Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/713

413 AN EPISTLE TO MARTIN MICRON. 413 one years in one doctrine and fonndation of faith without any chano;e, notwithstand- ing that I was unworthily called to my hard service, in such perilous, dark, erring times, as all those will admit who have walked with me in Christ Jesus during the time of my pilgrimage; who have from the beginning read my humble works and books, and heard my admonitions. It may be that I am an ignorant, coarse and unintelligent man, but I have never in my life boasted of great intellectuality, learning, arts and science; but I do boast that I, in my weakness, seek the praise of the Lord, and the salvation of my soul, and that I have learned so much in the school of God, by his grace, that I know that the whole, undivided Christ is God's first and only begotten, and true Son, and that those who contradict this are the spirits of anti- christ; that all blasphemers against God, profaners against the saints, adulteraters of the Scriptures, willful liai'S, public de- famers, enviers of the pious, ambitious, blood-thirsty men^are ungodly persons, and not christians. Again, that all those who hear and follow Christ, and submissively, obediently and conscientiously follow his word, ordinances and unblamable example in faith, by virtue of the new birth, are the children of God, and that they shall for- ever inherit the kingdom of honor. I trust that I shall stand before the throne of High Majesty in his grace, with this my gross ignorance, which is wisdom in the sight of God, but hidden from the; world, while all high minded and bold hearted, who are so wise in their own sight, shall hear: "I never knew you; Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, Matt. 7: 22. My dear friend Micron, take heed. Again, I trust that T shall be found inno- cent before the Lord and his judgment of the charge, artfal roguery, which you pre- fer against me; for I have dealt with you with no more artful and roguish heart than those do who, daily for the sake of the tes- timony of Christ and of their consciences, are, with a glad -and joj'ous mind, martyr- ized; notwithstanding this I have to hear from you this unkind, false charge made before all the world. But the Lord will be OTir judge. Again, as to the charge of falsehood, which you prefer against me, this is my plain answer: I am also concluded in the word, "All men are liars," Ps. 116: 11; Rom. 3:4. I trust that I would submit to be killed before I should willfully lie, be it slightly or grossly. I hate falsehood. I hated falsehood, even before I knew of whose seed it was. I shall also, in my old age, by the grace of the Lord, avoid it, so far as possible, since I know its origin or father. O, Micron, Micron, how pecisely do you treat me, as the false prophets and stiff- necked Jews, out of mere hatred of the truth, treated the good Jeremiah, saying, "Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah," and not pay attention to his words, Jer. 18: 18. John the Baptist had to hear from the Pharisees and Scribes that he was pos- sessed of the devil; and Christ Jesus was called by them a wine-bibber and glutton, Matt. 11 : 19, that he cast out devils in the name of Beelzebub, as they said, Luke 11: 15, that they might by these means lead the ignorant, reckless people from the truth, and keep them in their leaven and vain, false doctrine. Just so you treat me, in- firm man, out of mere hatred of the truth. For if j^ou could but daub me with so much tilthy falsehood, that they would be affright- ed at me, then you would think that the cause of Christ was already lost. Thus blind is poor, foolish flesh which is not overshadowed by the brightness of the Lord. You may fulfill the measure of your fa- thers, so long as the hand of God does not intercede, yet I am assured in my heart, by the grace of tfie Lord, that as Jeremiah, John and Christ remained Jeremiah, John and Christ however much they were belied by their enviers, and persecuted by them, out of hatred against the truth, I also, by the merciful grace and power of God, will remain the same Menno Simon in Christ which I was, in my weakness, for more than twenty years, however infamously you may belie me, and depict or portray me, out of hatred against the truth; as also, that as the false i^rophets, scribes, and Pharisees were inimical to truth, and were blobd-thirsty men, and therefo'pQ died with*