1. To do a work in Holiness
calling allotted for ministers in the Church of England. Therefore, there are no Sacraments among us, nor true preaching of the word of God. Our Sacraments (they say) are but for show, and the effect of all preaching with us, is no better than the illusion of the devil.
Ans: I answer, let it be granted that there is no lawful calling of ministers in the Church of England (which is nevertheless both false and wicked), yet this will not follow: that our Sacraments are no Sacraments, and our preaching is no preaching; for though men are unlawfully called, yet their actions are the actions of Ministers, if they are called at all. The preaching of a minister unlawfully called may be true preaching; and Sacraments may be true Sacraments; otherwise Christ would not have said of the Scribes and Pharisees,
"Hear them," even though they were of Tribes other than Levi, and came into office by bribery and similar corruption. A bad entrance does not make the actions done, void and of no effect, if the doer is fit to stand in the place of a right and lawful agent. And, as a good entrance does not always make the actions good — because where there is a good entrance into a lawful calling, there may be a later apostasy — so on the contrary, the defect of a good entrance does not make a nullity of all ministerial actions.
Now I come to the SECOND POINT touching continuance in calling; namely, II. The works of our calling must be done in a particular manner.
It is not sufficient for a man to do the proper works of his calling, unless he does them in a good and godly manner. And that a man may do them in a good and godly manner, two things are principally required:
1. Holiness, and 2. Constancy.
1. TO DO A WORK IN HOLINESS, the word of God teaches that a double sanctification is required.
A. The first is sanctification of the WORKER.
B. The second is sanctification of the WORK and the action to be done.
A. The SANCTIFICATION OF THE WORKER is necessary for two reasons:
1. Because the person must first please God, before the work of the person will please Him. For to the unclean, all things are unclean (Tit 1.15). Yes, not only their works, but their minds and consciences are defiled. And the reason is plain; for so great is the corruption of our wicked natures, that we defile whatever thing we lay our hands on. If men are not repentant sinners, all the actions which they do, though good works in themselves, are very sins and offenses before God, in that they do not proceed from an upright heart, nor are they done to the glory of God.
2. Because, unless we are "born anew of water and the spirit,"Joh 3.5 we can look for no success or blessing upon our labors; it is the righteous man's privilege. Whatever he does, it shall prosper (Psa
1.3). No other man may look for this favor at God's hand.
Righteous Joseph prospered in all that he did; for the Lord was with him when he was made ruler over the house of Potiphar the 33 And Jehoshaphat says, Believe the Lord and his Prophets, and you shall prosper (2Chr 20.20). While the Ark remained in the house of Obed-Edom, he prospered and all his house.2Sam 6.11
Egyptian (Gen 39.2-3).
How much more then shall someone prosper, that has not only the sign of God's presence, but God Himself dwelling in his heart? If it is said that in our experience we find the ungodly man prospers as well
34 then I answer, the prosperity of the wicked is like the quails which God sent to the Israelites in the wilderness, which brought a plague and destruction with them; for they died while the meat was still in their mouths. The prosperity of the wicked serves to as the godly,
their deeper condemnation.
Hence we learn that being designed and set apart for any calling, we must first of all, from our hearts, turn to God from all our sins, and
36 to become new creatures; because unless we repent and turn to God, and with constant purpose cling to Him, the best actions of our callings, though we had no other sins, shall be sufficient to condemn us. Consider that no work ever pleased God till the person of the worker is accepted in His sight. The blind divinity of the world is this: that those who go diligently about their business, live peaceably with all men, and do no man hurt, have all things go well with them, and God will have mercy on them. These things are indeed good and commendable, but they are not sufficient. For unless the person that does these things goes further, and repents of his sins, and dies to them by virtue of the death of Christ, and lives to God, all his peaceable and upright dealings will in the end prove no better than fig-leaves before God. For even the best works that can be, are damnable sins in the doer, unless he turns to God, and is in Christ. use means In the same field, at the same time, in the same business, there is the work of the ox, and the work of a man; now I ask, which of these two is the better work? I know the answer will be the work of the man; but the truth is, unless he is renewed by the grace of God, his labor is worse than the labor of the beast; for the beast in his kind obeys God; the unrepentant sinner does not. And thus actions that are lawful in themselves, become unlawful in him — not because they are done, but because they are done in an evil manner; even as the channel is faulty, not because it carries the water, but because it defiles the water.
B. The second thing required is SANCTIFICATION OF THE WORK or action.
This point also must be learned and practiced, for it is not sufficient to do a lawful action, unless it is done in a holy manner; for lawful actions, unless they are sanctified, are sins. This may be made apparent by one and the same action done by two persons. The Publican and the Pharisee go together to pray; they both do one and the same action; and yet the one is approved for his prayer, and the other is not. Luk 18.10-14
This is because the one — that is, the Pharisee — prayed in the pride of his heart, and profaned the lawful action of prayer. The Publican prayed in the humility of his heart for the pardon of his sins; and his action was not only lawful in itself, but also holy in the doer. And this is the point that must be learned and practiced in all the actions of our callings: that they must not only be lawful in themselves, but also lawful in regard to us.
This reveals the blindness and ignorance of men among us, who think it is sufficient for them, if the actions which they do are lawful.
For example, peddlers think they may use their own liberty in buying and selling, because bargaining is God's ordinance; and they think it is needless to regard in what manner they buy or sell. Indeed, commonly they do not so much as dream of this: that they are to perform their actions in such a way, that in their doings they may approve themselves unto God.2Tim 2.15
In the SANCTIFICATION OF THE WORKS of our calling, two things are required:
1. The word, and 2. Prayer (1Tim 4.5).
37 (page 773) For what Paul sets down about the use of food and drink, must be extended to all the ordinances of God whatsoever. I will speak of both these in order.
1. First of all, THE WORD OF GOD must be our rule and square by which we are to frame and fashion all our actions, and according to the direction received from it, we must do the things we do, or leave them undone. David, a king, no doubt had wise and godly counsel; and he himself was a man of great wisdom, being a Prophet of God.
And yet he says, the word and the laws of God are his Counsellors (Psa 119.24). And what the Lord commands the King, is that sitting on his throne, he should have the Book of the Law before him, to do all things in it (Deu 17.19). That is what every subject, in his particular place and standing, must likewise perform.