For the first, that is for the choosing and holding of our callings with good conscience, there is required a double use of faith. For we must have a faith, whereby we must be assured that our callings are good & lawful in themselves: as Paul saith, What soever is not of faith, is sin. For the settling of this faith, this rule must be remembered, That offices and callings which serve to preserve the good estate of any family, Church, or commonwealth, are lawful and of God: because these are estates ordained ⟨p. 46⟩of God, and established in the commandments of the moral law, specially in the first, fifth, and sixth commandments. Again faith is required, whereby every man must believe that the calling in which he is, is the particular calling in which God will be served of him. For unless the conscience be settled in this, no good work can be done in any calling. And for the better establishing of the conscience, an other rule must be remē bred, That they which are furnished with gifts for their callings, namely aptness and willingness, and are thereunto called or set apart by men whom it concerns to call, are indeed called of God. ⟨p. 47⟩Thus the Elders of Ephesus,1 having gifts to feed, and being not called of God immediately, but by men, are said to be made overseers by the holy Ghost. And Paul saith,2 that God committed not only to himself but also to Timothy the ministry of reconciliation: and yet was Timothy not called immediately of God, but by men. And thus, in all other offices and conditions of life, he that hath gifts sit for his place, and is in good manner called thereto by them whose duty it is to call, may assure himself, that he is called of God. And from this double faith & persuasion, that our calling is lawful in it self, and lawful or pleasing God in respect ⟨p. 48⟩of us, ariseth an assurance of the presence of God, and of his protection, when we walk in the duties of our callings.
For the first, that is for the choosing and holding of our callings with good conscience, there is required a double vse of faith. For we must haue a faith, wherby we must be assured that our callings are good & lawfull in themselues: as Paul saith, VVhat soeuer is not of faith, is sinne. For the setling of this faith, this rule must be remembered, That offices and callings which serue to preserue the good estate of any familie, Church, or commonwealth, are lawfull and of God: because these are estates ordained ⟨p. 46⟩of God, and established in the commaundements of the morall law, specially in the first, fifth, and sixth commandements. Againe faith is required, wherby euery man must beleeue that the calling in which he is, is the particular calling in which God will be serued of him. For vnlesse the conscience be setled in this, no good worke can be done in any calling. And for the better establishing of the conscience, an other rule must be remē bred, That they which are furnished with gifts for their callings, namely aptnesse and willingnes, and are thereunto called or set apart by men whome it concernes to call, are indeede called of God. ⟨p. 47⟩Thus the Elders of Ephesus,1 hauing gifts to feede, and being not called of God immediatly, but by men, are said to be made ouerseers by the holy Ghost. And Paul saith,2 that God committed not onely to himselfe but also to Timothie the ministerie of reconciliation: and yet was Timothie not called immediatly of God, but by men. And thus, in all other offices and conditions of life, he that hath gifts sit for his place, and is in good manner called thereto by them whose dutie it is to call, may assure himselfe, that he is called of God. And from this double faith & perswasion, that our calling is lawfull in it selfe, and lawfull or pleasing God in respect ⟨p. 48⟩of vs, ariseth an assurance of the presence of God, and of his protection, whē we walke in the duties of our callings.
- 1Act. 20.28.
- 22 Cor •.1•. 1 Tim. 4.
