2. The ordinary call then is that which we should chiefly regard, and that is twofold — either inward or outward.
[1.] The inward calling, that is to be regarded in the first place. Be sure you be ministers of Christ's making. There can be no true calling unless you see God in it as well as men. And the Lord taketh
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 473
it to be his prerogative to bestow officers upon the churcli, dabo evcmgelistam ; ' I Avill give to Jerusalem one that brhigeth good tidings,' Isa. xli. 27. He did not only appoint the office, but doth design the persons. Now, what is this inward call ? I answer — God calleth us when he maketh us able and willing ; the inclination and the ability is from God. The inclination : ' He thrusts out labourers into his harvest,' Mat. ix. 38 ; and the ability : ' He makes us able ministei's of the New Testament,' 2 Cor. iii. 6 ; and both these are required of us. Ability there must be. Look, as princes count it a point of honour, when they send out ambassadors to foreign nations, to employ those that are fit, so it is for the honour of God that all his messengers should be gifted and fitted. Gifts and abilities are our letters of credence that we bring to the world, that we are called of God and authorised to this work. Certainly if the Spirit of God fitted Bezaleel and Aholiab for the material work of the tabernacle, much more doth spiritual work require proportionate abilities. It is true there is a latitude and difference in the degree of abilities, but all that can look upon themselves as called of God must be able and apt to teach. The apostle took this for a call : 1 Tim. i. 12, ' I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.' If ever God put us into the ministry, lie first enableth us, and bestows suitable gifts and graces. But that i,s not all ; a man must be willing too : 1 Tim. iii. 1, ' If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.' There must be a strong inclination, that carries us out to such a course of life, if the Lord shall give us a call ; yea, in some cases, in the conscience of the inward call, a man may offer himself, his gifts to trial, and his person to acceptance, so it be done modestly, and not in a vainglorious con- fidence. As Antisthenes said in tlie case of magistracy, that a man should deal with magistracy as with fire ; a man would not come too near the fire lest he burn himself ; nor stand at too great a distance, lest he grow stiff with cold ; so of the ministry, a man must not be too forward nor too backward. In some eases it is good to expect the fair invitation of providence ; an inclination there must be, if the Lord vouchsafe a call. In some cases we may offer ourselves to the acceptation of the church, if the Lord see fit that we be chosen. But to return ; he hath the inward call who is able and willing ; I mean upon spiritual grounds, having first counted the charges, difficulties, duties, dangers of this calling. Well, then, if men be willing, but not fit, they are not called of God ; or if fit, yet not willing, they liave not warrant enough to undergo the difficulty ; much more they that are neither fit nor willing, but only thrust themselves upon the office by the carnal importunity of friends, or corrupt aims at honour and secular advantage. Thus you see what the inward call is.
[2.] There is an outward call. The inward call is not enough ; to preserve order in the church, an outward call is necessary. As Peter, Acts X., was called of God to go to Cornelius ; and then, besides that, he had a call from Cornelius himself. So must we, having an inward call from the Spirit, expect an outward calling from the church, other- wise we cannot lawfully be admitted to the exercise of such an office and function. As in the Old Testament, the tribe of Levi and house
47i SERMONS UPON JOHN XVIL [SeR. XXXI.
of Aaron were by God appointed to the service of the altar, yet none could exercise the calling of a Levite, or serve as a high priest, till he was anointed and purified by the church : Exod. xxviii, 3, ' And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to me in the priest's office.' The like is repeated, Num. iii. 3. So the ministers of the gospel, though called by God, must have their external separation, and setting apart to that work by the church ; as the Holy Ghost saith. Acts xiii. % * Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them,' Mark, the Spirit of God had chosen them, and yet calls upon the church, the elders of Antioch, to separate them for the work of the ministry. But now, in what order this is to be done, and by whom this separation is to be made, is the great controversy. Politicians, and with them Erastians, make it to be the magistrate's right ; the Anabaptists, with some others, make it the people's right; papists and others give it to the bishops ; others, to presbyters and elders of the church. To examine every claim at large would take up a great deal of time ; let us compound the difference as well as we can. In short, there are three pretenders to the power of the external call — the people, the elders, the magistrate ; and we may divide it among them, and give every one their share, and then the call will be complete. I say, there are but three pretenders, for we need not to speak of the bishops' plea, for bishops, and presbyters, or elders, in the scripture are all one. The apostle writes ' to the bishops and deacons at Fhilippi,' Phil. i. 1, The apostle taketh notice of no other officer in that church. And Chrysostom's gloss is of weight. What is the reason, the apostle saith to bishops ? were there more than one of one city ? The reason is, saith he, because bishops and elders or presbyters are the same. So when the apostle bids Titus, chap. i. 5, 6, ' Ordain elders in every city, if any be blameless,' &c., he adds, ver. 7, ' For a bishop must bo blame- less, as the steward of God.' To lay aside this, then, we shall speak to the claim of the people, the elders, and the magistrate, and give every one its due ; for in the external call there are three parts — election, ordination, and confirmation. Election, that belongeth to the people ; ordination, which standeth in examination of life and doctrine, together with authoritative mission, that is the right of the presbytery ; and confirmation, that belongs to the magistrate.