The Pulpit-Guard Routed

p. 1THE 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.

p. 2Secondly, 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 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.

p. 2But 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 p. 3scandal 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 its 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.

p. 3Answ. 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.