or CALLING, is a gracious act of God in Christ, by which,
through his word and Spirit, he calls forth sinful men, who are liable
to condemnation and placed under the dominion of sin, from the condition
of the animal life, and from the pollutions and corruptions of this
world, 2 Tim. i, 9; Matt. xi, 28; 1 Peter ii, 9, 10; Gal. i, 4; 2 Peter
ii, 20; Romans x, 13–15; 1 Peter iii, 19; Gen. vi, 3, unto “the
fellowship of Jesus Christ,” and of his kingdom and its benefits; that,
being united unto him as their head, they may derive from him life,
sensation, motion, and a plenitude of every spiritual blessing, to the
glory of God and their own salvation, 1 Cor. i, 9; Gal. ii, 20; Eph. i,
3, 6; 2 Thess. ii, 13, 14. The end intended is, that they who have been
called answer by faith to God and to Christ who give the call, and that
they thus become the covenanted people of God through Christ the
Mediator of the new covenant; and, after having become believers and
parties to the covenant, that they love, fear, honour, and worship God
and Christ, render in all things obedience to the divine precepts “in
righteousness and true holiness,” and that by this means they “make
their calling and election sure,” Prov. i, 24; Heb. iii, 7; Rev. iii,
20; Eph. ii, 11–16; Titus iii, 8; Deut. vi, 4, 5; Jer. xxxii, 38, 39;
Luke i, 74, 75; 2 Peter i, 1, 10. The glory of God, who is supremely
wise, good, merciful, just, and powerful, is so luminously displayed in
this communication both of his grace and glory, as deservedly to raise
into rapturous admiration the minds of angels and of men, and to employ
their loosened tongues in celebrating the praises of Jehovah, Rev. iv,
8–11; v, 8–10. See CALLING.
through his word and Spirit, he calls forth sinful men, who are liable
to condemnation and placed under the dominion of sin, from the condition
of the animal life, and from the pollutions and corruptions of this
world, 2 Tim. i, 9; Matt. xi, 28; 1 Peter ii, 9, 10; Gal. i, 4; 2 Peter
ii, 20; Romans x, 13–15; 1 Peter iii, 19; Gen. vi, 3, unto “the
fellowship of Jesus Christ,” and of his kingdom and its benefits; that,
being united unto him as their head, they may derive from him life,
sensation, motion, and a plenitude of every spiritual blessing, to the
glory of God and their own salvation, 1 Cor. i, 9; Gal. ii, 20; Eph. i,
3, 6; 2 Thess. ii, 13, 14. The end intended is, that they who have been
called answer by faith to God and to Christ who give the call, and that
they thus become the covenanted people of God through Christ the
Mediator of the new covenant; and, after having become believers and
parties to the covenant, that they love, fear, honour, and worship God
and Christ, render in all things obedience to the divine precepts “in
righteousness and true holiness,” and that by this means they “make
their calling and election sure,” Prov. i, 24; Heb. iii, 7; Rev. iii,
20; Eph. ii, 11–16; Titus iii, 8; Deut. vi, 4, 5; Jer. xxxii, 38, 39;
Luke i, 74, 75; 2 Peter i, 1, 10. The glory of God, who is supremely
wise, good, merciful, just, and powerful, is so luminously displayed in
this communication both of his grace and glory, as deservedly to raise
into rapturous admiration the minds of angels and of men, and to employ
their loosened tongues in celebrating the praises of Jehovah, Rev. iv,
8–11; v, 8–10. See CALLING.