The Duty of Pastors and People Distinguished

The duty of pastors and people distinguished. 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 practice of God's 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, to others.

By JOHN OWEN, M. A. of Q. Col. O.

LONDON, Printed by L. N. for Philemon Stephens, at the gilded Lion in Paul's Church-yard. 1644.

SIR:

Having of late been deprived of the happiness to see you, I make bold to send to visit you; and because that the times are troublesome, I have made choice of this messenger: who having obtained a license to pass, fears no searching: he brings no news (at least) to you, but that which was from the beginning, and must continue to the end, which you have heard, and which (for some part thereof) you have practiced out of the word of God. He has no secret messages prejudicial to the state of Church or commonwealth; neither I hope, will he entertain any such comments by the way — considering from whom he comes, and to whom he goes; of whom, the one would disclaim him, and the other punish him. Ambitious I am not of any entertainment for these few sheets, neither care much what success they find in their travel; setting them out merely in my own defence, to be freed from the continued solicitations of some honest judicious men, who were acquainted with their contents: being nothing, but an hour's country-discourse, resolved, from the ordinary pulpit method, into its own principles: when I first thought of sending it to you, I made full account to use the benefit of the advantage, in recounting of, and returning thanks for some of those many undeserved favours which I have received from you. But addressing myself to the performance, I fainted in the very entrance; finding their score so large, that I know not where to begin, neither should I know how to end: only one I cannot suffer to lie hid in the crowd, though other engagements hindered me from embracing it, namely your free proffer of an ecclesiastical preferment, then vacant, and in your donation. Yet truly all received courtesies, have no power to oblige me to you, in comparison of that abundant worth, which by experience I have found to be dwelling in you. Twice by God's providence, have I been with you, when your county has been in great danger to be ruined, once by the horrid insurrection of a rude godless multitude; and again, by the invasion of a potent enemy, prevailing in the neighbor county; at both which times, besides the general calamity justly feared, particular threatenings were daily brought to you: under which sad dispensations, I must crave leave to say (only to put you in mind of yourself, if it should please God again to reduce you to the like straights) that I never saw more resolved constancy, more cheerful unmoved Christian courage in any man. Such a valiant heart in a weak body, such a directing head, where the hand was but feeble, such unwearied endeavours, under the pressures of a painful infirmity, so well advised resolves in the midst of imminent danger, did I then behold, as I know not where to parallel. Neither can I say less in her kind of your virtuous Lady, whose known goodness to all, and particular indulgences to me, make her (as she is in herself) very precious in my thoughts and remembrance: whom having named, I desire to take the advantage thankfully to mention her worthy son, my noble and very dear friend C. Westrow, whose judgement to discern the differences of these times, and his valor in prosecuting what he is resolved to be just and lawful, places him among the number of those very few, to whom it is given to know aright the causes of things, and vigorously to execute holy and laudable designs. But further of him I choose to say nothing, because if I would, I cannot but say too little. Neither will longer detain you from the ensuing discourse, which I desire to commend to your favourable acceptance, and with my hearty prayers, that the Lord would meet you and yours in all those ways of mercy and grace, which are necessary to carry you along through all your engagements, until you arrive at the haven of everlasting glory, where you would be: I rest.

Your most obliged servant in Jesus Christ our common Master: JOHN OWEN.

THE glass of our lives seems to run and keep pace with the extremity of time: the end of those ends of the world which began with the Gospel is doubtless coming upon us. He that was instructed what should be, till time should be no more, said, it was [in non-Latin alphabet] the last hour in his time: much sand cannot be behind, and Christ shakes the glass: many minutes of that hour cannot remain; the next measure we are to expect is but a moment, the twinkling of an eye, wherein we shall all be changed. Now as if the horoscope of the decaying age had some secret influence into the wills of men, to comply with the decrepit world, they generally delight to run into extremes: not that I would have the fate of the times to bear the faults of men, like him who cried, [in non-Latin alphabet] to free himself, entitling God and fate to his sins; but only to show how the all-disposing providence of the most High works such a compliance of times and persons, as may jointly drive at his glorious aims, causing men to set out in such seasons as are fittest for their travel. This epidemical disease of the aged world is the cause why, in that great diversity of contrary opinions wherewith men's heads and hearts are now replenished, the truth pretended to be sought with so much earnestness may be often gathered up, quite neglected, between the parties litigant; medio tutissimus is a sure rule, but that fiery spirits, pyrout Eocus & Aethon quartusque Phlegon, will be mounting. In the matter concerning which I propose my weak essay, some would have all Christians to be almost ministers, others none but ministers to be God's clergy: those would give the people the keys, these use them to lock them out of the Church, the one ascribing to them primarily all ecclesiastical power for the ruling of the congregation; the other abridging them of the performance of spiritual duties for the building of their own souls: as though there were no habitable earth between the valley (I had almost said the pit) of democratical confusion, and the precipitous rock of hierarchical tyranny: when unskilful archers shoot, the safest place to avoid the arrow is the white: going, as near as God shall direct me, to the truth of this matter, I hope to avoid the strokes of the combatants on every side. And therefore will not handle it [in non-Latin alphabet] with opposition to any man, or opinion, but [in non-Latin alphabet] briefly proposing my own required judgment: the summary result whereof is, that the sacred calling may retain its ancient dignity, though the people of God be not deprived of their Christian liberty; to clear which proposal, some things I shall briefly premise.