The font-guard routed, or, A brief answer to a book written by Thomas Hall superscribed with this title, The font guarded with 20 arguments therein endeavouring to prove the lawfulness of infant baptism wherein his arguments are examined and being weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary are found too light : the most considerble of Mr. Baxters arguments for infant-baptism being produced by Tho. Hall are here answered likewise / written by Tho. Collier ; to which is added A word of reply to Tho. Halls word to Collier and another to John Feriby's [ap]pendix called The pulpit-guard relieved ; with An answer to Richard Sanders's pretended Balm to heal religious wounds, in answer to The pulpit-guard routed : with an humble representation of some few proposals to the honorable committee appointed by the Parliament for propagation of the Gospel.

A Word of REPLY to Iohn Ferriby, in an Appendix to The Lawfull Preacher: called The Pulpit-Guard-Relieved.

SIR, You call your Appendix The Pulpit-Guard Re∣lieved; But whether it be A Relief in good earnest, I leave to the Reader to judge. If chiding, railing and reproaching be A Relief, then you have Relieved it; else not. And notwithstanding your great swel∣ling words, you'l find there is so much in that Pulpit-Rout, that nei∣ther you nor all your Gang will ever be able to extinguish it. Rage you may, but ruin it you cannot.

You say Page 2. That he is so bitter in his Expressions against the Gentleman, so loud in railing against the Coat, that he deserves no An∣swer. But you are mistaken, Sir; they are not railings, but true disco∣veries of Wolves in Sheeps cloathing.

But you say, You forbear, lest in this the Proverb should be verified, Like to like, quoth the Devil to the Collier. And who is worst think you, the Devil or the Collier? By your own confession you are the De∣vil, I the Collier. The Devil it is, it seems, speaks to the Collier; and surely if the Collier did the Devils work, he would never reprove him for it. But if the Collier do the work of Christ, the Devil will fall upon him.

You say, You will not meddle with the Looking-glass: nor will you examine the Tryal and Verdict, nor take notice of the strength of his Ar∣guments.

I wonder what then you will do; here's like to be a goodly Re∣lief anon; A Pulpit Relief, yet take no notice of the force of the Truth that lieth against it. It's just like to a company of men that will pretend they relieve a besieged Garison, yet take no notice of the Be∣siegers, or will stand at a distance, and give great words, and so go a∣way boasting that the Work is done; and the mean time the Besieged perish. Thus have you dealt with your Pulpit-Guard; And truly, had not I had other occasions to write, I had never troubled my head or pen to have given you a word of Answer; And in this I shall give you but a word or two.

Thus having shifted your self from the substance of what is said in

The Pulpit Guard-Rout you pretend to give a Glympse of his skill in the interpretation of Scripture.

The First is that of the Priests of the Law and the Ministers of the Gospel.

The Priesthood under the Law typed out Christ, and he is the alone Priest by office. I deny not Ministers by office under the Go∣spel; but that Ministry that is of Christ, never forbiddeth the preach∣ing of the Brethren (who have received the Gift, though they never meddle with the office) but rather encourageth to it. 1. Pet 4. 10, 11.

And it is a truth, that Corah's guilt was in doing that which was forbidden; but the Saints are Commanded to, and Commended for preaching. Commanded to it Rom. 12. 3, 6. 1 Cor. 14 31. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Commended for it 1 Cor. 11. 2. One Ordinance or Tradition, and that not the least too, was that they might, nay that they ought to bring their gifts to the Church for the good of the whole. There are diversities of gifts in the Church, and all for the good of the whole. 1 Cor. 12. And this Monopolizing spirit that hath so long reigned in those who call themselves Ministers, hath been the cause of so much blindness in the World as hath been almost to this day. And as for the Calling of the Worldly Ministry, I leave the Reader to what is wrtten in The Pulpit-Guard Routed, to consider whether it be from above or from beneath, &c.

You say Page 5. There is in my Book, Page 19. enough granted for your Purpose.

Tis because you do in this as in other things take but Part of what I say. For though I say that none can preach according to the intenti∣on of that Scripture Rom. 10. 15. for the working of Faith and Con∣verting of souls; yet it doth not follow that every Gifted Brother may not Preach.

But you leave out that which follows. viz. for every Gifted Bro∣ther is sent to preach according to the measure of the Gift recieved. And the Mistake lieth in the word sent, thinking that none but men in Office are sent of God to convert souls; when Gifted Brethren are sometimes sent though not in Office. Acts 8. 4. with 11. 19, 21.

All you say in Answer to that that gifting is sending &c reacheth not the business in hand. For

1. It doth not appear in those Scriptures you mention, Isa 6 8, 9. Mat. 10 1, 5. that they were first gifted, then sent; Go tell them

saith the Lord to Isaiah. Gods putting the word in his mouth, was the gifting. Yet

2. I deny not in the ordinary way of prophesying and preaching gifting to precede sending, first to those who are authoritatively sent by the Church; or secondly to those who preach only by gift accord∣ing to the measure of the gift received. It is sending; and they may and ought according to the measure of the gift, both in the Church and out of the Church, viz. in the world as occasion is offered, God in those occasions calling them to it, accordingly to administer.

Secondly you say, that he is very unhappy in confounding ordinary and extraordinary Cases.

I answer first, that extraordinary Cases make not that lawfull which in it self is unlawfull, unless in cases of necessity for preservati∣on of life: then I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: unless it be in the bearing up of the name and truth of Christ; then he that will save his life, shall lose it. Witness Ʋzzah 1 Chro. 13. 9. 10. for putting his hand to stay the Ark, was smote with death. So that your so often mention∣ing extraordinary cases helps you nothing; for its not the extraordi∣nariness of the case that justifies the thing, if it be in it self unlawfull; so that you do indeed condemn the practice of the Saints recorded in Scripture for our example, in Acts Chap. 8. and 11. with divers others; and all for the keeping up your own Ends and Interests. I am sure if you stood in the counsel and truth of Jesus, the preaching of the Bre∣thren could not, would not trouble you.

As for what is said from pag. 8 to 10. I refer the Reader to the clear∣ness of the assertions in my Book.

Pag. 9. You say, The Gentleman (Pretended Servants; for so the word Minister signifies; yet Gentle men-Masters, Servants ruling o∣ver their Masters) having said that the Holy-Ghost commends Learning, he Replyes, pag. 41. Holy Ghost! is there any such word in the Scripture as Ghost? You say How now! which way went the Spirit of God from him? what, immediately inspired, yet ignorant of this? hath he forgotten Mat. 28. 20. &c?

Ans. Nay Sir, he hath not quite forgotten it; but have you indeed forgotten? or else did you never learn it that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifiyeth spi∣rit, not ghost? and so it is translated and read in all other languages except the English; and sometimes its truly translated in English too: and the word ghost is an old English Popish ugly word, which indeed if rightly considered, is not so fit to be given to the Holy Spirit.

As for the interpretation of I. Cor. 14. 31. 32. Let the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets; though I deny not what is menti∣oned v. 29. that the Prophets speak two or three, and the others judge; for the Church is to judge of the doctrine taught in it; yet its evident to any whose eyes are not shut against the truth that the interpretati∣on of v 31 &; 32. is in v 33 for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. See his Brother Richard Sanders confuting this, in his Balm to heal religious wounds, pag. 202. he saith, The spirit of the Prophets was subject to the Prophets, that is, the Spirit of Prophesie was not so vio∣lent on them, but that they had power to contain themselves, and to stay one for another, and so to speak in order, &c. Here Richard San∣ders confutes John Ferriby; let the Reader judge.

As to what you say in the rest, in way of Reply, there being no weight at all in it, I pass by it, referring the Reader to the examinati∣on of that Book you pretend to Answer. Where I make no question, but that the clearness of the truth asserted, will appear to the satis∣faction of any unbyassed and impartial Reader.

As for your reproachfull terms, which is indeed the sum of all your Answer, I pass it by as unworthy taking notice; leaving the contro∣versie betwixt both you and us unto the righteous Judge, who will in his own time bring it forth to the light, and put a difference between those who serve the Lord Jesus, and those who serve their own bellies. To him and with him I leave the controversie, who undoubtedly will plead his own Cause and Truth in his own Time.