Menno Simons · 48 of 109

THE REASON WHY MENNO SIMON DOES NOT CEASE TEACHING AND WRITING. · Part 2

For if the literal Israel was so severely punished and crushed by God, because they did not abide by the law, commandments, statutes and righteousnesses of their God, and because they did not hear and receive the reproving, admonition and teachings of their faithful prophets who spoke to them through the inspiration of God, but stoned them, put them to the sword, killed, up­braided and blasphemed them; following a worship to suit their own taste, as has been shown above‑O, what must we, then, ex­pect from God, if we do not abide by the wholesome doctrine of grace, by the right holy sacraments, by the works of love which are pleasing to God and by the pious, unblamable life which no Moses, prophet, angel, nor creature has taught us, but which the eternal Son of God, the eternal wisdom and truth, the eternal love and mercy, the blessed Christ Jesus has taught us by his own blessed mouth, by the command of his Almighty Father, which command is eternal and immutable, whose love for us is ineffa­ble, who has confirmed it by virtue of mira­cles and at last sealed it with his precious blood; and has proclaimed the same to all the world by his faithful testimony, his holy apostles, in incomprehensible power of the Spirit; which doctrine is nothing else, nor will it ever be any thing else, than the precious gospel of peace, the glad tidings of grace, the remission of sin, the victory over death, hell and the devil; besides, grace, peace, freedom and admission to the Father; and all this out of love and grace‑not by works or merit of our own; but by means of Christ Jesus alone.

Again, these are the sacraments which Christ Jesus has instituted and taught: First, the holy baptism of the believing, in which we bury our sinful flesh and take unto ourselves a new life, seal and confess our faith, testify to the new birth and good conscience; and thus we enter into the obe­dience of Jesus Christ, who has taught and commanded us thus himself and also in his Holy Spirit through his disciples. Secondly, the Holy Supper, in which is represented the death of the Lord, who died for us in his great love; and in which is represented true, brotherly love; and also the righteous, unblamable, christian life which must be lived inwardly and outwardly in full meas­ure of death unto sin and unfeigned love, conformable to the word of God.

Behold, worthy reader, since the whole world, yea, all tongues, tribes and people have become degenerated, according to the righteous sentence of God, in the doctrines, sacraments and life which is pleasing to God, for they prefer falsehood to truth, unrighteousness to righteousness; as they have committed themselves to all manner of false teachings, false ceremonies and carnal life, so that we may consider them rather as brutes than human beings, rather as devils than christians, as every reasonable being can easily, even without the word of God, comprehend and understand; and as the learned and preachers, who, we should reasonably expect to reprove such things, themselves are committed to such false doc­trine, unbelief and abominable idolatry and lead, even, a more beastly and infernal life‑yea, as these learned people diligent­ly lead and force all mankind to such idol­atry, unbelief, transgression and accursed life, both by their teaching and example, as most of the learned have done from the beginning, as they are ever earthly, carnal­ly and devilishly minded, and as they ever reject the spiritual and heavenly wisdom and will of Jesus Christ which tempers the carnal lusts, as a displeasure and incon­venience, Col. 3:5; 1 Pet. 2:11; Rom. 13:14; therefore, since I clearly see this awful disesteem of the holy word of God, and the condemnation of innumerable thousands of souls whom Christ Jesus has so dearly bought and ransomed by his precious blood, for outside of the obedience to the divine word there is no salvation, therefore I cannot be silent; for the honor and praise of my Lord and God are at stake, and it avails the salvation of a poor, erring broth­er‑although, perchance, it may be at the risk of my life.

Who knows but that God, through me and through my beloved brethren who are and who shall be, has chosen and provided in his grace, that some of those who now unwittingly err, may yet acknowledge and confess the right way, doctrine, truth and life, and walk unblamably in Christ, before God and before all the world all the days of their lives. O, Lord, that it might be so, Amen.

Behold, most beloved reader, inasmuch as the Babylonian king, namely, the anti­christ, has, through his servants, that is, through the false prophets and teachers, demolished the disobedient Jerusalem, the temple of the Lord, and has thus impris­oned Israel these many years‑therefore I and my brethren in the Lord desire nothing but that we may, to the honor of God, so labor at his fallen city, temple and impris­oned people, according to the talent re­ceived of him, that we may rebuild that which is demolished, repair that which is damaged and free those who are imprisoned, with the word of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the same as it was before the fall, that is, in freedom of the Spirit, on the doctrines, sacraments, ceremonies, love and life of Jesus Christ and of his holy apostles.

For this reason I am not ashamed to write down, publish and loudly proclaim my faith, doctrine, seeking and desire, be­fore all mankind who will hear, no matter who they are. Yea, I doubt not but if those could see my inmost heart who now assiduously seek my life, they would change their hatred against me and my brethren, into love for us.

In the first place we desire, according to the word of God, that no bishop, pastor or teacher shall be admitted into the church of the Lord, to teach and administer the sac­raments of the Lord, other than those who are comprised in the doctrine, ordinance and life of our Lord Jesus Christ‑unblam­able in all things, 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6; Lev. 21:7; Ezek. 44:21; for the word of the Lord is truth, Jn. 17:17; it is Spirit and life, Jn. 6:63; therefore they can not be ad­ministered by the carnal minded; by no children of death, nor by liars; but by the truthful, by the spiritual minded, and by those who rightly confess Christ Jesus; who surely feel the life eternal in their hearts, and who live unblamably before God and walk in Christ Jesus, so that they may truthfully say with Paul, "Be ye fol­lowers of me, even as I also am of Christ," 1 Cor. 11:1.

In the second place we desire with ardent hearts, even at the cost of life and blood, that the holy gospel of Jesus Christ and his apostles, which alone is the true doctrine, and will remain so until Jesus Christ will reappear in the clouds, may be taught and preached through all the world, as the Lord Jesus Christ commanded his disciples at the last moments while he was on earth, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15.

In the third place we seek, teach and de­sire a true faith and christian life conform­able to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and his apostles; for the doctrine of the preachers is all vain and useless if the word which is preached is not accepted by faith, Heb. 4:2; and faith is vain, and dead before God when it does not work by love, Jas. 2:20.

In the fourth place, we teach, seek and desire a right, christian baptism; first, with Spirit and fire, Luke 3:16; afterward in the water, in obedience to faith; for thus has Christ Jesus commanded all the believing; and thus the holy apostles have taught and administered it, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 2:38; 9:5; 16:31; 10:47.

In the fifth place, we teach, seek and de­sire such a Supper as Christ Jesus himself has instituted and administered, Matt. 26:19; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; first, to a church which is outwardly without spot and blemish, that is, without any consider­able transgression and wickedness; for the church can only judge as to the visible; but what is inwardly wicked and not out­wardly apparent to the church, as the be­traying of Judas, of that God is to judge, for he alone tries the hearts and reins, and not the church. Secondly, in both forms, namely, bread and wine; thirdly, to the re­membrance of the Lord's death. Fourthly, as a renewal and proof of brotherly love, as this supper was also called amongst the ancients, a brotherly supper, as Tertullian writes.

In the sixth place we seek and desire that all strange ceremonies and manners of worship which are without the word of God, or instituted contrary thereto and tend to abominable idolatry, such as holy water, oral confession, infant baptism, masses, matins, vespers, images, altars, false promises and the like ceremonies, may be abolished, not by force of arms, but peaceably by the word of God, that the poor, ignorant populace may no longer be deceived by such vain works which are nothing short of idolatry; but that they may put their faith in the liv­ing God and in the merits of our ever blessed Lord Jesus Christ and that they may cordially walk in his divine command­ments, not varying to the right or the left; for in him is life everlasting, Jn. 12:60, and in none other.

In the seventh place we seek, desire, teach and preach, that all magistrates, emperors, kings, dukes, counts, barons, mayors, knights and other officers may be so taught and trained by the Spirit and word of God, that they may sincerely seek, honor, fear and serve Christ Jesus, the true head of all lords and potentates; that they may rightly administer their office, and use the sword given them of God, in his fear and in brotherly love, to the praise of God, to the protection of the good and to the punishment of the evil, according to the intent of the word of God, Rom. 13:3; 1 Pet. 2:13; as did the men of God, as Moses, Joshua, David, Ezekiel, Josiah and others. Read also Deut. 17:2, 3, and you will clear­ly understand what God has commanded all magistrates to do.

Besides, we teach the true love and fear of God, the true love of our neighbor, to aid and assist all mankind and to injure none; to crucify the flesh and its lusts; to circumcise the heart, mouth and the whole body with the knife of the divine word, of all unclean thoughts, unbecoming words and actions. Now consider whether these things are not the will of God, the true doc­trine of Jesus Christ, the true ministering of the sacraments and the true life which is of God; although all the gates of hell may willfully oppose them.

Behold, dear brethren, against these doc­trines, sacraments and life no imperial de­crees, no papal bulls, no councils of the learned, no long usage, no human philoso­phy, no Origen, Augustine, Luther, Bucer, prison, banishment or murder can prevail; for it is the eternal, imperishable word of God; it is, I repeat, the eternal mord of Good, and will remain immutable forever. Etiamsi rumpantur illa codro. Whosoever yet opposes and wars against these things, either at heart, verbally or by the sword, does not war against flesh and blood, that is, against man, but he wars against the Lamb, against him who has all power, and who by a word created heaven and earth and the fullness thereof. Nay, against him who lifts up his hand and says, "I live forever," Deut. 32:40.

As this is the true doctrine of Jesus Christ which alone leads to life eternal, and as there is no other true doctrine beside; there­fore I might be asked by the reader why it is that so very few men sincerely believe and fulfill it in works? In my opinion there are four reasons for this. First, be­cause all lords, preachers and common peo­ple are carnal and earthly minded; there­fore they cannot admit the lovely doctrine of the Holy Ghost, the doctrine of eternal peace. Secondly, because they are drunk and full of the enchanting wine of the Babylonian whore, exceedingly rich and not in want of any thing, Rev. 1:2; 3:17. Thirdly, because they do not fear the awful judgment and fearful wrath of God against all disobedience and transgression, yea, so utterly disregard the word of God, as if the Holy Ghost was merely jesting, when threat­ening temporal or eternal punishment. Fourthly, because they do not acknowledge the great beneficence of God toward them in Christ Jesus; for in case they did ac­knowledge the works of divine love toward them, namely, that God has created heaven and earth and the fullness thereof for their benefit; that he formed them after his own image from the dust of earth; placed them at the head of all creation; gave them gold, silver, land, house and home and all the necessaries of life; gave them his divine word; first, the law of nature, then Moses and the prophets, and afterward his only begotten Son, his wisdom, his power, Christ Jesus, who has taught them the will of his Father in great clearness; opened heaven and closed hell; vanquished death, sin and the devil for them; fulfilled the cumbersome, threatening law on the cross, and acquired for them grace, favor, mercy, peace, freedom, deliverance, remission of sins and eternal life with the Father, if they in truth believe, seek and desire it, besides calling them daily to repentance, regenera­tion and the glory of the chosen children of God; desiring to draw them forth from the darkness of the world and deliver them into the kingdom of his beloved Son; not letting his righteous judgment come on them as it did on Sodom and Gomorrah; giving them day and night, sun and moon, rain and drought; again, blessing them with wisdom and understanding, wife, chil­dren, cattle and fruits; if they did cordially acknowledge these rich gifts of his abun­dant grace, then all the tyrants under heav­en would not separate them from the doc­trine, love, sacraments, life and confession of Jesus Christ even if it were possible that they could testify to and assert it by a thousand deaths. Yea, they would say with the apostle Paul, "Who shall sepa­rate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribu­lation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Rom. 8:35.

But because they do not acknowledge the God of all grace in his divine word, judg­ments and beneficences; and do neither ac­knowledge the Spirit, power, will and life which was in Christ Jesus whom we should follow, according to the word of God; therefore they so wrongfully oppose and persecute the heavenly doctrine of Jesus Christ, and diligently follow, teach and pro­tect all manner of falsehood, deceit, fraud and idolatry. Again I repeat, If they rightly acknowledged and believed the pa­ternal heart, mind and love, protection, fa­vor, will, solicitude and affection of the Almighty God in Christ Jesus, they would doubtlessly accept and cordially fulfill his blessed word and admonition; but as they do not rightly acknowledge Christ Jesus and his Father‑the Savior said, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only be­gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that be­lieveth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil," Jn. 3:1‑19.

Take heed, O ye miserable, erring men! For here the eternal wisdom of the blessed Christ Jesus has expressed, why you do not believe his precious word, and do not fulfill his divine will, because you prefer the dam­nable darkness to the saving light. Yea, I re­peat, that if you sincerely accepted and be­lieved the divine goodness, mercy, and the in­effable love of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ toward you, namely, that by his ardent love he became an humble mortal man for you; came down from high heaven into these lower parts of the earth, taught and preached unto you the eternal kingdom of God, performed miracles, prayed, suffered tribulation, anxiety, apprehension and prison; that he was beaten, mocked, derided, spit upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, drenched with gall and vinegar, blasphemed, crucified and that he died and was buried for you; was again raised up, ascended to heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father; and that by his precious blood he became your faithful Servant, Reconciler, Deliverer, Mediator and Advocate; that by love he sent to you and the whole world, his faithful servants, the holy apostles, with the word of grace—if you believe all this, you would, doubt­lessly, love him who has shown you such great love and grace without any merit on your part; and if you would return the love with which he has loved you and yet loves you, you would, verily, not tire of seeking and following him, so that you might live unblamably according to his blessed will, and walk all your life in his divine commandments, as he himself says, "He that hath my commandments, and keep­eth them, he it is that loveth me," Jn. 14:21.

Behold, most beloved reader, thus true faith or true knowledge begets love, and love begets obedience to the commandments of God. Therefore Christ Jesus says, "He that believeth on him is not condemned." Again at another place, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into life," Jn. 5:24. For true evangelical faith is of such a nature that it cannot lay dormant; but manifests itself in all right­eousness and works of love; it dies unto flesh and blood; destroys all forbidden lusts and desires; cordially seeks, serves and fears God; clothes the naked; feeds the hungry; consoles the afflicted; shelters the miserable; aids and consoles all the oppressed; returns good for evil; serves those that injure it; prays for those that persecute it; teaches, admonishes and re­proves with the Word of the Lord; seeks that which is lost; binds up that which is wounded; heals that which is diseased and saves that which is sound. The persecu­tion, suffering and anxiety which befalls it for the sake of the truth of the Lord, is to it a glorious joy and consolation.

All those who have a faith as is here men­tioned, namely, a faith that makes desirous to walk in the commandments of the Lord, to do the will of the Lord, and which shows itself in all righteousness, love and obedi­ence, also acknowledge that the word and will of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ is true wisdom, truth and life, yea, un­changeable and immutable until Christ Jesus shall reappear in the clouds of heaven at the judgment day; they do not scoff at God's word as if it were a vapor, as do the ignorant world, saying, "What can water avail me?" but they will diligently try to obey the word of Jesus Christ in every par­ticular, even at the risk of death according to the flesh.

Behold, beloved brethren, I speak frankly with a certain and sure conviction not by any revelation or heavenly inspiration, but by the express, definite word of the Lord, and from my inmost heart I am convinced that this doctrine is not our doctrine, but the doctrine of him who sent us, that is Christ Jesus. All those who are desirous of doing his will, will acknowledge that this doctrine is of God; and that we do not preach our own opinion, dreamings, and visions. But those who do not fear God; do not believe on Christ Jesus; who trample upon his word, and do not do his will; who love darkness rather than light; by those, all evangelical truth must be called damnable heresy and considered and treat­ed as deadly treason. Notwithstanding all this, the word of God shall remain un­broken until the judgment day.

Woe unto such! For in them are lost the abundant gifts of grace, the heavenly word of peace, the mild admonitions, the hard and bitter labor, the precious treasure, which is the precious blood and bitter death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, woe, woe unto them! For it can never be that we can be saved without faith, love and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. I speak of those of understanding age. Paul says, "Without faith it is impossible to please him (God)," Heb. 11:6. "He that believeth not is condemned," Jn. 3:18.

As the literal law of Moses could not, at any time, be changed by the tyranny of princes, the accuteness of the learned, or by the madness of the common people; and as there could be nothing added to, nor taken from it, it had to remain unchanged until the coming of Christ. Yea, as all who did not abide by this law were the children of the wrath and of death; so, also, it is to­day. If all the deceased apostles should be raised up and should teach us different­ly from what they did at the time of their ministration; and besides these, Moses and the prophets, all the angels of heaven and as many eloquent and miraculous prophets as we have hairs on our heads; and if be­sides these, all the princes should roar like devouring lions and ravening wolves, and if every learned tongue should cut as a razor, it would yet be impossible that those could be saved who do not abide by the wholesome doctrine, sacraments, obedience and life of Jesus Christ. Yea they are the children of wrath, the curse and of death eternal, as Christ himself says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," Matt. 7:21. At another place he says, "If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," Jn. 8:31, 32. From this follows the opposite, beloved brethren, namely, that if we do not abide in Christ's word, we cannot be his disciples; that we do not ac­knowledge the truth; and if we do not ac­knowledge the truth how can we then be made free thereby? And if we are not freed by truth, woe unto us that we were ever born; for then we are yet in sin, under the curse, wrath, children of hell, of the devil and of eternal death. O, misery, misery! Fear with all your heart, faithful reader! For this will never be found otherwise.

If the bloodthirsty, tyrannical lords and princes had, from the beginning, acknowl­edged this, and would now acknowledge it, namely, that the word is eternal and will remain unchangeable and that it cannot be changed by the most exalted of men, never would they thus have opposed and mur­dered the professors of the divine word.

If the Roman bishop and his learned fel­lows had taken this matter to heart, he would never have taken from Italy her em­peror, and from Christ Jesus the spiritual reign. But he would, doubtlessly, have bidden adieu to his worldly glory, pomp, luxury, idolatry, false doctrine, easy life, garbled sacraments, sodomitic unclean­ness, councils, statutes and decrees and would have contented himself with the im­mutable, heavenly doctrine of the only, true Shepherd, Teacher and Bishop of our souls, Christ Jesus.

As the whole burden of our salvation is included and comprised in Christ Jesus and his holy word, and in no one else, nor in any other doctrine‑therefore I warn every godfearing soul, by the word of God, through nothing but brotherly love, not to be shaken and misled, either by the exalted position of man, or by old age, learning, eloquence, finely gotten up ceremonies, dreams, prophesies, visions, signs and jugglery. For there can never be a wiser, truer, more diligent, more righteous, god pleasing, unblamable, powerful, perfect, higher or holier Prophet than the ever blessed Christ Jesus. Every thing, too, has testified this of him, both in heaven and upon earth. In the first place God testified this to Adam; afterward to Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Zechari­ah, and to most of the prophets; to the angel Gabriel; to the angels at his birth; by the star of heaven; by the wise from the east; the learned at Jerusalem; John the Baptist. Again at his baptism by the Fa­ther and the Holy Ghost; afterward by the multitudes, the devils; by the healing, the raising up of the dead; by changing water into wine; commanding the storm to cease; by the loaves, fishes, fig‑tree, and the chil­dren on palms‑day; at his death; by the murderer; the firmament of heaven; the whole earth; the curtains of the temple; the stones; the deceased dead, and the centurion under the cross, Ps. 22:7; Isa. 53:5; Dan. 9:25. Say, what is there that has not testi­fied to Christ Jesus? Yea he is the one, as he himself says, who after his resurrection again ascended to heaven, to whom all power is given of the Father both in heaven and in earth, Matt. 28. Therefore it is just and right, yea it is absolutely required, if they do not want to be lost, that all magis­trates bow themselves under his scepter; all reason and sagaciousness place them­selves under his heavenly wisdom; all flesh lay at his blessed feet; and that every tongue confess that he is the Lord, to the honor and praise of his Father. Therefore I pray all godfearing readers in the Lord, by the merits of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the kingdom, the praise and honor; not to consider me any higher than a mere, humble servant of Jesus Christ and as a dispenser of his mysteries, accord­ing to the faith given me of him. I, miser­able sinner that I am, on account of my un­clean, greedy, proud, vain, idolatrous and carnal life which I formerly led, and on ac­count of my yet often sinning and transgress­ing before my God, who am not worthy to be the least servant in the house of my Lord! Yet, by his grace I am that I am.

Brethren, I tell you the truth and lie not. I am no Enoch, no Elias, I have no visions, am no prophet, who can teach and prophe­sy differently from what it is written in the word of God and whosoever tries to teach something else will soon miss the right way and be deceived in his learning. I trust that the merciful Father will keep me in his word so that I shall write or speak nothing but that which I can prove by Moses, the prophets, the evangelists or by other apos­tolic Scriptures and doctrines, explained in their true sense, Spirit and intent of Christ. Judge ye that are spiritually minded. Again, I have no visions nor angelic inspi­rations, neither do I desire such, lest I be thereby deceived. The word of Christ, alone, is sufficient for me. If I do not fol­low his testimony, then, verily, all that I do is useless. And even if I had such visions and inspirations, which is not the case, even then it would have to be conform­able to the word and Spirit of Christ, or else it would be mere fantasy, deceit and satanic temptation. For Paul says, "Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith," Rom. 12:6. Nor am I a third David, as some have falsely passed themselves and yet pass themselves for. There are but two Davids comprised in the word of God. The first, a literal and figurative, namely, the son of Jesse; and the second, the spiritual, the only begotten Son of God, Christ Jesus. Whosoever, now, passes himself for the third, is a falsifier and blasphemer. Let every soul take heed, lest he err in his faith.

According to my first birth I am nothing but unclean slime and dust of earth, con­ceived and born in sin from my mother's womb, and educated all my life in all man­ner of ignorance, sin and blindness, until the clear light of grace and knowledge ap­peared unto me from high heaven and which has given me such a heart, will and desire, that I willingly seek after that which is good, and strive, with holy Paul to "follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus," Phil. 3:12.

O, most beloved reader, I repeat that I have formerly acted shamefully against God and my neighbors; and yet I do, some­times think, speak and act recklessly, of which however I sincerely repent. What am I that I should boast of, seek and teach any thing else than the ever blessed Christ Jesus alone, his word, sacraments, obedi­ence and his god‑pleasing, virtuous and un­blamable life. He is the only one of whom it is written: That he was begotten of the Holy Ghost; that he knew no sin; that guile was not found in his mouth, that his doctrine, word, will, and commandments are life eternal, Matt. 1:25; Luke 1:31; 1 Pet. 2:22; Isa. 53:12.

Therefore take heed and save your soul. For thus every christian must be minded in regard to Christ Jesus, his Savior and in re­gard to his holy word; nor must he think him­self more exalted, no matter what gifts he has received, if he would not rob Christ Jesus of his glory; and remain in a humble walk before God, in the right measure of his faith as becomes him in Christ. I advise all not to deceive themselves. Let spiritual pride, and vain boasting be far from you, "For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble," 1 Pet. 5:5.