ly _taketh
this honor to himself but he that is called of God, as was Aaron_. "I
sent them not, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith
the Lord." The characters divinely affixed to ministers, preachers, or
heralds, ambassadors, stewards, watchmen, angels, messengers, brightly
mark their call and commission to their work. The inspired rules for the
qualifications, the election, the ordination of ministers, are divinely
charged to be kept till _the day_, the second coming _of Jesus Christ_.
For intermeddling with the sacred business without a regular call, has
the Almighty severely punished numbers of men. Witness the destruction
of Korah and his company; the rejection of Saul; and the death of Uzza;
the leprosy of Uriah; the disaster of the sons of Sceva, &c., Num. xvi.;
1 Sam. xiii.; 1 Chron. xiii.; 2 Chron. xxvi.; Acts xix.

To rush into it, if gifted, or to imagine we are so, at our own hand,
introduces the wildest disorder, and the most shocking errors: it did so
at Antioch, and the places adjacent, where some falsely pretended a
mission from the apostles. This, too, was its effect with the German
anabaptists, and with the sectaries of England. Aversion at manual work,
pride of abilities, a disturbed imagination, a carnal project to promote
self, prompts the man to be preacher. Such ultroneous rushing is
inconsistent with the deep impression of the charge, and the care to
manifest their mission, everywhere in Scripture obvious in the ministers
of Christ. However sound his doctrine, great his abilities, warm his
address, where is the promise of God's especial presence, protection,
or success, to the ultroneous preacher? Where is his conduct commanded,
commended, or unmarked with wrath, exemplified in the sacred words? How
then can the preaching, or our hearing, of such, be in faith? How can it
be acceptable to God, or profitable to ourselves? For _whatsoever is not
of faith is sin_. Falsely this preacher pretends a mission from Christ:
wickedly, he usurps an authority over his Church: rebelliously he
deserts his own calling, and attempts to make void the office his
Saviour has appointed; to frustrate the dispensation of the gospel
committed to his faithful ambassadors. For how can they fulfil their
ministry, if others take the work out of their hand? How can they
_commit it to faithful men_, if, not waiting their commission, men rush
into it at pleasure?

In vain pleads the ultroneous preacher, tha