The True Christians T est, Part 2 · Meditation 6
MEDITAT. VI. The Strength of the Quakers Arguments conſidered.
I Suppoſe we are all agreed thus far, That when the Scripture forbids, or ſeems to forbid giving or receiving of Honour, it cannot be underſtood of the real, proper, inward Honour, which is no other than Reverence, or due Eſtimation, and is little elſe than the Love that we bear to a Superior. The Text has commanded us expreſly, To honour our Parents, to honour the King, to honour all Men.
This muſt be underſtood at the leaſt of this inward Honour and Reverence, which indeed is primarily due to God, The Father of Lights; but ſecondarily, and for his ſake, to men alſo, to whom he has communicated moſt of himſelf. And according to this greater or leſſer Communication of himſelf. I ſuppoſe our Honour or Eſtimation of men ought to be greater or leſſer. And ſo conſequently we are all agreed, That there is no real Honour due, where there is no real Worth or Excellency: And to eſteem Perſons unduly, is an Imperfection in the Judgment, and a Departure from Truth, which muſt needs be Evil.
But the Excellency and Worthineſs that God gives to men is of ſeveral ſorts, Natural, Political, Moral, Supernatural, and all theſe the Objects of Honour: So that there is an Honour due to Parents, though they be never ſo unkind; to Kings and Magiſtrates, though they be bad men; to a Moraliſt, although he never heard of Chriſt; and eſpecially to the Saints, though they be never ſo poor, and otherwiſe unaccompliſht, by reaſon of the ſupernatural Worth that God has communicated to them. And becauſe the Image of God in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs, and True Holineſs, is the moſt excellent Communication of God to Man, therefore the Saints are in the Pſalmiſts Phraſe the Excellent of the earth, and the greateſt honour is due to them upon that account; let Chriſt Jeſus himſelf be Judge, who eſteem'd the ſupernatural excellency of them that did the Will of God, more then the natural excellency of all relations accordto the fleſh: and let his Apoſt… Paul be Judge, who honoured Chriſt himſelf more upon a ſpiritual account, than upon any fleſhly conſideration whatever (though we have known Chriſt after the Fleſh, …) The Controverſie then will be about the external and leſs proper honour, or rather the outward expreſſion of honour by words or geſtures. That there may and ought to be ſuch expreſſions of honour according to the different Cuſtom of different Countreys is plain, both by Precept and Example; To riſe up before the Hoary is expreſly commanded, and it is made the ſame with honouring of Old Men, Lev. 19. 32. The relieving of Parents is accounted an honouring of them by our Saviour, Mat. 7. 10. And the paying of Tribute is an external expreſſion of honour that is due to Kings, and it's expreſly required, For this cauſe pay ye Tribute alſo, &c. It is needleſs, and it would be almoſt endleſs to record all the Examples of the Wiſe and Holy Men in Scripture, that do juſtify the giving and receiving expreſſions of honour, in words and geſtures.
Neither can we reaſonably imagine that all Nations and Ages of the World are bound to the very ſame expreſſions of honour, which the Jews uſed, or thoſe Ages of the World that the Scripture writes the Hiſtory of. If the Jews fall flat before a Prince or a Prophet, and we only kneel before them, we are not more Complimental than they, but leſs. There is leſs ſuſpicion or appearance of Worſhip, in giving the right Hand of Fellowſhip, and putting off the Hat, which we uſe, than there is in their Bowings and Proſtrations of old, which were ſo common amongſt them.
And as for Verbal Expreſſions of Honour, we are no more Complimental than the beſt of men have ever been, in commending things well done, and praiſing them that do them, in praying for the long Life and Proſperity of Kings and Magiſtrates, in ſaluting our Neighbours, and wiſhing them, A Good Day, or, Good Speed, inquiring after their Welfare, rejoycing in it, or thanking them for their Good Will, or any Good Turn. That very Apoſtle who ſo often gave Thanks to God the Father, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, does not boggle to give Thanks to his Fellow-creatures, Rom. 16. 4.
This, I think, is enough to juſtifie the ſober uſe of theſe Civilities in Words and Geſtures, which they call Complimenrs: But I do not think any thing of this does juſtifie the Hypocriſie, Falſity, Flattery, and either undue or exceſſive Expreſſions of Reſpect, which all ſober men do complain of, as well as the Quakers. And oh would to God we were all ſo Wiſe and Righteous, as to Honour and Reſpect all men agreeably to their real Worth; and ſo ſimple and ſincere, as to uſe only ſuch outward Expreſſions, as for their Nature and Degree, are agreeable to that Honour!