General rules for Personal Callings
distinction that one should be above another (Rom 13.7; 1Pet 2.13,14).
And by reason of this distinction of men, partly in respect to gifts, partly in respect to order, come personal callings. For if all men had the same gifts, and all were in the same degree and order, then all would have one and the same calling. But inasmuch as God gives a diversity of gifts inwardly, and a distinction of order outwardly, from this proceeds a diversity of personal callings. And therefore I added that personal callings arise from that distinction which God makes between man and man in every society. And thus we see what is a personal calling.
General rules for Personal Callings Now before I go on to treat the parts of calling, there are other general rules to be learned, which concern all personal callings whatsoever.
RULE 1. Every person of every degree, state, sex, or condition, without exception, must have some personal and particular calling to walk in. This appears plainly by the whole word of God. Adam, as soon as he was created, even in his integrity, had a personal calling assigned to him by God, which was to tend and keep the garden. And after Adam's fall, the Lord gives a particular commandment to him and all his posterity, which binds all men to walk in some calling, either in the Church or Commonwealth, saying In the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread (Gen 3.19). Again, in the renewing of the law in Mount Sinai, the fourth commandment not only permits labor on six days, but also enjoins us all (as I take it). For God's example is propounded there for us to follow: that as He rested the seventh day, so must we also; and consequently, as He spent six days in the work of creation, so should we in our personal callings. And Paul gives this rule, Let him that stole, steal no more; but let him rather work with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him that needs (Eph 4.28). Christ, the head of men, lived with Joseph in the calling of a Carpenter till the time of his baptism. And upon this the Jews said, Is this not the carpenter,
the son of Mary? (Mar 6.3) And after he was baptized and was, as it were, solemnly admitted into the office of a Mediator, the work of our redemption was then his calling, in which he both lived and died.
Indeed, the Angels of God have their particular callings, in that they do His commandments in obeying the voice of His word (Psa
103.20). And therefore all who descend from Adam must necessarily have some calling to walk in, either public or private, whether it is in the Church, or Commonwealth, or Family.
From this we may learn various points of instruction.
First of all, that it is a soul-disorder in any Commonwealth, that there should be tolerated rogues, beggars, or vagabonds; for such persons commonly belong to no civil society or corporation, nor to any particular Church; they are like rotten legs and arms that drop from the body. Again, to wander up and down from year to year to this end — to seek and procure bodily maintenance — is no calling, but the life of a beast; and consequently it is a condition or state of life that is flat against the rule that everyone must have a particular calling. And therefore the Statute made during the last
Parliament for restraining beggars and rogues, is an excellent Statute; and being in substance the very law of God, is never to be repealed.
Secondly, hereby is overthrown the condition of Monks and Friars, who assert for themselves that they live in a state of perfection, because they live apart from the societies of men in fasting and prayer. But contrariwise, this monkish kind of living is damnable; for besides the general duties of fasting and prayer, which pertain to all Christians, every man must have a particular and personal calling,
that he may be a good and profitable member of some society and body. And the ancient Church condemned all monks as thieves and robbers: for besides the general duties of prayer and fasting, they did not also employ themselves in some other calling for their better maintenance.
Thirdly, we learn by this that it is a miserable and damnable estate for those who, being enriched with great livings and revenues, spend their days in eating and drinking, in sports and pastimes, not employing themselves in service for Church or Commonwealth. It may perhaps be thought that such gentlemen have happy lives, but it is far otherwise — considering that everyone, rich or poor, man or woman, is bound to have a personal calling, in which they must perform some duties for the common good, according to the measure of the gifts that God has bestowed on them.
Fourthly, hereby it is also required that those we commonly call serving men, should have some other particular calling besides the office of waiting, unless they tend men of great place and state.
For only to wait and give attendance is not a sufficient calling, as common experience tells. For waiting servants, because they spend most of their time in eating and drinking, sleeping and gaming after dinner and after supper, prove the most unprofitable members both in Church and Commonwealth. For when either their good masters die, or they are turned out of their office for some misdemeanor, they are fit for no other calling, being unable to labor. And thus they give themselves either to begging or stealing. The waiting man of Cornelius the Centurion, was also by calling, a soldier (Act 10.7); and it is to be wished nowadays that gentlemen would choose such servants who might not only tend to their persons, but also tend to some other convenient office. It is good for every man to have two strings to his bow.
RULE 2. Every man must judge that the particular calling in which God has placed him, is the best of all callings for him. I do not say simply best, but best for him. This rule is set forth to us in the example of Paul: I have learned (he says) in whatever state I am, to be content and well pleased (Phi 4.11). The practice of this duty is the stay and foundation of the good estate both of the Church and the Commonwealth: for it makes every man keep his own standing, and employ himself gainfully within his calling. But when we begin to mislike the wise disposition of God, and to think other men's callings
are better for us than our own, then follows confusion and disorder in every society. When Absalom, a child and subject of king David, was not content with his estate, but sought his father's kingdom, and said, O that I were judge among you (2Sam 15.4), many contentions
7 followed in the Commonwealth of the Jews all his days. And the sons of Zebedee, not contenting themselves with the calling of disciples, but being inflamed with a desire for honor and dignity, sought two principal offices in Christ's kingdom, which (they deemed) would be a civil and worldly kingdom. Hence there arose envy and heart-burn among the disciples; and further evils would have ensued if the wisdom of our Savior Christ had not cut them off.Mar 10.35-41 The Bishops of the Church of Rome, not contented with their Ecclesiastic estate, affected the honor of the Empire, and by this means brought havoc and ruin upon the whole Church. and hurly-burlies Indeed, the very first family that was ever in the world, felt the sting of this evil. Cain, because he feared the loss of his primacy whereby he was to be a Priest, Prophet, and Ruler in Adam's house after his decease, slew his brother Abel (Gen 4.5-8). And this may well be gathered by the words of the text where, when Cain began to be angry, the Lord said, If you do well, there is remission; if not, sin lies at the door (Gen 4.7). Now Cain might perhaps reply and say, This is well, but my grief remains, that I must lose my right and dignity.
To this God answers in the next few words, And his appetite shall be for you, and you shall rule over him; namely, if you do well. And from time to time, the greatest discords that have fallen out in the Church of God, have issued from this fountain.
And the same is also true in the Commonwealth. From this come treacheries, treasons, and seditions — when men who are not content with their own estate and honors, seek higher places; and being disappointed, they grow discontent, and thus go forward into all mischief. Therefore, in a word, the good estate of the Church and Commonwealth is when every person keeps himself to his own calling. And this will undoubtedly come to pass, if we consider what
our callings are; and that we are placed in them by God; and therefore judge them to be the best callings of all for us.
RULE 3. Every man must join the practice of his personal calling, with the practice of the general calling of Christianity described before. More plainly, every particular calling must be practiced in and with the general calling of a Christian. It is not sufficient for a man to be a Christian only in the congregation, and in common conversation; but also in his personal calling, he must show himself to be a Christian. For example, a Magistrate must not only in general be a Christian, as every man is; but he must be a Christian Magistrate in executing the office of a Magistrate, in bearing the sword. A master of a family must not only be a Christian abroad in the town, and in the congregation, in the sight of strangers, but also in the administration and regimentation of his particular family: towards wife, children, and servants. It is not enough for a woman to be virtuous openly to strangers; but her virtue must privately show itself in her subjection and obedience to her own husband.
A Schoolmaster must not only be a Christian in the assembly when he hears the word, and receives the Sacraments, but he must also show himself to be a Christian in the office of teaching. And thus must every man behave himself in his particular calling; because the particular calling and the practice of its duties, severed from the general calling, is nothing but a practice of injustice and profaneness. And the general calling of Christianity, without the practice of some particular calling, is nothing but the form of godliness without the power of it. And therefore both callings must be joined, as body and soul are joined in a living man. And that we may better join both our callings together, we must consider the main end of our lives; and that is to serve God in the serving of men in the works of our callings. God, as He has made man, so He can preserve man, without the help of man: but His pleasure is that men should be his instruments for the good of one another. For this cause
He has ordained the excellent offices of Magistrates and Ministers, and an almost infinite variety of trades of life, all tending to preserve
the body or soul, or both. Thus God manifests his fatherly care over us by the employment of men in his service, according to their several vocations, for our good. And so even the least vassal or bondman, must serve God by serving his master, as Paul teaches (Col
3.22).
And by this one point we may learn two things.
First, that they profane their lives and callings by employing them to get honors, pleasures, profits, worldly commodities, etc.; for thus we live to another end than God has appointed, and thus we serve ourselves, and consequently we serve neither God nor man. Someone will say perhaps, What, must we not labor in our callings to maintain our families? 1Tim 5.8 I answer, this must be done; but this is not the scope and end of our lives. The true end of our lives is to serve God, in serving man. And for a recompense of this service, God sends his blessings upon men's travails, and he allows them to take for their labors.
Secondly, by this we learn how men of lowly place and calling may comfort themselves. Let them consider that in serving men, by the performance of poor and lowly duties, they serve God; and therefore their service is not lowly in His sight. And though their reward from men is little, yet the reward at God's hand shall not be lacking. For seeing that they serve God in serving men, they may instantly look for reward from both. And thus we may reap marvelous satisfaction in any kind of calling, even if it is only to sweep the house, or keep sheep, if we can thus unite our callings in practice.
By this rule any man may rightly judge himself and others. For wherever these two callings are severed, whatever there is in show, there is nothing in substance. And by this we may also discern a common fault in the lives of many men who show themselves ready and willing to hear the word of God. Indeed, they may approve it, receive the Sacraments, and profess themselves to be members of Christ; and all these are good duties of the first and general calling.
But go on further and look into their particular callings, and there you will find nothing less — it is all out of order. Some are usurers
8 some use false weights and measures; some lie and swear; some are loose and lascivious. It may be that such persons resolve themselves that all is well, when they do some duties of their general calling. But as they neglect the performance of these duties in their particular callings, they are far out of order; yes, they lead a dangerous and lamentable course of life.
For though they are endued with excellent gifts, and are able to speak well, conceive prayer, and have some reverence to hear the Word, and receive the Sacraments, yet if they do not practice the duties of godliness within their own callings, it is all but hypocrisy. And therefore, unless they repent, the greater their gifts are, the more they shall make for their deeper condemnation at the Day of Judgment. and oppressors; some engrossers; Again, this rule serves to teach all men the right way to reform their lives. If you would lead a life unblameable both before God and man, you just first of all think to yourself what your particular calling is, and then proceed to practice the duties of the moral law, and all other duties of Christianity in that very calling. And if you would have signs and tokens of your election and salvation, you must fetch them from the constant practice of your two callings jointly together.
Sever them in your life, and you shall find no comfort, but rather shame and confusion, unless you repent.
Rule 4. Those who bear public callings must first reform themselves in private. When Moses went from Midian to Egypt to be a governor of the Israelites, the Lord withstood him on the way because of a fault in his private family, that his child was not circumcised according to the law of God (Exo 4.24-26). How shall he order public matters for the common good if he cannot order his own private estate?
Rule 5. A particular calling must give way to the general calling of a Christian, when they cannot both stand together. For example, a servant is bound to his master to obey him either because he is a vassal, or at least because he is hired to serve for wages. Say the master, being a zealous Papist, threatens his Protestant servant, that