Menno Simons · 5 of 109

OF THE MISSION OR CALLING OF THE PREACHERS. · Part 3

Facts testify openly that it is true that they do not seek the salvation of souls, but a careless, easy life; for we never saw in all our life that the preachers lived where there were no rents or liens. That, also, Gellius does not seek the salvation of his sheep, but the rents, he has testified when he left Norden, where he was called by the same calling, and moved to Emden where the an­nual income was greater; something which the paters, in times gone‑by, esteemed as unjust in their concilions and decrees, and punished with excommunication.

If he sought the salvation of their souls, and not the rents, as becomes a good and faithful shepherd, according to the example of Jesus Christ and of all faithful servants, why, then, did he make void his first calling, which was, according to his assertion, divine, and leave the first sheep who were no less delivered through the death of the Lord, and bought with his precious blood, than the last, of which he now has the charge. O, hypocrisy and feigning!

Again, Gellius says in regard to the sustenance of the preachers, That they have little care as to how the community, of whom the magistracy are a part, provides them the necessaries of life, while it is certain that if they serve the gospel, as he says, they shall also live of the gospel; and cites Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7.

Answer. If Gellius and the preachers were such servants as are referred to in these Scriptures, then it is plain, that the sustenance of the gospel was promised them. But if any‑body goes into the service and uselessly destroys and ruins the Lord's goods, if faithless, seeks his own self in all things and does the things which are con­trary to the will and honor of the Lord, should such a faithless servant receive the reward which is reasonably due to the faith­ful, assiduous laborer? I think you will an­swer in the negative; and that he should rather receive the displeasure and punish­ment of the Lord: For he speaks, "When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons," Matt. 21:40, 41.

We acknowledge that sustenance has been promised, by Scriptures, to the true and faithful servants. But, since Gellius and his like preachers are unfaithful servants who destroy the Lord's goods, steal his gain, scatter his sheep and do not gather them together; who, alas, fearlessly lead to hell his precious treasure, namely the poor mis­erable souls, in great numbers, as those tru­ly regenerated can scripturally judge by the testimony of their open deeds; therefore their sustenance is not the sustenance of true preachers, but an unreasonable, shame­ful gain; an unbecoming livelihood and the reward of the deceived souls; this, all of sound understanding, must acknowledge and admit.

O, my faithful reader, remember, so long as the world donates such splendid houses and large incomes to their preachers, the false prophets and deceivers will be numer­ous.

They pretend to vindicate by Scripture all heresy, deceit, idolatry, pomp, hypoc­risy, tyranny and drunkenness, together with their unreasonable and shameful serv­ice of the flesh and world, and make the ignorant and blind world believe that it is right.

But I openly testify, I testify it unreserved­ly that the preachers of the world, to take them all in all, are Balaamites, who love the reward of unrighteousness, and serve for the sake of a handful of barley and a piece of bread, whereby they profane the name of God, Ezekiel 13:19. "Prophets which eat at Jezebel's table," 1 Kings 18:20, servants and defenders of Maaz, 1 Chron. 2:27, who are honored with great rewards of Antioch, that is, anti‑christ; Ahabites, who, for the sake of an acre, stone the pious Na­both, 1 Kings 21, that is, who advise and instigate the world by their speeches, writ­ings, backbiting, complaints and permission to, the killing of many an innocent, pi­ous child of God.

Again, they are priests of Jeroboam, who, contrary to the example of Christ Jesus and his holy apostles, hire themselves, for an annual stipend, to an unevangelical service of impenitence, which is practiced, in all respects, without power, spirit, repentance and regeneration, as may openly be seen; their service is vain labor and mockery, be­sides, an unbecoming speculation.

O, how distinctly has the Holy Ghost portrayed them before our eyes, if we would but see, saying, "And through covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make mer­chandise of you." Again, "Having men's persons in admiration because of advan­tage," 2 Peter 2:3; Jude 18, and other like sayings; For that they have sought unrea­sonable gain and an easy life, from youth, and yet seek it, is so obvious, that it can­not, at all, be denied.

Besides, their liens and properties have been obtained from anti‑christ, through art­ful dealings, enchanting roguery and cler­ical robbery, and are yet, daily, thus ob­tained from those who walk upon the broad way without repentance, and who find, alas, no pleasure in the Lord's holy word.

They act hypocritically and flatter the magistrates and those of high‑standing; they console the impenitent and persecute the pious; they adulterate the plain word, sacraments and ordinances of Jesus Christ, by which the church should be gathered and maintained in Him; they preach to suit and please the world, that they may receive, un­der the semblance of the gospel, the blood-reward of the poor and miserable souls, for which they assiduously strive; that they may peaceably possess it and turn it to the advantage of easy times. Yet they console themselves with the idea that they serve the gospel and therefore should live of the gos­pel. Behold, thus they give a scriptural shape to all kinds of false doctrines and works, and thus they give a fine appearance to hypocrisy.

My faithful reader, I warn you in sincere love, take heed. Again, I say unto you, The true and faithful servants of Jesus did not have such annual stipends, rents and property attached to the apostolic churches; but the greater part earned their livelihood by their own labor; yet served the church of Christ, and, in all love and humility, walked before them with true doctrines and an unblamable life. They have diligently watched over the Lord's house, city and vineyard; opposed all evil and deceiving spirits with the word of the Lord; admon­ished the disorderly, consoled the afflicted, reproved the transgressors, excommunicated the disobedient and refractory; served rea­sonably, left the world to the world, and have patiently borne its cross; and what necessaries they needed they received, not of the world, but at the hands of their pious disciples, in humility, without avaricious­ness or on desire of shameful gain. Script­ures allow this much, as said above, for they rightly pastured the Lord's sheep, they faithfully planted the vineyard, assiduous­ly tilled the land, and stored the sheaves and fruits in the Lord's barn, as the exam­ple of the prophets and apostles points out and the Spirit and word of the Lord com­mand, and enjoin upon all faithful serv­ants.

I will conclude my remarks in regard to the calling of the preachers, and would yet say, Since the Scriptures teach that the serv­ants of the holy word are called either of the Lord himself, or by means of the pious, as has been heard; that they shall be un­blamable; able rightly to rule the Lord's church, bring forth permanent fruits, destroy and build up; that they shall not seek un­reasonable gain, but sincerely seek the hon­or and praise of God and the salvation of their neighbors, &c.; and since we plainly see and palpably feel that they, alas, are altogether called of such as we would wish had the Spirit of Christ; moreover that they are blamable in all things, for they are of an unmerciful, tyrannical disposition, and of an earthly, carnal life; pervert the gos­pel, and do not teach it in power and true repentance; wrongly use the sacraments without power, spirit and repentance, and dispense it to those who are not disciples of Jesus Christ; they deceive the people; do not bring forth permanent fruits, plant that which is evil and root out that which is good; they do not seek the honor and praise of God but their own profit and gain, the favor of the world and an easy, careless life, I will let their doctrines, sacraments, fruits and life testify to this; therefore I say without any reservation that they are not the called preachers and servants of the church of Christ, whom we shall, according to the Scriptures, obey, accept and follow, as they pretend we should, but that they are preachers for the sake of gain and serv­ants of anti‑christ, against whom we are, on every hand, warned by the word of God; not to hear or follow them nor their doc­trine but to flee from and avoid them as de­ceivers, false prophets, wicked men and faithless servants.

Yea, my reader, what can they say about their calling, preaching and church‑service?

It is, briefly stated, not possible, according to the sure promises and prophecies of Christ Jesus and the prophets, that a true and faithful preacher, witness or teacher, especially in these evil times and in this wicked and tyrannical world, can faithfully teach and proclaim, without respect of per­sons, the pure gospel of Jesus Christ, with­out being exiled, proscribed or killed; much less enjoy life at ease and liberty, as they do, without persecution, yea, receive annual stipends of the world and be highly hon­ored and loved by them.

Peruse all the Holy Scriptures and see if you can find that Christ Jesus, with his holy apostles, true witnesses and followers fared as they do and received as they do; wheth­er persecution, cross, tribulation, anxiety, prison and death were not, generally, their lot and part. Besides experience, yet daily, teaches this abundantly.

If, then, the preachers acted rightly, if they were walking according to the exam­ple of Christ and his apostles; if their teachings and dealings were right, as they pretend them to be, then all the Holy Script­ures must be wrong, the word of the cross be fulfilled and Christ and his prophecies must be false, this is incontrovertible. There­fore, all their boasting and artful citations concerning their calling, office, doctrine and church‑service, together with their de­fense are, in fact, wrong, futile, hypocritical, unjust and without truth. "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's," Phil. 2:21; their own ease and not the salvation of their neighbors; they are enemies of the cross; they serve their own bellies, Rom. 16. If they would rightly re­prove all the ungodliness, idolatry, abuse, pride, pomp, splendor, hypocrisy and un­faithfulness of this world, without respect of persons with the same earnestness, assid­uity, heart and mind, &c., as did Christ with his holy apostles and true witnesses, and in other respects would not act so freely; if they would hate all unright­eousness of the world as Christ Jesus and his apostles hated it, then they would not long remain at ease in their comfortable houses; they would not have such incomes and they would be little regarded by this reckless, wild world. Of this I am con­vinced.

But they do differently; they make the gar­ment to fit the man (as the saying is), and they so teach and act that the world may suffer them and love them and that they may be the friends of the world, so that they may be at ease, not be persecuted and enjoy good times; this is something which is gen­erally well understood, and a sure proof that their sending or calling together with their doctrine and church‑service is in every particular without the ordinance, Spirit and word of God, as said before.

Herewith, Gellius' article on the calling has been replied to. I would earnestly be­seech him and all the preachers to reflect in the fear of God for before the flaming eyes of the Lord, which search heaven and earth, nothing wrong will be hidden, however art­fully it may be covered before man's eyes, and however much it may be decked and adorned with smooth words.

Next, Gellius denies our calling, and says, Before we can agree with the preachers or teachers who claim that they bring forth fruit, they must first be rightly called of a church of God, and not from a collection who have been deceived by false prophets; and then come boldly forward and preach; or they must show by facts (as he says) that Christ has done wrong, and that he should have rather preached secretly to avoid the cross (as he says we do) than in public, &c.

Answer. The sending or calling of Moses, of Christ, of Paul, of the apostles and proph­ets was also denied by the perverse. Moses had to hear that he had killed the Lord's people and that he had led them into the wilderness that they might perish through want and misery. Christ Jesus was called a wine‑bibber, blasphemer and one possess­ed of the devil, Matt. 11:19. Paul was call­ed a rebel and an apostate Jew, &c. Be­hold, thus in their times the sending of the faithful servants of the Lord, nay, the Lord and Messiah himself was despised, although testified by many miracles. How much more, then, shall we be despised, who are such weak and insignificant instruments, and live in seven fold worse and more wick­ed times than those in which they lived.

Inasmuch, then, as we are accused by our opponents, the learned, that we are not call­ed of a church of God, but of false prophets, or of a false church, therefore I would brief­ly admonish the reader, to weigh well with the Scriptures who, how and what the church of God is; that it is not a collection of proud, avaricious, extortionate, vain per­sons, drunkards and impenitent, as the church of the world is, of whom the learned are called but a collection or congregation of saints, as the Holy Scriptures and the Ni­cene symbol clearly teach and represent, namely, of those who, through true faith, are regenerated of God unto Christ Jesus and are of a divine nature, who will gladly conform their lives according to the Spirit, word and example of the Lord, are actuated by his Spirit and are willing and prepared patiently to bear the cross of their Lord Jesus Christ.

Behold dear reader, such were they whom the apostles and faithful servants won unto Christ Jesus, and added to his church with his Spirit and word, nor does Scripture ac­knowledge any others. From such and of such they have, with fasting and prayer, chosen and called unto the service of the Lord the pious and unblamable pastors and teachers; and not of the world, as has been heard.

Since, then, the preachers of the world and their congregations, are not the church of Christ but are such preachers and church­es as shown, by their spirit, words and deeds that they are of the world; and since the merciful, great Lord in these latter days of abominations, graciously gathers together, by his Spirit and word, many faithful hearts from the different unscriptural sects, both great and small, and from different nations and tongues, in one faith; and places them as an admonition to sincere repentance, with their doctrine, life, goods and blood, before the whole world, yea, as a light up­on a candlestick; therefore these must be the Lord's church and people; or else the word of God, which is and remains true, must be wrong and false. And some from these and of these are chosen with fasting and prayer and ordained to the service of the Lord by the laying on of hands accord­ing to the example and doctrine of the apostolic churches; now, all of sound mind may judge and weigh, according to Script­ure whether such a calling or choosing is not consistent with Scripture and according to the usage of the primitive churches; and whether it cannot stand before the Lord and his church as divine, holy and just.

Further, it is a fact well known to me, that the preachers tell the simple, and which Gellius' writing, if carefully read, also in­sinuates that I should have received my faith, doctrine and calling of a deceiving, refractory and corrupted sect, by the seces­sion of whom the Lord intends to purge his church. For this reason I am necessarily forced to explain my actions briefly, which I, under different circumstances, would, for the sake of modesty, remain silent; namely, how I first came to the knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and how I afterward, unworthily, became one of his servants; and I hereby beseech all my read­ers, for God's sake to consider well this my narration, and that they will not think hard of it, nor consider it as vain boasting that I here tell it; for the honor of my God and the love for his church urge me to do so. Let all judge me as they will He who has created me and has hitherto graciously de­livered me from my enemies, knows me; he knows what I seek in this life and what my greatest desire is.

Again, that Gellius wants us to preach publicly, has been sufficiently replied to above, as I trust, in treating of night preach­ing. Yet I would propound these three questions.

In the first place, Whether a person would not be guilty of blood, if he would persuade somebody by artful words or force him into a deep water or by such means get him to take poison, if he knew beforehand that death would be the consequence?

In the second place, Since he boasts to be a called preacher and preaches in public, I would ask, Why he is not moved to love and compassion for his own country? Why he does not, amongst the papists, openly proclaim his faith, sacraments and doc­trines, contrary to the emperor's decree, tyranny, persecution and ill‑will as he would have us to do?

Thirdly, since he will admit, as I suppose, and must admit, if he judge according to the Scriptures, that the avaricious, proud, haughty, drunkards, vain, extortioners, liars, unrighteous, &c., can not inherit the kingdom of God, and that they therefore are not christians; I would ask him, Why it is that he does not lay aside the fear of the cross (of which he blames us) and sepa­rate, without all respect of person, the im­penitent of his church, from the communion of his sacraments, according to the doctrine and ordinance of the Holy Ghost, since it is God's express word and ordinance? He would have us preach publicly, notwith­standing that he well knows that we can no more do so without the loss of life, than to go on the water without sinking, or to take poison without dying. For he and the learned have brought about such a state of affairs, by their disgraceful slanders and preaching, that we are, alas, already judged before we are caught. Besides he advises the magistracy to stop our doings; and he well knows how he treated a certain person, about ten years ago, who would gladly pro­claim to the people the testimony he had, in sincerity of heart, and that he refused me a discussion of Scripture twice, as has been heard. Yet he says, if we are true teachers we should preach in public; while he him­self, for the sake of a livelihood and the fear of the cross does not preach his doctrine (whatever it amounts to) in his own place but has moved to another and more safe place, and there, although he can freely practice his doctrine and sacraments, he neglects separation, scriptural reproof and the ordinances of God from the fear of the cross. Now the reasonable reader may educe from all this what kind of a christian, not to mention preacher, he is; since he would have us, miserable ones, to do that which he himself dares not do nor touch, as you may see.

If Gellius could take these three questions to heart and would consider them in a script­ural light and in the fear of God, he would be ashamed all his life that he so indis­creetly attacks us, against all love, reason, intelligence and the Scriptures and that he, under such a semblance, so tyrannically strives after, the ruin, blood and death of the pious.

But in answer to this writing that the prophetic and apostolic doctrine and sacra­ments should not be taught and dispensed in secret, retired corners and shops, but in public, I would say, We admit that Christ Jesus, generally preached in public, how­ever with such discretion that he sometimes avoided the raving, mad people, after they had resolved upon his death, until the time of his suffering had arrived (which time was known to him beforehand), and the prophecies were fulfilled, Luke 21:32.

Also, that although Jesus Christ sent his disciples to preach the gospel to all people, to Gentiles as well as Jews, he did not command them, nor would he, that they should serve and dispense his sacraments, namely, bap­tism and Supper to the enemies of his word, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15. Therefore it is obvious that he accuses us of this without any truth or foundation of the Scriptures. He does not only accuse and reprove us but also Christ Jesus, God's eternal word and wisdom himself; for he has celebrated his Holy Supper, at night in a secret place, with a separate people; he also accuses and re­proves Paul and the primitive, apostolic church, who oft held their brotherly meetings at night, in retired places, as has been suffi­ciently adduced above. Observe how openly he speaks against God's word.

He writes further, that our calling is not testified by any thing, further than that we not only fill the hearts of many with a mad and irreconcilable hatred of all church ordinances and true servants of the church, how­ever pious they be, but also inspire them with a con­tentious, envious spirit.

Answer. If animosity and bitterness of heart had not so entirely blinded him, and if but a small spark of a true, christian spirit were in him, then he would soon ac­knowledge the precious fruits of true repent­ance. But as it is, he has become so blinded, that, alas, he calls the glorious fruits of the Holy Spirit, the fruits of the devil and new monkery; and the burdensome, pressing cross of so many pious saints, the cross of evil‑doers or heretics. Which is in my opinion an abominable sin and gross slander.

The Pharisees said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of devils," Matt. 12:24, although they strongly felt in their hearts that it was the finger and power of God. Christ said that it was blaspheming against the Holy Ghost, Luke 12:10. But what Gellius does against us I will leave to the Lord.

God knows that I wish that I might de­liver him and all the preachers from their sore damnation, even at the cost of my own life. Behold, thus I hate him and all those who seek my life; although we must hear so much evil spoken against us; and I trust that all who fear the word of the Lord, will be of one mind with me in this regard. Notwithstanding this, he writes that we fill many hearts with anger and irreconcilable hatred against them, &c. By no means. And this for no other reason than that we in sincere and faithful love, earnestly reprove the hypocritical deceivers, whom he calls the true and pious servants of the church, and the unscriptural infant baptism, to­gether with all abuses, which he calls church ordinances not only by the Spirit and word of the Lord, but also by our possessions and blood, and because we point them to Christ Jesus and him crucified, to his Spirit, word, ordinances and to the doctrine and usage of his holy apostles.

I truly believe that a spiteful, envious person has no part in God's city. And if we, who are daily killed for our love, are yet spiteful and envious, then much suffer­ing is in vain. I trust that I write the truth when I say that I am more terrified at hatred and envy than at fire and sword. Yet we must hear that we are spiteful. Be­hold, thus good is ever turned to evil and our love to hatred. What sentence the Script­ures pronounce against such may be seen in Isaiah 5.

He also accuses us That we are not unanimous but quarrel amongst ourselves in regard to many articles of christian religion; namely, in regard to obedience to the laws; to the justification of man; to the Godhead of Christ and his becoming man, and in regard to the powers of the magistracy, &o.

Answer. I trust that I can write with a clear conscience that we, who are grains of one loaf, are also of one mind in Christ Jesus. But as in the times of the apostles, false teachers arose in the apostolic church who started and taught false doctrines and who were, after faithful admonition, sepa­rated from the communion of their church, if they did not repent, as may be learned from many Scriptures; so also it is in our times. Satan is ever at work. Paul says, "There must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you," 1 Cor. 11:19. And if such be deaf unto truth, reject admoni­tion and start perverse sects, then we may no longer receive them as brethren, as the Scriptures teach us. So long as we continue to do this in obedience to the holy word and in the true fear of God, we are convinced from the inmost of our hearts, that we will be clear of all sectarianism as also of blas­phemy and perversity; although we must innocently hear such charges from the world.

Since it is a fact well known to Gellius and his fellow‑preachers that peace‑break­ers and sectarians are not allowed in our communion at all, but are unanimously separated from us, according to apostolic doctrine and usage, Rom. 16:1; Tit. 3:10, therefore it is very wrong in him to call so many pious persons contentious, and cause them to be of such bad report with the world, without truth; while they hate dis­cord and strife and seek nothing but that they may humbly follow the crucified Jesus, in the peace of their hearts.

If he should say that he accounts them as of us because they have received the same baptism with us, then I would say again that Peter, Simon, Paul and &c., were also one. Then all papists, Lutherans and Zuinglians besides all thieves, murderous wizards, buggerers, fornicators and rogues are one; for they have received one bap­tism; this is incontrovertible.

Again, in regard to his accusation that we dispute among ourselves in regard to obedience to the laws; the justification of man; the power of the magistracy &c. I would say, that I trust I can testify before the Lord and his church with a clear con­science, that I never but once to my knowl­edge, disputed, or as Gellius calls it quar­reled with any one in regard to the justifi­cation of man, and this one has already run to ruin. Nor have I ever discussed the questions of obedience to the laws or the power of the magistracy other than by way of brotherly instruction. What our con­fession and grounds are concerning the before‑mentioned articles, may be clearly educed from our writings.

O, dear Lord, that Gellius would once consider his own words when he writes that the calling of the pious should not be nullified on account of the impious, and would have sufficient fear of God in him to feel concerned about the lies, violence and in­justice which he unreasonably practices on us. For what else does he but wilfully defame the pious, perhaps against his own sentiments, that he may oppose the word, may uphold his cause by making ours false and suspicious, lest his pharisaical faith­lessness be made manifest. Yea, he writes as if he would say, Judas was a traitor and thief, therefore all the other apostles are traitors and thieves. Again, Simon was a rogue, therefore all the members of the apos­tolic communities were rogues, &c. For he well knows that we do not, may not suffer heretics, peace‑breakers &c. in the commu­nion of the peaceful and pious, as already heard.

O, that he would leave off slandering the peaceable and could rightly see into the angry quarreling, bitter hatred, division, rupture and brawlings of all those who up­hold infant baptism; could see how dread­fully they are divided amongst themselves; that they are so inflamed by envious zeal one against another that they not only slander and adjudge each other to hell by calling each other fanatics, profaners of the sacraments and anti‑christians, but that they also take up the sword against each other, as is the way of sectarians; that they utterly destroy countries and inhabitants, cities and towns, against the meek nature, doctrine and example of Christ Jesus and his apostles.

Besides their learned men are so divided amongst themselves that we can scarcely find five or six in one country who agree in doc­trine. One includes every thing in the providence and predestination of God, Quasi necessarium (as an implied necessity). Another disputes it; the third includes Christ's flesh and blood in the bread and wine; the fourth understands it spiritually; the fifth baptizes the children on their own faith; the sixth on the strength of the cove­nant with Abraham and its promise; the seventh says that faith is no obstacle to persecution; the eighth denies it; the ninth believes in faith without fruits or work; the tenth says, that faith through love shall be active; the eleventh says, that the sacraments may be dispensed to the impenitent and perverse; the twelfth denies it; and other like differences exist among them.