(6.) This calling bringeth us into such an estate as intituleth us to the peculiar and special protection of God. We are his charge, that .he may guide all things about us for his own glory and our good. This is intimated in the text. When once you believe God's offers, and yield hearty obedience to them, you are a peculiar people. Why ? Because called out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Peter ii. 9. All his creatures are the work of his hands, and under the disposal of his providence; but you have a special propriety and peculiar interest in his love and care, whom he will maintain, and never forsake.
(7.) By this calling you are interested in his kingdom and glory to be had hereafter ; for it is said, 1 Peter iii. 9, ' You are called to inherit a blessing ;' that is, a blessedness, which consists in the clear vision and full fruition of God. Surely they that were naturally under the curse should be more apprehensive of this great privilege.
[3.] It is an act of power : Kom. iv. 17, ' Even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.' God only can work so great a change by his creating power, which spake all things out of nothing. Certainly, he that can do what he will both in heaven and in earth, Ps. cxxxv. 3, can subdue the heart of man when he pleaseth. The will of man, though never so deeply engaged in a course of sin and wickedness, cannot resist it, but yieldeth to it : Ps. ex. 3, ' They shall be a willing people in the day of thy power ;' of graceless they become gracious, of unwilling, willing. And God showeth more power in this than iu his other works, for here is a principle of resistance ; as to break a skittish horse is more than to roll a stone.
292 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXVIII.
2. The ends with respect to man. It is a great mercy, this external, internal, and effectual calling, take it all together.
[1.] It giveth us notice of the remedy provided for us by the pro- pitiation of Christ, and the covenant founded thereupon. Light is come into the world, John iii. 19 — a sure way to direct us to true happi- ness ; without it the world had been a dark dungeon, wherein guilty malefactors are for a while permitted to live.
[2.] This calling bringeth home this grace to us, and layeth it at our doors, and leaves it upon our choice ; if we will accept it, well and good : Acts xiii. 26, ' To you is the word of salvation sent.' What say you to it ? God hath seat a gracious message to you in particular, will you accept or refuse ? And Acts iii. 20; ' And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.' It doth excite us in particular to look after the remedy of our lapsed estate.
[3.] This calling is our warrant, plea, and claim, which giveth us leave to apply these privileges, if we consent to the duties required ; as the apostle saith of an office, so it is true of the dignity of being chris- tians, which is a spiritual priesthood : Heb. v. 4, ' And no man taketh this honour upon himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.' For a man to take or receive to himself honour aud privilege which doth not belong to him, is usurpation, which will succeed ill with him ; but by calling we have God's consent ; or as those, Mat. sx. 7, ' Why stand ye here idle all the day ? No man hath hired us.' Before we can with any tolerable satisfaction to conscience assume such great privileges, we must produce our warrant. It was encouragement to the blind man to come near to Christ, ' Ai'ise, the Master calletli thee,' Mark x. 49. The same hath the trembling sinner : the Master calleth thee, and wilt thou draw back ?
[4.] The internal effectual call giveth us a heart to come to Christ ; for the power of God disposeth us to accept of his offer, and not only encourageth, but inclineth us to come to him, for his calling is sancti- fying and changing the heart : Kom. ix. 25, ' I will call them my people which were not my people ; ' that is, make them to be so.
Use 1. Hearken to this calling.
1. From the benefit. Doth God call thee to thy loss ? or do thee any wrong when he disturbeth thy sleep in sin, and invites thee to partake of the riches of his grace in Christ ? No, he calls thee to the greatest happiness thou art capable of : 2 Thes. ii. 14, ' He hath called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.' God seeketh to advance you to the greatest honour can be put upon mankind ; it is a blessed estate : 1 Peter v. 10, ' He hath called you to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ ; ' that glorious happi- ness for ever.