Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/321

Rh 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 hare 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 pm-pose 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 saying, "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 i 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