Foundation and Plain Instruction

“For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” First Corinthians 3, verse 11.

Pious, beloved reader: I see that our work called “The Foundation of Christian Doctrine,” which I published a few years ago, has, through the grace of God, to whom be eternal praise and thanks, done much good to some, and that God’s holy word, which was obscured for so long, has again been explained a little through our limited talents. Many well-disposed children asked and urged me to revise diligently and correct those parts which had been obscured through the negligence of the printer and which deprived the reader of the sense; and I was persuaded, and did so. In some places I made additions; I explained the obscure parts, corrected those that were defective, and left out what was superfluous; I improved the style and language, so that it would be better suited to help the kind reader, and to make the despised truth known and acceptable to many.

Not, my reader, that I changed the original doctrines and contents; by no means! I have not changed them, but, as it appears to me, improved its form, and given it more force and clarity. Let those who fear God judge. The former, as well as this, is God’s word; and all that the first teaches, this teaches also. May the Almighty, merciful Father grant that through his grace our little work, so lightly esteemed, may produce much fruit in many thousands. Amen.

MENNO SIMON.

Note.—The following Preface shows to whom this book is addressed, and was written at the time when the errors of Munster still prevailed.

To those in authority and all others, of whatever condition, class or calling they may be, Menno Simon wishes the illumination of the Spirit and the pure knowledge of the kingdom of God, from our heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who has loved us and washed us from our sins with his blood. To him be praise, honor, glory and thanksgiving forever. Amen.

Dear Sirs, Friends and Brothers: we learn from the scriptures, and find by experience, that the prediction of the prophets, of Christ and of the apostles concerning the terrible oppression, misery, want, persecution, danger, anxiety and false doctrine of these latter times is being fulfilled to its full measure, Matthew, chapter 24; Mark, chapter 13; Luke, chapter 21; First Timothy, chapter 4; Second Timothy, chapter 3; Second Peter, chapter 2; Jude, chapter 1; and this so powerfully that unless the merciful Father graciously shortens these days, no flesh will be saved.

Therefore we poor, miserable men plead with and admonish everyone, through the mercy of the Lord, for once to read our doctrine and faith honestly, to take it well to heart and understand it correctly, so that you may know what kind of doctrine we teach, what kind of faith we hold, what kind of life we lead, and how we are disposed, on account of which we have to hear and suffer so much, endure imprisonment and exile, and be robbed, derided, defamed and slain like poor, innocent sheep. We ask this so that you may sincerely lament and weep before God over your former bloody deeds, and guard and preserve yourselves from such things with greater care, and from now on be found a more pious, sincere, indeed a more God-fearing magistracy, Exodus 18, verse 23; Deuteronomy 1, verse 17; not afflicters and destroyers, but fathers and guardians of all the miserable and wretched; not exterminators, but defenders of righteousness; not persecutors, but followers of Christ and his word. Therefore anoint your eyes with eye-salve, so that you may see and understand which is the right way, the truth and the life: the way which is so strait and narrow and found by so few; the truth which is known to no one except those who are taught by the Spirit of the Lord, illuminated and drawn by the Father; the life which is to know God the Father as the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent; so that you may see him whom you fiercely pierced, and that you may, with holy Paul, with your whole hearts, humble yourselves before the Lord with much fasting and weeping, clothe yourselves in sackcloth, and rend your hearts and not your garments, so that you may find grace in his sight. For he is long-suffering, gracious and merciful, and pardons the iniquity of all who sincerely repent and seek his grace. Be no longer like Jeroboam, Ahab and Manasseh, but like David, Hezekiah and Josiah, so that you need not stand confounded, on account of the office entrusted to you, in the great and dreadful day of the Lord, in that day which shall burn like an oven, when all who have dealt unrighteously and used violence on the earth shall be burned up like dry straw and stubble, Malachi, chapter 4.

Therefore we most humbly plead with you, for the sake of the merits of Christ, to ponder and reflect thoroughly on our faith, doctrine and undertaking, and not to regard us as worse than you regard thieves and murderers, whom you do not condemn without certain knowledge of their case. Our doings are not thievish, nor do we have to do with perishable possessions, but with God and his word, our bodies and souls, eternal life or eternal death. Therefore do not look to the usages and customs of the fathers, nor to the worldly-wise and the learned, for it is deeply hidden from their eyes. From the beginning they have always been those who thrust the wisdom of God away from them through their own wisdom and trampled it underfoot. For the wisdom of God which we teach is that wisdom which no one can understand except those who desire to live and walk according to the will of God; it is that wisdom which is not to be brought from afar nor taught in colleges. It must come from above and be learned through the Holy Spirit, as Paul says, Romans 10, verses 6 to 9: “Do not say in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above). Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Therefore look to God’s word, to the testimony and example of the holy prophets, the Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles. Let these be your doctors and teachers, and not the ambitious, mercenary preachers of this world; then you will soon see whether we are within the truth or outside it. May the almighty and eternal God give you such hearts and minds. To him be honor, praise and thanks, dominion, power and majesty forever. Amen.

Seeing then, beloved, that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, Second Corinthians, chapter 11, and so sow tares among the Lord’s wheat, such as the sword, polygamy, a secular kingdom and kings, and other like errors, on account of which the innocent have to suffer much, we are moved to publish this faith and doctrine of ours. And we desire, for Jesus’ sake, that we might obtain this much grace: that they would not treat and judge us except according to the word of God, as is reasonable and just. But if we do not obtain so much grace, we must commend it to the Lord, who is the only helper of everyone in need. We will nevertheless, through the grace of God, abide in the word of the Lord, and comfort ourselves with the scriptures, which say, “Thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle upon you; for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior,” Isaiah 43, verses 1 and 3. Again: “Do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their revilings; for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool.” “I, even I, am he who comforts you: who are you, that you should be afraid of a man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made like grass?” Isaiah 51, verses 7, 8 and 12. Christ also says: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” “Whoever therefore confesses me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 10, verses 28, 32 and 33. “With the heart,” says Paul, “man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” Romans 10, verse 10.

Since, then, the scriptures urge us so strongly both to believe and to confess, and comfort us so kindly against the raging and raving of men, we also desire to abide by them until death. And by this we testify before you in Christ Jesus that we neither have nor know any other foundation, faith or doctrine than that which may be plainly read, heard and understood in what follows, from the word of God. Amen.

MENNO SIMON.

In the first place we teach what Jesus, the teacher from heaven, the Oracle and Word of the Most High God, himself taught, John 3, verse 2: that now is the time of grace, a time to awake from the sleep of our abominable sins, Romans 13, verse 11, and to obtain an upright, converted, renewed, contrite and penitent heart, and to lament sincerely before God our past profligate and dissolute course of life, and in the fear of God to crucify and mortify our depraved, sinful flesh, temper and nature, and to rise with Christ into a new, righteous and penitent life and conduct, Ephesians 4, verse 22; Galatians 5, verse 24. Even as Christ says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the Gospel,” Mark 1, verse 15.

The time is fulfilled; that is, the promised day of grace is approaching: the time of the appearing of the promised seed; the time of redemption; the time of that offering by which all things were to be reconciled in heaven and on earth, Genesis 3, verse 15; Colossians 1, verse 19; the time when all the literal and figurative transactions were to be completed in a new, spiritual life and an abiding truth; the time for which the fathers, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, David, Daniel and so on, with all the patriarchs and prophets, hoped, and which they desired with many tears, and through faith saw from afar, and drew comfort and hope from it, Hebrews 11, verse 23. Indeed, it was such a great and pleasing consolation to them that good old Simeon desired to live no longer when he beheld the time and saw the Redeemer. He said, “Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people,” Luke 2, verses 29 to 31. [Note 1]

The time is fulfilled: the predictions of the prophets and the promises of the fathers appear in their full power; the sworn oath is accomplished; Israel has received its King David, its Prince and Chief, who has risen as a mighty one to prepare his way, Psalm 2, verse 7; Isaiah 9, verse 5; Jeremiah 30, verse 9. His going forth is from the heavens; the Anointed, who was the desire of all nations, has come, girded about his loins with the sword of the Spirit and valiant for battle, Micah, chapter 5; Haggai, chapter 2; Isaiah, chapter 24.

He has declared the gospel of the kingdom, the word of his Father; he taught and left to his followers an example of pure love and a spotless life, Matthew 4, verse 17; John 7, verses 14 and 15. He conquered the mighty, destroyed the power of the devil, bore our sins, abolished death, reconciled the Father, and obtained for all the chosen children of God grace, favor, mercy, eternal life, dominion and peace, Hebrews, chapter 2; First Peter, chapter 2; First Corinthians, chapter 15. And he has been ordained by his eternal and almighty Father as an omnipotent King over the holy Mount Zion, as the head of the Church, a Provider and Dispenser of heavenly blessings; indeed, an almighty Ruler over all in heaven and on earth, Isaiah, chapter 2; Ephesians, chapter 2. And this is what Christ declares here: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand,” Mark 1, verse 15.

Out of compassion and a sincere heart I exhort you with the apostle Paul to take heed of this day of grace and be obedient to the word of God, which says, “I have heard you in an accepted time, and in the day of salvation I have helped you; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” And with Paul let us “give no offense in anything, so that the ministry is not blamed; but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults (understand this of the things which befall us), in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by unfeigned love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things,” Second Corinthians 6, verses 2 to 10. Oh, my beloved Sirs, Friends and Brothers, my mouth is open to you, and my heart is enlarged toward you. For your sakes I am much grieved that you are so careless and do not take note of the people by whom these plain and understandable scriptures were written; that you so entirely despise the word of the Lord, and let this precious time of grace, which God gives us all for amendment, pass away so shamefully, and care for nothing more than to live with your whole heart according to the impure and wicked lusts of your flesh, bowing your knees before dumb idols. Alas! It is time to awake! Remember that the angel has sworn, Revelation 10, verse 6, by the eternal and living God who created heaven and earth, that after this time there shall be time no longer. From the scriptures we cannot conclude otherwise than that this is the last watch of the year, the last proclamation of the holy gospel, the last invitation to the marriage of the Lamb, which is to be celebrated, proclaimed and sanctified before the great and terrible day of the Lord. From this we may learn and determine that the summer will pass away and the winter approach. Those who, like the foolish virgins, neglect to prepare their lamps will come too late, knock in vain and be shut out, Matthew 25, verse 11. Therefore do not comfort one another with idle comfort and vain hope, as some do who think that the word should be taught and observed while they reject the cross. I mean those who know the word of the Lord but do not live according to it. Oh, no! It is the word of the cross, and, in my opinion, will remain so to the last, for it must be upheld with much suffering and sealed with blood. The Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world, Revelation 13, verse 8; indeed, he not only suffered in his body, but also through the cross and death entered into that glory which he had left for a time for our sakes, Luke, chapter 24; John 11, verse 25. If Christ, then, had to suffer such torture, anguish, misery and pain, how shall his servants, children and members expect peace and freedom from suffering while in the flesh? “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call those of his household?” Matthew 10, verse 25. “All who will live godly in Christ Jesus,” says Paul, “shall suffer persecution,” Second Timothy 3, verse 12. [Note 2]

Christ also says, “You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake,” Matthew 10, verse 22.

Therefore banish from your hearts the pernicious thought that you may hope for another time, and do not be deceived by your vain hopes; for I have known some who waited for a more convenient season but did not live to see their hopes fulfilled. Had the apostles and fathers waited in this way, the gospel of the kingdom would not have been preached to this day, and the word of the Lord would have remained unknown.

Alas! If you were Christians and the people of God, as you boast yourselves to be, you would be able to say with Paul, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8, verse 35. For then the flesh, the devil, sin, hell and death would all be subdued; there would then be no desire to remain long in this depraved, wicked, bloodthirsty world; nor would you then boast of anything except the cross of Christ, Galatians 6, verse 16, and, like Paul, desire with your whole heart to be delivered from this body and dwell with Christ, Philippians 1, verse 23. [Note 3]

I sincerely desire that you may awake, and not hope or wait for a more acceptable time. If, however, the merciful Father will give us liberty and peace, we will gladly receive them from his gracious hands with all thankfulness; but if he will not, his great name shall nevertheless be praised forever.

We have all enjoyed the acceptable time of grace, for now is the day of salvation, Isaiah 49, verse 8. Let us therefore not be like ungrateful, disobedient, bloodthirsty Jerusalem, which with such perverted minds rejected the divine peace, the heavenly grace and the merciful calling; but let us awake with sober hearts and listen to the inviting voice, and in this accepted time rise from the deep slumber of our abominable and offensive sins, for the Lord is at hand. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts,” Romans 13, verses 12 to 14. Let everyone be vigilant and make good use of the time which God has graciously given for repentance. Ecce nunc tempus acceptum, ecce nunc dies salutis. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” Second Corinthians 6, verse 2. [Note 4]