A90265:122
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.
Men are apt,1 to pride themselves in their gifts, and flatter themselves in their performances, so that let them approach as nigh as the Tabernacle, and you shall quickly have them encroaching upon the Priests office also, and by an over-weening of their own endeavours, create themselves Pastors in separate congregations.
Men are apt,1 to pride themselves in their gifts, and flatter themselves in their performances, so that let them approch as nigh as the Tabernacle, and you shall quickly have them encroaching upon the Priests office also, and by an over-weening of their own indeavours, create themselues Pastors in seperate congregations.
- 12. Object.
It cannot be,1 but offences will come, so long as there is malice in Satan, and corruption in men, there is no doubt, but there is danger of some such thing: but hereof the liberty mentioned is not the cause, but an accidental occasion only, no way blameable, gifts must not be condemned, because they may be abused, God-fearing-men will remember Korah, knowing (as one says well) that Uzzah had better ventured the falling then the fingering of the Ark, they that truly love their souls, will not suffer themselves to be carried away by self-conceit, so far as to help overthrow the very constitution of any Church by confusion, or the flourishing of it by ignorance, both which, would certainly follow such courses; knowledge if alone puffeth up, but joined to charity it edifieth.
It cannot be,1 but offences will come, so long as there is malice in Satan, and corruption in men, there is no doubt, but there is danger of some such thing: but hereof the liberty mentioned is not the cause, but an accidentall occasion onely, no way blameable, gifts must not be condemned, because they may be abused, God-fearing-men will remember Korah, knowing (as one sayes well) that Vzzah had better ventured the falling then the fingring of the Arke, they that truely love their soules, will not suffer themselves to be carried away by selfe-conceit, so farre as to help overthrow the very constitution of any Church by confusion, or the flourishing of it by ignorance, both which, would certainly follow such courses; knowledge if alone puffeth up, but joyned to charity it edifieth.