Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 4.

Obj. THey of the Presbitery intend to exclude such kinde of people from the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?

Ans. In that they make themselves rediculous, for as it would* 1.1 be counted an idle thing, to invite a company of Guests to a Feast, and when they be come give them nothing to eate; so it is for the Presbiterians to use the publick power of the Magistrate to bring in such like as Members of the Church, and yet wil not per∣mit them the benefit which the rest of the Members have; which manner of juggl••ng doth discover the two great hinges which they hang upon, viz. Pride and covetousnesse.

Obj. In the Parable of the Marriage Feast it is said, that the Kings Servants had power, and were ordered to compell Guests?

Ans. That which Luke renders in the word (compell) by Mat∣thew* 1.2 is rendered (bid) or invite, by comparing of which it ap∣peares, that there was no great violence used by the Kings Ser∣vants that so invited them; neither can a man properly be said to be compelled, unlesse he be forced to doe a thing contrary to his will, but it is evident that those men who had formerly re••used the invitation, was not compelled contrary to their mindes, there∣fore there was no compulsion used by them messengers.

Obj. It appeareth by them whom the King tooke view of, that they had been compelled, in regard that one of them wanted a W••d∣ding Garment?

Ans. No such thing for we read that Annanias, Saphira, Si∣mon* 1.3 Magus, &c. were no otherwise compelled, then the ••est of the Beleevers, and yet by their Hipocrisie they had got admissi∣on (as Members of the Church of Christ) as wel as the truest Beleever, and so continued until the Spirit of God found them out, and discovered their Hipocrisie; and albeit the field of the Church cannot be throughly weeded from its tares, must we suffer it therefore to be so over-spread, as that the Corne cannot be discerned from them; because some Hipocrites wil surke in the bosome of the Church, so long as it is Militant (by meanes of their Pharisaicall glosse and varnish, which they put upon their actions) must we therefore suffer all manner of scandalous

notorious Blasphemers to cumber that little flocke.

Obj. It is said, that the Servants did as their Lord comman∣ded them, which was to compell, and if they had not been so com∣pelled, why was the word used?

Ans. I have told you, that a compulsive power is then said to be used, when such as are obstinate, and refractory, are forced, and constrained to become obedient, and willing, but them who so declared themselves, were not compelled. And according to the Simile such kinde of people as the other, needed no compulsion to come to a Feast, however to such a Feast. And if we take the King there spoken of, to be meant of a temporall King, speaking to his Servants, or Ministers, then must the Parable also ayme at a temporall power; but if it be meant of the Spirituall King, Christ speaking to his Ministers, or Messengers, it must needs be meant of a Spirituall power, which doth not belong to the civill Magistrate, but to the Spirituall power of the Word, in the Mi∣nistry thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Presbite∣rians practice rediculous.
• * 1.2

  When compu∣tation is said to be used.
• * 1.3

  How farre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may deceive.