The Cross of Christ, Part 1

“Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you,” Matt. 5: 15.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor. 8: 11.

I, Menno Simon, sincerely desire that all the true children of God may obtain grace and peace, a perfect understanding of the Lord, a firm mind in all temptations, from God our heavenly Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the power of his Holy Spirit, to our edification and salvation, Amen.

Beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, since the all-merciful God and Father, through his boundless grace and goodness, has again, in these last times of unbelief, abominations and idolatry, in this terrible, wanton, ruthless, perverted and bloodthirsty world, revealed before the eyes of the consciences of some, his blessed, only, and eternal Son, Jesus Christ, who was unknown for so many centuries; since he has again opened the book of the divine declarations and eternal truth, which had been closed for many centuries; since some of those who lay dead, not for four days only, as Lazarus did, according to the flesh, but for twenty or thirty years, yea, who all their lives slumbered in the spiritual death of sin and all ungodliness, have awakened from the foul grave of unbelief and unrighteousness, and have been called to a new, unblamable life; and since through the preaching of his word, in the power of his Holy Spirit, he continues to call the poor, miserable, starving sheep out of the hands of the faithless shepherds, and out of the clutches of the ravening wolves; since he leads them out of the dry, unfruitful pastures of man’s doctrine and commands, to the green, fat pastures upon the mount of Israel, and places them under the power and protection of their only and eternal shepherd, Jesus Christ, who, through his precious, crimson blood has purified and purchased them for his own; therefore, the gates of hell foam and rage. Herod with the whole city is above measure frightened and enraged, because he has heard of the wise men, who are taught of God, that the King of the Jews is born. The great dragon, the old, crooked serpent, who was cast from heaven, whose head and power has been bruised and broken by the promised seed of the woman, is overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and, on account of the word of his testimony, burns with anger. He knows well that his time is short, and therefore he carries on his works and tyranny, through his children and servants, the unbelievers, with great wrath and fierceness, against those who have been sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb. Annas and Caiaphas, with all the scribes, counsel to slay Christ. Judas and all false apostles and teachers betray and deliver him up. Herod, with all his lords and princes, scorn and mock him. The people cry out, crucify him! crucify him!! Pilate, and all those who bear the sword, sentence him to stocks, fire, sword and water. The servants seize, spit upon, scourge, crown and crucify him. The centurion pierces his side, the others mock, blaspheme and upbraid him. Who is there that does not persecute, crucify and dishonor with heart, word or deed, the poor, innocent, peaceful, defenceless Lamb? Yea, in the ungodly Cain, has the bloody, murderous tyranny taken its origin, and has fully shown its artfulness, properties, fruit and nature to the pious, godly Abel.

Inasmuch, then, as the Lamb and its chosen members, from the beginning, have been persecuted and slain by the malice of the creatures of the conquered serpent, and inasmuch (according to Scriptures) as this persecution will not cease so long as there are righteous and unrighteous people on earth; and as in our days, especially, the cross of Christ, on every hand (as it was in the days of our ancestors), is laid upon all God-fearing children, who are inwardly born again from the powerful seed of the holy word; therefore I cannot neglect to admonish my beloved brethren and sisters, fellow-believers and fellow-sufferers with the word of the Lord, concerning the suffering, cross and persecution of the saints, which is abundantly related in the Scriptures, and was abundantly visited upon our fathers, both of the Old and New Testaments, and also upon many pious witnesses of our own days; that they may, according to the example of our fathers, fearlessly and valiantly continue the undertaken contest, in all constancy, patience, strength, courage and valor, through the power of their faith in Christ Jesus; and that they may thus receive the promised crown. For this purpose may the Father of every good and perfect gift, through his beloved Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us the riches of his grace, in the power of his Holy Spirit, Amen.

“Blessed are they (said Christ) which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

I know well, worthy brethren and sisters in the Lord, that the true laborers and servants of the Lord, have each one planted and watered according to the gifts which they have received; they have caused you to be born again of the living word of the holy gospel of Jesus Christ, and that they have built in a godly manner upon Christ, the firm and immoveable corner stone; have taught you the word, will and ordinances of God according to his good pleasure; have united you in love as a willing, obedient, pure bride to your bridegroom, Christ Jesus. That they have in full earnestness, shown you the narrow, scornful way; have preached the cross, and have pointed out and admonished you in regard to the pains and costs of this godly building, for it can never be otherwise, as you well know, than that all who would hear, follow and enter through the right door, Christ Jesus, and would walk upon the highway to eternal life in the light of Christ, must first deny themselves, and all they are, with the whole heart. They must, in all misery, ignominy and trouble, take upon themselves the pressing cross, and must follow the rejected, outcast, bleeding and crucified Christ, as he himself said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Yes all who do not stand prepared to take up this grievous life of the cross and trouble, and hate not father and mother, son, daughter, husband and wife, houses, land, money, goods and life, cannot be Christ’s disciples.

My faithful brethren this is a true and sure word; for the eternal truth, Christ Jesus, has in many places of the Scriptures, been pointed out and testified in great clearness; “Behold,” he says, “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles,” Matt. 10: 16—18.

Again, “The brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death, and ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake,” Matt. 10: 21, 22.

Again, “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house, Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household,” Matt. 10: 24, 25.

Again, “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it,” Matt. 10: 37—39.

Again, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake,” Matt. 24: 9.

Again, “They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service,” John 16: 2.

Again, “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” “If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him,” Acts 14: 22; 2 Tim. 3: 12; 2: 11, 12.

Yea, the whole Scriptures abound with exhortations, examples and histories of the troubles sorrows, miseries, proscriptions, upbraidings, reproachings, deceivings, imprisonments, plunderings, ignominious death and crosses of the saints.

Since then, from the beginning of the world, true righteousness, devotion and piety, are thus miserably hated, persecuted, and cast out, as it has been abundantly shown in the case of the pious fathers, and as may be seen and found in these last times, as we have said, I deem it necessary to show from the word of the Lord, to our youthful, weak, and untried brethren and sisters, who such persons are, that persecute us, and inflict upon us this trouble and sorrow; wherefore they do so, wherewith they maintain their tyranny and bloody deeds for right; what profit we receive from the cross, and what is promised to those, who, through the power of faith, overcome all temptations and extremities, and maintain the conflict through Christ Jesus, in order that they, through such counsels, may be ready and prepared for all trials. That they may put on the breast-plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, with the shield of faith, and be girded with the sharp, piercing sword of the Spirit in all humility, meekness and patience, with ardent prayers and sighs to the Lord, in order that when any swift, unseen uproar, shall arise against us, it shall not fall upon us unawares, that an unexpected storm shall not cast down our house, the heat of the sun shall not scorch the growing plant, the heat and power of the fire shall not consume the erected works, and that we be not drawn off and frightened to a deadly apostasy by their threats, uproar and tyranny. Therefore, my beloved, read and understand in all love, for the Lord knows that out of pure love, I have written this for the benefit of my dear brethren, according to my received gifts, Eph. 6; 1 Thess. 5.

In the first place, dear brethren, I esteem it to be very necessary that all the godly, and strivers under the cross of Christ, who seek for encouragement in their crosses and sufferings, which they endure for the sake of the testimony of God and their consciences, to consider carefully and earnestly, who and what they are that so madly persecute, oppress and afflict them; of what disposition and nature they are; upon what way they walk, and of what father, according to the Spirit, they are born. All who carefully observe them, and try them by the Scriptures, will find, according to my opinion, that they are not Christians, but are an unbelieving, fleshly, earthly, wanton, blind, hardened, lying, idolatrous, perverted, malicious, revengeful, unmerciful and murderous people. A people, who by their actions and fruits, show that they neither know Christ nor his Father, although they so highly praise his holy name with the mouth, and extol it with their lips; who tread in slippery, crooked and perverted paths; who display not Christian love and peace; who bathe their hearts and hands in blood; their disposition is to seize and kill. They are children and co-partners of him, who from the beginning was a murderer and a liar, of whom the whole Scriptures testify, that they shall forever bear, the intolerable curse and malediction of the righteous judgment of God, and the devouring flames of hell, unless they awake from the deep, deadly sleep of their sins, sincerely repent, believe the joyous Gospel of Jesus Christ, and put on Christ, and thus show by their whole lives and actions, that they seek their God with all their might, fear and love him, be they emperors, kings, doctors, licentiates, citizens, peasants, man or woman, For with God, says Paul, there is no respect of persons, but whosoever committeth sin, he shall bear it.

Worthy and faithful brethren in the Lord, observe what a blind, naked, poor, miserable and unwise people, in divine things they are, who so bitterly persecute and destroy you without mercy, on account of your faith. Therefore, it becomes all the true and chosen children of God, however severely they may be dealt with, and belied by these people, not to be angry with them, but sincerely to pity them, and sigh sorely over their poor souls, with all meekness and ardency, after the example of Christ and Stephen, to pray for their raging, cursed folly and blindness, for they know not what they do. Who knows but God may give them eyes and hearts, that they may see and know their blindness and unbelief; see what an impure life they lead, what kind of people they persecute, and whom they have pierced.

O my beloved brethren! observe and consider well upon your own former life; we have all, in former times, served one Lord, were attired in the same habit, as has been said. But what we now are, we are not of ourselves, but of God, by grace through Christ Jesus. The mighty God, who lives forever, according to his great mercy, has called us out of our accursed darkness into his marvellous light, his ears are not stopped, nor his hand shortened; he can undoubtedly hear and help them as he helped us. If they never repent, but continue with impenitent, perverted hearts, in all ungodliness, blood, wantonness and tyranny, till they die, we know what the Scriptures testify concerning them; that they shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven; but their part shall be in the fiery lake which burns with fire and brimstone, and the fire will be everlasting, Rev. 21: 8.

Every one, then, who reflects that his persecutors are so wholly blind and destitute of understanding, concerning what the Spirit directs, as above said, and that their lot shall be like that of the angels of the bottomless pit, the intolerable wrath of God, death and hell, which shall last forever, and the sufferings which we have to endure from them for the testimony of Jesus, are but temporary and momentary, will through grace, by this means, preserve his heart pure from all wrath, malice and retaliation towards them, and will ardently pray for them; he will commend his affairs to God in all humility, long-suffering, and peace, will preserve his spirit unbroken, amid prisons, fire and water.

Again, I deem it a soft and mild salve, and a cooling to our miseries and grief, if we but reflect upon the reason why our persecutors so malevolently hate us, and so relentlessly destroy our name, property, reputation, welfare and lives, which is, because the grace of God, through Christ, has enlightened us; because we have believed the preached Gospel, and have ceased from our blind, ruthless life and deadly works; because we desire, in our weakness, to follow in the fear and love of God, after the righteousness of faith which is required of God, and in obedience to the holy word; because we acknowledge the ever blessed Jesus alone for our Redeemer, Mediator, Intercessor, spiritual King, Example, Shepherd, infallible Teacher and Master; because we judge and prove all spirits, doctrines, councils, ordinances, statutes and ceremonies as far as regards spirit and faith, with the Spirit, doctrine, ordinances, commands and ceremonies of Christ, and thus esteem the commands and ceremonies of men, which are contrary to the commands and ceremonies of God, not only as vain and useless, but also as accursed and idolatrous, according to the Scriptures; because we regard and honor God more than man, we hold in exaltation his high, holy, true and precious word; because we, according to the Scriptures, listen not to the unclean, unsound, idolatrous, deceiving and blood-thirsty preachers; because we admonish and set an example in all love, as far as we are able, to the whole world, with the word and sacraments of God, and with humble, meek lives, though in weakness, according to our abilities; and we rebuke and shame (though always for their good), their deceiving doctrine, idolatrous sacrament and their wanton, earthly, fleshly life. In short, because we, in good faith, point them to the sure and infallible truth of God, to the true light and to the high-way of eternal life, and thus warn and alarm them, as much as we can, with doctrine and life, against eternal death, in hell and the wrath of God.

Behold, my faithful brethren, it is for the reasons here enumerated, that the world lies, writes, calls, preaches, and is so malicious towards all the pious; they burn with such inhuman rage, as may be seen, that the ravening, fierce wolves and roaring lions, when compared with them, cease to be wolves and lions, but seem to be like tame deer, or innocent lambs. They are so moved by the inflamed, blood-thirsty spirit of their father, that they regard neither the law of God and Christ, which is love, nor reason and discretion, nor the inwardly written law of nature, by which one honest man should reasonably, according to the good pleasure of God, meet, bear, admonish and serve another in all love. Yea, oft times, the natural father delivers the son up to death, and the son his father; the mother the daughter, and the daughter her mother; and one brother delivers another on account of his faith, as said.

Behold, thus haughtily and maliciously, they assume, without any awe or fear, the umpire of God and the office of the Holy Ghost. They banish Christ Jesus, the head of all princes and powers, who has all might in heaven and upon earth, from the throne of his divine majesty; and judge also with their iron sword, after their own, blind opinions, and carnal desires, the chosen, god-fearing, pious hearts, enlightened in God, through Jesus Christ, over whom no literal sword may ever judge, for they are spiritual, and from their inmost soul are zealous for God and his holy word, even till death.

Behold, so malicious and haughty is human reason, and so revengeful and envious is satanic hatred, that they do not fear to strive against the Most High, and pierce Christ Jesus with their murderous, deadly sword, and persecute with all their power, the Holy Spirit, gifts, word and truth of God, and all that he commands and will have us to do.

O that God would grant that the blind watchmen of this world, I mean the preachers and theologians, may sound their horns to a right tone and at a proper time, or that they would let them hang on the walls, in order that they may not therewith, tyrannically call out the deadly, murder cry, nor longer deceive the carnal, blind world, nor instigate the rulers and magistracy to the destruction and murdering of the saints, like hounds pursuing the roe; that God would grant that the poor, common people would sicken of their leaven and husks; yea, of their spiritual stealing and murdering; also that all rulers and magistrates would tear the bridle from their mouths, and cast their instigators from their backs, and not suffer themselves to be thus driven like dumb beasts, and then, according to my opinion, it will be well for their poor souls before God. Still, I fear that the lying, murderous serpent, will continue its envious bitings; and the striving woman, the new Eve and her children must endure, to the end, in all patience and long-suffering, its daily bites and stings in the heel.

Since I have here pointed out to you, in a few words, the spirit and nature of those who destroy you and seek your property, life, and the principal, urging reasons which impel them to do so; I will now present to my brethren, some histories and examples from the holy Scriptures, for the comfort and encouragement of all miserable, afflicted, and troubled hearts who suffer oppression, and misery in the flesh for righteousness’ sake, in which histories and examples these things may be clearly found and traced.

In the first place, Eve, the mother of us all, brought forth her two sons, Cain and Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. In process of time it came to pass, says Moses, That Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruits of the field, and Abel brought one from the first of his flock. The Lord regarded Abel and his sacrifice but he looked not upon Cain and his gift, therefore, Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell through great wrath, even as the ungodly always are envious of the pious, because the Lord regards the pious and loves their sacrifices. Cain spoke deceitfully to his pious, humble brother Abel, who knew not the malicious, bloody heart of his brother, saying, Let us go out, and when they were in the field, Cain’s hot, envious spirit could no longer be restrained, and his blood-thirsty, revengeful spirit could not be hid. That which lays concealed in the heart must break out in the actions; he arose against his innocent brother and in his fierce wrath slew him. Why did he do this? Because Cain was of the evil one and his works were evil, and his brother’s works were righteous.

It seems to me, dear brethren, that this is a fair example and a good reference; for the righteous always have been offscourings and a prey to the unrighteous, and so will they continue to be as the Scriptures sufficiently testify, and as daily experience plainly teaches.

Again, God blessed the patriarch Isaac, and gave him two sons. The elder was Esau, and the younger, Jacob. Esau was a husband-man and hunter, and had great pleasure in the chase. Once as he came home much fatigued, he sold his birthright to Jacob, his brother, for some food, Gen. 25: 33.

After this it came to pass, that Jacob, through the artifice and craft of his mother, obtained the blessing of his father Isaac, by assuming the name and appearance of Esau. This was the intention and will of God, to remember the literal synagogue and the church of Christ, according to his word to Rebecca, while she was yet pregnant; namely, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger,” Gen. 25: 23.

When Esau was now aware of this, he wept bitterly and said, Rightly is he called Jacob, for he has supplanted me twice. Esau sought the blessing, but did not obtain it, for God willed it otherwise, as said above.

Esau became very angry with his brother Jacob, on account of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. His malicious, bitter fierceness broke forth, and he said, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother.” Then had the blessed Jacob to flee from his dear father and mother before his wrathful brother. He fled to a distant country, and became a servant for twenty years in the house of Laban, who did not deal with him according to equity and love. He dared not again enter the land of his birth, till the Lord said unto him, “Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee,” Gen. 31: 3.

My dear brethren, observe; as the patriarch Jacob, on account of his external birthright and blessing, was hated and persecuted by his carnal, fierce brother, Esau, thus also it is at the present day, with all those who, after the Spirit, are called after the name of Jacob, namely, true Christians, that in the power of the Holy Ghost, through the medium of faith, tread upon the devil, world, flesh, and blood; they obtain the birthrights which are written in heaven, and are blessed through our true Isaac, Christ Jesus, with spiritual blessings in heavenly things, to eternal glory. They are maliciously hated and persecuted to death by their carnal and licentious brethren; must flee from one land to another, from one city to another, with great misery, hunger and distress; in prison, in bonds, with hunger, stripes, water, fire and sword, all the days of their lives, as may be seen.

Thus tyrannizes the fleshly Esau over the spiritual Jacob, on account of the spiritual birthright and blessing, although they are both born of the same father, Adam, from one mother Eve, and are created after the image of God.

Thirdly, Saul, the first king of Israel, on account of his thoughts and disobedience, was rejected of the Lord; and David, the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, according to the command of God, was taken from the sheep, and anointed by Samuel in his stead, yet he did not assume the government during the life of Saul. The Lord was with David, and strengthened his hands. He did great works in the name of the Lord; he released the stolen sheep out of the mouth of the lion and bear; he slew the terrible, great Goliath; he subdued two hundred of the uncircumcised Philistines. He acted in all things prudently, right and valiantly; for the Lord was with him. When Saul returned from the slaughter of the Philistines, the women of all the cities of Israel came to meet the king, singing and rejoicing with all manner of stringed instruments, and tambours, speaking joyfully one to another, Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his tens of thousands. This enraged Saul sorely, and he said, They have given David ten thousand and me but a thousand! what else does he want but the kingdom. From that day forth David had no favor with Saul, for Saul sought his life secretly and openly, with great assiduity and craft; although Saul well knew the piety of David and that the Lord was with him; yet his heart burned with such ill-will, envy, revenge and blood-thirstiness, that when David escaped, the good Abimelech and the priests of the Lord were put to death and the whole city, Nob, was laid in ruins for David’s sake, 2 Sam. 22.

He regarded neither the piety, kindness, fidelity nor well-doing of David towards him and all Israel, nor the grace, works and will of God, but became unmindful and drunken in his wrath and envy, so that the enemies and betrayers of David, as Doeg, the Edomite and the Ziphites were highly regarded and honored by him, but the peace-makers, and those who advised for good, as his son Jonathan, were hated by him, and held in suspicion. In short, David must take to flight, and for some years fly from one land to another, from one wilderness to another, and from one mountain to another, till Saul was overcome by the Philistines upon Mount Gilboa, when, through vain despair and impatience he thrust the sword, which he had borne against the righteous and innocent, into his heart, and thus took his own life.

Thus the Almighty Lord and Potentate of all things, punishes the haughty, blood-thirsty tyrants, each one in his time, who bear the sword of their office against God and his chosen, as may be seen of Saul, of Pharaoh, Antiochus, Ahab, Jezebel, Herod and others. On the other hand he can guard his chosen, and help them out of all difficulties, how hard soever they may be pressed. This he has shown in the deliverance of Israel when he led them through the Red Sea, and in preserving David, Helias, Elisha, Daniel in the Lion’s den, and the three young men in the fiery furnace, and in many other instances.

Here again we have a clear example in the case of Saul and David, how the proud, reckless, self-willed and carnal princes every where, although they wish to be called christian princes, and gracious lords, act and behave towards the true David, Christ Jesus, and all his saints, whom he has anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit; who have power from above, with him, in and through him to overcome the fearful, infernal bear, lion and Goliath, hell, sin, death, devil, malediction and wrath of God. They can have peace nowhere, with this evil disposed Saul, howsoever innocent, godfearing, and pious they may be. Neither innocence nor piety, praying nor tears, word nor Christ, avail. As in the case of David, every thing must be perverted and construed for the worst. This has ever been the case, and according to my opinion, will remain so to the end.

Still my brethren, fear ye not, for all your persecutors and enemies become old like a garment, how mighty, glorious and great they may be esteemed. “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.” But ye shall flourish and increase in God, and your fruit shall never more decay, for the kingdom of Jerusalem is given to you, and the glorious Lord will have honor in you, though Saul rages, and will give to you the eternal kingdom, which he has prepared and set apart everlastingly for you, and all the chosen, Isa. 40: 6.

Fourthly, Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, a priest of the priests of Anathoth, was sanctified from his mother’s womb, and was chosen of God to be a prophet and a seer from his youth. He rebuked Judah and Benjamin on account of their disobedience, stubbornness, transgressions, false worship, idolatry and bloodshed, with the mouth and law of God. He taught repentance and reformation, prophesied of the promised Messiah, whom he called the Branch and Root of David. He preached the coming punishment and wrath of God, namely, the captivity and destruction of the kings, the destruction of the city and temple, and the captivity of the people for seventy years.

And these, his prophecies, faithful warnings, visions and rebukes from the mouth of the Lord, became to him as sharp, piercing thorns; they cast his word and admonitions aside, and would not hear them. The pious prophet and true servant of God must be regarded as their betrayer, a factionist and heretic. The word of the Lord was to him as a daily mockery. He was oft-times imprisoned and scourged, and thrown into a foul pit. They counselled concerning his death. He was so pressed with the cross, that he once resolved in his heart, to preach no more in the name of the Lord, yea, he cursed the day of his birth, and the man who brought the message to his father, that a man child was born. Thus the worthy man of God, had to bear the heavy cross for many years, for the sake of the word and truth of the Lord, Jer. 20. He had to yield his ear to all reproaches, and his back to scourging, till the floods of trouble burst upon the hardened, rebellious, unbelieving people, but alas! they saw too late, that Jeremiah was a right messenger, and a true prophet of God. Besides all this he had to close his life in Egypt, being stoned to death, as a reward for his ardent love and difficult, bitter work.