1. The Resigning of a calling.
walked before you with an upright heart, and have done that which is acceptable in your sight.Isa 38.3 God has made a most merciful promise of life everlasting, which is the comfort of all comforts, and without which, the case of God's children would be of all, most miserable.1Cor 15.9 And this promise is made to those who continue faithful to the end.Rev 2.10 These are the ones on whom God will bestow the crown of life.
And so much for Continuance in our callings.
4. Good ending of a calling.
The last point to be considered is the good ending of a calling. And in this, two things are required: 1. the Resigning; and 2. the Accounting.
In the Parable of the rich man's steward,Luk 16.1f. the Lord calls his steward, and bids him give an account of his stewardship, for he can no longer be a steward. Here we see, besides the resigning of our callings, there must be an account made of our doings in it. Of these two, in order, 1. The Resigning of a calling.
This is nothing else but the laying down of that calling by ceasing to put in execution the works and duties of it. In resigning a calling, two things must be considered: First the timing of it. Secondly, the manner of it.
A. The timing of it.
This is not left to our own choice, for we may not leave our callings when we please; but prescribing it belongs to God. As in the field, the soldier may not leave his post whenever he wants, until he has a warrant from the Captain. For as the case stands in one kind of calling, so by portion it stands in the rest. Now, in one particular calling, namely, in the office of the Levite, the entrance into it, the continuance of it, and the ending of it, is in the will of God. He prescribes the time when the Levite must enter it: namely, at thirty years of age; and how long it must continue: twenty years; and when
it must end: namely, at fifty years of age. And therefore, the prescribing of particular seasons and times of laying down other callings is not altogether without the will of God. Hence it follows that no man is to lay down the calling in which he is placed, till he can say by some warrant in his conscience, that it is the good will and pleasure of God that he will then resign and cease to do the duties of it any longer.
This rule has His truth in all things whatsoever, whether pertaining to the Church or Commonwealth. And by this rule we may judge the contrary: what may be thought of resigning our callings, both civil and ecclesiastic, upon no other ground than the wills of men, for attaining greater wealth, pleasure, and advancement.
To go yet further in this point, callings are of two sorts: changeable and perpetual. Changeable callings are those which are imposed for a season, as for a year or two, or longer; and such callings are to be resigned according to the appointment of those who imposed them.
But in perpetual callings, the case stands otherwise, and other conditions are required. Nevertheless, there are four special times in which such callings may be resigned.
(1) First, when men are utterly disabled, either by age, or any incurable disease of body or mind, or by lack of gifts. Then indeed, whatever the calling is, either public or private, civil or ecclesiastic, it may be laid down. When Moses was stricken in years, and saw the end of his days at hand, he called the whole congregation and tells them that being a hundred and twenty years old, he was no longer able to go in and out before them; that is, no longer able to perform the office of a Judge and Prince. And therefore he resigns his office to Joshua, who judged the people in his stead (Deu 31.2, 7).
(2) The second time of resigning is when any man is lawfully deposed for committing a crime or offense. Thus the Priests that offered sacrifices before the Lord, if they fell away to idolatry, were deposed from the office of the Priesthood, and ever after they were employed in some service in the Temple (Eze 44.12-14).