Calvin called to the ministry?

Calvin speaks of: “my ministry, which I feel assured is supported and sanctioned by a call from God” (LCC, Calvin Theological Treatises, ‘Reply to Sadolet’, p222)

This is particularly interesting because he wrote it in Sept 1539 while he had been ejected from the public ministry at Geneva. So perhaps it is likely that he has in mind the feeling of some kind of internal call rather than a public, official, legal, formal, ordination / call, though he does go on to speak of his offices as doctor then pastor and of a “legitimate vocation”.

Though one should also remember Calvin’s desire to evade public ministry that he might devote himself to private study. In the way he had to be constrained to ministry he stands in the tradition of the likes of Augustine and Gregory N.

Calvin says he can no more throw away his charge for the Geneva church than he can his own soul! Even if he wanted to get out of it, he would still be bound, he says, since his charge was unlawfully removed. (p223)