Andrew Smuel and Dirk Dieters. The Defense and Confession of Faith which They…

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever, Amen. Hear my confession to the princes of this world. In the first place, they asked about my faith. I therefore said to them: "A scribe came to the Lord, and asked Him, saying: 'Master, which is the great commandment?' The Lord said to him: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself; this is the greatest commandment, and there is no other.' The scribe answered and said

'You have answered well, that there is one God, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.'"

To this they replied: "We know that there is one God; but do you believe that when the priest stands at the altar, God is in his hands?"

I said, "No. Stephen said: 'Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of the Almighty Father.'" Acts 7, verse 56.

They said again: "Then you do not believe that he is there?"

I said: "No."

Question: "We have been told that when your pastor went on one side of the street, and you and two others on the other, you gave no honor either to him or to the sacrament; is this true?"

Answer: "Yes."

Question. "Why did you do this?"

Answer. "I will tell you, my lords: the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 8: 'They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made; and the mean man bows down, and the great man humbles himself: therefore forgive them not.'" [n679-1]

Question. "Did you do it for the reason that it was made by the hands of men?"

Answer. "Yes, my lords, because I would not offend my Lord and my God with it."

Question. "How long ago is it since you went to confession the last time?"

Answer. "About two or three years."

Question. "Why so?"

Answer. "Because the Lord has said: 'Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'" Matthew 11, verse 28.

Question. "Did you do it on this account?"

Answer. "Yes."

Question. "How long is it since you attended the sacrament?"

Answer. "Also about two or three years."

Question. "Why so?"

Answer. "Because Paul says: 'Christ presented to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'" Ephesians 5, verse 27.

Question. "Did you do it because you were not worthy of it?"

Answer. "Yes, because I have spots and wrinkles."

Question. "What do you believe concerning the holy church?"

Answer. "I know of no holy church, except the congregation of the apostles, of which Christ is the cornerstone."

Question. "We know well that there was a holy church then."

Answer. "Can another foundation be laid than the one that is laid? First Corinthians 3, verse 11. Paul says to the Galatians, in the first chapter: 'I marvel that you are so soon removed from him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel, which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so I say now again: if any man preaches any other gospel to you than that which you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ. But I assure you, brothers, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it.' Galatians 1, verses 6 to 12. He further says, to the Corinthians: 'For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'" First Corinthians 2, verse 2.

Question. "Well, what do you hold concerning Mary the mother of God?"

Answer. "Much, for she humbled herself before the Lord, and was exalted through her humility."

Question. "You have answered well. What do you hold with regard to purgatory?"

Answer. "I know of only two ways." Matthew 7, verse 13.

Question. "Do you know your pastor well?"

Answer. "I know him well by sight; but I have never spoken to him, nor he to me."

Question. "Why did you not hear him?"

Answer. "Because James says in his first chapter,

'A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.'"

Question. "Well, what did he say?"

Answer. "I have heard it said that he said that man cannot be saved through the death of Christ alone."

Question. "Did he speak wrongly in this?"

Answer. "Yes; Paul says: 'By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses.'" Acts 13, verse 39.

Question. "It is well known that we cannot be saved through the law."

Answer. "Peter says that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which they can be saved, than through the name of Jesus Christ."

Question. "How long is it since you were baptized?"

Answer. "Ever since I was born."

Question. "Are you satisfied that you can be saved by baptism?"

Answer. "I believe that I am saved through the death of Christ."

Question. "We nevertheless must know whether you believe that you will be saved by it?"

Answer. "I believe that I am saved through the death of Christ."

Question. "If you had the opportunity, would you not be baptized again?"

Answer. "I do not know; for God knows both to will and to do."

Question. "Still, we want to know whether you regard the baptism which you received in your infancy as the true baptism, or that which is administered on faith?"

Answer. "If this is all you want to know, it is written that the Lord said to His apostles: 'Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.' Mark 16, verses 15 and 16. Further, the men said to Peter and the other apostles: 'What shall we do to be saved? Repent, he said, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words he testified and exhorted, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.'" Acts 2, verses 37 to 47.

Question. "There you say yourself that the apostles went into the temple?"

Answer. [n679-2] "Yes, this is true; that was a temple which God had commanded to be built."

Question. "The apostles certainly went forth to teach; where did they go to teach?"

Answer. "Wherever they came, they went into the synagogues, and preached the Gospel of Christ." Acts 13, verse 14.

Question. "We have heard that you also teach wherever you go?"

Answer. "O Lord, what should I preach; we may have read the Gospel together."

Question. "Where did you read it together?"

Answer. "At the dyke."

Question. "With whom did you read it?"

Answer. "This I do not know."

Question. "How can you not know with whom you read it?"

Answer. "How should I know it, sometimes with this one, and sometimes with another."

They therefore mentioned the names of a good many, and said: "Do you know this one and that one?"

Answer. "Yes, I know them well."

Question. "Do you have any books of Menno Simons and of David Joris?"

Answer. "No, I have no books in the house, except a Bible and a Testament, and a little book on the faith."

Thus they asked me many questions, and said that so much had been reported, how we had preached in this and that place, and that there was no town where he had been but they knew it better than I did.

Now, my dear brothers, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to strengthen and keep you, and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20, verse 32. Hence, let everyone see to it that no one be so presumptuous as to pour water into the living fountain; for the Lord says, John 6, verses 44 to 46: "No man can come to me, except the Father who has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father." Isaiah 54, verse 13. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, let us with one accord pray to God for wisdom, as the apostle James teaches us, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which is hypocrisy; so let us follow our supreme Lord and Shepherd Christ, and praise Him through God the Father, to whom be praise forever and ever, Amen.