The Second London Baptist Confession

Chapter XOf Effectual Calling

The 1689 text, original spelling

About this text

Text public domain · U.S.

The 1689 text with original spelling and punctuation, copied and reformatted from CCEL’s microfilm transcription of the 1677 edition. Source: Bible Researcher transcription.

The source text was published in 1677/1689; the electronic transcription declares the confession text public domain. Rights evidence. Verified 2026-07-14.

1

Those whom God hath predestinated unto Life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time,a effectually to call by his word, and Spirit, out of that state of sin, and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and Salvationb by Jesus Christ; inlightning their minds, spiritually, and savingly toc understand the things of God; taking away theird heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his Almighty power determining theme to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they comef most freely, being made willing by his Grace.

Scripture proofs

aRom. 8.30. Rom. 11.7. Eph. 1.10,11. 2 Thes. 3.13,14. [It appears that the reference to 2 Thessalonians 3:13-14 in the original manuscript is an error. Most modern editions have 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, which seems more relevant.]

bEph. 2.1-6.

cAct. 26.18. Eph. 1.17.18.

dEzk. 36.26.

eDeut. 30 6. Ezek. 36.27. Eph. 1.19.

fPs. 110.3. Cant. 1.4.

2

This Effectual Call is of God's free, and special grace alone,g not from any thing at all foreseen in man, nor from any power, or agency in the Creature, coworking with his special Grace,h the Creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickned & renewed by the holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the Grace offered and conveyed in it; and that by no lessi power, then that which raised up Christ from the dead.

g2 Tim. 1.9. Eph. 2.8.

h1 Cor. 2.14. Eph. 2.5. Joh. 5.25.

iEph. 1.19,20.

3

Elect Infants dying in infancy, arek regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, andl how he pleaseth: so also are all other elect persons, who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the Ministry of the Word.

kJoh. 3.3 5,6.

lJoh. 3.8.

4

Others not elected, although they may be called by the Ministry of the word,m and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will, nor can trulyn come to Christ; and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men that receive not the Christian Religiono be saved; be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the Law of that Religion they do profess.

mMat. 22 14. ch. 13.20,21. Heb. 6.4,5.

nJohn 6.44,45.65. 1 Joh. 2.24,25.

oAct. 4.12. Joh. 4.22. ch. 17.3.