Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/327

Rh the word of Christ is and remains the word of the cross; all who accept the word in power and in truth must be prepared for the cross; this, both Scriptures and experience abundantly teach us.

This had necessarily to be said, lest we be consoled with a false boasting and idea, and lest the word of the Lord, spoken to the false prophets, be applied to us; saying, Ye promise life to those souls to whom you should not promise it, "By your lying to my people that hear your lies," Ezekiel 13: 19.

Notwithstanding, many are suffered in their churches who wantonly live in pomp, splendor, carousing, avarice, and according to the lusts of the flesh, which service a true and faithful preacher, through which God works, does not allow, if the evangelical Scriptures and apostolic ordinances and doctrine shall avail and are true.

But, as to the alms and support of the poor, I would say, that it is a good and praise-worthy work, and cordially approve of it. Also, that many pious, gentile philosophers, as Aristotle, Plato, &c., have considered it as right and just. But we contradict that sincere and true repentance, or the true seed and foundation of sincere love, which is a fruit of true faith, consists therein; for we may give in hypocrisy, as well as in love, as may be seen by the Scribes and Pharisees, by the open heathens and daily, yet, by the papists.

Paul also agrees with this, saying, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing," 1 Cor. 13: 3. Therefore, let every one take heed for what purpose and with what heart he bestows his alms. For the love which is of God and of a divine nature hates all boasting and hypocrisy, neither does it know them; of this I am convinced.

If Gellius points to the support and service of the poor, which I deem praiseworthy, as a fruit of true repentance, then I would ask in the first place, Whether he finds a lack of alms with our church; although they are exiled to foreign countries and live in poverty and misery and are partly robbed of their possessions?

In the second place I would say, that while he wants to boast of true repentance, he should first commence with the repentance of such faith as brings forth the love and fear of God, and not with the alms for the poor. For the Lord's own mouth speaks, That love is the keeping of his commandments; yea that it is the greatest commandment, Deut. 6: 5.

Yea, my reader, if he and his could fully comprehend sincere, true repentance and true Christian faith, which he thinks has been planted in their hearts, O, how cordially would they fear their God, love and thank him for his favors and loving-kindness, and how willingly would they follow and obey his holy word! But how they do love and thank him for his loving-kindness and how they obey and follow his word, their actions and fruits, alas, too plainly testify.

If they love God, and if a true, living faith and genuine repentance has been implanted in their hearts, as he boasts, why do they, then, yet walk after the manner of the Gentiles in pomp and splendor, in the lusts of their eyes, embellishment of their bodies and houses, in avariciousness, carousing, &c.? and why do they not heed the words of Paul? namely, "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die," Rom. 8: 13.

If they love their neighbors, as the Scriptures command and true repentance brings forth, why are they, then, so usurious, avaricious and perfidious amongst themselves? Why do they litigate? Hatred, envy, lying, deceit, backbiting and defamation still prevail amongst his followers; besides they curse, swear, brawl, fight, war, destroy, rob, and some of them are fornicators, perjurers, &c.; to say nothing about their disgraceful upbraiding, profaning, and defaming of all those who seek and fear the Lord. What sort of repentance and faith it is, of which he so loudly boasts, you may consider in the fear of God.

O, my kind reader, it never fails that where true faith is, there, also, is the righteousness of faith; where there is unfeigned, Christian love, there also is obedience to the holy word, and where there is true, sincere repentance there also is an unblamable life,