§ 1. Scriptural Usage of the Word.
The Scriptures clearly teach that the several persons of the adorable Trinity sustain an economical relation to the work of man's redemption. To the Father is referred the plan itself, the selection of its objects, and the mission of the Son to carry the gracious purpose into effect. To the Son, the accomplishment of all that is requisite to render the salvation of sinful men consistent M'ith the perfections and law of God, and to secure the final re- demption of those given to Him by the Father. The special work of the Spirit is the application of the redemption purchased by Christ. Such is the condition of men since the fall, tliat if left to themselves they would continue in their rebellion and refuse the offers of reconciliation with God. Christ then had died in vain. To secure the accomplishment of the promise that He should " see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied," the Holy Spirit so oper- ates on the chosen people of God, that they are brought to repent- ance and faith, and thus made heii's of eternal life, through Jesus Christ their Lord.
This work of the Spirit is in the Scriptures called Vocation. It is one of the many excellences of the Reformed Theology that it retains, as far as possible, Scriptural terms for Scriptural doctrines. It is proper that this should be done. Words and thoughts are so intimately related that to change the former, is to modify, more or less seriously, the latter. And as the words of Scripture are the words of the Spirit, it is becoming and important that they should be retained.
The act of the Spirit by which men are brought into saving union with Christ, is expressed by the word /cA-T^o-t?, vocation. As in Hebrews iii. 1, " Partakers of the heavenly calling." Ei)hesians i. 18, " Hope of his calling." Ephesians iv. 1, " Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." Ephesians iv. 4, " In one hope of your calling." 2 Timothy i. 9, " Hath .... called U3 with an holy calling." 2 Peter i. 10, " Make your calling and elec-
640 PART m. ch. XIV. — vocation.
tion sure," etc., etc. The verb used to express this act of the Spirit is KaXuv, to call. Romans viii. 30 : " Whom he did predes- tinate, them he also called : and, whom he called, them he also justified." Also Romans ix. 11 and 24. 1 Corinthians i. 9: "By whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son." Verse 26 : " Ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." Gala- tians i. 6 : " Him that called you," Verse 15, " It pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace." 1 Thessalonians ii. 12, " Who hath called you \into his kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians v. 24, " Faithful is he that calleth you." 2 Thessalonians ii. 14, " Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Peter ii. 9, " Who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." 1 Peter v. 10, " Who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus." 2 Peter i. 3, " Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
Those who are the subjects of this saving influence of the Spirit, are designated " the called." Romans i. 6, " The called of Jesus Christ." Romans viii. 28, " To them who are the called accord- ing to his purpose." To one class of the hearers of the gospel, the Apostle says (1 Cor. i. 24), Christ is a stumbling-block, and to another foolishness, " but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." Jude addresses his epistle to the " preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." " The called," and " the elect," ol kXtjtoi and ot eK-/\eKrot, are convertible terms. Revelation xvii. 14, " The Lamb .... is the Lord of lords, and King of kings : and they that are with him are called, and chosen (KXryrol, koL e/cAeKTol), and faithful." So in 1 Corinthians i. 26, 27, Paul says, " Not many wise .... are called : but God hath chosen the foolish .... to confound the wise." In Hebrews ix. 15, it is said that Christ " is the medi- ator of the New Testament, that .... they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."
Such then is the established usage of Sci'ipture. It is by a di- vine call, that sinners are made partakers of the benefits of redemp- tion. And the influence of the Spirit by which they are trans- lated fi^om the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, is a vocation, or effectual calling. The ground of this usage is to be found in the Scriptural idea of God and of his rela- tion to the world. He speaks and it is done. He said. Let there be light, and light was. He calls the things that are not, and they