The Holy Arbor, Chapter 6 · Section 5
V.
VOcation is that General Calling whereby a man is called out of the world to be a Childe of God, a Member of Chriſt, and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. This Calling belongs to every one within the compaſs of the Church, not any one excepted: for this General Calling is the Calling of Chriſtianity, which is common to all that live in the Church of God. An effectual Calling, or a Calling to Grace effectually, is, whereby a ſinner being ſevered from the world is entertained into Gods Family, Eph. 2.17, 19. Now though all the Called are Members of Chriſt, yet we muſt know, That of the Members of Chriſt ſome are living, ſome dying: A living Member of Chriſt, is every one Elected, which being ingrafted by Faith and the Spirit into Chriſt, doth feel and ſhew forth the power of Chriſt in him: A dying or decaying Member, is every one truly ingrafted into Chriſt, who hath no feeling of the power and efficacy of the quickning Spirit in him; he is like to a benumm'd Leg without Senſe, which indeed is a part of mans body, and yet receiveth no nouriſhment. They who are effectually called, are onelyonly the Elect; for whom God Electeth, them he calleth in the time appointed for the ſame purpoſe. This Calling of the Elect being nothing elſe but a ſingling and a ſevering of them out of this vile world, and the cuſtoms thereof, 2 Theſſ. 2.13, 14. to be Citizens of the Kingdom of Glory after this life, Eph. 2.19. And this ſevering or chuſing of the Elect out of the world, is then performed, when God by his holy Spirit endueth them with true ſaving Faith, Col. 2.7. Joh. 15.19. This effectual Calling to Chriſt and to his Goſpel, in which the Elect are onelyonly called, is a benefit and effect of our Predeſtination; becauſe it is by the Purpoſe and Grace of God which is given us in Chriſt, 2 Tim. 1.9. Rom. 8.30. it is not Univerſal to all, for Chriſt is Hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. therefore effectual Vocation is definite and particular; and thoſe onelyonly whom God had before predeſtinate, them he called, Rom. 30. So many as were ordained to life everlaſting, believed, Acts 13.48. that is, were called unto the faith. It is not given to all to underſtand the myſteries of the kingdom, Mat. 13.11. Theſe things are hid from moſt of the wiſe of the world, and revealed unto Babes, Mat. 11.25. All therefore are not called effectually.
The Calling of God is threefold; viz.
1. Gods general Calling, whereby he calleth all men to Repentance by the Goſpel, and ſo to life Eternal, Rom. 8.30. & 11.29.
2. His particular Calling, when he calleth and aſſigneth men to ſome particular eſtate and duty, in Family, Church, or Commonwealth.
3. God calleth ſome men to ſome private perſonal Duty, which he deſigneth not to others, but to be done by them alone. Such a Calling had he aſſigned him that would needs be perfect, Go, ſell all that thou haſt, &c. And to Abraham, when he called him to leave his Countrey, his Kindred, his Lands and Poſſeſſions, &c. Heb. 11.8.
For the better conceiving of the Nature of Effectual Vocation, conſider theſe 6 Points; viz.
1. The Ground and Foundation of it, namely, Gods eternal free Election of us unto life Everlaſting, 2 Tim. 1.9.
2. The means thereof, both Preparing & Inſtrumental:
1. The Reading of the Scripture, ſerving to beget a general Hiſtorical Faith.
2. Afflictions in Body, Goods, Name. Friends or otherwiſe, tending to humble a man, and prepare his heart as ſoft ground.
3. The denouncing of Gods Judgements, and Threats of the Law.
4. The Preaching of the glad Tidings of the Goſpel, which is the moſt principal and effectual means of this ſpecial and effectual Vocation, 2 Theſſ. 2.14.
3. The Perſons that are called, thoſe are mentioned Rom. 30. namely, thoſe whom he had before predeſtinated.
4. The Time of this Calling. The particular time of any mans Calling is not revealed, but laid up in the Secret Counſel of God, in whoſe hands Times and Seaſons are; ſome at the Sixth hour, ſome at the Ninth, and others at the Eleventh, &c. Defer not therefore, but accept the Acceptable time.
5. Wherein this effectual Calling doth conſiſt, viz. both in the outward and inward Calling; eſpecially in the inward, when the heart is pierced, Pſal. 40.6. from ſtone, changed into a heart of fleſh, made tractable and plyable, Ezek 11.19. a heart like that of Lydia's, Acts 16.15.
6. The Excellency of this Calling, being a great work, as was the Creation of man at firſt, Rom. 4.18. 2 Cor. 4.6. yea, this effectual Calling goes beyond the work of our Creation: for here a man is taken out of the firſt Adam and ſet into the ſecond; in the Creation God onelyonly called things that were not, as though they were; but here God calls not onelyonly things that are not, but things that would not, and refuſe to be. To raiſe a man out of the Blood of Chriſt, is more then to raiſe Eve out of Adams ſide; to raiſe a dead Soul from the death of Sin, far more glorious and powerful then to raiſe a dead body from bodily death; to raiſe a man to ſupernatural life, far greater then to a Natural onelyonly.
The means whereby God executeth this effectual Calling; viz.
1. The Saving Hearing of the Word of God; that is, when the Word preached comes ſavingly to one dead in his ſins, and does not ſo much as dream of his Salvation, Ezek. 16.6. Iſa. 55.1. John 1.12. Rom. 7.7. 1 Joh. 2.27. Acts 16.14. Pſal. 40.6.
2. The Mollifying of the Heart, which muſt be bruiſed in pieces, that it may be fit to receive Gods Saving Grace offered unto it, Ezek. 11.19. The heart is mollified by the Spirit of God, and bruiſed by the knowledge of the Law, of Sin, and the Puniſhment due for Sin, by a feeling of the Wrath of God for the ſame ſins, and by a holy deſperation of a mans own power in the obtaining of eternal life, Acts 2.37.
3. Faith, which is a miraculous and ſupernatural Faculty of the heart, apprehending Chriſt being applied by the operation of the Holy Ghoſt, and receiving him to it ſelf, Joh. 1.12.
The main duty of a Chriſtian Calling are moſt chiefly theſe:
1. Invocation of the Name of God in Chriſt, Acts 9.14. 1 Cor. 1.2.
2. As much as poſſible we can, to further the good eſtate of the true Church of God, Pſal. 122.6.
3. That every one become a Servant to his Brother in all the duties of Love, 1 Cor. 9.19. Gal. 5.13.
4. To walk worthy that Calling whereto God hath called us, Eph. 4.1.
The uſe we are to make of Gods Calling; viz.
1. Seeing we are called of God himſelf in the Miniſtery of the Word, we muſt labor to joyn the inward Calling with it, which is higher then that, by having firſt a grief becauſe we cannot believe; next a ready minde; then an endeavor to believe; and laſtly a ſorrow becauſe we believe no more, and fail ſo much in the Service of God.
2. We muſt walk worthy of our Calling, being holy in our converſation, as he that hath called us is holy; and there muſt be the ſame end of our lives which is of Gods Calling, that is, to bring us to Heaven. The end of our being in the world, is to be called out of the world.