(II.) Two questions arise as to^e divine cdB to men, (1.) Why do not all who receive it embrace it ? and (2) Why have not all mankind even yet had the mvitation ? In view of these questions, the old Lu- theran divines speak of the vocaiio ordinaria directa (the ordmary direct call) as being, 1. Seria, i. e. really meant as a call on God's part, as he desires and in- tends the salvation of alL This is opposed to the Cal- Tinifitae view, which maintains that only such as are predestmed to salvation are really called. 2. Efficax^ or better Sufidau^ i. e. always adequate to the conver- iion, not only of those who heed the call, but of those who disregard it ; and therefore, 8. HesUtUnlis, resisti- ble, snd not compulsory (Quenstedt, Theol, Did. iU) ; and also, 4. Unh^foStj universal. God called all the 'hinnan race (1.) in the promise of Christ to bruise the •erpent's head (Gen. iii, 15), given to the race through oar first parents ; (2.) in Noah, the preacher of right- eoQsnees, a call to all Aif descendants (Gen. ix, 9 ; 2 Pet ii, 5) ; (8.) in the Gospel commission (Matt, xxviii, 19; Mark xvi, 15 ; oomp. Rom. x, 18 ; Col. i, 6 ; Acts zrii, 80). The commission extended to " all the worid," and its execution is declared to have been ac- comptished in Acts xvii, 80 ; Rom. x, 18 ; Col. i, 6, 28. The question whether even America was reached by the fint preaching of Christianity is treated by Moe- biiis in bis essay entitled An ab ApodolU Evanffdium etiam A mericamsJiierU A nmmciatttm. And where the arotfroXi^ did not go, the IwtffroXii did. As to the fiilore of men to receive and obey the divine call, it b not God's fiuilt, but their own. He * ' calls," but they ** will" not. In general, it may be assumed that wher- ever the Church of God is set up, men receive the di- Tine call, and their responsibility is proportional to the degree of light which shines upon them (Matt, xi, 20- 24; xxHi, 37 ; Luke xii, 47, 48). The same principk applies to the case of heathen. Here also lies the doty of the Church to send missions to the heathen.
(III.) The Calvinistic doctrine of effectual oaUing is tiiiis set forth in the WetUnintter Confession :
" 1. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and ac- cepted time, effectnally to call, by his Word and Spirit, oat of that state of sin and death in which they are by natore, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ ; en- iightenmg their minds spiritually and savingly to un- derstand the things of God ; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh ; renew- ing their wil^ and by his Ahnighty power detemMng Am to that which is pood; and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ, yet so as they come most freely, Wng made willing by his grace.
'*2. This effectual call is of God's free and special gnee alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man,
who is altogether passive therehi, until, being quick- ened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.
** 8. 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 out- wardly called by the ministry of the Word.
* * 4. Others not elected, although they may be caUed by the ministry of the Word, and may have some com- mon operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved ; much Jess can men not professing ihe Christian religion be saved m ang other mcmner whatsoever^ he theg ever so diligent to frame thdr lives according to the Ught ofnatwre^ and the law of that religion they do profess ; and to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious, and to be detested."
The scriptural arguments for and against the doc- trine are thus stated by Watson :
1. According to the Calvinistic view, ** in the gold- en chain of spiritual blessings which the apostle enu- merates in Rom. viii, 80, originating in the divine pre- destination, and terminating in the bestowment of eternal glory on the heirs of salvation, that of calling forms an important link. * Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he call- ed, them be also glorified.' Hence we read of *the called according to his purpose,* Rom. viii, 28. There is indeed a universal call of the Gospel to all men ; for wherever it comes it is the voice .of God to those who hear it, calling them to repent and believe the divine testimony unto the salvation of their souls; and it leaves them inexcusable in rejecting it (John iii, 14- 19) ; but this universal call is not inseparably connect* ed with salvation ; for it is in reference to it that Christ says, *Many are called, but few are chosen' (Matt. xxii, 14). But the Scripture also speaks of a calling which is eflfectual, and which consequentiy is more than the outward ministry of the Word ; yea, more than some of- its partial and temporary effiscts upon many who hear it, fbr it is always ascribed to God's making his word effectual through the enlightening and sanc- tifying influences of his Holy Spirit Thus it is said, *Paul may plant, and ApoUos water, but God giveth the increase' (1 Cor. iii, 6, 7). Again, He is said to • have ^ opened the heart of Lydia, tibat she attended to the doctrine of Paul' (Acts xvi, 14). * No man can come unto Christ, except the Father draw him' (John vi, 44). Hence faith is said to be the gift of God (Eph. ii, 8; Phil, i, 29). The Spirit takes of the things of Christ and shows them to men (John xvi, 14), and thus opens their eyes, turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God (Acts xxvi, 18). And so God saves his people, not by works of righteousness which they have done, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and re- newing of the Holy Spirit (Titus ill, 5). Thus they are saved, and called with a holy calling, not accord- ing to their works, but according to the divine purpose and grace which was given them in Christ Jesus be- fore the world began (2 Tim. i, 9).