Having spoken to the call, I come to show the necessity of a call. Now such a call, or authoritative mission is necessary —
1. In respect of God. God enableth those whom he employeth : 1 Tim. i. 12, 'I thank Jesus Christ my Lord, who hath enabled me; for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.' And this is the ground upon which Christ builds his prayer in this place, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; ' for ' I have sent them into the world.' AutokXijtol, those that run of their own heads without a call, cannot ex])ect God's blessing, but those only that are regularly sent can expect the increase of gifts and success of their ministry ; for the word worketh not by its own force, but by God's blessing. Blessing dependeth altogether upon the institution, and therefore the institution must be carefully observed if we would have the blessing. God is said to em- ploy not only those who are called extraordinarily, but in the ordinary way. The elders of Ephesus had no extraordinary call, yet it is said, ' The Holy Ghost had made them overseers/ Acts xx. 28.
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 477
2. In respect of Satan. He will soon spy out our want of com- mission, as he did in the sons of Sceva : Acts xix. 14, 15, ' Jesus I know, and Paul I know ; but who are ye ? ' I know Jesus as the Lord, Paul as an authorised minister, one that had a lawful commission, ' But who are ye ? ' And then the devil fell upon them, and wounded them, vcr. IG. It is true, we have not such visible instances of the devil's jDOwer now as then, because God rules the world now by wisdom, not by power ; but yet we may observe the secret power of the devil upon those that run of their own accord, and venture upon the office of the ministry without a call. None are more apt to be led aside into errors, and those of the grossest nature, than those that venture upon this office without a call. Origen's errors are by many ascribed to his neglect or want of ordination. And the Arians, saitli the synod of Alexandria, were famosi vitio siice creationis, infamous for want of a right call to the ministry, and therefore fell into that damnable error.
3. In regard of yourselves, that you may digest difficulties with the more patience. You can never endure anything with comfort but when you can thus say, I am in God's way, doing God's work. This is a great ground of patience. Conscience in a time of danger will take hold of the least faulty circumstance. Uzzah liad little comfort in his stroke, because he was out of God's way : Jude 11, 'Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, &c., and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.' Korah was a sad instance.
4. In respect of the church. This external mission is necessary, that the church may receive you comfortably. It is made a character of Christ's sheep, 'not to hear the voice of a stranger,' John x. 5, nor of such as ' do not enter in by the door,' ver. 1. And in the Old Testa- ment it is often said, ' Hearken not to them, for I have not sent them.' In the primitive church this was strictly observed. When Chrysostom was banished, and Arsanius unduly succeeded him, the people would not so much as hear him. Theodoret witnesseth that some of them would rather go into banishment than join with him in public worship. So when Felix was set over Kome instead of Liberius, against the cod - sent of the church, the people would not enter while he was present, though Felix was orthodox, and nothing could be objected against his doctrine. This instance is approved by Luther in his comment on the Psalms of Degrees, and (in his way of expression) he saith, the same should be done to an angel or archangel, though he came with never so good tidings, if we knew they came without lawful commission.
Use 1. Information in two things — that the ministry is an office, and a standing office.
1. The ministry is an office, not a work of charity, which every one must perform ; there must be fit persons sent ; therefore it is said, Acts x. 41, that Christ appeared ' not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, whom he commanded to preach unto the people.' Therefore he that cannot say he is chosen of God for this work, must not take this honour upon him, lest he run before he be sent, and so they do but prattle, not preach, for preaching is an ordinance. So the Lord said to Ananias concerning I'aul, Acts ix. 15, ' He is a chosen vessel before me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.' He is called 'a chosen vessel,' not in regard of
478 SERMONS UPON JOHN xvif. [Ser. XXXI.
eternal election, but in regard of designation to the work of the gospel. Every one is bound by the law of charity to use his gifts to the edifica- tion of others, but still in a regular way. A king hath many subjects, but all his subjects are not courtiers and sjjecial servants. All mem- bers of the church are subjects of Christ's kingdom, but all are not officers, for these are chosen members.