CHAPTER LIV – Q.4: Or in renouncing public offices and honors?
of all sorts, lawyers, physicians, ministers, &c. Now men are to consider whether by the labour of the mind or of the body they are like to be more serviceable to God, and which they are fittest for, and called to; and that they ought to set themselves to, and that in true self-denial, and for God. To be idle, is so far from being a part of selfdenial, that it is a sinful part of fleshpleasing. And so is it to choose any calling or employment principally for fleshly ease or accommodation. The apostles were some fishermen, and some of other callings, and none of them renounced worldly labour, or affairs, save only so far as they hindered them from the work of God, to which they (and all ministers) were wholly to addict themselves, as appears, 1 Tim. 4:15. 2 Tim. 2:4. To do therefore as many monks do, to be employed in no calling for the public good, under pretence of being religious to themselves, is to be burdens to the earth, and gross violators of the laws of God.
CHAPTER LIV
Or in renouncing Public Offices and Honours?
Quest. 4. 'WHETHER self-denial require men to renounce all public offices, and honours, and not to be magistrates, ministers, or the like?'
Answ. It requireth us not to have such carnal thoughts of these offices, as to look on them only as places of honour, and power, and ease; nor yet to desire them for such carnal ends; nor yet to thrust ourselves upon them without a call, as being the judges of our own sufficiency. But self-denial is so far from forbidding the offices and employments themselves, as that it is a great point of self-denial for a
man that understandeth them well, to undertake them, if he mean to manage them sincerely and faithfully. For were it not that the sweetness of God's interest and his acceptance, and the benefits of the church, our brethren and our souls, did ingratiate these offices and employments to an honest mind, they would be so very burdensome, that flesh and blood would either make them carnal by abuse, or never endure them. And therefore hath God given them an addition of honour to encourage them, and to put an honour on their work, for the furthering of its success. Experience certifieth me that the work of the ministry is far more troublesome to the flesh, than the bodily labour of a poor artificer or ploughman is; so that without great self-denial no man will be a minister, that doth not carnally mistake the function for another thing than indeed it is. And I think I may say the like in its degree, by the magistracy; especially by them in highest power, who have the greatest work. Certain I am, if they faithfully do their duties, they will find more burden to the flesh and mind, than poor men that have only a family to provide for. Though many ignorant, ungodly poor people, that sit at home in peace, and little know the care, and grief, and trouble of their rulers, do wickedly murmur at their very calling, as if they had nothing but honour, and idleness, and excess; yet if they had tried and tasted their care and trouble a few months, they would think a private life the easier, and confess that there is need of much self-denial for a man to accept of magistracy or ministry, that understandeth them, and resolveth to use them accordingly.
Moreover, these offices are of necessity to the common good, and established to that end by God himself. And the fifth commandment requires us to pay our superiors their honour and obedience. And therefore to imagine that it is any part of self-denial to refuse the
office of magistracy or ministry, is to make it self-denial to destroy the church and commonwealth, and be a cruel enemy to mankind, and to our country, and to rebel against the powers that are ordained of God, and thereby to receive damnation to ourselves; Rom. 13:1–3.
Heb. 13:17.
But yet this I must say, that if a worthy person stand in competition with us, self-denial requireth us to prefer them before ourselves, and to refuse honours and dignities, when the good of the public doth not call us to deny ourselves more in the accepting them.