The Perfect Pharisee Under Monkish Holiness, Principles
Having thus gone through the more grosse Positions, which are the very foundations and principles that support this Antichristian Rabble; we shall presume to stay the Reader with some of their principles of lesser value; which though (as the Reader may observe) are of inferiour note, yet this sort of people lay no lesse weight upon them, then to place the greatest part of that great Diana of their imaginary perfection in the observance of them, and even to damne all that oppose them therein, and cry downe the Ministry of the Gospel, because of their non complyance with them in these so rotten principles.
We could have given proofe sufficient, that these principles that follow, are clearely and fully owned by them; but they are so evidently the very markes and distinguishing badges of their Irreligion, so constantly practised by them, and so plainly known to all that know this sort of men, that we shall, once for all satisfie the Reader. We shall not need to produce any evidence, but onelyonly stand upon the Confutation.
Principle 1. Not co-salute any.
Confut.
THe commands of our Lord Iesus and his Apostles may be a sufficient answer to shew the folly of this Principle, which they stand so much upon, and for which they so often call the Ministery Priests and Anti-Christian, &c. Let the Reader seriously consider that full Scripture▪ Mat. 5. 47. If you salute your brethren onelyonly, what doe you more then doe others? doe not even the Publicans so? In the verse before, our Lord Christ commands the duty of love to all men; and in the same way of commanding doth also impo…e the duty of salutation; not onelyonly of some, but all; of Friends but Enemies: If yee salute your brethren onelyonly, what doe you more then doe the Publicans? (which how fully it speaks to the snarpe reproofe of Quakers, that salute none but one another; we beleive their consciences will as c…earely tell them, if they be not seared, as any observing eye may presently see) Mat. 10. 12. When yee come into an house salute it. The Apostle Paul almost in every Epistle, especially Rom▪ 16 is full of such commands. And for the practise of the Saints, see 1 Sam. 25▪ 14. David sent messengers▪ to salute Abigails Husband. 1 Sam. 17. 22. David came and saluted his brethren. Acts 21. 18. when Paul had saluted them, he declared &c. where you fully see the practi…e of Paul, …e first saluted them.
For that so much objected text, Luke 10. 4. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shooes; and salute no man by the way.
1. You may see that by the same command the seventy Disciples were forbid to weare shooes, or carry a purse: and yet these Qurkers, who doe so imperiously impose upon all men this not saluting, make no conscience at all of these commands of not wearing shooes▪ and not carrying purses as is evident to any that observes them, especially if they be travelling a far journey. And this was very fitly objected by one in Lancashire to Iames Nayler, reproving him for his salute, who retorted the words upon him againe, as being guilty of the breach of that command, by wearing shooes. Is not this to picke and choose in the Scriptures such things as doe most agree with their humors, and according to their owne fancy to take away from the Scriptures, and bring upon themselves that cur…e, Rev. 22. which they p…onounce against others? if it be so, that this example be any wayes or in any part binding to us at this day?
2. Further, Let the Reader know, this is no binding example to us▪ but a particular dispensation and command to the seven…y Disciples at that time, as will appeare. For 1. When he sends forth the Apostles he imposeth not that command upon them; but layes upon them a contrary injunction, Into what house soever yee enter, salute it, Mat. 10. 12. And 2. The Apostles practice above shewed, cleares▪ they were under no such command, for as much as they walked contrary, unlesse you charge Paul with sinning, in that Rom. 16. Asts 21 As 3. They commanded this worke to others, as above is proved. 4 That generall command to the Saints, to salute all▪ not onelyonly brethren but also enemies, Mat. 5 47. evidenceth fully▪ this that wa… but a particular dispensation, and so to us it is not binding.
3 To close up this▪ to us it appears a very ungrounded distinction of the nature of salutes, which is practised by these very men▪ for all their trouble in salutes, is about mens putting off the Hat; whereas themselves doe ordinarily salute their brethren as doe the Publicans, not onelyonly with saying, How d…st thou; but also with putting forth the hand, &c. Now the Hand, and the Language, with the moving of the body being the way of saluting among the Iewes in those dayes; if the manner of our salutes be so much dis-relished; its evident, the practice of Quakers more directly contradicts that command, then the practice of any others.
Thus the Reader may take notice how groundlesse their clamour is, in crying out against saluting; and how malicious, in making this an Argument against the Ministry. For it being clearely a command to salute all; as for the manner of it, whether by Words or putting off the Hat, we shall not be determined by their judgement: For as one Country is not bound to the habits of another; nor is it the duty of a Saint in England to weare that kind of garment which was worn by a Iew in the time of Christ; so neither did the Apostles take it their duty to be conformed in their salutes to the fashions of salutation used either in other Countries, or by the Patriarches in their own.
Principle 2. Not giving any outward t…ken of Reverence to Magistrate, Parent, Master, or any other.
Confut.
Gen. 42 6. Ioseph being the Governour of the Land▪ when his Brethren came before him, they bowed themselves before him with their Faces to the Earth. Gen. 23. 7 Abraham stood up and bowed himselfe to the people of the Land, even to the Children of Heth. 1 Sam. 25. 23. That holy Woman Abigail when she saw David, she fell before David on her Face, and bowed her selfe to the ground. Gen. 33. 3. Iacob bowed to Esau seven times. Gen. 48. 12. Ioseph bowed himselfe with his Face to his Father Iacob. 1 Kings 1. 23. Na…han the Prophet bowed himselfe to the King with his Face to the ground. Now this was a knowne token of Honour due, and by these holy persons given to Magistrates and Parents. Let any Christian Reader consider the fifth Commandement. Honour thy Father and thy Mother. And Rom. 13. 7. Render to all their due, tribute to whom tribute, honour to whom honour. Now as tribute and honour are here apparent to be due; so it is also plaine, that they are due outwardly. For otherwise, to pay tribute in the heart onelyonly▪ would be but a ridiculous illusion; as also is their saying, their heart doth honour men, when there is no outward expression thereof at all. But they will tell us▪ they honour the power, not the persons. To which we say▪ What is the power, without the person? Government without Governours, but a meere fancy? This is an high way to powre contempt upon persons in supreame Authority; as if a Souldier should say, He would honour the supreame Office in the Army, but would not heare the Lord Generall Cromwell. How doth this notion cause so much irreverent carriage in their practice generally before the Magistrates? And we leave it to the Magistrates to consider, how impossible it shall be for any to commit treason against the person of any Magistrate▪ if there be no honour due to their person▪ but their power? But so much may satisfie for that.
Principle 3. That no man must have the title of Master.
Confut.
In the old Testament the Saints frequently were so ca…led▪ …ts no lesse then seventeen times spoken of Abraham, Gen. 24. Exod. … ▪ 5 … Sam. 24 6. David calls King Saul Master. 2 Kings 6. 5. One of the Prophets gives that also to Elis…a, Alas Master▪ it was bo…owed. So the Apostle, Eph. 6. 5. 9. Servants be obed…nt to your Masters▪ Col. 3. 22. So in 1 Tim. 6. 1. Let … Servants count their owne Masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his Doctrine be not blasph…med. Now for what is objected, that this onelyonly speaks to the case of servants to their owne Masters; we wish the Reader to know that the Prophet, 2 Kings 6. 5. was not a servant to Elisha, though he called him Master; nor David servant to Saul▪ when he was in actuall armes against him, (we meane, he was not his Family servant) when he gave him that title of honour, and called him Master, … Sam. 24. 6. And if the Quakers stand so punctually upon the command of Christ, Mat. 23. 10. let them know, that if that command were binding in this sense which they put upon it▪ it should hold in the case of the heads of Families as fully as any others; and so the Apostle should sinne in calling them Masters, 1 Tim. 6. 1. Further, consider the word Sirs, is the same expression with Master, in our English compellation, and in the Originall; and you shall frequently▪ finde it given to those that were not Masters to them that called them so. Gen. 43 20. Sir, we came downe at the first, &c. John 12. 21. Sir, we would see Jesus. Acts 7. 26. Sirs, yee are Brethren; as Moses speakes to them that strove. Paul and Barnaba…, Acts 14. said to them that were ready to sacrifice to them, ver. 15. Sirs, why doe you thes… things? Acts 16. 30. the Jaylor cryes out, Sirs, What shall we doe to be saved? So Paul. Acts 27. to the Mari…ers, ver. 10. 21. 25. useth the same expression. Thus you see the vanity of their evasion, and the lawfulnesse of using the word Sir, or Master. Adde hereto, that titles more honourable then Master, are often given in Scripture; as Luke 1, 3. most excellent Theophilus. Acts 26. 25 most noble Festus. 2 Epistle of John, the elder to the Elect Lady, ver. 1.
For that text which they urge as to this principle, Be not yee called Masters, Mat. 23. 10. we have given you some account already; and shall adde but this, That a Lording and domineering over the Faith of Saints, as that 1 Pet. 5. 3. and a vaine affectation of titles, are the sins forbidden by Christ in that place; for therein was the pride and folly of the Pharisees, not in the expression of that civill honour, which is largely proved before, the Saints and the Apostles gave to others.
What is here said to the case of the word Master, will fully answer as to the like quarrell, about calling any Father.
There are many other things which we might speake to, as being their principles, for they are indeed, the very distinguishing characters of that Generation of men, whereby they owne one another, and dis-owne others that are not as lowde in the …anders of the Ministry, because of these things, as themselves: but we shall rather lay them downe as their charges against the Ministry, by reason whereof, they ridiculously would seeme to prove them Anti-Christian.