Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of Effectual Vocation.
OUr union with Christ by the Spirit is wrought in our Effectuall Calling.See Mr Pembles Vindiciae Gratiae, pag. 42, 43. Vocatio alta & secreta. Aug. Efficax vocatio, Rom. 8. 30. Solenne vobis est profitert facultatem credendi & resipiscendi ex mera Dei gratia dari. Sic olim Epicurus verbis Deos posuit, resustulit…ed & Pelagius post Ecclesioe censuras, professus est Dei gratiam; quo artificio propemodum imposuerat Augustine, adeò ut ipse Augustinus professus fit se gavisum esse quod dogmata ejus aut recta essent, aut correcta. Quibus tamen diligenter expensis advertit tandem haec ab eo ita disserta esse, tantum, ut frangeret invidiam, affectiones que declinaret. Nam sola suafione & hortatione gratiam Dei circumscripsit. Twis. contra Corvin. c. 9. Sect. 7. Vide plura ibid.
This is the first work which God works upon the soul, it is Temporalis Electio, 1 John 5. 19. it is the act of God the Father, Ioh. 6. 44, 45. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Ephes. 1. 17, 19. He hath called us with an holy Calling.
It is the act of Gods free grace and almighty power, whereby souls are gathered out of the world into the kingdom of Christ to be made one with him, and holy and happy by him.
It is an act
1. Of Gods free grace, called according to Gods free purpose, Rom. 8. 28. See 30, 31. verses.
2. Of his almighty power, a moral perswasion will not do it, Ephes. 1. 19. Ioh. 6.Isa. 53. 1. Trahit Deus & volentes. 44. This grace works powerfully, therefore God is said to draw, yet sweetly and secretly, therefore man is said to come. This power of God is put forth on the understanding by enlightening it, Ier. 37. 33. Iohn 6. 45. it apprehends the guilt of sin, the horror of Gods wrath, sweetnesse of Communion with him. 2. On the will, effectually inclining it, Ier. 31. 33. Psal. 110. 3. to embrace and follow thosePraebet vires efficacissimas voluntati. The Arminians say, Effectual Calling is nothing but holding out an object, and using arguments Those are special places against them, Rom. 9. 15, 16. Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 3. In praeparationibus tam regenerationi quàm generationi propriis, agnosco successionem; at ipsam regenerationem instantaneam esse judicant Theologi, sicut & generationem instantaneam esse tradunt Philosophi. Twis. contra Corv. Tam essicax, tam potens Dei operatio optimo jure dici potest irresistibilis, si terminum barbarum nuper malis avibus excogitatum liceat aut lubeat usurpare, & irresistibilis quidem est, 1. Ex parte gratiae Rom. 9. 19. Luc. 2. 15. Act. 11 17. 2. Ex parte voluntatis, Jon. 6. 37. Acta Synod. Dord. Art. 13. propos. 3. Nos per vim, suavissimam Dei motionem atque in voluntatem humanam influentiam designamus; quam irresistibilem esse dicimus, non tam respectu voluntatis conversae (neque enim illa omnino vult resistere, dum eam omnipotenti facilitate uti loquitur Augustinus convertit Deus & ex nolenti volentem sacit) quàm respectu Diaboli, qui gratiae Dei resistere vel maximè cupit, ne scilicet miserae hominum animae laqueis ipsius quibus implicatae tenentur exercentur. Hortationi unumquemque resistere posse dicimus, sed regenerationi suae hominem non magis resistere posse dicimus, quàm potest cadaver Deo resistere si modò libitum fuerit Deo ipsum resuscitare. Twis. contra Corvinum cap. 8. object. 16. N…hil in hac tota causa, quod adversariis est magis in ore, quàm conversionis gratiam esse resistibilem. Rescriptio Ames. ad responsum Grevinch c. 8. Vox ista irresistibilis à nostris usurpatur duntaxat ad operationem graetiae explicandam in oppositione positam sententiae ipsorum qui volunt gratiam Dei in operatione sua pendere ex nutu voluntatis nostrae, & libero hominis arbitrio subjici. Interea minimè negamus libere credere, libere resipiscere, libere bonum opus quodcunque operari, quotquot per Dei gratiam credunt, resipiscunt, quodlibet bouum opus operantur. Twis. contr. Corv. c. 6. Digress. 2. Vide illum ibid. Sect. 1. Aphoris. 10. & Acta Synod. Dordrecht. exam. Act. 4. glorious objects the understanding represents.
3. Whereby souls are gathered out of the world into the Kingdom of Christ. All mankinde are brought into two ranks, either they are men of the world, or called out of it, Iohn 15. 19. The Elect themselves while they are in their natural condition are men of the world, Ephes. 3. 5. Fiunt non nascuntur Christiani. Col. 1. 13. The Scripture expresly witnesseth that God works in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2. 13. That Faith and Repentance are the gift of God, Ephes. 2. 8. 2 Tim. 2. ult.
4. The end of Vocation is to be made one with Christ, Iohn 16. 44. and holy and happy by him, 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Thes. 4. Rom. 8. 30. Regeneration (saith Dr Twisse) is to be preferred before salvation, the one a translation from the state of nature into the state of grace, the other is only a translation from the state of grace into the state of glory. By the one we are made the sons of God, by the other we only obtain the inheritance of the sons of God.
First, The Causes of Vocation:
1. The principal efficient cause is the holy Ghost; man is not the authour of his own conversion.
2. Instrumental, the Ministery of the Word.
Secondly, The Subjects or Persons on whom it is wrought, all the elect, Ioh. 10, Other sheep have I that shall hear my voice.
Thirdly, The manner how this Vocation is wrought.
The Spirit of God works after such a mighty manner that it is irresistible (though the word be grounded on Acts 7. 51. yet some dislike it) but the Lord brings them not in violently against their wils, he takes away prevailing obstinacy. He never made any creature too hard for himself. He cals them once for all. There is more in it then a moral swasion, Iohn 6. 44. a real efficacy. God circumciseth our hearts, quickens us, raiseth us from the dead, gives a new heart.
Fourthly, The parts of this work of Vocation wherein it stands, In two things,Vocationis partes duae sunt: oblatio Christi, & ejusdem receptio, Joh. 1. 11 Ames. Medul. Theol lib. 1. cap. 26. Vocatio externa nihil aliud est praeter suasionem aut hortationem ad credendum nomine Dei mandantis ut credamus medò salvi esse velimus. Vocatio interna est ipsius sidei sive conversionis nostrae ad Deum effectio. Twis. contra Corvin. c. 4. Sect. 1. Vide plura ibid.
1. The Lord makes a gracious offer of Christ to the soul.
2. The soul accepts of Christ when and as he is tendred.
Christ is offered in the Gospel,
First, Externally, Matth. 20. 16. This is a Declaration or Publication of the great goodnesse of God to a poor lost sinner, willing to be reconciled to him in Christ.
It stands in four particulars:
1. God hath sent his Son Christ, who by his own obedience hath paid a sufficient ransom for the most miserable wretches.
2. God is willing to make this good to all poor sinners who will take him on the terms he is offered.
3. The terms on which Christ is offered in the Gospel are most free, and nothing required but only freely to receive him.
4. Because the humble and broken sinner is most ready to be discouraged,This distinction of calling into outward and inward, is opposed by Mr. Plaifore in his Apello Evangelium, c. 7. We should try whether God hath called us not only with an external call by way of proposal and command, but by an internal influence of his Spirit, he hath then conveyed a quickning principle into us, then the soul will be enabled to give up it self to God, to choose him for its portion. therefore he declares that those which are vilest in their own eyes are most welcome to him.
Secondly, Internally, Rom. 8. 30. which is the work only of the Spirit of God, Act. 10. 44.
Marks of an effectual Calling:
First, God breaks the heart by some preparatory conviction to make the soul fit to receive the grace of God, the proper Call is by the Gospel, 1 Thess. 2. 14. but the previous work of the Law is conviction of sinne, and the evil of it, Hos. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 1. See Iohn 16. 8. This conviction hath not the like effects in all, in some anxiousnesse, in others horror, all see themselves in a wretched condition.
The second note may be taken from the instrument or means of conversion, 2 Thess. 2. 14. most usually it is by the Word preacht, though it may not work always in the time of hearing, Cant. 5. 3, 6. Mat. 26. 8. Ioh. 10. 3.
Thirdly, When the heart is over-powred and prevailed with to obey the Call, when we answer his Call, Iohn 20. 16. Gods Call is the offer of grace, our answer is the receiving of it, Iohn 12. 3. Ier. 22. the direct answer to a Call is the consent and full purpose of heart to take Christ upon his own terms.
Fourthly, The disposition of the soul in making this return, and in answering this Call of God, godly sorrow, Ier. 31. 18. holy wonders, 1 Pet. 2. 9. free resolution and confidence, come what will come they will obey God, Luke 5. 5.
Fifthly, The fruits and effects of a Call, it infers a change from the former state in heart, the whole heart; it now finds comfort and satisfaction in God, and hates sin, Hos. 4. 8. Ephes. 4. 12.
I know there is little difference between effectual Calling, Conversion, and Regeneration, yet because some of our Divines handle the work of Grace under the notion of Conversion and effectual Calling too, I shall speak of Conversion in the next place.