Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/411

Rh improve the short time of their earthly existence, in Christ Jesus, to the praise of God, and to the service of their neighbors, and be eternally saved, Jer. 17: 8; John 1: 8; Ps. 133: 2.

If this is heresy and devilish deceit, as the preachers cry, then the Son of God, Christ Jesus, together with all the prophets, apostles, and testimonies of God, were open heretics; and then all the Scriptures which teach nothing but reformation, and point us to Christ, are nothing but deceit; this can not be denied; for they, in their weakness, conform in all their doings, to the word, Spirit, life, command, prohibitions, ordinances, and usages of the Lord, as their open actions testify before all the world, Isa. 1: 17; Luke 9: 35; Deut. 18: 15.

Since, then, they and we walk in unity of spirit, and, before God, seek nothing in Christ Jesus, but that we, in our weakness, would gladly follow Christ, as has been said, and we also trust, by the grace of the Lord, that your excellencies will never perceive anything else in your poor servants (we write of those who are united with us in faith and life), therefore, we beseech your Excellencies and Honors, again, for Christ's sake, to discard all prejudice against us miserable orphans, to believe us to be sincere in our profession, and never think that we have any other intentions, if we should become as numerous as the spears of grass upon the fields, or as the sands on the sea shore (something which will never be verified, since the way is narrow and the gate is strait); for Christ, whose name we bear, has taught so with his own mouth; his holy apostles have preached it unto all the world, and have testified it with the holy gospel, and have promulgated it at the peril of life, Matt. 7: 13; Mark 16: 15; Rom. 10: 18.

Thirdly, we desire that your Excellencies and Honors would earnestly consider how the Scriptures are being verified in regard to those who boast themselves Christians; how mortally the sword of wrath cuts on every side, and how the hand of divine punishment is laid upon us; great and many are our sins; great and severe is the punishment of the Lord; the fire of wrath is enkindled; unless the Lord in his grace, quench it, it will devour both the green and dry trees, according to the word of the prophet. The prophecy of Christ concerning the latter days; also, of Daniel and of the apostles, are fast fulfilling. The flesh-consuming sword of the Lord glitters every where, and his bloody darts are flying in every country; one kingdom has risen against another; one principality against another; one city against another, and one neighbor and friend against another. Some are put to the sword, some are imprisoned; cities and villages are leveled and destroyed; the poor, despised people who are, in part, innocent, are exhausted, profaned, taxed, burned, and ruined, without mercy; numbers are rendered adulterers and rogues; one pestilence and epidemic follows another; and one panic another. Storms, hurricanes, misery, and tribulation sweep over land and water. In short, the continual severe punishment show that the Lord is angry; notwithstanding the wicked world does not reform, but yet daily degenerates more and more, Deut. 32: 23–35; Ezek. 21: 1–6; Matt. 24: 4.

All of them, in general, boast themselves to be Christians, and that they have God's word, although their seeking and doings are quite contrary to Christ and his word. For, if we turn to the magistrates, whom we should reasonably expect to know the ways and judgments of the Lord, as Jeremiah says, we find that they have broken the yoke and rent asunder the bands. If we turn to the preachers, we find there the envy of Cain to all those who fear the Lord, an insatiable love of money, a Balaamitic avarice, a light minded, easy doctrine, idolatrous sacraments, and a lustful, vain, careless life, as may be openly seen. If we turn to the common people, there we find extortion, hoarding, drinking, carousing, lying, cheating, cursing, and swearing; some commit adultery and fornication, others are marauders, pillagers, thieves, and murderers, nay, they lead, alas, such a life that we may well, in anguish, sigh with Hosea, that "There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood," Hosea 4: 1, 2; with Paul, "They are all gone out of the way; they are