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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33945	The pulpit-guard routed, in its twenty strong-holds, or, A brief answer to a large and lawless discourse, written by one Tho. Hall ... intituled, The pulpit-guarded, with twenty arguments, pretending to prove the unlawfulness and sinfulness of private mens preaching ... his six arguments to prove their ministry free from anti-Christianism, rased, and six more asserted, proving them to be anti-Christian / written by Tho. Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1651 (1651)	Wing C5295; ESTC R9709	89,279	114

grace of Christ doubt not but that I shall rout you in them all Fourthly I shall discover the weakness of your answers unto those objections you produce for Laymens preaching Fifthly and lastly Your six Arguments to prove your Ministers free from Antichristianism examined and found too light and six more asserted proving them to be Antichristian And now Sir to the business in hand and first to the Title of your Book The Pulpit Guarded I have two words to minde you here 1. I perceive you are turned Souldier Sir are you not besides your Calling but whom do you guard the Pulpit forsooth what doth the Pulpit want guarding your high and holy place are you yet such Pharisees notwithstanding the light shines and the Sun of righteousness is arising with healing in his wings that you must have the uppermost rooms at Feasts and the chief seats in the Synagogues and be called of men Rabbi But Sir in good earnest is it truth that the Pulpit needs your guard are gifted brethren as you call them grown so high as that they dare adventure into your Pulpit and will you guard the Pulpit from them and not only the Pulpit but you would guard all preaching from them too as there ever such a thing as this heard of what to guard the Pulpit from preaching brethren Did ever Christ and his Apostles do the like did you ever finde any one in Scripture guarding the Pulpit and preaching from the Saints I challenge you in the name of the Lord to come forth and produce any one in the Scripture I say again any one unless the Pope or the Devill that hath done the like work as you have done Was this the practice of Christ Mar. 9. 38 39. The Disciples seeing one cast out Devils in the name of Christ they forbade him because he followed not Christ but Jesus said Forbid him not for there is no man which shal do a Miracle in my name which can likely speak evil of me the reason is for he that is not against me is on our part But 2. The persons you mention with whom you disputed and as you say occasioned this Pulpit discourse was a Nailer a Baker a Plough-right a Weaver and a Bakers-boy and it appears clearly in this and all your discourse in which you often mention them that you mention them in way of reproach as if it were a reproach and scandal for a Nailer a Baker a Plough-right and a Weaver to preach the Gospel I cannot but take notice of two things in this particular First ignorance Secondly envy 1. Your ignorance and that under two considerations First Ignorance in not knowing else wilfulness in not acknowledging that God hath alwaies and in all Ages of the world hitherto made and will make use of men of Callings to be the Ministers of his will unto the people as Moses David Elisha Peter Paul c. And I challenge you again to produce any example in the Scripture that ever God made choice of any to be Ministers of his minde unto the people who were bred up idly all the daies of their life without a Calling as the Priests of our times have been that whereas idleness is forbidden in all Ages and God hath called men of particular Callings to minister in the Gospel forsooth we must have idlers and them only Drones that never knew what it was to live lawfully in the world by a particular Calling that must be put into the Priests office that they may eat a piece of bread cloath themselves with the wooll and feed themselves with the fat and none must preach but themselves lest their idleness and baseness should be discovered Object There are many Prophets and Ministers in the Scripture their Callings are not mentioned Answ True but it s enough first that many nay most are mentioned 2. Idleness was forbidden and was altogether unlawfull therefore we may not judge that God made choice of idlers because they were so nay that it is the devils choice and Sodoms sin pride and idleness Object The Ministers are not bred up idly as you say but have particular Callings being bred up to learning which is a calling Answ That is no calling for a calling is that in and by which men may in the sweat of their face get their living Gen. 3. 19. Ephes 4. 28. breeding to school is proper to children when they cannot labour to fit them for some calling Prov. 22. 6. Secondly ignorance in not knowing that its that which tends most to the glory of God and that wherein his power wisdom c. is the more made manifest and magnified in gifting weak ones and this he doth that no man might glory in his presence nor in his own wisdom parts arts sciences c. that men might not give the glory to those outward base things of the world which belongs to God and of this it seems you and the men of your generation are ignorant worse and more blind if not wilfull then those Act. 4. 13. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus But you are so blind that you cannot take knowledge of your gifted brethren that they have been with Jesus you are ignorant of that truth Psal 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger God ordains strength out of the mouths of babes and sucklings that way making his power and wisdom to appear that so he might still the enemy and the avenger but you are such an enemy that you will not take notice of Gods working in this way but you will be an enemy the more and avenge the more and blaspheme the free operation of the Spirit in the Saints Pharisee like Mat. 12. a dangerous sin Secondly Envy against the Lord and against his people envyest thou for my sake saith Moses Numb 11. 29. Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets Oh saith the Priest but we will have no Prophets nor Preachers but our selves it s a profitable trade by this we have our gain our profit our honour upheld our back and belly clad and fed our pride and ambitious lusts maintained but if you suffer Mecanick fellows men of Trades and particular Callings to preach we lose all they will tell truth to the people and for this it is you envy them Now to your Looking-glass for Anabaptists as you call them Their first Tenent and Error you say is That Infant Baptism is a childish needless thing and that none must be baptized before they come to perfect age and can make confession of his faith that Infant-Baptism came from the Pope and the Devil Ans This I own for truth although in many places you abuse them writing lying vanities the visions of your own head I shall therefore

THE Pulpit-Guard Routed IN ITS Twenty Strong-Holds OR A brief ANSWER To a large and lawless Discourse Written by one Tho. Hall of Kings-Norton Intituled The Pulpit-Guarded with Twenty Arguments Pretending to prove the unlawfulness and sinfulness of Private mens Preaching Wherein the Arguments being weighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary are found too light and the lawfulness of Private mens Preaching as Tho. Hall calls them viz. Gifted Brethren is cleared and confirmed in opposition to all Gain-sayers My work in this Treatise hath been and is 1. To Rout him in all his Guards 2. To discover the weakness and invalidity of all his Answers to those Objections and Allegations by him there produced for the Preaching of the Gifted Brethren His six Arguments to prove their Ministry free from Antichristianism rased and six more asserted proving them to be Antichristian Written by Tho. Collier Isai 28. 20. For the Bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the Covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it Verse 21. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perasim and be wroth as in the vally of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act strange because so to the dark minds of men Chap 29. 14. Therefore behold I proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent men shall be hid Chap. 28. 22. Now therefore be ye not mo●kers lest your bands be made strong London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black-Spred Eagle at the West end of Pauls near Ludgate 1651. The Epistle to the Readers DEar Country-men and Friends it s not my desire as I am a man to be medling with things of this nature but as I am a Christian and made partaker in a measure of the Heavenly Gift taking notice of this Pulpit-Guard it being so directly against the will of the Lord in the Gospel dispensation and the free operation of his Spirit in the hearts of his people for the good and comfort of the Church his Body 1 Cor. 14. 31. For Sions sake I could not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I could not rest without giving a check in the plain evidence and demonstration of the spirit and power unto this unrighteous Guard it is a very sad and dangerous thing when men under the pretence of Religion for self-ends and interests shall make use of their Wisdom Arts Parts against the Lord and his Truth What opinion or practice is there this day in the world that pretends for Christ but that men may and do put fair glosses and pretences of Scripture for the upholding of it though never so contrary unto it I have in that light God hath given me examined the particulars of that discourse and the Scripture grounds and found them too light not holding weight in the Ballance of the Scripture and have commended to thy view who art the Reader The substance of my apprehensions concerning them possibly thou mayst imagine that I have been too rugged in my expressions or sometimes too light or vain in my Answers I answer 1. Meeting with such a Spirit in that Book of Pride Reproach and Self conceitedness I was at some stand as to the manner of my Answer But when I considered the words of Solomon Prov. 26. 5. Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit And Chap. 15. 28. The heart of the righteous studyeth to answer but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things I was satisfied in giving an Answer sutable to the Spirit I found working in it 2. Being deeply sensible of the dangerousness of the way that thousands of souls are lead in by these kind of men and finding by experience their height and perversness in their way that they are without a miracle of mercy without the reach or bands of love I have therefore dealt the more plain and downright yet still in truth and love and it s no other then Christ and his Servants have done in the like case before me Mat. 23. throughout John 8 44. Act. 13. 10 1 King 18. 27. But you may say you look upon many of them to be honest and pretious men c. Answ The more need have they to be sharply reproved for their sins and miscarriages men may be honest the people of God and yet in Babylon I am not despairing in the truth of what you say yet their Office and Babylonish actions are never the honester for that Rev. 18. 4. And this I must minde you that God hath not left himself without witness of the truth by me declared and that by men of the same calling with them but when once inlightned they reject their callings administrations and all as Antichristian with shame to themselves for their ignorance I could instance in divers if it might add to the truth but I judge it needless at present What thou findest written contrary to thy mind try it by the Scripture waite upon the Lord to teach thee what weakness in expressions as to thy judgement thou meetest with let not the truth suffer rather impute it to him whose it is If thou finde any light shining forth in it through it to thy dark understanding give him the glory who is the Author of it so have I my desire Finally reade and judge and the Lord give you understanding in all things T. C. THE Pulpit-Guard Routed In his twenty strong Holds SIR I Meeting with your Book subscribed with this Title The Pulpit Guarded c. and perceiving the drift and end of the matter with the manner of it could not but judge my self bound as I tendred the honour of the Lord Jesus his Truth and Gospel his Saints and Servants especially seeing none else undertaking the work to rebuke this unclean spirit and to cast out this devil to enter the lists with and to rout this unrighteous Guard It possibly may seem strange that I should undertake this task especially because this Guard was occasioned as you say by a dispute at Henly in Warwick-shire But Sir finding your Discourse tending not only to reproach the Creature but the Creator likewise his Truth and powerfull free operation in his Saints all which I finde my self bound in conscience for to vindicate as far as light and truth in its power appeareth in me As for the manner of my proceeding 1. I shall not turn aside after every vain and unworthy passage and miscarriage in your Guard neither shall I meddle with your particular Epistles but I shall first give you some hints concerning the Title of your Book Secondly I shall discover your ignorance falshood and folly in your Looking-glass for Anabaptists as you call them Thirdly I shall encounter with you in all your twenty Guards and in the strength of the

is that its your selves who are the intruders pretending your selves Ministers of the Gospel when you know not what it is but are in deed and truth the Peoples Lords and Masters You say the power of the keys is given to you and the power of remitting and retaining sins and not to the body of the Church I answer The power of the keys is given neither to Church nor Minister to retain and remit that is proper only to God to Christ who have the keys of Hell and Death and open and no man shuts and shut and no man opens You would fain dethrone the Pope and take the power of pardoning out of his hand if you could But it is the power of the Gospel that remits sins where it comes in power it brings pardon and peace where the Gospel comes in power and is believed and received it remits sins but where it is not received there sin is retained So that it s not the word or authority of a Priest but the power and grace of Christ that remits sins The twelfth Argument If the work of the Ministry be an exceeding weighty and laborious work then every private man though he have some gifts is not fit for it but the work of the Ministry is an exceeding weighty and laborious work c. Hence the Apostle puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on it 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient c. and every man is not fit to be a Carver to a King I answer You are still harping upon one string you love reiterations and tautologies many of your Arguments being one and the same in substance you only alter the terms that so you may make up the number I have often answered that though every gifted brother is not fit to be a Minister in office yet every gifted brother is fit to communicate according to the gift he hath received and notwithstanding it is both a laborious and weighty Calling yet neither of them in those who are Ministers indeed shall prevent but rather encourage that which you so much oppose So in Paul and in Peter who excelling in the work of the Ministry excelled likewise in this the encouraging of the Saints in the performance of their duty in this particular 1 Cor. 14. 1 Pet. 4. And were you what you profess your self to be you durst not to have done what you have in opposing this truth of Christ The thirteenth Argument That way which was first invented by Socinians Anabaptists Arminians the enemies of Gods grace to destroy the truth may not be practised by Christians c. but this toleration of all gifted brethren to preach was first invented by Socinians Anabaptists Arminians to destory the truth c. Answ Dare you be so impudent and bold as to belye the Saints with so much venome as 1. To give them such reproachfull terms for their owning and professing truth 2. To call them enemies to Gods grace when they hold it forth in its purity 3. That they were the first Inventers of this practise and that to destroy the truth when it was the Lord Jesus in and by his servants the Apostles did command it therefore in your next lay your blame where it is Call Christ and his Apostles Socinians Anabaptists c. because they both practised and commanded that for which you would hang if you could your Brethren that practice the like Believe it Sir you had need be disburden'd of this Book and your pretended Ministry too before you meet the Lord Jesus when he comes to Judg the Earth He will say then As for mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luke 19. For Sir I would have you know that in substance you call Christ and his Apostles Socinians Anabaptists Arminians c. and enemies to Truth for they were the first Inventers of this practice you so much oppose Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 1 Pet. 4. The fourteenth Argument They which have no promise from God of Divine assistance cannot comfortably or succesfully undertake a work but private persons turning Preachers without a Call have no promise of Divine assistance Ergo They cannot comfortably and succesfully undertake the work The Major granted the Minor grounded on Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you to the end c. The Promise is made to the Apostles and their Successors And who are they your selves think you Say you not there are no Apostles now how are you their Successors then or do you their work which was to Disciple first then Baptize Nay how then why Baptize or sprinkle first and hate reproach persecute the true Disciples everafter yet are you the Apostles successors or rather are you not of the Bastard brood of Rome whose name is changed but not the nature But to your Minor 1. Where are the Saints called private persons in Scripture or Lay-men This is but a trick of your own to make your selves the more publick but if the Saints viz. Gifted brethren are commanded to and commended for exercising according to their gift then they have a promise and may expect a blessing and success in that work but they have a command 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. and commendation 1 Cor. 14. 6. for exercising in that gift Ergo they may with comfort expect success and a blessing in it The promise Mat. 28. 20. is for them I will be with you c. so long as you are doing what I command you and what I commend unto you And I will never fail you nor forsake you Heb. 13. 5. while you do that I command you and commend unto you c. The fifteenth Argument That way which breeds Disorder Errour and Confusion is not the way of God but toleration of private persons out of Office to Expound and Interpret Scripture in publike is away that breeds Errour and Confusion Ergo 'T is not of God Answ 1. The Major you say is clear therefore to your Minor The toleration of such uncalled Preachers breeds Errour It s granted but this doth not hinder the preaching of Gifted Brethren who are called to exercise their Gifts but indeed it s the uncall'd Preachers viz. your selves that have bred the Errour and Confusion in this Nation 't is proved by woful experience You it is that have stirred up the Nation to the zeal of Persecution and you it is in all Ages that have been the cause of War and Blood and you it is that at present if mercy prevent not endeavour to kindle a fire in it that will devour it and you it is that bring in such ignorance darkness and errours as that there is not any one truth that can appear in its purity but you cry out against it giving it some contemptible Nick name or other that so it may not take with the people but you will have but little thank of Christ one day for it And 2. If some do Preach and practice things tending to