The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 1 · Head 21
(21. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) Concerning civil Honor.
Section 49.
THeir diſcourſe, papers and practiſe is notorious enough, in oppoſition to civil honor, required in Scripture.
R. F. *Page 2…anſwereth, Civility and Honor we own, and knows to whom honor is due, to whom it is not.
Rep. But who will believe him, if none make it out by Argument better then he doth? and if his practiſe be no better then his doctrine, it is like to prove but poor honor, and not ſuch as the Scripture requireth.
1. Saith he, If I honor a proud man for his pride, I diſhonor God in ſo doing &c.
Rep. Who calls (that calls from Scripture) for honor to any for their pride, and covetouſneſs and oppreſſion? This is but a ſhift of R. F. Is not the ordinance of ſuperiority, in State, Church, Family, ſet up among men to be honored? and cannot men ſet up by that ordinance, be honored, butCivil Honor due to ſuperiors. they muſt be honored for their ſins? Sin we all know, is a reproach to any perſon, as to any nation. But the relation wherein God hath ſet them above others is an honor to them, put upon them by God himſelf, and are not they to be honored, as, and ſo far as he hath honored them? viz. as Magiſtrates, as Miniſters, as Parents, as Maſters, conſidered abſtractly from their bad qualities? and onelyonly lookt upon in their place of ſuperiority repreſenting God, and bearing his image of authority, which though loſt by the fall, yet God hath given back, in ſome reſpect, to all men; Hence the Rule, 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honor all men; all men, as men, not Beaſts; and ſome men, as preferred by the Lord before other. But ſaith R. F.
2 All men that are joyned to the Lord, and walk in union with him, and his ſeed, I honor and love, and this I ſpeak in ſincerity.
Rep. This is no demonſtration of giving civil honor, or knowing what belongs to it, which was-by him at firſt profeſſed. Did R. F. not onelyonly ſpeak, but act this in ſincerity, yet there is an ignorant ſimplicity mixed with his ſincerity, while he thinketh, that love to Saints muſt exclude his love to other men; and if he can love his enemies, as he ſaith,To all, as men. civil honor is a branch of love to be given to them that are not joyned to the Lord and walk with him, though they be his enemies; which of the martyrs refuſed to give civil honor to their perſecuting enemies, when called before them? But ſaith R. F. again,
3. To follow fooliſh idle fancies, to worſhip men with cap and knee, and flatteries, as the Serpents ſeed do, and which thou pleads for, we do that deny, and againſt it teſtifie.
Rep. Here he ſtill mingleth the corruption of the act, with the act; as if they could not be ſeparated. If onelyonly he denies fooliſh, idle complements, for inſinuation ſake, and in a way of flattery, that we deny alſo; but to judge the honor of cap and knee (taken by it ſelf, and given to men of place) as inſeparable from folly, fancy, flattery, is to deny a part of that civility and honor which himſelf ſeemed in general to allow.
4. How can ye believe, that ſeek honor one of another, and ſeek not the honor that comes of God alone? Joh. 5. 44.
Rep. As 'tis a ſin to be ambitious of honor among men, and a compound ſin, to be careleſs of Gods honor, while we hunt after our own, and that by indirect means; ſo 'tis a duty to go one before another in giving honor, Rom. 12. 10. yea, 'tis a duty and no ſin, to take the honor that God hath given to the place and relation wherein he hath ſet us. Preferring of creature and ſelf honor, and to hold up that with neglect of Chriſt, rather then take that honor which God gives to every man, upon receiving of Chriſt, is that which our Lord condemns in that place of John; But ſuppoſeJohn 5 44. vindicated. a Magiſtrate, Maſter, Parent, hath not received Chriſt, that Scripture doth not interfere with the fifth Commandment: nor ſimply forbid receiving honor one of another; but onelyonly ſuch as the worlds friends give and take upon a worldly account, and not with reſpect to the ordinance of God, who hath ſtated, and ordered it, where, how, by whom, and to whom it is to be given, and of whom it is to be received. R. F. addeth;
5. What the Scriptures do allow, we do know, without thy ranking together.
Rep. I had mentioned ſome Scriptures, concerning civil Titles of honor, given to Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Fathers, Maſters, which this man denies not but that the Scriptures do allow, and he and others know, but he doth not ſay, he alloweth what he knoweth; Now to him that knoweth what is good, and approveth it not, and makes not confeſſion of it when called to it, to him it is ſin, with greater aggravation. I ſhall now unto the rank of Titles, bring in a File of Scriptures for civil geſtures of Reverence, and due deportment of the body; to know whether they will allow them or no, and practiſe accordingly; if not, the whole File ſhall diſcharge againſt them, another day for their pride, negligence, and contempt. In Scripture we ſhall finde bowings of the knee, and body of ſeveral kindes; ſome from baſe fears, as Sauls to the devil, 1 Sam. 28. 14. ſomeGeſtures of honor ſome bad, baſe and Idolatrous. of baſe flattery, as Joabs to David, 2 Sam. 14. 22. Cuſhies to Joab, 2 Sam. 18. 21. of Davids ſubjects to Abſalom, and Abſaloms to them, 2 Sam. 15. 5. Some of Idolatry, ſuch as Amaziah acted when he bowed himſelf to the gods of the Edomites, 2 Chron. 25. 14. all theſe kindes we know, if R. F. doth not; and we diſallow the practiſe, upon ſuch reaſons, (though we approve of the hiſtory of the Scripture as true) becauſe they were againſt a Rule of Scripture: but how (by the way) will theſe riſe up in judgement againſt thoſe that deny what is required by a Rule? If ſome have bowed for wicked ends, ſome to Idols, ſome to devils; how will they condemn the ſtiff knees, and ſtout ſtomachs that will not afford it for the ends, and to the perſons which the Lord hath deſigned, and marked out, as honorable? ThereSome, civil and good maners. are bowings of the knee and body, which the Scripture makes mention of with approbation, being agreeable to the Law and Rule of the fifth Commandment. Such as that of Abrahams bowing to the heatheniſh children of Heth, Gen. 23. 7. in a civil neighborly way: And bowings to Rulers and Magiſtrates, as Jacobs ſons to Joſeph, Gen. 43. 26. 28. according to Joſephs two dreams, of their ſheaves bowing to his; and of the Sun, Moon and ſtars, making obeyſance to him: Davids bowing to Saul, though a wicked man, 1 Sam. 24. 8. as well as Mephiboſ…eths, Abigails, 2 Sam. 9. 8. 1 Sam. 25. 23. 2 Sam. 24. 20. 1 King 1. 23.Araunahs, and Nathans bowing to David, a good man, and pious Prince: Again, there want not inſtances of reſpect and honor given to the Prophets, and Miniſters of the Lord, as that of the great woman, or Lady of Shunem, to the Prophet Eliſha, 2 Kings 4. 37. of bowing to the elder in years, or hours; ſcarce a quarter of an hour it may be, was Eſau born before Jacob, yet he gives him the reſpect and honor of his Primogeniture, Gen. 33. 3. of bowing to the rich, as Ruth to Boaz; Ruth 2. 10. of the wife to the husband, as Bathſheba to David, 1 Kings 1. 16. and 31. of the ſon to the mother; as Solomon to Bathſheba, 1 Kings 2. 19. Theſe and many more, if R. F. knowes, and allowes not; he diſdaineth Scripture proof and teſtimony; if he allowes, why is the civil obeyſance of the upper or lower part of the body, head, loins, or knee, denied to any ſuch relations? Bleſſed is he that condemns not in practiſe, that which he alloweth in judgement; or that diſalloweth not in judgement, that which the Scripture countenanceth, and commandeth. Yet we have not all that R. F. can ſay for himſelf and his companions.
6. Where doth the Scripture ſay, put off your Hats, and flatter with your tongues?
Rep. Here again, he would not ſeem to oppoſe the reſpect due to men, but as it is done in a way of flattery (which carriage is of all to be abhorred) but dutiful honor may be given without diſſimulation; and if theſe men be perfect, why are they no better examples? The Quere about the Hat, I have ſpoken to in the former Section. The fifth Commandement requireth all tokens of civill reſpect, and honor; the putting off the Hat, is a token of ſuch reſpect: Be curteous, ſaith the Apoſtle 1 Pet. 3 8. put not off humanity, by denying this piece of common civility. Thou ſhalt riſe up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God. I am the Lord, Levit. 19. 32. If greater ſigns of honor then uncovering the head be required, we are not to boggle at the leſſer. But,
7. Saith R. F. Where doth the Scripture ſay, reſpect the rich, and diſ-reſpect the poor? Are you not partial, &c.
Rep. Where do you finde any doctrine of this tendency delivered? The Word would have poor and rich reſpected as God made them both his creatures, Prov. 22. 2. And as he maketh poor and maketh rich, himſelf will be magnified, 1 Sam. 2. and yet his order, ſet among men, regarded: As for reſpecting perſons for ſelf-ends, and carnal conſiderations, Let R. F. and every one look to his own heart, and learn to be poor in ſpirit. Let the Brother of high degree (in theJames 1. 9, 10 opened. world) rejoyce in that he is made low, in ſpirit: Let the Brother of low degree (in the world) rejoyce in that he is exalted, in Chriſt. Degrees there are of Saints, as Saints: and Saints, as men, are capable of different degrees of eſtate, and place in the world; every one of them muſt know the place, and ſtation, wherein God hath ſet him, and demean or carry himſelf accordingly. If any man think otherwiſe, and teach it, and conſent not to wholeſom words, the words of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to the doctrine which is according to godlineſs, he is proud, or a fool, as 'tis in the margent, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4. knowing nothing, doting about queſtions and ſtrifes of words, &c. Let R. F. and his fellows read on and tremble, leſt they be branded and ſtigmatized with ſuch Characters, for their multiplied perverſe Diſputings; and Scripture-contradictions.