Ordained in the Church. Of the Keys of the Church. What the Office of Them Is That Be Ordained. Of the Manner of Teaching the Church; and of the Holy Life of the Pastors. The Fourth Sermon
In this present sermon, by God’s assistance, we will, as briefly and plainly as we can, set forth unto you, dearly beloved, what manner of men ministers should be; and after what sort at this day it behoveth us! to ordain ministers; not speaking again of the office, but of persons meet for the office. For neither do I think it necessary or profitable to shew at large, that that order or function instituted by Christ in the church sufficeth even at this day to gather? govern, and preserve the church of God on earth; yea, without these orders, which in these last ages new invention hath instituted: for that doth the thing itself witness, and the absolute perfection of the primitive church avoucheth it. But that it may be plainly understood of all men, whom it behoves the church at this day to ordain ministers, we will speak a little more amply of the calling of the ministers of the church.
Calling is no other thing than a lawful appointing of a and meet minister, The same also may be called both ordination and election, though one word be more large in signification than the other. Election goeth before by nature; for whom we choose, those we call. Ordination comprehendeth either of them. But there are numbered almost of all men four kinds of calling. The two former are lawful, the two latter are unlawful. And the first kind is, whereby ministers are called, neither of men, nor by man, but by God; as it is read, that Esay the prophet and the apostle Paul were called. This kind for the most part is confirmed with signs or miracles, and is called a heavenly? and secret calling. The second kind of
[1 nobis conveniat, Lat.] [2 ad excitandam, Lat.] [3 divina, Lat.]]
calling is made of God indeed, but by the ordination of men: after which sort it is read that St Matthew, Luke, and Timothy, were created ministers of the church. This kind is ordinary, public, used of men, and at this day common: wherein indeed God calleth, bestowing necessary gifts upon his ministers, and appointing laws to those that do elect; and they, following those laws, do ordinarily elect him whom they by signs conjecture to be first called of God: I mean by signs, gifts necessary for ministers.
Now the third kind of calling, which of the unlawful callings is the first, cometh indeed from men, but not from God; when as for favour and rewards some unworthy person is ordained. And here is sin committed, as well of those that are ordained, as of those that bear rule in the ordination. Of those that are ordained; when they desire to be placed in the ministry, for which either they do not understand, or they will not understand, that they be very unfit, being destitute of necessary gifts: or else, when they are sufficiently furnished with knowledge of the scriptures and other things, yet they take not the right path to this function, that is to say, when they respect not the glory of God but their own gain. For there is required of them that are to be ordained a testimony of their own conscience, and a secret calling, to wit, whereby we are well known to ourselves to be moved to take upon us this office, not through ambition, not for covetousness, not for desire to feed the belly, nor of any other lewd affection; but through the sincere fear and love of God, and of a desire to edify the church of God: of which thing very eloquently 5 and helily hath St Paul written in 1 Thess. ii. Besides this, the testimony of other of sound learning and skilfulness in things is also required: for all of us please ourselves, and esteem ourselves to be worthy, to whom the government of the church may be committed; whereas we foully deceive ourselves. And they that have the authority of ordination do offend, when as in ordaining of ministers they regard not what God by laws set down hath willed herein to be done, and what the state and safety of the church requireth; but what is for the commodity of him that is to be ordained. Oftentimes, therefore, unworthy persons are ordained; or such as are unlearned, and not very sound; or else such as are [4 pravo, Lat.] [ὅ elegantissime, Lat. ] [6 parum sinceri, Lat.) ~ [BULLINGER, 1V.] 2
sufficiently learned, but not of good conversation; or such as are simple and are good Christians, but unfit and unskilful pastors: and unto this they are allured through favour or bribes. Wherefore they provoke the most heavy wrath of almighty God upon themselves, and make themselves partakers of all those sins, whereof they are the authors, in that they do not uprightly execute the charge which is committed unto them. simony. ΟΠ elders! called this sin simony, an offence punishable with no less punishment than shameful reproach? and death everlasting. Anthemius, the emperor, writing to Armasius, among other things saith: “Let no man make merchandise of the degree of priesthood by the greatness of price; but let every man be esteemed after his deserts, not according to that he is able to give. Let that profane thirst of covetousness cease to bear rule in the church, and let that horrible fault be banished far off from holy congregations. After this manner in our time let the bishop be chosen; being chaste and lowly, so as in what place soever he come he may purge all things with the uprightness of his own life: let a bishop be ordained not with price, but with prayers. He ought to be so far from desire of promotion, that he must be sought for by compulsion: and being desired, he ought to shun it; and if he be entreated, he ought to fly away: let this only be his furtherance, that he is importune by excuses to avoid from it. For truly he is unworthy of the ministry, that is not ordained against his will3.” Thus much he; who, if he should at this day come to Rome, he would think without doubt he were come into a strange world; yea, into the mart of Simon, not of Peter, but both of Magus the Samaritan, and Giesi the Israelite.