. 12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Acts iv. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

IV. P Matt. xiii. 14, 15. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and * See Declaratory Statement, p. 138b.

operations of the Spirit, 9 yet they never truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:" much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess; and to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious, and to be detested.t

their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Acts xxviii. 24. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. Matt. xxii. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen.

9 Matt. xiii. 20, 21. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Matt. vii. 22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Heb. vi. 4, 5. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.

John vi. 61-66. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. John viii. 24. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Acts iv. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. John xiv. 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the ruth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. John xvii. 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Eph. ii. 12, 13. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise. having no hope, and without God in the world: But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

#2 John 10, 11. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. Gal. i. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach