Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/418

118 a liar has no part in God's city, that the backbiters are deserving of death, that they shall not abide in the tabernacle of the Lord, and not dwell in his holy hill, Psalm 15: 1.

Secondly, that nearly all of your accusations against us are capital crimes. If we did not fear the Lord, but would strictly ask our rights, according to the law of the world, and retaliate, what would at last become of us; since you publicly accuse us of such accursed abominations, which no man ever can prove against us by the power of the truth.

Thirdly, that this, your action, is directly opposed to all nature, reason, Christian love, and the word of God; for where was there ever a person of pious nature who did not pity the outcast and sympathize with the afflicted? All the Scriptures teach that wswe [sic] shall receive, serve, protect, and console the afflicted and strangers, in love; and you see plainly how lamentably we poor, pitiable people are every where hated, despised, banished, oppressed, and in some places judged and murdered; yet your hearts are not so much moved as to accost us once with a friendly word, in our sore temptations and tribulations, and to examine our foundation, faith, and actions, in a paternal spirit, according to the word of the Lord. But you still cause more enmity against us, that we may find no rest upon earth. You cry, write, falsify, upbraid, clamor, add tribulation to tribulation, drag us to dungeons and prisons, as if you never had read a syllable of the word of the Lord, with understanding minds, nor received a spark of his Holy Spirit. We will leave to your own judgment, if this can be called acting in accordance with unfeigned, Christian love, with the doctrine and usage of the apostles, and in accordance with the Spirit, word and example of the Lord.

Say, beloved, where do the Holy Scriptures teach that we shall rule the consciences and faith of others, in the kingdom and church of Christ, by force of the sword, violence, and tyranny of the magistracy—something which is left entirely to the judgement of God? In what instance has Christ and the apostles ever done, recommended or commanded this?

Christ says, "Beware of false prophets;" and Paul commands that we shall shun an heretic after one or two admonitions; John teaches that we shall not greet nor receive the transgressor into our houses, who does not bring the doctrine of Christ, Matt. 7: 15; Tit. 3: 10; 2 John 1: 9; they say not: Down with the heretics, accuse them before the magistrates, imprison, exile, and cast them into the fire or water, as the Romans have done for many years, and as many of you would do, you who pretend to preach the word of God.

Fourthly, we would sincerely pray you, for Christ's sake, to consider and examine whether your spirit accords with the Lord's Spirit, and whether your faith accords with his holy word; whether the Spirit of the Lord, and the love of your neighbor constrain you to the service, or whether it is the love of gain and the temporary sustenance of your bodies; whether you preach the pure word of God in sincerity of heart, use his sacraments aright, and whether you lead a pious and unblamable life, as the Scriptures teach; and whether you shun open transgressors, the pompous, drunkards, misers, extortioners, liars, deceivers, contenders, adulterers, fornicators, swearers, and unrighteous, and separate them from the communion, without respect to persons, according to the word of the Lord. For we see such living and acting, O, Lord, as if neither prophet, apostle, Christ, nor the word of God was ever upon earth. Nevertheless you men, want to be called the holy Christian church, and preachers of sound doctrine, as if Christ did not require more of his church than mere reading, singing, crying, infant baptism, breaking of bread, and calling themselves after his name; and, as if spirit, knowledge, faith, love, repentance, righteousness, works, power, and truth were no longer necessary.

No, no, dear men, no. This is required of the church of Christ, to preach his unadulterated word in the power of the Spirit, to believe it sincerely, and to obey it in every particular; to use his holy sacraments, such as baptism and the Holy Supper, according to his own command and ordinance; to seek, fear, love and serve God sincerely; to be born of God; to love, serve, console, help, and protect his