Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/34

23 miraculous, still, it is in the sight of God unclean, dead and accursed, 1 Cor. IB: 2.

Therefore, we exhort yon, with Christ Jesus, "Believe the gospel;" that is, believe the joyful news, the message of divine grace through Jesus Christ; leave off sinning, manifest repentance for your past lives, submit to the word and will of the Lord; then you will become heirs and joint-heirs. citizens and children of the new and heav- enly Jerusalem, made free from yom- ene- mies, hell, sin, death and the devil, and walk according to the Spirit, and not ac- ^ cording to the flesh, Rom. 8:6. Quid credit filio del Jiahet vitan aeternam, i. e., He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlast- ing life, John 3: 36.

We poor, wretched men, deprived of all human assistance and consolation, who like innocent sheep without a shepherd, have be- come a prey to the roaring lions of the for- est, and devouring l^easts of the field ; a spectacle and reproach to the whole world, have to suffer daily, under the oppressive sword of lords and princes; have to hear and endure, the inhuman revilings and abuse of the learned, the abominable lying and scoffing of the common people; we humbly entreat the imperial majesty, kings, lords, princes, authorities and officers, every one in his calling, dignity and honor, and all ovu" beloved and gracious rulers, through the deep and bloody wounds of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, that you would but once lay aside all displeasure and evil opinions concerning us, and with sincere pity reflect upon the inhuman and severe trials, misery, necessities, crosses and martyrizations of your distressed and innocent servants; for the great God before whom we stand, who is the Searcher of all hearts, and before whose eyes all things are open and re- vealed; who knows that we seek nothing else upon this earth than that we, with a good conscience, may live according to his holy commandments, ordinances, word and will; biit if there are some pernicious sects, as alas! in our day there have been, they will, no doubt, in due time become mani- fest.

Do therefore condescend so much as to peruse our writings diligently and meditate upon them with a God-fearing and impartial heart, so that you may know vsdth certainty why we are not deterred from our doctrine, faith and practice, by coercion, poverty, misery persecution and death; that you may thus more thoroughly examine the truth and be no longer guilty of innocent blood. Be pleased to show some natiu'al candor, and human charity towards your poor servants. Thinli not in your hearts, that we poor, forsaken men, after the flesh, are wood or stone; but we are with you de- scended from one father, Adam, and from one mother. Eve, and are created by the same God, having a common entrance into this world, are clothed with the same nature, desiring rest and peace, concerned for wives and children as well as you, and naturally, as all other creatures on earth, fearful of death.

Therefore, humble yourselves in the name of Jesus, that your poor souls may be saved. Examine I say, our doctrine and instruc- tions, and you will find through the grace of God, that they are the pure and unadirlt- erated doctrines of Christ, the holy word, the word of eternal peace, the word of eternal truth, the word of divine grace, the word of our salvation, the unconqueral^le word, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, Matt. 16 : 18; they are the two-edged sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord, Rev. 1 : 16, the sword of the spirit by which all must be judged, that dwell upon the earth, Eph. 6: 17.

O, ye beloved sirs, piit the sword into the sheath; for as true as the Lord liveth, you do not fight against flesh and blood, but against Him, whose eyes are a flame of fire,