A90265:24
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.
and Sixtus Senensis, that the book of the wars of the Lord was a volume ancienter then the books of Moses; but the contrary opinion is most received, so Chrysost. Hom. 1. in Mali. after its giving, none ever doubted of the perfection of the written word for the end to which it was ordained, until the Jews had broached their Talmud, to oppose Christ, and the Papists their Traditions, to advance Antichrist; doubtless the sole aim of the work, what ever, were the intentions of the workmen.
and Sixtus Senensis, that the booke of the wars of the Lord was a volume ancienter then the bookes of Moses; but the contrary opinion is most received, so Chrysost. Hom. 1. in Mali. after its giving, none ever doubted of the perfection of the written word for the end to which it was ordained, untill the Jewes had broached their Talmud, to oppose Christ, and the Papists their Traditions, to advance Antichrist; doubtlesse the sole aime of the work, what ever, were the intentions of the workmen.
The Lights which God maketh, are sufficient to rule the seasons ⟨p. 8⟩for which they are ordained; as, in creating of the world, God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; so in the erection of the new world of his Church, he set up two great lights, the lesser light of the old Testament, to guide the night, the dark space of time under the law, and the greater light of the new Testament, to rule the glorious day of the Gospel, and these two lights do sufficiently enlighten every man that cometh into this new world: There is no need of the false fire of tradition, where God sets up such glorious lights. This be premised, for the proneness of men, to deflect from the golden rule, and heavenly polestar in the investigation of the truth; especially in things of this nature, concerning which we treat, wherein ordinary endeavours, are far greater in searching after what men have done, then what they ought to have done; and when the fact is once evidenced, from the pen of a Rabbi, or a Father, presently conclude the right: amongst many, we may take a late treatise for instance, entitled, of Religious Assemblies and the public service of God, whose author would prescribe the manner of Gods worship among Christians, from the custom of the Jews; and their observations, he would prove from the Rabbins; not at all taking notice, that from such observances, they were long ago recalled, to the law and to the testimony.