Chapter X: Of Effectual Calling. De vocatione efficaci.
Of Effectual Calling. De vocatione efficaci.
I. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,
[1282] by his Word and Spirit, [1283] out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; [1284] enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God; [1285] taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; [1286] renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good,
[1287] and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; [1288] yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace. [1289] I. Deus quos ad vitam prædestinavit omnes, eosque solos dignatur per verbum suum et spiritum [1290] constituto suo acceptoque tempore vocare efficaciter [1291] e statu illo peccati et mortis in quo sunt natura constituti, ad gratiam ac salutem per Jesum Christum; [1292] idque mentes eorum illuminando, ut modo spirituali et salutari quæ Dei sunt intelligant; [1293] tollendo eorum cor lapideum, donandoque eis cor carneum; [1294] voluntates eorum renovando ac pro potentia sua omnipotente ad bonum determinando, [1295] et ad Jesum Christum trahendo efficaciter; [1296] ita tamen ut illi nihilominus liberrime veniant, volentes nempe facti per illius gratiam. [1297] II. This effectual call is of God's II. Efficax hæc vocatio est a sola
free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man; [1298] who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, [1299] he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it. [1300] Dei gratia:, gratuita illa et speciali; a nulla autem re in homine prævisa; [1301] qui in hoc negotio se habet omnino passive, donec per spiritum sanctum vivificatus ac renovatus, [1302] potis inde factus sit vocationi huic respondere, gratiamque inibi oblatam et exhibitam amplexari. [1303] III. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, [1304] who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth. [1305] So also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. [1306] III. Electi infantes in infantia sua morientes regenerantur salvanturque a Christo per spiritum [1307] {qui quando et ubi, et quo sibi placuerit modo operator); [1308] sicut et reliqui electi omnes, quotquot externæ vocationis per ministerium verbi sunt incapaces.
[1309] IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, [1310] and may have some common operations of the Spirit,
[1311] yet they never truly come unto [1312] Christ, and therefore can not be saved: [1313] much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess; [1314] and to assert and maintain that they may is IV. Alii autem, qui non electi sunt, ut ut verbi ministerio vocari possint, [1315] communesque nonnullas operationes Spiritus experiri, [1316] nunquam tamen vere ad Christum accedunt, proindeque nec salvari possunt. [1317] Multo quidem minus poterunt illi, quotquot religionem Christianam non profitentur (summam licet operam navaverint moribus suis ad naturæ lumen, istiusque quam profitentur religionis legem componendis), extra hanc unicam viam salutem unquam obtinere. [1318] Atque huic quidem contrarium
very pernicious, and to be detested. [1319] statuere ac defendere, perniciosum admodum est ac detestandum. [1320]