Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/323

Rh 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.

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