There is an external call of the gospel, whereby all who hear it are called to the fellowship of Christ, and to receive a full salvation in Him, without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1). This call is not confined to the elect, nor restricted to those who are sensible of their sins, and feel their need of a Savior, or who possess some good qualifications to distinguish them from others; but it is addressed to mankind, sinners, as such, without distinction, and without exception. All who come under the general denomination of men, whatever be their character and state, have this call directed to them: "Unto you, O men, I call; and My voice is to the sons of man" (Proverbs 8:4). "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," sinners of every nation, of every rank, and condition (Isaiah 45:22).

To reconcile the unlimited call of the gospel with the doctrines of particular election and a definite atonement seems to exceed the efforts of the human mind. But though we cannot discover the principle which reconciles them, the doctrines themselves are clearly taught in the Word of God; and are, therefore, to be received with unhesitating confidence. That the call of the gospel is indefinite and universal, that God is sincere in addressing this call to all to whom the gospel comes, and that none who comply with the call shall be disappointed; these are unquestionable truths. But the outward call by the Word is of itself ineffectual. Though all without exception are thus called, yet multi­tudes refuse to hearken, and in this respect "many are called, but few are chosen"; that is, few are determined effectually to embrace the call.

But there is also an internal call with power and efficacy upon the soul; and this call is always effectual. This effectual work of the Spirit is termed a CALLING, because men are naturally at a distance from Christ, and are hereby brought into fellowship with Him. They are called "out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ," out of darkness into marvellous light, out of the world that lieth in wickedness into the family of God, from a state of bondage into a state of glorious liberty, from a state of sin unto holiness, and from a state of wrath unto the hope of eternal glory. Concerning this calling we are here taught:

1. That the elect alone are partakers of it: "All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased effectually to call." The subjects of this work are said to be "called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28), and "whom He did predestinate, them He also called" (Romans 8:30; see also 2 Timothy 1:9). Those who dispense the Word know not who are included in "the election of grace," and must, therefore, address the calls and invitations of the gospel to men indiscriminately. They draw the bow at a venture, but the Lord, who "knoweth them that are His," directs the arrow, so as to cause it to strike home to the hearts of those whom He "hath chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world."
2. That this calling is under the direction of the sovereign will and pleasure of God as to the time of it. He is pleased to call His elect "in His appointed and accepted time." Some are called into the vineyard at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and some even at the eleventh hour of the day. Some, like good Obadiah, have feared the Lord from their youth; others, like Saul of Tarsus, have been born, as it were, out of due time. There is also a diversity with respect to the manner of this calling. Some, like Lydia, have been secretly and sweetly allured to the Savior, and could hardly declare the time or manner in which the happy change began; others, like the Philippian jailer, have for a season suffered the terrors of the Lord, and been made to cry out, trembling and astonished, "What shall I do to be saved?" (Acts 16).
3. That this calling is effected by the Word and Spirit. The Word is usually the outward means employed, and the Holy Spirit is always the efficient agent, in calling men into the king­dom of grace. If, in any instance, the call of the gospel proves successful, it is not owing to the piety or persuasive eloquence of those who dispense the gospel (1 Corinthians 3:7); neither is it on account of one's making a better use than another of his own free will (Romans 9:16); it is solely to be ascribed to the power of the divine Spirit accompanying the outward call of the Word (1 Thessalonians 1:5). By means of the law, the Spirit convinces them of their sinful­ness, shows them the danger to which they are exposed, and discovers to them the utter insufficiency of their own works of righteousness as the ground of their hope and trust for acceptance before God. By means of the gospel, He enlightens their minds in the knowledge of Christ; discovers to them the glory of His Person, the perfection of His righteousness, the suitableness of His offices, and the fullness of His grace; shows them His ability to save to the uttermost, His suitableness to their condition, and His willingness to receive all that come to Him. He also takes away their heart of stone, and gives unto them an heart of flesh, renews their wills, and effectually determines and enables them to embrace Christ as their own Savior.
4. That in this calling no violence is offered to the will. While the Spirit effectually draws sinners to Christ, He deals with them in a way agree­able to their rational nature, "so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace." The liberty of the will is not invaded, for that would destroy its very nature; but its obstinacy is overcome, its perverseness taken away, and the whole soul powerfully, yet sweetly, attracted to the Savior. The compliance of the soul is voluntary, while the energy of the Spirit is efficient and almighty: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110:3).
5. That in this calling the opera­tions of the Holy Spirit are invincible. As Arminians and others maintain that God gives sufficient grace to all men, upon the due improvement of which they may be saved, so they also hold that there are no operations of the Spirit in conversion which do not leave the sinner in such a state as that he may either comply with them or not. It is obvious that this opinion makes the success of the Spirit's work to depend on the sinner's free will, so that those who do actually obey the call of the gospel are not more indebted to God than those who reject it, but may take praise to themselves for having made a better use of their power, in direct opposition to Scripture, which declares that "it is not of him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy." We admit that there are common operations of the Spirit which do not issue in the conversion of the sinner; but we maintain that the special operations of the Spirit overcome all opposition, and effectu­ally determine the sinner to embrace Jesus Christ as He is offered in the gospel. If the special operations of the Spirit were not invincible, but might be effectually resisted, then it would be uncertain whether any would believe or not, and conse­quently possible that all which Christ had done and suffered in the work of redemption might have been done and suffered in vain.
6. That this calling proceeds from the free grace of God. The term grace is sometimes used to denote the influence of the Holy Spirit on the heart, and sometimes to denote the free favor of God, as opposed to all merit on the part of His creatures. It is to be understood in the latter sense when this effectual call is said to be "of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man." Previous to their vocation, men can perform no work that is spiritually good; and, after their conversion, their best works are imperfect, and cannot entitle them to any reward. God is not, therefore, influenced to call them on account of any good works which they have already done, nor from the foresight of anything to be afterwards done by them (2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5). To manifest that this call is entirely owing to the free grace of God, and to display the exceeding riches of His grace, God is sometimes pleased to call the very chief of sinners.
7. That in this calling the sinner is altogether passive, until he is quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Here it is proper to distinguish between regeneration and conversion; in the former the sinner is passive, in the latter he is active, or cooperates with the grace of God. In regeneration a principle of grace is implanted in the soul, and previous to this the sinner is incapable of moral activity; for, in the language of inspiration, he is "dead in trespasses and sins." In conversion the soul turns to God, which imports activity; but still the sinner only acts as he is acted upon by God, who "worketh in him both to will and to do."