A90265:56
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.
CAP. 4.
Of the duty of Gods people in cases extraordinary concerning his Worship.
This being thus determined, I return again to the main [Greek or Hebrew], concerning the duty and privilege of the common people of Christianity, in sacred things: and first in cases extraordinary, in which perhaps it may be affirmed, that every one (of those I mean before named) is so far a Minister of the Gospel as to teach and declare the faith to others, although he have no outward calling thereunto; and yet in this case every one for such an undertaking must have a Warrant by an immediate call from God, and when God calls there must be no opposition, the thing it self he sends us upon, becomes lawful by his mission, what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common, Act. 10. 13. never fear the equity of what Cod sets thee upon; no excuses of disability or any other impediment, ought to take place, the Lord ⟨p. 29⟩can and will supply all such defects: This was Moses case, Exod. 10. 14. Oh Lord (saith he) I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, but of a slow speech, and a slow tongue; And the Lord said unto him, who hath made mans mouth, have not I the Lord? So also was it with the Prophet Jeremiah, when God told him, that he had ordained him a Prophet unto the Nations, he replies, Ah Lord God, behold I cannot speak, for I am a Child; But the Lord (saith he) said unto me, say not I am a Child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak,