Ans. Every creature hath a voice to call us. The heavens call to us to behold God's glory, Ps. xix. L ; conscience calls to us ; God's judgments call to us, repent, Mic. vi. 9., " Hear ye the rod." But every voice doth not o«tnvert. There are two means of our effecrtiial call :
L The preaching of the word, which iis the sounding (iod's silver trumpet in men's ears ; God doth not speak by an oracle, he calls by his ministers. Samuel thouglit it had been only the voice of Eli that caUed to him ; but it was God's voice, 1 Sam. iii. 6. So perhaps you think it is only the mi- nister speaks to you in the word, but it is God himself speaks. Therefore Christ is said (now) to speak to us from heaven, Heb. xii. 25. How doth he speak but by
his ministers as a king speaks by his am- bassadors. Know, that in every sermon preached, God calls to you ; and to refuse the message we bring, is to refuse God him- self.
2. The other means of our effectual call, is the Holy Spirit. The luinistry of the word is the pipe or organ ; the Spirit of God blowing in it doth effectually change men's hearts. Acts x. 44., " While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word of God." Ministers knock at the door of men's hearts, the Spirit comes with a key and opens the door, Acts xvi. 6., " A certain Avoman named Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened."
Quest. From what doth God call men ?
Ans. L From sin ; he calls them from their ignorance and unbelief, 1 Pet. i. 14. By nature the understanding is enveloped with darkness. God calls men " from dark- ness to light," Acts xxvi. 18. as if one should be called out of a dungeon to behold the light of the sun.
A. 2. From danger. As the angels called Lot out t)f Sodom when it was ready to rain fire, so God calls his people from the fire and brimstone of hell, and from all those curses they were exposed to.
A. 3. He calls them out of tfie world, as Christ called Matthew from the receipt of custom : John xvii. 16., " They are not of the world." Such as are divinely called are not natives here, but pilgrim.s ; they do not conform to the world, or follow its sinful fashions ; they are not of the world ; though they live here, yet they trade in the hea- venly country ; the world is a ])lace where Satan's throne is. Rev. ii. 13. A stage on which sin every day acts its part. Now such as are called, are in, but not of the world.
Quest. To what God calls men ?
Ans. 1. He calls them to holiness, 1 Thess?. iv. 7., " God hath not called us to unclean- ness, but unto holiness." Holiness is the livery, or silver star, the godly wear, Isa.
EFFECTUAL CALLING.
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Ixiii. 18., Knani kodsheca, — ' Tlie people of iliy lioliuess.' The called of God are a- noiutcd with the consecrating oil of the Spirit, 1 Joliii ii. 20., " Ye have an unction from the Holy One."
A. 2. God calls them to glory, as if a man wore called out of a prison to sit upon a throne, 1 Thess. ii. 12., " Who hath called you to his kingdom and gloiy." Whom God calls, he crowns ; it is a ' weight of glory,' 2 Cor. iv. 17. The Hebrew word for glory, Kauod signifies pondus^ a weiglit ; the \A'eight of glory adds to the worth, the weightier gold is, the more it is worth. And this glory is not transient, but perma- nent,— an eternal weiglit ; it is better felt than expressed.
Quest. What is the cause of the effectual call?
Ans. God's electing love, Rom. viii. 30., " Whom he predestinated, them he also called." Election is the fountain-cause of our vocation ; it is not because some are more worthy to partake of the heavenly calling than others (as the Arminians), we were all in our blood, Ezck. xvi. G. And what worthiness is in us ? What worthiness was there in Mary Magdalene, out of whom seven devils were cast ? What worthiness in the Corinthians, when God began to call them by his gospel ? They were fornica- tors, effeminate, idolaters, 1 Cor. vi. 11., " Such were some of you, but ye are wash- ed," &c. Before effectual calling, we are not only " without strength," Rom. v. 6., but ' enemies,' Col. i. 21. So that the foundation of vocation is election.
Quest. What are the epithets or qualifica- tions of this call ?
Ans. 1. It is a powerful call ; verha Dei sunt opera, Luther. God puts forth infi- nite power in calling home a sinner to him- self; he dotli not only put forth his voice but his arm. The apostle speaks of the ex- ceeding greatness of his power, he exercis- eth towards them that believe, Eph. i. ID. God rides forth conquering in the chariot of his gospel ; he conquers the pride of the heart, and makes the will, which stood out as a fort-royal, to yield and st(top to his gi-ace ; he makes the stony heart bleed ; it