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power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name. The Spirit worketh in us that actual Believing, producing it in us immediately out of the fpiritual Life given us by that Communication of himself to us: Phil. ii. 13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleafure.' John v. 25. Verily verily I fay unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear, 'fhall live.' Compared with Chap. i. 12. forecited. verf. 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' And by that actual Believing also we are united to Chrift, inafmuch as thereby. we apprehend Chrift, and knit with him, Phil. iii. 12. John i. 12. Eph. iii. 17. all forecited. But as for elect Infants, Idiots, and others, through Want of the Exercife of their Reafon, incapable of actual Believing, what comes of them in that Cafe, is, that they are united to Chrift by the Com munication of the Spirit to them, and Chrift's Purchase is effectually applied to them thereupon: Luke i. 15. John fhall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.' Com pared with 1 Cor. xii. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and ' have been made all to drink into one Spirit.'

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The Bonds, then, of the fpiritual Union betwixt Chrift and actual Believers, are, the Spirit on Chrift's Part, and Faith on their Part: i John iii. 24. He that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth ' in him, and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by, the Spirit which he

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hath given us.' Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may 'dwell in your hearts by faith.' And that Work of God about us, in which the Spirit works Faith in us, and unites us to Chrift, is our effectual Calling.

Queft. 31. What is effectual Calling? Anf. Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our Sin and Misery, enlightening our Minds in the Knowledge of Chrift, and renewing our Wills, he doth perfuade and enable us to embrace Jefus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel.

EXPLICATIO N.

An effectual Calling in the general is, when the Party called comes upon the Call. The Call whereby Sinners are invited to partake of the Redemption purchased by Chrift, is the Call of the Gospel: 2 Theff. ii. 14. Whereunto he called you by our gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift.' Even the Gofpel-call itself is not given to all and every one in the world: Rom. x. 14. 15. How then fhall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how fhall they be lieve in him of whom they have not heard? and how fhall they hear without a preacher? and how fhall they preach except they be fent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them which preach the gofpel of peace, and bring 'glad tidings of good things! But the Gofpel

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call is given to all to whom the Word of God comes, whether written or preached: John v. 39. Search the fcriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of me. Rom. x. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'

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Sinners are, by the Gofpel-call, called to come out from the World lying in Wickedness: 1 John v. ' And we know that the whole world lieth in wickednefs.' Compared with 2 Cor. vi. 17. 'Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not the 'unclean thing; and I will receive you.' And finners are called to come to Jefus Christ in Union and Communion with him : Matth. xi. 28. Come unto 'me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft.' Chap. xxii. 4. Again he 'fent forth other fervants, faying, Tell them 'which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready come unto the marriage.": By that Coming to Jefus Chrift, is meant, embracing him freely offered to us in the Gofpel.' Chrift offered in the Gofpel is embraced, by believing on him: John i. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons

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of God, even to them that believe on his name." There is need of calling us to come to Chrift, in Union and Communion with him, becaufe, by Nature, we are far from God, and faft afleep in Sin: Eph. ii. 13. But now in Chrift Jefus, ye who 'fometimes were far off, are made nigh by the 'blood of Chrift. Compared with Jam. iv. 8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.' Eph. v. 14. Awake thou that fleepeft,

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and arife from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.'

The Gofpel-call, to whatever Sinner of Mankind it comes, is accompanied with a fufficient Warrant for his coming to Chrift, in Union and Communion with him. That Warrant is the free Offer of Chrift to us in the Gospel: Prov. viii. 4. Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the fons of man.' Mark xvi. 15. 16. And Jefus 'faid unto the difciples, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.' Christ is offered in the Gospel freely, to us Mankind-finners, in that any of us may, though none but truly fenfible Sinners will come to him, and unite with him: John iii. 16. God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, fhould not perish, but have everlasting life.' Rev. xx. 17. And the Spirit and the bride fay, Come. And let him that heareth, fay, Come. And let him that is athirst, come: And whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely.' Chap. iii. 18. I counfel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayft be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayft be clothed, and that the fhame of thy nakednefs do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-falve, that thou mayft fee.' The calling of Sinners by the Gofpel, is ineffectual on many. It is ineffectual on them, in that they come not to Chrift upon the Call: Prov. i. 24. I have called, and ye refufed; I have ftretch

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ed out my hand, and no man regarded. But it is effectual on the Elect: Rom. viii. 30. Whom

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he did predeftinate, them he also called.' Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. It is effectual on them, in that, fooner or later, they certainly come to Chrift upon the Call: John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth 8 me, fhall come to me.'

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Our effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit : Theff. i. 4. 5. Knowing, brethren beloved, your 'election of God. For our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but alfo in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much affurance.' John vi. 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life.' And thereby he doth perfuade and enable us to embrace Jefus Chrift freely offered to us in the Gofpel. The Spirit renders the Gofpel-call effectual on us, powerfully determining us, and putting us in a Capacity, to anfwer the Call, by embracing Chrift. He determines us to answer the Gofpel-call, by perfuading us effectually to embrace Chrift: Gen. 27. God fhall enlarge [Marg. perfuade] Japheth, and he fhall dwell in the tents of Shem.' John vi. 44. 45. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him : and I will raife him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they fhall be all, taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.' Phil. ii. 13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleafure.' He puts us in a Capacity to anfwer the Gofpel-call, by enabling us to embrace Chrift, John vi. 44, 45. Phil. ii. 13. above cited. There is need of the Spirit's calling us effectually, by

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