A90265:27
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.
oblations, and the like, which in their original institution were never permitted to the people of the Jews, but yet tralatitiously and by Analogy are enjoined to all Christians, but of these afterwards; the main question is, ⟨p. 10⟩about the duty of the people of God, in performances for their own edification, and the extent of their lawful undertakings for others instruction; for the first, which is of nearest concernment unto themselves: The sum of their duty in this kind may be reduced to these two heads; First, to hear the Word and Law of God read attentively, especially when it was expounded. Secondly, to meditate therein themselves, to study it day and night, and to get their senses exercised in that rule of their duty. Concerning each of which, we have both the precept, and the practise, Gods command, and their performance. The one, in that injunction given unto the Priest, Daut. 31. 11, 12, 13. When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place that he shall choose, thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing: Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God; and that their children which have not known may hear and learn. All which we find punctually performed on both sides, Nehem. 8. 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezra the Priest standing on a Pulpit of wood, read the Law, and gave the meaning of it, and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. Which course continued until there was an end put to the observances of that Law; as Act. 15. 21. Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day: On which ground, not receding from their ancient observations, the people assembled to hear our Saviour teaching with authority, Luk. 21. 38. And S. Paul divers times took advantage of their ordinary assemblies to preach the Gospel unto them. For the other, which concerns their own searching into the Law, and studying of the Word we have a strict command, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8, 9.