A90265:31
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.
the Book of Truth, praised be GOD, is easy to be obtained, and GOD is not tied to means, in discovering the truth of that Book. Come we then, to the consideration of what duty in the service of GOD, beyond those belonging unto several families, were permitted to any of the people, not peculiarly set apart for such a purpose. The Ceremonial part of Gods worship, as we saw before, was so appropriate to the Priests, that God usually revenged the transgression of that ordinance, very severely, the Examples of Uzzah and Uzziah, are dreadful testimonies of his wrath in that kind:1 It was an unalterable law, by virtue whereof, the Priests excommunicated that presumptuous King. For that which we chiefly intend the public teaching of others, as to some it was enjoined, as an act of their duty, so it might at first seem, that it was permitted to all, who having ability ⟨p. 14⟩thereunto, were called by charity or necessity; So the Princes of Jehoshaphat taught the people out of the Law of God, as well as the Priests and Levites, 2 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9, 10. so also Nehemiah, and others of the chief of the people are reckoned among them who taught the people, Nehem. 8. and afterwards, when Saint Paul at any time entered into their Synagogues; 2they never questioned any thing but his abilities, if he had any word of Exhortation to the people he might say on: and the Scribes questioning the authority of our Saviour for his teaching, were moved to it, not because he taught, but because he taught so, and such things, with authority, and against their traditions, otherwise they rather troubled themselves, to think how he should become able to teach: Mark 6. 2, 3. then him, because he did: there are indeed many sharp reproofs in the old Testament of those who undertook to be Gods Messengers without his warrant, as Jerem. 23. 21, 22. I have not sent these Prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, &c. to which, and the like places it may satisfactorily be answered, that howsoever by the way of analogy, they may be drawn into rule, for these times of the Gospel, yet they were spoken only in reference to them who falsely pretended to extraordinary revelations, and a power of foretelling things to come: whom the Lord forewarned his people of, and appointed punishments for them,