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been extended, and fucceeded, throughout the world, fince the exaltation of Jefus Chrift Nations, fince that, have run unto him, and fubjected themfelves unto him. And how great acceffions may yet be made unto the church of Chrift, before the end of the world, we doi not certainly know. The church of Chrift then at the last day, will not be a fmall, but a great body. There will be myriads, ten thousands of the faints: and how many ten thousands, is not fpecified. Jude . 14. And Enoch, the Seventh from Adam, prophesied of thefe, faying, Bebold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of bis faints. In that great and general affembly, and church of the first born, will Jefus Chrift be greatly glorified and admired, in that day.

USE 2. This may encourage us to labour that we may be of the number of them that are effectually called. Through the favourable providence of God, we live in thofe ages of the world, wherein the efficacy of divine grace does greatly extend itfelf. Now that Jefus Chrift is exalted in heaven, a more plentiful effufion of the Spirit is promifed, and may be hoped for. And therefore we have greater ground of encouragement to pray to and wait upon God, for the communications of faving grace. We live under the outward call of the gofpel to come to Chrift; and why may it not be made effectual for the drawing us to Chrift, fo as that we shall run after him? When we fee vertue going out of Chrift to heal the nations, even, multitudes of finners, why may we not hope that this healing vertue may reach us alfo? Let no finners then, no, not the greatest of finners, be difcouraged from feeking to God, that they may be favingly called home to Chrift. Be you found waiting upon God in the way of his appointments: then are you in the way of having the Spirit of grace and fanétification beftowed on you. Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, 27, 37. Then will I fprinkle clean water upon you, and you fhall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart alfo

will I give you, and a new spirit will d put within you, and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh, and give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.---I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Ifrael to do it for them.

DOCT. IV. It is God, even the Father, who makes the calls of Chrift to finners effectual. The text fays, Thou fbalt call nations, and they fball run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, i. e. becaufe of his co-operation or working together with Chrift's calls, they fhould become effectual to the making finners run unto Chrift. It is God, who is the author of effectual calling. This work is in fcripture afcribed to the whole Trinity, to the feveral perfons diftinétly. Sometimes to God the Father. Cor. i. 9. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Joh. vi. 44. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath fest me, draw him. The Father draws the called finner to Chrift. Sometimes this work is attributed to God the Son. Rom. i. 6. Among whom are ye alfa the called of Jefus Chrift. Joh. xii. 32. And I, if I am lifted up, will draw all men unto me. 'Tis he that effectually perfwades finners to come to himself. Sometimes this work is afcribed to God the Holy Ghost. Tit. iii. 5. He faved us by the renewing of the Holy Ghoft. This renewing of finners is done by the Spirit in the work of effectual calling.

So that this work, is the work of every perfon of the Trinity; and this without any contradiction: for' that power and grace whereby this work is wrought, is an effential attribute of the Godhead, and fo belongs équally to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Now, that this work of effectual calling is a divine work, which bas God alone for its author, may be evidenced under the following particulars..

T. The perfons by whom the call of the gospel is managed, do not make it effectual. The gofpel call is given forth by the preachers of the gofpel; but is not made

effectual

effectual by them. 'Tis not in their power to give ef ficacy, to what they deliver in the way of their miniftry. Paul and Apollos were extraordinary preachers of the gofpel, yet it was not in their power, to make the word preached by them fuccefsful. I Cor. iii. 6, 7. I bave planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increafe. So then neither is he that planteth, any thing, neither be that watereth but God that givesh the increafe. They were no more than inftruments, in the work of converfion and edification; God was the only author thereof. Minifters do no more pretend to be able to convert fouls, than to redeem or create them. Bat in obedience to Chrift, they do prophesy over dead fouls, praying and hoping that God will fay to them, Live; and that. the Holy Ghoft will fall upon them who bear the word, as it did upon Peter's hearers, while he was speaking tỏ them. Act. x. 44.

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2. The perfons to whom the call of the gospel is directed, do not make it effectual to themfelves. Tis not in their power, upon the call of the gospel, to turn from fin to halinefs, from fatan and the world, to God in Chrift. As eafily might dead Lazarus come out of his grave by his own power, when Chrift called him to come forth, as a finner turn himself to God, upon the bare outward call of the gospel. All men in their natural eftate are without strength. Rom. v. 6. They are not able to convert themfelves; no, nor fo much as willing to be converted, 'till God make them fo. Pfal. cx. 3. In the day of thy power, thy people fhall be willing. Their corrupt wills make oppofition to their own converfion, 'till God conquer and fubdue their wills.

3. 'Tis God therefore, who alone makes the call of the gofpel effectual unto finners. This will further appear from the following things.

1. The holy fcriptures do exprefly attribute to God this work of effectual calling. In abundance of places this is afcribed to God as his work. Rom. viii. 30. Whom he did predeftinate, them be alfo called. 1 Theff. iv. 7. God bath called us 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath Javed us,

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and called us with an holy calling. 1 Pet. i. 15. As be who bath called you is holy, fo be ye boly. So, chap. v. HỎA The God of all grace, who hath called us.--

2. That God is the author of effectual calling, will further appear, if we confider the terms of effectual calling; or what finners are called from, and what they are called unto. Ex. gr. They are called from fpiritual death, to fpiritual life. By nature men are dead in trefpaffes and fins; but when they are effectually called, they are made fpiritually alive. Eph. i. I. You bath be quickned, who were dead in trefpaffes and fins. A new principle of life is put into finners. And God: alone is the fountain of fpiritual life. Tis he only that gives bodily life. Act. xvii. 25. He giveth unto all life. Much more is fpiritual life the gift of God, which is a far more excellent kind of life. Again, finners are called from darkness, to light, as it is faid in 1- Pet. ¡ ii. 9. And 'tis none but God, who can enlighten a blind mind, and cause light to thine out of darknefs.---Again, finners are called out of the kingdom of fatan, into the kingdom of Jefus Chrift. Men in their natural eftate, are under the power of the devil, who works effectually in them, and leads them captive at his will. But when they are effectually called, they are brought from under the dominion of fatan, and are brought under the rule and dominion of Jefus Chrift. Now, who can bind that ftrong man armed, and take away his goods, except that God who is ftronger than be? Hence the translation of finners out of the kingdom of fatan, into the kingdom of Jefus Cdrift, is afcribed unto the mighty power of God. Col. i. 13. Who hath delivered us. from the power of fatan, and tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. The work of effectual calling is fo great a work, as can be effected by none, but that God. whofe power none is able to withstand.---And in truth, the calling and converting a finner, is nothing lefs than a collection of miracles. 'Tis not a fingle miraele; but many miracles in one work. Therein fatan is difpoffeffed and caft out; they that were born blind,

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are made to fee; they that were deaf, are made to hear; they that were dead, are made to live. Concerning fuch a work as this, we muft fay, It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The arm of the Lord is revealed, and his almighty power put forth, in the accomplishing of it. He only that can do wonderful things, is the author of this wonderful work..

APPLICATION.

USE 1. Of exhortation, to thofe that are as yet not effectually called let it be your earnest defire and endeavour, that you may be effectually called. Through the favour of God, we do enjoy the outward call of the gofpel. We have the voice of Christ founding in our ears, and calling us to come to him for life and falvation. But let us not reft fatisfied in the bare external call. This we may enjoy, and yet perish forever. Let us not then be content, until we feel the Spirit of God fetting home upon our fouls the outward call of the gofpel; till we find the voice of God in his word made powerful for our faving conviction and converfion to God. To this end take thefe Directions.

Direct. 1. Give ferious attention to the word of God. Thofe that are preachers of the gofpel, are appointed of God to be his mouth unto the people. God by them speaks to and calls upon finners. They are his fervants, fent forth by him to call them that are bidden to the marriage feast, Matth. xxii. 3, 4, 3c. They are God's embaladors, by whom he befeeches finners to be reconciled to himself. 2 Cor. v. 20. How defpicable foever this way of God's applying himself to finners, may feem in the eyes of the world; yet God honours this ordinance with being the ordinary means of effectual calling. His voice uttered by weak inftruments, is made powerful to the calling home finners to himself; that the power may appear to be of God, and not of men. 2 Cor. iv. 7. We should therefore wait on God in this ordinance of his, with diligent attention unto the things

that