Our
confession states that election out of the fallen lump of humanity is solely according to God's good pleasure and has nothing to do with the merit of those so called. The marvelous wonder of God's election is that He elects anyone, for we all deserve not His mercy, but God's Holy justice. Per the admonishment of Deut. 29:29, we dare not seek to peek behind the curtain to speculate beyond what has been revealed to us in Scripture, rather we confess these truths as matters of the faith for the glory of God.
Chapter X - Of Effectual Calling.
[FONT="]I. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call (Rom. 8:30; 11:7; Eph. 1:10,11), by his Word and Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13,14; 2 Cor. 3:3,6), out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:2; Eph. 2:1-5; 2 Tim. 1:9,10); enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God (Acts 26:18; 1 Cor. 2:10,12; Eph. 1:17,18), taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26); renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good (Ezek. 11:19; Phil. 2:13; Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 36:27), and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:19; John 6:44,45): yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace (Sol. 1:4; Psalm 110:3; John 6:37; Rom. 6:16-18).
II. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man (2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:4,5; Eph. 2:4,5,8,9; Rom. 9:11), who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2:5), he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it (John 6:37; Ezek. 37:27; John 5:25).
[/FONT]
