Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/366

66 is not the true Supper of the Lord, but it is a supper of the impenitent, an encouragement to the unrighteous, and an enchanting mockery, however much it may be adorned and decked, before men, with high-sounding words and praises; for outside of the church of Christ, which is a gathering of the penitent, there is neither baptism nor Holy Supper. Again understand that which I write, Neither water, bread, nor wine avail in Christ without true repentance, if they were, even, served by the apostles themselves; before him avail, alone, a new creature, a converted, changed, and broken heart, a sincere fear and love of God, unfeigned love of one's neighbors, a sober, humble, peaceable, and converted life, according to the word and example of the Lord. Where there is such a new being, lo, there is true baptism, and the true Supper. But to be baptized outwardly and partake of the Supper, according to the letter, and not inwardly before God in Spirit and truth, I repeat, is nothing more nor less than a shadow, vain mockery of God's work, nay, hypocrisy and deceit.

Is it not a lamentable blindness, that these poor, misled people attach so much value to the outward, visible sign, and do not observe that they are, with all their heart inimical to the invisible signification, for which the visible sign was commanded in the Scriptures? as if God had a special pleasure in the mere elements, water, bread, and wine, and not in the proper signification, which is represented and admonished thereby.

O no, reader, we can not please nor serve God with mere water, bread, and wine; for by his hand, it was all created. But we can serve and please him with the signification of his baptism and Supper, namely, that we thereby testify our faith and obedience, that we will walk in continual and eternal penance, that we will remember his inexpressibly great love and blessings, that we are thereby admonished that he has offered for us his spotless, pure body, and that he has shed his precious blood for the reconciliation of our souls, in his ardent love for us; that we will ever walk with him in unity of the Spirit, and follow him; that we will love, assist, console, reprove, bear, admonish, and serve each other as members of one body; and that we will prove ourselves unto death, as the newly born children of God in all righteousness, holiness, and truth. Behold, dear reader, for this purpose the signs of the New Testament were instituted. If Gellius and his like preachers were to use the Holy Supper in such heart and spirit; if the signification, fruit, spirit, and power, although in weakness, were found in them and their disciples, as it is represented and taught by the sign, then we would, by the grace of God, soon meet, and not dispute about the use of the sign. But so long as they walk on the broad road, practice and uphold infant baptism, defame the baptism of the believing, do not separate their disciples and church from the world, and teach an unblamable doctrine and life, so long we cannot unite with them in doctrine and sacraments, whether this is attended by prosperity or adversity, as God pleases. For we know to a certainty, that the Lord's invincible, strong truth is on our side, and the damnable, weak falsehood on theirs.

My faithful reader, reflect upon what I write. Our separation from the doctrine and sacraments of the preachers is principally for two reasons. In the first place, because we can plainly see, from the Scriptures and by their actions, and are assured, that they are not pastors but deceivers. All the Scriptures teach us that we shall not hear, but shun such preachers. For if we are afraid of thieves, murderers, and wolves, according to the flesh, how much more should we fear those who so miserably devour our poor souls, who retain us in darkness, deprive us of the light of Christ, and fearlessly lead us to the frightful, indissoluble darkness of everlasting and infernal torment, for the sake of a meal of bread. For God's sake, dear reader, do not think hard of me. Behold, before God it is true what I write.

The second reason is, that we may, by such shunning, testify to you and all others, by open deeds, that you are outside of the Spirit, word, kingdom, and church of Christ, that you walk upon the wrong way and that you are miserably deceived by your preachers—so that you may yet awaken in