Page:Complete Works of Menno Simons.djvu/718

418 418 AN EPISTLE TO MAETIN MICRON. son, liead, liglit, or at least, as one of the ' principal of them. And j^ou are yet in truth found to be, before God and all Intel- j ligent persons, such an one as we have partly shown you to be in this epistle, by | your own writings, therefore we will let the j reader consider in the fear of God, what we should think of the others who are not thus covered with sheep's clothing, but who grasp, eat, drink, and lead a pompous, os- tentatious, careless, easy and carnal life, who fear neither God nor devil, who sell the souls of men for a trifle, who gladly ac- cept liens and easy times, and still are in the same doctrine, vocation and service, with you. And what we should do in re- gard to attending the preaching of both you and them (on which account they would bite their own tongues for madness), I will let every one judge who cordially seeks God, according to the word of the Lord, Matt. 7: 15; 15: IM; IG: 6; Jn. 10: 1; Rom. IG: 16; Gal. 5: 8; 1 Tim. 6: 3: 3 Tim. 2: 8; Tit. 3: 9; 2 Jn. 1: 7; 2 Cor. G: 14; Rev. IS: 4. I am very much surprised that the other preachers, part of whom (though they do not want to be upon tlie narrow path with Christ and his chosen ones), are naturally intelligent, do not reprove you and stop your slanderous writing, as it is a shame to them as well as to yourself; for never was your anti-christian foundation and doctrine conceining Christ, the Son of God, made so manifest, as it was by your bold assertions and blindness, and by my nec- essary reply thereto. All those that have eyes may see what fearful unbelief and abominable foundation and doctrine you have. Still, j'ou will remain good teachers in the sight of the world; for it is such they seek and desire. John truly says, "They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heare^h them," 1 Jn. 4: 5. Behold, dear Micron, I have placed the clear mirror of truth before the eyes of your conscience, and properly dissected the in- visible members of your soul. Now open your eyes, and you shall see what kind of a man you are, and how greatly jon are spiritually diseased; from which, spring all these obnoxious exhalations, such as up- braiding, lying, defaming, false explana- tions, adulteration of the Scriptures and flatterings. " For by the law, is the knowl- edge of sin," Rom. 3: 20, thus this epistle will discover unto you how deadly you are stung by the serpent, and how he has cor- rupted you, before God, by the accursed venom of his evil nature, and poisoned your whole life. If the merciful Lord, by his loving kind- ness, shoiild make you feel and know your abominable shame which you have com- mitted against God and man by your slan- derous writing, which, I fear, you have un- til now, by your great blindness, hatred, ambition, and self-love, but little noticed, then be not dilatory (if you would not die in your ungodliness) in coming before the throne of grace, the ever blessed Christ Jesus, with a broken, contrite, repentant spirit, in an adulterated faith, with a changed, penitent, and new heart; for he is the spiritual, brazen serpent, raised unto all of Adam's children (who are poisoned in Adam) as a wholesome sign. He is the man who can cure you of all the deep wounds of your diseased soul. He is the Physician in Israel. AVith him alone, is found the ointment and medicine of eternal life. And if you would commit yourself to him and follow his advice, that you may find help and health for j^our diseased soul, you must give yourself up to him; obey his word, will, commandments and prohibi- tions; deny your selfish, ambitious, false, partial, envious, vain, wrathful flesh which leads you to this abominably false writing; become little in your own sight; lay a bet- ter and christian foundation in your heart; quit your flattering, adulteration of the Scriptures, idolatrous sacraments and all hypocrisy; truly seek and fear the Lord and his holy word, with sincerity of heart; reconcile your neighbors whom j^ou have wronged through pernicious falsehood, with tears, in sincere brotherly love, and by oth- er writings publish to the world that through mere hatred against the truth, j'ou have causelessly still more defamed their name, which was already hated too much for truth's sake; something which, I fear, you will hardly do unless you become a more godly, penitent and pious Micron than you, alas, have been hitherto.