‘Them he also called.’ Rom 8:80.
Q-xxxi: WHAT IS EFFECTUAL CALLING?
A: It is a gracious work of the Spirit, whereby he causes us to embrace Christ freely, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
In this verse is the golden chain of salvation, made up of four links, of which one is vocation. ‘Them he also called.’ Calling is nova creatio, ‘a new creation,’ the first resurrection. There is a two-fold call: (1.) An outward call: (2.) An inward call.
(1.) An outward call, which is God’s offer of grace to sinners, inviting them to come and accept of Christ and salvation. ‘Many are called, but few chosen.’ Matt 20:16. This call shows men what they ought to do in order to salvation, and renders them inexcusable in case of disobedience.
(2.) There is an inward call, when God with the offer of grace works grace. By this call the heart is renewed, and the will is effectually drawn to embrace Christ. The outward call brings men to a profession of Christ, the inward to a possession of Christ.
What are the means of this effectual call?
Every creature has a voice to call us. The heavens call to us to behold God’s glory. Psalm 19:9: Conscience calls to us. God’s judgements call us to repent. ‘Hear ye the rod.’ Mic 6:6. But every voice does not convert. There are two means of our effectual call:
(1.) The ‘preaching of the word,’ which is the sounding of God’s silver trumpet in men’s ears. God speaks not by an oracle, he calls by his ministers. Samuel thought it had been the voice of Eli only that called him; but it was God’s voice. I Sam 3:3. So, perhaps, you think it is only the minister that speaks to you in the word, but it is God himself who speaks. Therefore Christ is said to speak to us from heaven. Heb 12:25. How does he speak but by his ministers? as a king speaks by his ambassadors. Know, that in every sermon preached, God calls to you; and to refuse the message we bring, is to refuse God himself.
(2.) The other means of our effectual call is the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the word is the pipe or organ; the Spirit of God blowing in it, effectually changes men’s hearts. ‘While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word of God.’ Acts 10:04. Ministers knock at the door of men’s hearts, the Spirit comes with a key and opens the door. ‘A certain woman named Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened.’ Acts 16:14.
From what does God call men?
(1.) From sin. He calls them from their ignorance and unbelief. I Pet 1:14. By nature the understanding is enveloped with darkness. God calls men ‘from darkness to light,’ as if one should be called out of a dungeon to behold the light of the sun. Eph 5:5.
(2.) From danger. As the angels called Lot out of Sodom, when it was ready to rain fire; so God calls his people from the fire and brimstone of hell, and from all those curses to which they were exposed.
(3.) He calls them out of the world; as Christ called Matthew from the receipt of custom. ‘They are not of the world.’ John 17:76. Such as are divinely called, are not natives here, but pilgrims; they do not conform to the world, or follow its sinful fashions; they are not of the world; though they live here, yet they trade in the heavenly country. The world is a place where Satan’s throne is. Rev 2:13. It is a stage on which sin every day acts its part. Now such as are called are in the world but not of it.
To what does God call men?
(1.) He calls them to holiness. ‘God has not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness.’ I Thess 4:7. Holiness is the livery, or silver star which the godly wear. Knam kodsheca, ‘The people of thy holiness.’ Isa 63:38. The called of God are anointed with the consecrating oil of the Spirit. ‘Ye have an unction from the Holy One.’ I John 2:20.
(2.) God calls them to glory, as if a man were called out of a prison to sit upon a throne. ‘Who has called you to his kingdom and glory.’ I Thess 2:12. Whom God calls he crowns with a weight of glory. 2 Cor 4:17. The Hebrew word for glory (Kabod) signifies pondus, a weight. The weight of glory adds to the worth, the weightier gold is the more it is worth. This glory is not transient, but permanent, an eternal weight; it is better felt than expressed.
What is the cause of the effectual call?
God’s electing love. ‘Whom he predestinated, them he also called.’ Rom 8:80. Election is the fountain-cause of our vocation. It is not because some are more worthy to partake of the heavenly calling than others, for we were ‘all in our blood.’ Ezek 16:6. What worthiness is in us? What worthiness was there in Mary Magdalene, out of whom seven devils were cast? What worthiness in the Corinthians, when God began to call them by his gospel? They were fornicators, effeminate, idolaters. ‘Such were some of you, but ye are washed,’ &c. I Cor 6:6: Before effectual calling, we are not only ‘without strength,’ Rom 5:5, but ‘enemies,’ Col 1:1I. So that the foundation of vocation is election.