ause not one disdainful
prelate, but a whole presbytery or company of elders, to take trial of him
who is to be taken into the number of preaching elders, and to examine
well the piety of his life, the verity of his doctrine, and his fitness to
teach. And further, that due trial may be continually had of the growth or
decay of the graces and utterance of every pastor, it is the part of
princes to enjoin the visitation of particular churches, and the keeping
of other presbyterial meetings, likewise the assembling of provincial, and
national synods, for putting order to such things as have not been helped
in the particular presbyteries. And as for the other sort of elders,
together with deacons, we judge the ancient order of this church to have
been most convenient for providing of well-qualified men for those
functions and offices; for the eighth head of the First Book of
Discipline, touching the election of elders and deacons, ordaineth that
only men of best knowledge and cleanest life be nominate to be in
election, and that their names be publicly read to the whole church by the
minister, giving them advertisement that from among them must be chosen
elders and deacons, that if any of these nominate be noted with public
infamy, he ought to be repelled; and that if any man know others of better
qualities within the church than those that be nominate, they shall be put
in election, that the church may have the choice.

If these courses, whereof we have spoken, be followed by Christian
princes, they shall, by the blessing of God, procure that the church shall
be served with able and fit ministers; but though thus they may _procurare
speciem_, yet they may not _designare individuum_, which now I am to
demonstrate.

_Propos._ 3. Nevertheless,(1002) princes may not design nor appoint such
or such particular men to the charge of such or such particular churches,
or to the exercise of such or such ecclesiastical functions, but ought to
provide that such an order and form be kept in the election and ordination
of the ministers of the church, as is warranted by the example of the
apostles and primitive church.

The vocation of a minister in the church is either inward or outward. The
inward calling which one must have in finding himself, by the grace of
God, made both able and willing to serve God and his church faithfully in
the holy ministry, lieth not open to the view of men, and is only manifest
to him from whom nothing can