A90265:114
The duty of pastors and people distinguished [sic]. Or A brief discourse, touching the…The duty of pastors and people distingushed [sic]. Or A briefe discourse, touching the…
The duty of pastors and people distinguished [sic]. Or A brief discourse, touching the administration of things commanded in religion. Especially concerning the means to be used by the people of God (distinct from church-officers) for the increasing of divine knowledge in themselves and others. Wherein bounds are prescribed to their performances, their liberty is enlarged to the utmost extent of the dictates of nature and rules of charity: their duty laid down in directions, drawn from Scripture-precepts, and the practise of Gods people in all ages. Together with the several ways of extraordinary calling to the office of public teaching, with what assurance such teachers may have of their calling, and what evidence they can give of it, unto others. / By John Owen, M.A. of Q. Col. O.The duty of pastors and people distingushed [sic]. Or A briefe discourse, touching the administration of things commanded in religion. Especially concerning the means to be used by the people of God (distinct from church-officers) for the increasing of divine knowledge in themselves and others. Wherein bounds are prescribed to their peformances, their liberty is enlarged to the utmost extent of the dictates of nature and rules of charity: their duty laid downe in directions, drawn from Scripture-precepts, and the practise of Gods people in all ages. Together with the severall wayes of extraordinary calling to the office of publike teaching, with what assurance such teachers may have of their calling, and what evidence they can give of it, unto others. / By John Ovven, M.A. of Q. Col. O.
London: printed by L. N. for Philemon Stephens, 1644
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now for what gifts, (that are as before freely bestowed) whose exercise is permitted, unto such men, so assembled: I mean in a private family, or two or three met [Greek or Hebrew] in one.
Now for what gifts, (that are as before freely bestowed) whose exercise is permitted, unto such men, so assembled: I meane in a private family, or two or three met 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in one.
And first we may name the gift of prayer, whose exercise must not be exempted, from such Assemblies, if any be granted: these are the times, wherein the Spirit of grace and supplications, is promised to be poured out upon the Jerusalem of God, Zech. 12. 10. Now God having bestowed the gift, and requiring the duty, his people ought not to be hindered in the performance of it: are all ⟨p. 50⟩those precepts to pray in the Scriptures, only for our Closets? when the Church was in distress for the imprisonment of Peter, there was a meeting at the house of Mary the mother of John, Act. 12. 12. many were gathered together praying, saith the text: A sufficient warrant for the people of God in like cases: the Churches are in no less distress now, then at that time, and in some congregations the ministers are so oppressed, that publicly they dare not, in others so corrupted, that they will not pray for the prosperity of Jerusalem: Now truly it were a disconsolate thing, for any one of Gods servants to say, during all these straits, I never joined with any of Gods children in the pouring out of my prayer in the behalf of his Church: neither can I see how this can possibly be prevented, but by the former means; to which add the counsel of St. Paul, speaking to themselves, in Psalms, and hymns, and Spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts unto the Lord,