Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/709

409 AN EPISTLE TO MARTIN MICRON. 409 mind be in j^ou, which was also in Christ Jesus," Phil. 2: 5. "He that saith he abi- deth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked," 1 Jn. 2: 6. Behold, you show by actual facts that you speak and teach to tickle their ears, and the lusts of their hearts, inasmuch as you again point them to the vengeance of the Mosaic law, and not to the longsuifer- ing of Christ, and thus you encourage them in their vain, proud, pompons, and unmer- ciful, carnal life which is so little in keep- ing with the life of an innocent, contrite, humble, merciful, compassionate, pious and regenerated christian whose conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3: 20. It is manifest that yon are a deadly enemy to their pooi' souls and do not deal by them as becomes the service of a true messenger of God. For they build the wall, and you daub it with nntempei-ed mortar, Ezek. IB: 10. You cry peace, peace, while tbere is no peace, Jer. 8: 11. Beloved Micron, reflect if it is not the truth I write. Your unscriptural adulations concerning the oath show that I write the truth. For Christ says, '"Ye have heard that it hath bren said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool, &c.. Matt. 5: 33 — 3.). And you, Micron, say that nothing but light- minded, false oaths are hereby prohibited, as if Moses allowed Israel to swear light- mindedly and falsely ; and that Christ, un- der the New Testament only forbade it; notwithstanding that all intelligent readers know that it was not merely allowed Israel to swear truly, but also commanded them to do so, Lev. 19: 12; Deut. 10: 20. If the Israelites, then, had the same lib- erty in this matter that we have, as you have it, and if it be such a glorious thing and honor to God rightly to swear by the name of God, as you dare boldly lie against your God, then tell me why the wisdom did not say, You have heard that it hath been said to them of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself, thus I say, Thou shalt do likewise? while he says, Moses commanded not to forswear thyself, but I say unto you, Thou 88 shalt not swear at all. O God, what pity that such plain words of the Son of God are thus lamentably adulterated and daubed over with the foul mortar of serpentile flat- tery, merely to suit the lulers who are but of dust; as Muscalus and 3^ou have done! How little you have pondered upon the Scriptures which say, "We ought to obey God rather than men," Acts 5: 29. Inasmuch as it is very plain that Christ Jesus, the teacher of righteousness, forbids us the oath of Moses, which was also an oath of truth, and sworn by the name of the Lord, which you use and highly recom- mend to the reader, and commands us to the true, yea and nay; and as I know to a certainty that his word is the truth, and his commandment life eternal; therefore I am sincerely frank and bold thus to teach it, truly believing that he will not deceive ns by his doctrine, Jn. 17: 17; 12: 50. I cordially rejoice that such faithful chil- dren in truth are found, who are prepared to seal the holy commandments and testimo- ny of the Lord with their possessions and blood, notwithstanding I have to hear so much on that account, at your hands. Nor am I in the least doubtful but that they, at the day of Christ, will have a part in my crown; for they, for a testimony against 3^ou and all the world, suffer for reproving your deceiving, lying hearts and tongues, in faithful love, that you may be brought to reflect; notwithstanding that they, alas, are called such detestable people, by you. If they were no more faithful to truth than Herman and you have shown your- selves to be towards me, then they would not so valiantly adhere to their true yea and nay, nnto death. Of this we are con- vinced. As it is manifest that they so faithfully adhere to their undeceiving yea and nay, which Christ has commanded ns. Matt. 5: 37; Jas. 5: 12, that they would rather forsake their possessions and life than to transgress this commandment; and their whole mind and life ever conform to this yea and nay, alwa3^s spoken truthfully, before God and man; and, as these same people are now troubled on that account; therefore I will herewith leave it to the con- sideration of all impartial, reasonable