Menno Simons · 3 of 109

OF THE MISSION OR CALLING OF THE PREACHERS. · Part 1

GELLIUS complains very much of a bitter and sneering epistle of the anabaptists, as he calls them, in which they are said to have given five particular reasons, as I understand from his writing, why they cannot conscien­ciously accept the preachers as true and uablamable, and cannot use their sacraments as true and Scriptural ordinances, &c. Of which the vocation of their preach­ers is the first reason. Gellius assiduously tries to main­tain that their calling is christian‑like and according to Scripture and says that ours is sectarian and not accord­ing to scripture.

Answer. How bitter and sneering the said epistle may have been, I do not know, for I have never seen it. But I presume it was not so bitter as Gellius complains that it was; that it was a reproof of his corruption, his deceiving and unscriptural sacraments; something which he ever, maliciously, calls brawling and sneering.

Since I did not read the epistle myself, as said, therefore I will not undertake to de­fend every word of it; but will undertake a defence, by virtue of my ministry of the di­vine word, and because I have been dis­gracefully treated in regard to it, so far as concerns the five articles in which the preachers are reproved or accused, whose voca­tion Gellius maintains as evangelical and right. And I trust that, with the gracious assistance of God, I will be enabled to defend these articles with such power and clearness of Scripture, that all impartial, reasonable readers, on comparing our writ­ings, will, by the grace of God, behold, as in a mirror, that he and all the worldly preachers are not the called preachers and teachers of the church of Christ, to whom the Scriptures point; but that they are the open preachers and teachers of the world, or of the church of anti‑christ against whom the Scriptures on every hand warn us, and in many places terrifies us against them. He that hath ears, let him hear what the word of the Lord teaches.

Gellius points out a difference between the calling or sending of the prophets of Christ and the apostles and between the calling of the bishops, pastors and other servants of the church, and says, "That the sending of the prophets of Christ and the apostles was done with­out any means of man, solely of God; but that the send­ing of the bishops and pastors is done of God by means of man."

Answer. We do not contradict this, but agree with him in this respect. But we con­tradict that the calling of which they boast is done in accordance with the apostolic doctrine and usage; and would say that we should well observe these five, following points or articles, according to the Script­ures; namely, Of whom they are called; what they are that are called; to what pur­pose they are called; what fruit the called bring forth; and what the proper desire and seeking of the called is.

In the first place, we must observe that the calling which was done in the primitive, apostolic church, by means of man, was not done of the world but of the true chris­tians and obedient disciples of the Lord and his word. For Luke writes, Acts 14:23, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." Paul also says to Titus, " For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city, as I have apointed thee," Tit. 1:5, &c. Read also 1 Tim. 3:12.

Since the preachers, then, boast of a call­ing of God, by means of man, as said, there­fore I would ask without all artifice, Who is the Paul or Barnabas, or Timothy or Titus that has called and ordained Gellius and his like preachers to the service? If they an­swer, the magistracy; then I would ask in the second place, If the magistracy, who as­sumes this matter, have the spirit, calling, ministry, ordinance, and power of Paul, Barnabas, Titus and Timothy? If they an­swer in the affirmative, then I would like to see their grounds proven according to Script­ure. If they say, because they are part of the church, as Gellius seems to have it, then I would ask in the third place, Whether they are actuated by the Spirit of God? Whether they have crucified the flesh with its lusts, and in their weakness, walk inno­cently and christianly according to Christ's example and teaching, with his followers? Whether they have become new creatures? Whether they are in Christ and Christ in them? &c. If they say, God knows, and not we, then I would ask in the fourth place, Are you such trees, then, that we cannot judge your fruits, and such lights that we cannot see its refulgence? My reader, pon­der well on these questions.

Scriptures plainly testify that there is no christian but who is in Christ and has his Spirit, Rom. 8:9. It is evident that the magistracy does not conform themselves to the example and Spirit of the Lord, as may, alas, be perceived on every hand by their fruits. For they live in every respect ac­cording to the lusts of the flesh; seek vain honor, treasure, pompous living, &c.; they are earthly, and not heavenly‑minded; there­fore we should consult the word of the Lord whether such people are competent to or­dain preachers, pastors and servants for the church of Christ, while their fruits testify that they are yet without Christ's Spirit, kingdom, church and word themselves, as said.

If they should say that they are not called of the magistracy, but of the church, then I would ask in the fifth place, Whether the church which has called them is flesh of Christ's flesh and bone of his bone? Eph. 5:30, that is, a church which sincerely seeks and fears God; that walks in obedience to his word; loves and serves his neighbor; controls his ungodly lusts; strives after truth with all his heart; leads an unblamable, pious life, and who is prepared for the sake, of the will and word of the Lord, to sacrifice and abandon, money, goods, blood and life, nay, father, mother, life, husband, wife, children and every thing else, if the honor of God re­quires it? If they answer no, which is the true answer, then it is already proven that they are not the church and people of the Lord; for the church of Christ must be in unity of spirit with Christ, as has already been heard. If, then, they are not of Christ's church, how can they call preachers unto the church of Christ, as Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus, and the primitive church have done? If on the contrary they answer Yes, then I say again, their open unright­eousness, slander, godlessness, avarice, pomp, drunkenness, superfluity, unchas­tity, hatred, envy; unmercifulness, violence, &c., testify before the whole world that the answer is not the true one.

Inasmuch as it is manifest that both the magistracy and the subjects are directly contrary to the Spirit and word of Jesus Christ, to his walk and actions; and have not a syllable which in this respect agrees with, the spirit and actions of Paul, Barna­bas, Timothy, Titus, or of the primitive church; therefore I am very much surprised that he can be so imprudent and inconsider­ate, or so very bold as to boast, in these times of grace in which the truth has become so manifest, that he and the preachers of his character were called and ordained of God by the means of man, as were the elders of the primitive church, by Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus.

O, that God would grant that he would once consider and not compare the faithful men and dear servants of God, together with the zealous, regenerated communities and pious children of the primitive churches to this impenitent, reckless and bad world who wish to be considered the true church; and would no more blind the poor unwary hearts who little regard the holy word, with such a semblance and quotation of the Scriptures; for it would be of infinite value to his poor, miserable soul, at the time of his dissolution.

I would now leave it to the reflection of all intelligent readers, how the calling, of which the preachers boast, can stand the test of the Scriptures, while those of whom they boast that called them, are found to be not only no regenerated, pious christians, but besides, open despisers and impenitent contenders against God and his word, as may, alas, be seen, on every hand, by their actions.

In the second place we should observe of what disposition, doctrine and conduct the called servants of the word should be, ac­cording to the testimony of the Scriptures; namely, "Blameless, the husband of one wife; vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;" not a novice; he must be holy, just, temper­ate, &c. "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught; that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil," &c. "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faith­ful in all things," 1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1.

My reader, observe, this is not my word but the word of the Holy Ghost, which gives a true pattern of a true preacher, bishop, pastor, teacher and servant who will, in the church of Christ, bring forth fruit which will remain, John 15.

The Holy Spirit points us to such teach­ers, to obey and follow them. Paul says, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy and not with grief," Heb. 13:17. In another place he says, "We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among your­selves," 1 Thess. 5:12, 13.

Such teachers are compared in the Script­ures, to the oxen that tread out the corn, which shall not be muzzled. They are the elders worthy of double honor, and the faithful laborers, worthy of their hire, Deut. 25:4; Matt. 10:10. But how Gellius and all the preachers of the German nations, whom he esteems as faithful servants, con­form to this I will leave the impartial reader to judge according to the word of the Lord.

Faithful reader, consider well that which I write. They boast that they are called in accordance with Scriptures, as you may hear; although it is obvious and palpable that they lead a life as the one portrayed by Peter and Jude. Many of them are so fallen in the fullness of Bacchus that they, alas, live night and day as swine in full rest; their tables are full of vomit and filth­iness, so that there is no place clean, as the prophet says, Isa. 28:8; they fearlessly walk after their own lusts, as Jude says; and they esteem as joy the temporal, lusty life, says Peter; they are spots and blem­ishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you.

Some of them, also, are open fornicators and adulterers. How their wives, as a gen­eral thing, conform themselves to Script­ures, may be educed from their fruits. Oth­ers are so avaricious that they have become open usurers. They are so intent upon per­ishable lucre, money and possessions that I dare truthfully say that they, through the easy doctrine of their gospel, have become lords upon earth; yet, most of them are loved of the world and highly esteemed by the ignorant. Their pomp, laziness, ease­seeking, vanity, light‑mindedness, pride, &c., baffle all description to say nothing of their tyranny, lying, brawling, slandering, betraying and uproaring against all who seek and fear the Lord.

Reader, it is as I write. O, how willingly would I be silent and close, if the honor of God and his word, and the love for your souls did not compel me to do so; but as it is I am forced to touch upon their abomin­able shame. Their abominations are so gross and terrible that my soul shrinks back at the thought of them, therefore, im­agine how, if I shall treat and write of them. How their actions and behavior agree with the description of Paul, who teaches us that they shall be unblamable, have but one wife, not given to wine, not avaricious, nor covetous of filthy lucre; that they shall be temperate, modest and amia­ble; have a good report of those that are without; this I will leave to all pious hearts to judge in the fear of God, according to the Scriptures. Behold, my reader, since it is manifest that they are quite contrary to the word of the Lord, in their walk; therefore it is, in fact, nothing but vain hypocrisy, to call such unfruitful, offensive actions, evan­gelical edification and such a void mockery, a calling.

But Gellius tries to clear himself of this, and lays the blame on those who, according to his writing, lead an unchristian life after the lusts of their flesh, against the ordinance of the apostles, saying, that they cannot weaken the cause of the pious, by their un­righteousness; I would, in the first place, say, Since he complains of them so much, in his book, and says, that they would bet­ter be pastors of swine than pastors of the sheep of Christ; and wishes that they would be ex‑officiated, &c.; and since these con­stitute the majority of them, as may be openly seen; therefore Gellius should ad­mit, that, according to the Scriptures, we should not follow such, nor partake of their sacraments, even, if they were the true sac­raments; for he himself admits that they are useless people and wishes them ex‑offi­ciated.

In the second place I say, Since Gellius acknowledges that they are unfit for their offices; and since he and they are of one church, calling and service, why does he suffer them to remain in their offices, and why does he not, by virtue of his calling, excommunicate them with the advice and consent of his church? Since they are a hin­drance to the community and a reproach and disgrace to Gellius and his brother-preachers, whom I would were themselves pious and unblamable.

If he says that the magistracy are to blame, he then admits, that those magis­trates are not true servants and members of Christ, who admit such offensive people, as adulterers, wine‑bibbers, covetous, &c., as are met with on every hand, to be preach­ers, while they ruin the souls of the poor miserable people by their wicked offensive life, to say nothing of their doctrine; whom they might debar with a single word, with­out blood‑shed. And what is more, Gellius himself is a faithless shepherd, and dumb watchman. And the magistracy, which is his elector and companion in church‑service, have a contempt for God and slander his word.

In the third place I would say, It would be well for Gellius to first learn to know from the Scriptures the nature of Christ and his church together with the true church-servants, pastors and preachers; to rightly judge all things by the Spirit, word and ex­ample of the Lord; and to thoroughly search himself, his brother preachers and his church before contending so maliciously against the pious and accuse them before the whole world, without cause. I would further say, Since (if I understand him aright) he admits that we should not hear the adulterers, wine‑bibbers, strikers, &c., nor partake of their sacraments (something which was in­tended, probably, to make his cause have a good appearance); therefore we are forced to view in a Scriptural light, how he, accord­ing to Paul's doctrine, can stand as a pastor of the church and as a servant of Christ.

Paul says, A bishop must be blameless; this applies also to a true preacher, pastor and teacher; and it is obvious that Gellius is not unblamable, but blamable in many respects; that he is a friend of the world, who seeks to please the world, contrary to the word of God and the example of Christ, the apostles and of the prophets, otherwise he would have suffered persecution, 2 Tim. 3:12, and not have exercised his service at ease, for so long a time, as is testified by the example of Christ, the apostles and by all the true witnesses.

Again, that he is a hireling who has been hired as a servant at certain wages and a stipend, contrary to the example of Christ and the example of all the true messengers who have been sent by him. He is not only not persecuted for the sake of the testimony of Jesus but he himself persecutes the god­ly, pious hearts who have neither injured or harmed him nor any body else. He per­secutes them wilfully by his instigation, ad­vice and writings; contrary to the example of Christ and all the chosen, as may, alas, be seen by his writings here cited. Besides this, his doctrine is wrong and de­ceiving. He is an upbraider, condemner, defamer and backbiter of the innocent who sincerely fear God and are zealous for his word; yea, who would seal it with their blood, something which he does not. This assertion is, alas, made good by his writ­ing in which he, without just cause, accuses and condemns the god‑fearing, pious hearts before the whole world as being apostates, anabaptists, conspirers, contrabands, sowers of pernicious seed, excommuned sects, servants of the devil and tools; and thus makes them the objects of suspicion, al­though they sincerely seek the Lord and dai­ly sacrifice possessions and blood for the sake of his holy word.

Besides, he is a supporter and defender of the kingdom of anti‑christ, a falsifier of the Scriptures, an abuser of the sacraments, a strengthener of the impenitent, a liar, &c., as will be plainly shown, by the grace of God, each in its turn.

In the third place it should be observed for what purpose the true preachers are called, namely, that they should teach the word of the Lord; rightly use his sacra­ments; lead and rule in the church of God; gather together with Christ and not scatter; console the afflicted; admonish those not ordained; seek what is lost; bind up what is bruised; separate those that are incur­able, without any respect of person, and should assiduously watch over the vineyard, house and city of God, as the Scriptures teach, Matt. 28:19; 12:30; Mark 16:15.

Behold, my reader, these are the proper reasons why the Holy Ghost has ordained in the house of the Lord bishops, pastors and teachers, according to the precept of Paul Paying, "He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfect­ing of the saints, for the work of the min­istry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," Eph. 4:11‑13.

But for what purpose Gellius and all the preachers of the world are called, may be educed from their doctrine and work; name­ly, to preach to suit the magistracy and the world. Again, to offer to the two golden calves of Dan and Bethel (understand what I mean); to keep the church of anti‑christ, without penance and regeneration in unity and peace of the flesh, on the perverted and crooked road of darkness and death, under the name and semblance of the word, con­trary to the Spirit, doctrine and example of Christ; to console the wilful, reckless world, who wish to be called the church of Christ, without regeneration and obedience, in their impenitent and ungodly nature, with the death, blood, baptism and Supper of the Lord; to violently oppose Christ Jesus and his word and Spirit, so that the world may live on in their original state and unright­eousness unrebuked; that the preachers may continue in their improper gain and careless life; and that the ignorant peo­ple, both rich and poor may live on in the lusts of their flesh, pomp, splendor, drink­ing, carousing, in avariciousness and hoard­ing, in short, may continue in the broad and easy way of the flesh, unreproved.

This is made too manifest to be denied, by deeds which speak for themselves; yet their cause is artfully adorned with the Scriptures; they talk much; boast loudly of the grace and favor of God; they use baptism and supper under the appearance of truth, as if they were the church of Jesus Christ; although, in fact, they are nothing but a selfish, refractory, impenitent, earthly and sensual people, as is obvious by their fruits. If I do not write the truth, reprove me.

Since, then, it is clearer than day‑light that they are not called to uphold the church of Christ, which is of God and a divine nat­ure, with salutary doctrines, Scriptural sac­raments, an unblamable life; earnest reprov­ing, without favor or respect of persons; with faithful admonition and separation, if necessary; but are, under false pretenses of the name and church of Christ; they are servants of the world; receive their reward from it; honor and love it; speak of it, and please it, and whom it seeks and loves to hear, for they are of the world, as John says, 1 John 4:5.

Therefore it is, in the third place, an in­controvertible evidence, that they, alas, are no called servants of the church of Christ; as they falsely pretend, but are the servants and supporters of the kingdom of anti­christ, as may be unmistakingly learned from their doctrine, walk and fruits if we closely examine them.

In the fourth place we should observe what kind of fruits they bring forth, for Christ says, "I have chosen you and or­dained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should re­main," John 15:16. We confess with holy Isaiah, as does also Gellius, that the doc­trine of the holy gospel, if preached in the power of the Spirit, according to the Spirit of Christ, cannot fail to bring forth fruit. " For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud," so, also, is the word that goeth forth out of the mouth of the Lord, Isaiah 55:10.

But Gellius and we should well consider that the sower should, by the power of true faith and the co‑operation of the Holy Spirit, be changed into the Spirit and nature of Christ, and should then teach or present to the people the pure, unadulterated seed, which is the word, without all abuse, leaven and hypocrisy, for where there are such sowers, there it will bud and bring forth. The word of the prophet, which the mouth of the Lord has spoken is true and firm. But where there are not such sowers there they arise too early or start out too late; labor and pains will be in vain; for God works not unto repentance but through those who are of his Spirit.

Inasmuch, then, that the word with true preaching does not remain fruitless as we have seen, and since we clearly see that the seed of the preachers of the world brings forth no fruit unto repentance, but alone hypocrisy, therefore it is an indisputable fact that they have not the word of the Lord in power; but that they are artful workers and not true preachers, or else the word of the prophet must be false, which says, "If they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings," Jer. 23:22.

Since then, that preachers are known by their fruits, and that Gellius and his like preachers have preached their doctrine and sacraments so many years to the whole world (which they may continue to do with­out fear, while they are not opposing the impenitent in their hypocrisy and uncon­trolled life, but rather console and encour­age them), and yet do not convert a miser nor usurer to liberality; do not bring forth their disciples further than that they profess in name and appearance; remain unchanged in their heart, hate and oppose true right­eousness, walk upon the broad way, and earnestly strive after the world, flesh, money and possessions. The pompous remain pompous; the proud remain proud; and liars continue in their falsehood, as is mani­fest; therefore this their fruitless preaching, vain doctrine and church‑service fully prove that their calling is not of God and his word, but of the son of the abyss, anti‑christ and of the world, however much they adorn and boast of their cause. The word of God is and will remain true, Isaiah 55:11.

Gellius then refers us to his fruits, and says, Is not the preaching of the truth and the light of the holy gospel, which we assiduously preach and promulgate both by teaching and writing a good fruit and glorious testimony that our calling is of God and not of the dev­il; by which the kingdom of the devil is destroyed and by which the papistical abominations, idolatry, masses, absolutions, vigils, &c., have become a deadly stench?

Answer. If they did not mix the dross with the silver and water with wine, that is, if they would preach the truth, without false­hood, and the light without darkness in the power of the Spirit, and would testify it be­fore the whole world by a pious and un­blamable life, then we would agree with them that it is a glorious light and a noble fruit. But while they practice wrong and pervert truth into lies, the true apostolic baptism into the baptism of heretics, the church of Christ into pernicious sectarianism and conspiracy, &c., and on the other hand pervert lies to truth, the anti‑christian to christian baptism and the reckless, wild world to the Lord's church, &c., we say that their doctrine is deceiving, offensive and wrong, and is not the true doctrine, as Gel­lius boasts and pretends.

Yea, my reader, they so preach the word of the Lord that unrighteousness and abuse yet remain in full sway; they so teach the truth, that in many respects, false doctrine, lying and deceiving is not yet weakened nor destroyed; they so use and practice di­vine service that the high places are hon­ored and idolatry is not avoided; they so preach the christian church, that the church of anti‑christ remains in full power, as is openly manifested to the whole world both by their work and their tyranny.

In short, it is manifest that they so preach and promulgate the gospel that no repent­ance follows but that every one, alas, re­mains as he is; yea, what is worse, that the people are not only not regenerated but are daily growing more wicked. Neither encomiums, reasoning nor artful demonstra­tions will avail here, for their fruit testifies that their doctrine is faithless and false, as said before, Jer. 23.

The serpent spoke the truth when he said, "God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," Gen. 3:5. But that which he promised before was a lie, namely, "Ye shall not surely die." Adam and Eve were thereby deceived. Thus, also, do those who teach the serpent's word. They so teach the im­penitent, carnal people, concerning the death of the Lord, by their unscriptural sacraments of impenitance, and so console them in their reckless, Adamic nature and life, by false promises (although they do some times speak the truth, as did the ser­pent, produce Scriptures, partly reprove sin and praise virtue) that there is no body to be found who truly feels sorry for his sins, who sincerely repents of his wicked­ness, saying, "What have I done," Jer. 8:6. Behold, says the prophet, so they prac­tice falsehood and strengthen the wicked that none repent of their wickedness.

That some of them have thus weakened the papistical abominations, for this they and we give praises to the Lord. But what does it avail if they renounce the pope and they themselves step in his stead? It is true that many branches of the tree of anti‑christ are hewn off, but the roots and body still remain. And although he destroyed some high places, yet they walk in the ways of Jeroboam and have not come to Jerusalem for the purpose of truly worshiping.

Yea, kind reader, had the learned firmly trusted the living God, faithfully adhered to his word, and had they not acted hypo­critically with the world and had they them­selves, in power and deeds faithfully prac­ticed, without fear of the cross and the dis­favor of the magistracy, what they have, in some of their writings, pointed out, O, what a noble and clear light would have shone on the world, which now, alas, has become such a pernicious darkness and de­struction, and a broad way, through the fear of the cross, through hypocrisy, selfish­ness, desire of ease, ambition and favor of men.

In the second place he says, Is the whole Bible, trans­lated (into the German language) by the memorable D. Martinus, a despisable fruit? Are the songs or hymns composed by Luther and many others a contemptible fruit? Is, also, the constancy, which exists in these times of peril and danger of body and possessions, as it did in the beginning of the gospel, not a noble and genuine fruit of our calling? But such fruits are of no account in their sight or else they will not see them; although they are the surest and the best fruits, &c. The fruits of the outward life and dealings with men, although often mere hypocrisy, only avail in their sight.