Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/417

 is a fact well known to all, dear men and brethren, how very much the pure, divine truth is disregarded in our Netherlands, caused by the envious crying and clamor of the Papists and Monks; and that the innocent blood is shed like water; on account of which we, miserable children, are forced to flee from the sword of the tyrants, and to seek refuge in foreign lands, with our weak women and little ones, and to earn our bread in tribulation and misery, according to the prophecy of God's word. Many of you, it appears, cry against us, perhaps with good intentions, through misunderstanding, and instigate the magistracy (part of whom should be reasonable and discreet) to persecution, by false accusations, and contrary to all reasonableness and Christian love; and you warn every body against us, as being disposed like the Munsterites; that we would take countries and cities, if we had the power; that we are rebels, and use the sword; steal; are polygamists; have our women and possessions in common; will not obey the magistracy; that we murder our children bodily and spiritually; are anabaptists, and profaners of the sacraments, deceivers, and hypocrites; that we boast of being without sin; self-complacent; heaven-stormers; who trust in being saved by our own good works and merits, that we are ungodly heretics and conspirators, new monks, rogues, miscreants, and possessed of the devil. In short, we are alas, portrayed by you, in such colors, that all who are not acquainted with our foundation and faith, must shut their mouths and noses at the sight of us, and must have a horror of us; although, before God and his angels, we seek nothing upon earth, but that we, in our weakness, may be cordially united in the Spirit, word and example of the Lord, through his grace, as all the Scriptures teach and imply.

The Almighty, great Lord, who knows all hearts, knows that we are clear, before the Lord and his judgment, of all the beforementioned abominations and slanders, of which we are ever accused by you; also, that we are clear and innocent before all the world. Yea, if any one under the whole canopy of heaven, can prove, by the firm truth, that we, and our adherents, are guilty of one of these capital crimes, or that we were ever guilty thereof, then we will lay our hands upon our mouths and will be bound by life and possessions to the accuser, all our days; with this exception, however, that we do not wish to obey the magistracy, when they command things contrary to the word of God. Is it not a deplorable thing that we are slandered and accused of such inhuman disgraces, while we never even thought of doing them, and much less commit them?

O, dear men and brethren, if you knew what we seek, and how, by the grace of God, we are disposed towards you all, you would not have such hard feelings against us as you have had hitherto; or else you are abandoned to a state of ungodliness and perversity; something which, we trust, is not true of many of you.

Since you are so lamentably mistaken in our intentions, heap one falsehood upon another, and since, alas, we are not allowed at any place, verbally to defend ourselves, therefore we are forced to present a defense in writing, and would humbly pray, and fraternally admonish you all to consider these four things:

First, that you would consider in sincerity of heart, that lies are of the devil, that the lying mouth killeth the soul, that