Part 48

§. I. Having hitherto treated of the Principles of Religion, both relating to _Doctrine_ and _Worship_, I am now to speak of some Practices which have been the Product of this _Principle_, in those Witnesses whom God hath raised up in this Day to testify for his _Truth_. It will not a little commend them, I suppose, in the Judgment of sober and judicious Men, that taking them generally, even by the Confession of their Adversaries, they are found to be free of those Abominations which abound among other Professors, such as are _Swearing_, _Drunkenness_, _Whoredom_, _Riotousness_, &c. and that generally the very Coming among this People doth naturally work such a Change, so that many vicious and profane Persons have been known, by coming to this _Truth_, to become sober and virtuous; and many light, vain, and wanton Ones to become grave and serious, as our Adversaries dare not deny:[153] Yet that they may not want something to detract us for, cease not to accuse us for those Things which, when found among themselves, they highly commend; thus our _Gravity_ they call _Sullenness_, our _Seriousness_, _Melancholy_, our _Silence_, _Sottishness_. Such as have been vicious and profane among them, but by coming to us have left off those Evils, lest they should commend the Truth of our Profession, they say, That whereas they were profane before, they are become worse, _In being hypocritical and spiritually proud_. If any before _dissolute_ and _profane_ among them, by coming to the Truth with us, become _frugal_ and _diligent_, then they will charge them with _Covetousness_: And if any _eminent_ among them for _Seriousness_, _Piety_, and _Discoveries of God_, come unto us, then they will say, They were always subject to _Melancholy_ and to _Enthusiasm_; though before, when among them, it was esteemed neither _Melancholy_ nor _Enthusiasm_ in an evil Sense, but _Christian Gravity_ and _Divine Revelation_. Our _Boldness_ and _Christian Suffering_ they call _Obstinacy_ and _Pertinacy_; though half as much, if among themselves, they would account _Christian Courage_ and _Nobility_. And though thus by their Envy they strive to read all relating to us backwards, counting those Things Vices in us, which in themselves they would extol as Virtues, yet hath the Strength of Truth extorted this Confession often from them, _That we are generally a pure and clean People, as to the outward Conversation_.

[153] After this Manner the _Papists_ used to disapprove the Sobriety of the _Waldenses_, of whom _Reinerius_, a Popish Author, so writeth. “But this Sect of the _Leonists_ hath a great Shew of Truth; for that they live righteously before Men, and believe all Things well of God, and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed; only they blaspheme and hate the Church of _Rome_.”

_But this, _they say_, is but in Policy to commend our Heresy._

But such Policy it is, say I, as Christ and his Apostles made use of, and all good Christians ought to do; yea, so far hath Truth prevailed by the Purity of its Followers, that if one that is called a _Quaker_ do but that which is common among them, as to _laugh_ and be _wanton_, _speak at large_, and keep not his _Word_ punctually, or be overtaken with _Hastiness_ or _Anger_, they presently say, _O this is against your Profession!_ As if indeed so to do were very consistent with theirs; wherein though they speak the Truth, yet they give away their Cause. But if they can find any under our Name in any of those Evils common among themselves (as who can imagine but among so many Thousands there will be some Chaff, since of twelve Apostles one was found to be a Devil) O how will they insult, and make more Noise of the Escape of one _Quaker_, than of an hundred among themselves!

§. II. But there are some singular Things, which most of all our Adversaries plead for the Lawfulness of, and allow themselves in, as no Ways inconsistent with the _Christian Religion_, which we have found to be no Ways lawful unto us, and have been commanded of the Lord to lay them aside; though the doing thereof hath occasioned no small Sufferings and Buffetings, and hath procured us much Hatred and Malice from the World. And because the Nature of these Things is such, that they do upon the very Sight distinguish us, and make us known, so that we cannot hide ourselves from any, without proving unfaithful to our Testimony; our Trials and Exercises have herethrough proved the more numerous and difficult, as will after appear. These I have laboured briefly to comprehend in this Proposition; but they may more largely be exhibited in these six following Propositions.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Flattering Titles.] I. _That it is not lawful to give to Men such flattering Titles, as Your Holiness, Your Majesty, Your Eminency, Your Excellency, Your Grace, Your Lordship, Your Honour, _&c._ nor use those flattering Words, commonly called_ [COMPLIMENTS.]

[Sidenote: Hat and Knee.] II. _That it is not lawful for Christians to kneel, or prostrate themselves to any Man, or to bow the Body, or to uncover the Head to them._

[Sidenote: Apparel.] III. _That it is not lawful for Christians to use Superfluities in Apparel, as are of no Use, save for Ornament and Vanity._

[Sidenote: Gaming.] IV. _That it is not lawful to use Games, Sports, Plays, nor among other Things Comedies among Christians, under the Notion of Recreations, which do not agree with Christian Silence, Gravity, and Sobriety: For Laughing, Sporting, Gaming, Mocking, Jesting, vain Talking, _&c._ is not Christian Liberty, nor harmless Mirth._

[Sidenote: Swearing.] V. _That it is not lawful for Christians to swear at all under the Gospel, not only not vainly, and in their common Discourse, which was also forbidden under the _Mosaical_ Law, but even not in Judgment before the Magistrate._

[Sidenote: Fighting.] VI. _That it is not lawful for Christians to resist Evil, or to war or fight in any Case._

[Sidenote: _Degrees of Dignity and Precedency allowed._] Before I enter upon a particular Disquisition of these Things, I shall first premise some general Considerations, to prevent all Mistakes; and next add some general Considerations, which equally respect all of them. I would not have any judge, That hereby we intend to destroy the _mutual Relation_ that either is betwixt _Prince_ and _People_, _Master_ and _Servants_, _Parents_ and _Children_; nay, not at all: We shall evidence, That our Principle in these Things hath no such Tendency, and that these natural Relations are rather better established, than any Ways hurt by it. Next, Let not any judge, That from our Opinion in these Things, any Necessity of _levelling_ will follow, or that all Men must have Things in _common_. Our Principle leaves every Man to enjoy that peaceably, which either his own Industry, or his Parents, have purchased to him; only he is thereby instructed to use it aright, both for his own Good, and that of his Brethren; and all to the Glory of God: In which also his Acts are to be _voluntary_, and no Ways _constrained_. And further, we say not hereby, that no Man may use the Creation more or less than another: For we know, That as it hath pleased God to dispense it diversly, giving to some more, and some less, so they may use it accordingly. [Sidenote: _Education differs accordingly._] The several Conditions, under which Men are diversly stated, together with their Educations answering thereunto, do sufficiently shew this: The _Servant_ is not the same Way educated as the _Master_; nor the _Tenant_ as the _Landlord_; nor the _Rich_ as the _Poor_; nor the _Prince_ as the _Peasant_. Now, though it be not lawful for any, however great Abundance they may have, or whatever their Education may be, to use that which is merely superfluous; yet seeing their Education has accustomed them thereunto, and their Capacity enables them so to do, without being profuse or extravagant, they may use Things better in their Kind, than such whose _Education_ hath neither accustomed them to such Things, nor their Capacity will reach to compass them. [Sidenote: _The lawful or unlawful Use of the Creation._] For it is beyond Question, That whatever Thing the _Creation_ affords is for the Use of Man, and the moderate Use of them is lawful; yet, _per accidens_, they may be unlawful to some, and not to others. As for Instance, He that by Reason of his Estate and Education hath been used to eat _Flesh_ and drink _Wine_, and to be clothed with the _finest Wool_, if his Estate will bear it, and he use it neither in Superfluity, nor immoderately, he may do it; and perhaps, if he should apply himself to feed, or be cloathed as are the Peasants, it might prejudice the Health of his Body, and nothing advance his Soul. But if a Man, whose Estate and Education had accustomed him to both _coarser Food_ and _Raiment_, should stretch himself beyond what he had, or were used to, to the manifest Prejudice of his Family and Children, no Doubt it would be unlawful to him, even so to eat or be clothed as another, in whom it is lawful; for that the other may be as much mortified, and have denied himself as much in coming down to that, which this aspires to, as he, in willing to be like him, aspires beyond what he either is able, or hath accustomed to do. The safe Place then is, for such as have Fulness, to watch over themselves, that they use it moderately, and rescind all Superfluities; [Sidenote: _The Rich to help the Poor._] being willing, as far as they can, to help the Need of those to whom Providence hath allotted a smaller Allowance. _Let the Brother of high Degree rejoice, in that he is abased; and such as God calls in a low Degree, be content with their Condition, not envying those Brethren who have greater Abundance, _knowing_ they have received Abundance, as to the inward Man_; which is chiefly to be regarded. And therefore beware of such a Temptation, as to use their Calling as an Engine to be _richer_, knowing, they have this Advantage beyond the _Rich_ and _Noble_ that are called, that the Truth doth not any Ways abase them, nay, not in the Esteem of the World, as it doth the other; but that they are rather exalted thereby, in that as to the inward and spiritual Fellowship of the Saints, they become the Brethren and Companions of the greatest and richest; and in this Respect, _Let him of low Degree rejoice that he is exalted_.

These Things premised, I would seriously propose unto all such, as choose to be _Christians_ indeed, and that in _Nature_, and not in _Name_ only, whether it were not desirable, and would not greatly contribute to the Commendation of _Christianity_, and to the Increase of the Life and Virtue of Christ, if _all superfluous Titles of Honour, Profuseness and Prodigality in Meat and Apparel, Gaming, Sporting and Playing_, were laid aside and forborn? And whether such as lay them aside, in so doing, walk not more like the Disciples of Christ and his Apostles, and are therein nearer their Example, than such as use them? Whether the laying them aside would hinder any from being good Christians? Or if Christians might not be better without them, than with them? Certainly the _Sober_ and _Serious_ among all Sorts will say, _Yea_. Then surely such as lay them aside, as reckoning them unsuitable for Christians, are not to be blamed, but rather commended for so doing: Because that in Principle and Practice they effectually advance that, which others acknowledge were desirable, but can never make effectual, so long as they allow the Use of them as lawful. And God hath made it manifest in this Age, That by discovering the Evil of such Things, and leading his Witnesses out of them, and to testify against them, he hath produced effectually in many that _Mortification_ and _Abstraction_ from the _Love and Cares of this World_, who daily are conversing in the World (but inwardly redeemed out of it) both in _Wedlock_, and in their lawful Employments, which was judged could only be obtained by such as were shut up in _Cloisters_ and _Monasteries_. Thus much in General.

§. III. As to the first we affirm positively, That _it is not lawful for Christians either to give or receive these Titles of Honour_, as, _Your Holiness_, _Your Majesty_, _Your Excellency_, _Your Eminency_, &c.

[Sidenote: _Titles._] _First_, Because these _Titles_ are no Part of that Obedience which is due to _Magistrates_ or _Superiors_; neither doth the giving them add to or diminish from that Subjection we owe to them, which consists _in obeying their just and lawful Commands_, not in _Titles_ and _Designations_.

[Sidenote: _Under the Law and Gospel._] _Secondly_, We find not that in the Scripture any such _Titles_ are used, either under the _Law_ or the _Gospel_: But that in the speaking to _Kings_, _Princes_, or _Nobles_, they used only a simple Compellation, as _O King!_ and that without any further Designation, save perhaps the Name of the Person, as, _O King_ Agrippa, _&c._

[Sidenote: _Lying Titles_.] _Thirdly_, It lays a Necessity upon _Christians_ most frequently to _lie_; because the Persons obtaining these _Titles_, either by Election or hereditarily, may frequently be found to have nothing really in them deserving them, or answering to them: As some, to whom it is said, _Your Excellency_, having nothing of _Excellency in them_; and he who is called, _Your Grace_, appears to be an Enemy to _Grace_; and he who is called, _Your Honour_, is known to be base and ignoble. [Sidenote: _Patents do not oblige to a Lie._] I wonder what Law of Man, or what Patent ought to oblige me to make a Lie, in calling _Good, Evil_; and _Evil, Good_? I wonder what Law of Man can secure me, in so doing, from the just Judgment of God, that will make me account for _every idle Word_? And to _lie_ is something more. Surely Christians should be ashamed that such Laws, manifestly crossing the Law of God, should be among them.

[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _We ought in Charity to suppose that they have these Virtues, because the King has bestowed those Titles upon them, or that they are descended of such as deserved them_;

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, _Charity_ destroys not _Knowledge_: I am not obliged by _Charity_, either to believe or speak a _Lie_. Now it is apparent, and cannot be denied by any, but that those Virtues are not in many of the Persons expressed by the _Titles_ they bear; neither will they allow to speak so to such, in whom these Virtues are, unless they be so dignified by outward Princes. So that such as are truly virtuous, must not be stiled by their Virtues, because not privileged by the Princes of this World; and such as have them not, must be so called, because they have obtained a Patent so to be: And all this is done by those, who pretend to be his Followers, that commanded his Disciples, _Not to be called of Men, Master_; and told them, Such could _not believe, as received Honour one from another, and sought not the Honour which cometh from God only_. This is so plain, to such as will indeed be _Christians_, that it needs no Consequence.

[Sidenote: _Your Holiness_, _Your Grace_, &c.] _Fourthly_, As to those Titles of _Holiness_, _Eminency_, and _Excellency_, used among the _Papists_ to the _Pope_ and _Cardinals_, &c. and _Grace_, _Lordship_, and _Worship_, used to the _Clergy_ among the _Protestants_, it is a most blasphemous Usurpation. For if they use _Holiness_ and _Grace_, because these Things ought to be in a _Pope_, or in a _Bishop_, how come they to usurp that peculiarly to themselves? Ought not _Holiness_ and _Grace_ to be in every Christian? And so every Christian should say, _Your Holiness_, and _Your Grace_, one to another. Next, how can they in Reason claim any more _Titles_, than were practised and received by the Apostles and Primitive Christians, whose Successors they pretend they are, and as whole Successors (and no otherwise) themselves, I judge, will confess any Honour they seek is due to them? Now if they neither sought, received, nor admitted such _Honour_ nor _Titles_, how came these by them? If they say they did, let them prove it if they can: We find no such Thing in the Scripture. The Christians speak to the Apostles without any such Denomination, neither saying, _If it please Your Grace_, _Your Holiness_, _Your Lordship_, nor _Your Worship_; they are neither called, _My Lord_ Peter, nor _My Lord_ Paul; nor yet _Master_ Peter, nor _Master_ Paul; nor _Doctor_ Peter, nor _Doctor_ Paul; but singly _Peter_ and _Paul_; and that not only in the Scripture, but for some hundreds of Years after: So that this appears to be a manifest Fruit of the Apostasy. For if these _Titles_ arise either from the _Office_ or _Worth_ of the Persons, it will not be denied but the Apostles deserved them better than any now that call for them. But the Case is plain, The Apostles had the _Holiness_, the _Excellency_, the _Grace_; and because they were _holy_, _excellent_, and _gracious_, they neither used, nor admitted of such _Titles_: [Sidenote: _Hypocrites want Titles._] But these having neither _Holiness_, _Excellency_, nor _Grace_, will needs be so called, to satisfy their ambitious and ostentatious Minds, which is a manifest Token of their _Hypocrisy_.

_Fifthly_, As to that Title of _Majesty_, usually ascribed to Princes, we do not find it given to any such in the Holy Scripture; but that it is specially and peculiarly ascribed unto God, as 1 _Chron._ xxix. 11. _Job._ xxxvii. 22. _Psal._ xxi. 5. and xxix. 4. and xlv. 3. and cxiii. 1. and xcvi. 6. _Isa._ ii. 10. and xxiv. 14. and xxvi. 10. _Heb._ i. 3. 2 _Pet._ i. 16. and many more Places. Hence saith _Jude_, Ver. 25. _To the only wise God our Saviour, be Glory and Majesty_, &c. not to Men. We find in Scripture the proud King _Nebuchadnezzar_ assuming this _Title_ to himself, _Dan._ iv. 30. who at that Time received a sufficient Reproof, by a sudden Judgment which came upon him. Therefore in all the Compellations used to Princes in the _Old Testament_, it is not to be found, nor yet in the _New_. _Paul_ was very civil to _Agrippa_, yet he gives him no such _Title_: Neither was this _Title_ used among Christians in the primitive Times. [Sidenote: _Eccles. Hist. L. 4. P. 445._] Hence the _Ecclesiastical History_ of the Reformation of _France_, relating the Speech of the Lord _Rochefort_, at the Assembly of the Estates of _France_, held under _Charles_ the Ninth, in the Year 1560, saith, [Sidenote: Your Majesty _not used; how taken Notice of in 1560._] _That this Harangue was well remarked, in that he used not the Word _[Majesty]_ invented by Flatterers of late Years._ And yet this Author minded not how his Master _Calvin_ used this _flattering Title_ to _Francis_ the First, King of _France_; and not only so, but calls him _Most Christian King_, in the Epistle to his _Institutions_; though by his daily persecuting of the _Reformers_, it was apparent, he was far from being such, even in _Calvin_’s own Esteem. Surely the Complying with such vain _Titles_, imposed and introduced by _Antichrist_, greatly tended to stain the _Reformation_, and to render it defective in many Things.

_Lastly_, All these _Titles_ and _Stiles_ of _Honour_ are to be rejected by _Christians_, because they are to seek the _Honour that comes from above_, and not the _Honour_ that is from _below_: But these Honours are not that Honour that comes from above, but are from below. For we know well enough what Industry, and what Pains Men are at to get these Things, and what Part it is that seeks after them, to wit, the _proud, insolent, haughty, aspiring Mind_. [Sidenote: _The proud Mind loves Titles._] For judge, Is it the _meek_ and _innocent Spirit of Christ_ that covets that Honour? Is it that Spirit that must be of _no Reputation in this World_, that has its [154]_Conversation in Heaven_, that comes to have _Fellowship with the Sons of God_? Is it that Spirit, I say, that loves that Honour, that seeks after that Honour, that pleads for the Upholding of that Honour, that frets, and rages, and fumes, when it is denied that Honour? [Sidenote: _Lucifer’s Spirit._] Or is it not rather the lordly insulting Spirit of _Lucifer_, the _Prince of this World_, he that of old affected and sought after this Honour, and loved not to abide in the submissive low Place? And so all his Children are possessed with the same ambitious proud Mind, seeking and covering _Titles_ of _Honour_, which indeed belong not to them. For let us examine, [155]_Who they are that are honourable indeed?_ [156]Is it not the _righteous Man_? Is it not the _holy Man_? Is it not the _humble-hearted Man_, the _meek-spirited Man_? And are not such those that ought to be _honoured_ among _Christians_? Now of these, may there not be poor Men, Labourers, silly Fishermen? And if so, how comes it that the _Titles_ of _Honour_ are not bestowed upon such? But who are they that generally receive and look for this Honour? Are they not the rich Ones, such as have abundance of the Earth, as be like the rich Glutton, such as are proud and ambitious, such as are Oppressors of the Poor, such as swell with Lust and Vanity, and all _Superfluity of Naughtiness_, who are the very Abomination and Plague of the Nations? Are not these they that are accounted honourable, that require and receive the Titles of Honour, proud _Hamans_? Now whether is this the Honour that comes from God, or the Honour from below? Doth God honour such as daily dishonour him, and disobey him? And if this be not the Honour that comes from God, but the Honour of this World, which the Children of this World give and receive one from another; how can the Children of God, such as are Christians indeed, give or receive that Honour among themselves, without coming under the Reproof of Christ, who saith, That _such as do cannot believe_? But further, If we respect the Cause that most frequently procures to Men these _Titles_ of _Honour_, there is not one of a Thousand that shall be found to be because of any Christian Virtue; but rather for Things to be discommended among _Christians_: As by the Favour of _Princes_, procured by flattering, and often by worse Means. Yea, the most frequent, and accounted among Men most honourable, is _Fighting_, or some great _martial Exploit_, which can add nothing to a Christian’s Worth: Since, sure it is, it were desirable there were no _Fightings_ among Christians at all; and in so far as there are, it shews they are not right Christians. And _James_ tells us, That _Fighting proceeds from the Lusts_. So that it were fitter for Christians, by the _Sword of God’s Spirit_, to fight against their Lusts, than by the Prevalency of their Lusts to destroy one another. Whatever Honour any might have attained of old under the _Law_ this Way, we find under the _Gospel_ Christians commended for _Suffering_, not for _Fighting_; neither did any of Christ’s Disciples, save one, offer outward Violence by the Sword, in cutting off _Malchus_’s Ear; for which he received no Title of Honour, but a just Reproof. Finally, if we look either to the _Nature_ of this _Honour_, the _Cause_ of it, the _Way_ it is conveyed, the _Terms_ in which it is delivered, it cannot be used by such as desire to be _Christians_ in good Earnest.

[154] Phil. 3. 20.

[155] _Jerome_, in his Epistle to _Celant_, admonisheth her, That she was to be preferred to none for her _Nobility_, for the Christian Religion admits not of Respect of Persons; neither are Men to be esteemed because of their outward Condition, but according to the Disposition of the Mind, to be esteemed either noble or base; he that obeyeth not Sin, is free; who is strong in Virtue, is noble, _Let the Epistle of _James_ be read_.

[156] 1 Sam. 2. 30.