Reply to Gellius Faber, Part 2

What decrees have been issued against some of us, and what rewards have been offered for our capture in different dominions and cities; what imperial mandates and Roman condemnations have been resolved upon against us; and how we are treated on every hand, is well known to Gellius and to the preachers of his kind. That they are the very cause and the authors of these things I write and testify without reserve and without fear. See, this is how they hate all those who rightly teach God’s word.

Notwithstanding this, Gellius and others are not ashamed to say, “That we, out of fear of the cross, secretly enter cities and towns and sit behind closed doors,” and so on; as if we were stones and blocks of wood, which neither do nor can fear any deadly evil. Yet he and his people know well that the chosen men of God, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Aaron, besides the prophets and apostles, no, even Christ himself, so feared to die that they sometimes took to flight.

In the second place, I say that as long as I, a poor weak man, have served the pious with my small talent, I have taught far more in the daytime than at night. The Lord is my witness that I write the truth. Yet we must be reproached by these perverse people as night-preachers and hedge-preachers; as if the word of God could not be taught anywhere except in their houses of abomination (those who do not know the Scriptures), and as if God were not a God of the night as well as of the day. O, what perverseness!

Tell me, reader, was not the night pure to faithful Moses and to all Israel for eating the passover? Exodus 12, verses 3 to 8. Did Christ think it wrong to exhort Nicodemus at night? John 3, verse 2. Did he not partake of the Holy Supper with his disciples at night, just before his suffering? Matthew 26, verse 26; Luke 22, verse 19; First Corinthians 11, verse 23. Did not the church assemble at night, out of fear of Herod and the Jews, when Peter was delivered from the hands of the tyrant by the help of an angel? Acts 12, verse 7. Did not holy Paul preach the word at night in an upper room at Troas, and break the Lord’s bread with the disciples, just before his departure? Acts 20, verse 7. Did not the saints of the early church sometimes meet at night to break the Lord’s bread and drink the holy cup? For this they were suspected, and had to hear and bear many hard names. Does not Hilarius write that the apostles met in halls and out-of-the-way places, and that they traveled through many countries and nations, by water and by land, against the prohibitions and decrees of the rulers?

See, my readers: whether what was allowed and free to Moses, Israel, Christ, the apostles and the early churches, namely, the service and preaching of the word of God at night, is free to us or not, especially in these critical times of tyranny, we will let the intelligent reader judge according to Scripture, in the fear of his God.

O Lord! This is how they (the world) look for causes, hindrances and complaints with which to offend your poor children more and more and burden them with the cross, so that they may persecute and kill them under a semblance of justice; for your children stand in the way of their works and smart in their eyes.

In the third place I say that I have twice before offered publicly to discuss the Scriptures with them under safe conduct, before twenty or thirty witnesses or before a full meeting. But what kind of answer I received, their message, which I still have, testifies. Afterwards, in the memorable times of bishop Herman, Elector of Ceulen, at their own request, I offered the same thing again to the learned men of Bon. But my offer was rejected, because these kind gentlemen were dissuaded by John A’Lasco and A. H., who accused me of three falsehoods such as I never thought of, much less said or advised, and which for good reasons I will not touch upon now; for all of this I have the testimony of a manuscript of a preacher named Henricus. But what their intentions were in this matter I will leave to him who knows all things. The preachers of Wesel, in the land of Kleef, also pretended that they would furnish me with safe conduct and discuss with me, and so on; but when I signified my willingness in writing, I received the answer that they would let the executioner discuss with me, along with other tyrannical and unchristian words.

I will speak further of what I asked in my “Foundation” and in the “Preface to the Twenty-fifth Psalm,” many years ago; also in my “Excuse,” in the “Supplication to the Magistracy,” and also in my “Message to the Learned and Preachers of the German Nations,” who boast of the word, concerning a free discussion of Scripture, published in the year 1552. And I am still willing and prepared at all times, as long as breath remains in me and my mind does not fail me, and as long as I can sit on a wagon or lie in a ship, to appear before Gellius or anybody else, to defend by mouth the foundation of our faith and to testify to the truth of Jesus Christ, if I can do so in safety, in good Christian faith and in sincerity of heart, to the praise of our God, to the extension of his church, to the spreading of his holy word and to the salvation of our neighbors. This is the chief desire of my heart: that I may preach and spread abroad his great and adorable name, teach his word, seek his gain and honor, and exalt and defend his praise, to the best of my humble ability.

It is manifest that the world is so unjustly embittered against us that, alas, we are not allowed to be heard or seen; that many an innocent, pious sheep who is not a teacher is sent here and there to be slaughtered by the sword, water or fire without any mercy; and that we miserable teachers are not allowed to live in safety anywhere under the broad canopy of heaven, not even in a pigsty (so to speak), if we are known; but that through open mandates we are already judged before we are handed over, and condemned before we are seized, something which, as far as we know, has never happened since the apostolic times. Therefore I pray all my readers, for God’s sake, to consider thoughtfully, in the fear of God, what gross injustice Gellius and his followers have done us by the use of such wrong and bitter words as night-preaching, hedge-preaching, conspiracy, secretly entering and so on, when, as is well known, we neither can nor dare do otherwise. Besides, we have on our side Moses and Christ, the apostles, and also the example of the early church, who served the Lord at night as well as in the daytime, as has already been heard; and we are also prepared at all times to give an account of our faith and to defend the truth, if we can do so in good Christian faith, without deceit and the shedding of blood, as has already been said.

I say further: It is far more praiseworthy to teach the genuine, saving truth at night in a secret corner, when we cannot meet openly in the daytime, than to proclaim deceiving lies and a powerless doctrine of impenitence from the pulpit in the daytime, as, alas, has been openly done these many years before the whole world. This must be acknowledged and admitted, for the disorderly state of affairs and the impenitent life of this generation testify to it.

To his saying that we should be stopped and silenced lest we deceive the unwary (the simple), as he calls them, I reply: No one can point out a better and surer way than the one we have by the grace of God; of this we are convinced from the depths of our soul, for we acknowledge and feel that we have the word of God. Nevertheless, we will always freely accept and willingly follow the instruction of any pious person who can, in the fear of God, convince us by the Spirit, word, example, commandments, ordinances, prohibitions and usages of the Lord, and not by tyranny and violence, and can point out anything more useful and better, to the greater honor of God or more to the edification of his church, than what we have followed and confessed during several years of manifest truth, and to which we have unwaveringly testified in so very much anxiety, misery, tribulation and persecution. For all things in Christ’s church that are to avail and stand before his throne must be judged by the Spirit, word, example, commandments, ordinances, prohibitions and usages of the Lord. I trust that those who seek and sincerely fear the Lord will agree with me in this respect.

But with this writing of Gellius’ he will surely not convince us; for it is full of brawling, profanity, defamation, false accusations, tyranny, sophistry, wrong explanations and false doctrines (if I am wrong, rebuke me). So it does not silence the pious, as was his intention, but makes them still more active; and it will strengthen saving doctrine and truth, and so bring him loss where he meant to make gain. For I trust that when both our writings are compared with one another, a glorious, clear light will, through the grace of God, be thrown on the church of Christ. It will expose to the plain and humble, whom he intends by it to dissuade from our doctrine, what his own nature, works, writings and fruits are; and by comparing them with Christ’s plain word, Spirit, example, ordinances and usages, it will prove to them how earthly and carnally minded he and his people are, how he exercises his office, what he seeks, what the fruits of his doctrine are, what sacraments he uses, what ban he practices, and what kind of church he holds to, and so on.

I would therefore faithfully admonish him and pray him not to undertake more than he can accomplish, and not to kick against the goads, Acts 9, verse 5, for it will not avail him. He should remember that many a learned man (not that I esteem learning, if it is at all opposed to Christ), in past times as well as at present, has diligently tried it as he now does; but what has been accomplished by it the fruits openly testify. For some of them have become such zealots against us that they have made themselves guilty of innocent blood. They have grossly offended so many pious and faithful hearts, and condemned them to the judgment of the devil, hearts which through fear and love of their God dared not walk with them on the broad road. Besides this, they have written and contended so much for the unity of their churches that they have brought the poor, reckless people into such a disorderly and wild state that, generally speaking, they lead so fruitless and impenitent a life that it seems as if prophetic or apostolic doctrine had never been taught, and as if neither Christ nor the Holy Spirit had ever appeared on earth.

Suppose they had wisely, obediently and humbly understood, heeded and followed the word and ordinance of the Lord and the usage and example of the apostles; had sincerely feared their God; had not acted hypocritically with lords and princes and the world in general, but had taught the doctrine in true zeal without any respect of persons or favors; had faithfully, to the death, rebuked the sins of all mankind, of high and low station alike, with doctrine and with life; had unwaveringly served God and obediently proclaimed the gospel in such a way as to gather and build up for the Lord a truly penitent people, that is, a true church, after the example of the apostles; had not sought their own gain and ease; and had not abused and slandered the pious and godly by their crying and writing. Then the precious word, Christ’s glorious gospel of grace, would never have been profaned so light-mindedly, nor would this poor, unwary people have degenerated into this wild and reckless state, as, alas, may now be witnessed in all parts of the world.

So it will be with Gellius, I fear; for what use his preaching and church services have been these many years toward bringing about a pious, penitent life in the fear of God, I will let the world judge by his disciples, who are the fruit of his seed.

O, that he would take heed and not break God’s holy and precious word; that he would not slander the pious and godly, who testify to it with their heart, mouth, life and death; that he would learn to know his own envious, impure and bitter heart, his deceiving, inconsistent and infamous doctrine, and his selfish, ambitious flesh; and that he would humble himself under the mighty hand of God, as the Scriptures teach us to do, for then he might yet be saved. But as it is, I fear that his brawling, slandering and condemning of all the pious, together with his seeking after improper gain, favor and honor from men, and his desire for an easy, careless life, will so entirely close his heart and bewilder his senses that he will neither acknowledge nor desire the glorious brightness of Christ, nor the wisdom which is of God. God grant that my fear may not come true, and that he may yet receive grace; this is my sincere wish toward him and all our opponents. Amen.

Gellius says further that he has published his writing for the purpose of redeeming some of our followers who have not yet become slanderers. And he says also that some have been redeemed through their faithful services, who now, with united hearts and spirits, adore, praise and thank their Lord and God at the public meetings of the church of God and Christ (these are his words), because they have been delivered from death and damnation, and now feel a delight in Christ, and penitence and peace in their hearts.

Answer. If we, in true Christian zeal and unfeigned love, rebuke or reprove their false doctrine, their deceiving, unscriptural sacraments and their reckless, carnal life with the Spirit, word and life of Christ, and point them to the glorious example of the prophets, of the apostles, of Christ and of all the true servants of God, he calls us slanderers. From this it may be seen that our work of love is always twisted into its opposite. For if we write or speak mournfully, it is called sighing and groaning; if we reprove sharply, it is called brawling and slandering. If we pipe, they do not dance; if we mourn, they do not lament, as Christ says, Matthew 11, verse 17. Whatever we say to the perverse is wrongly spoken. Although they commit abomination, yet they are not ashamed, nor do they blush, Jeremiah 8, verse 12.

If the reproof of open sin in true Christian love according to the word of God is slander, as Gellius calls it, then all the saints of God, the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ himself as well, were slanderers; this cannot be disputed. For before the whole world they called the false prophets and preachers false teachers, deceivers, dumb dogs, blind guides, hypocrites, thieves, murderers, wolves, cunning schemers, enemies of the cross, servants of their bellies, children of damnation, dry clouds, dead trees, locusts and so on. But no. To reprove openly deceit, transgressions, blasphemy of God or of his word, and sin in general, is not slandering, as Gellius, through perverseness of heart, pronounces it against the innocent; it is the fruit of the faithful love of those who would oppose evil and do good to all. I will leave it to the judgment of all pious and reasonable persons whether he is not a profaner of the church, a brawler and a slanderer, and guilty of innocent blood: he who calls the church of God a conspiracy, the regenerated children of God apostate Anabaptists, and the saving doctrine of Christ sectarianism and fanaticism; who slanders and condemns as heresy the baptism which Christ commanded and the apostles taught and practiced, and falsely upholds and practices on the poor, ignorant people the baptism of antichrist, with many high-sounding words and phrases; who promises grace and peace to the proud, obstinate, avaricious, carnal and impenitent boaster, whom all the Scriptures sentence to death, because he can talk of the Scriptures in appearance, although without Spirit, power or change of heart; and who, without just cause, maliciously slanders, falsely suspects and unjustly condemns the poor orphans and afflicted Christians who sincerely seek and fear the Lord, and so delivers them to the magistracy to be put in dungeons, and to the executioner to be killed.

But as to his boasting that some of our brothers have again associated with them, and that others may yet be redeemed by his writing, and so on, I answer in the first place: Christ says, “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it; because narrow is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it,” Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14. My readers, observe that all who wish to leave the broad way and enter upon the narrow one must enter in at the narrow gate, must deny themselves, take up the cross and follow Christ Jesus. They must become regenerated Christians, dead to sin; they must crucify their flesh and subdue their lusts; through the power of faith they must give up all visible and perishable things, such as gold, silver, house and goods, no, wife and children, together with all they are and have, for the victory of Christ, if circumstances and the honor of Christ require it. They must be prepared to endure disgrace, hunger, misery, plundering, persecution, bonds and death for the sake of the testimony of God and of their consciences, and must hold fast to the word of God by watching and praying. For all those who are still laden with the burden of unrighteousness and an evil conscience, such as avarice, ungodly desires, the works of the flesh and so on, or who feel at all doubtful concerning the word and promises of the Lord, cannot enter in at the narrow way and the narrow gate. Let everyone be aware of this.

In the second place I say that the edification and faith of true Christians are tempted in many and various ways, as both Scripture and experience clearly teach and testify. Now they are tempted by flesh and blood, which is never at rest; then by the lust of the world and the lust of the eyes, which invitingly tempt the selfish flesh in which no good thing dwells, Romans 7, verse 18. Again, by the cross and tribulation, which often press heavily; and lastly, by the flattering preaching of peace and the easy doctrine of the preachers, who lustily cry, Peace, peace, as the prophet says, Jeremiah 8, verse 11. By these they console the timid in their faithlessness and disobedience to God, and make an easy way for those who would enjoy the world according to the lusts of the flesh. It is as Peter says, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption,” Second Peter 2, verse 19. For this reason some of the seed which is sown by the wayside is picked up by the birds of the air; some is sown on stony places, where there is not much earth, and although it springs up quickly, it cannot stand the scorching sun of persecution; and some is choked by the thistles and thorns and brings forth no ripe ears, Matthew 13, verses 4 to 7.

See, the real reason why some timid, light-minded, carnal, corrupt and selfish spirits have associated themselves with them again is this: the way was too narrow and the gate too tight for them, and they could not withstand the storming of the flesh. The smiles of the world were too inviting, and the tyranny too oppressive. The thousand wiles of Satan, by which all the pious alike are tempted, succeeded, because, alas, they preferred earthly things to heavenly ones; and therefore we could no longer live with them in unity of spirit and peace. For they would not be subjected in this way, as the prophet laments, Jeremiah 2, verse 17, but would follow their own inclinations in every respect and walk with the world, without the cross, on the broad way of the flesh. But they were surely not redeemed by the writings and services of Gellius, as he boasts they were.

See, these people of whom he boasts so loudly were such as (we regret to have to say it), like Demas, Second Timothy 4, verse 10, loved the present world, and who lived among us for some time in such a way that, according to the divine word, we dare no longer eat and drink with them. They are not regenerated, as Gellius claims; they are degenerated in their faith and act hypocritically, with earthly-minded hearts, under a pretense of prayer. They have not forsaken the broad way which leads to death, but the narrow way which leads to life. They do not delight in Christ; they have forsaken him. They have found rest for their flesh, but not for their souls through repentance, as Gellius pretends. For the facts prove whose cause is right, theirs or ours, and whose actions are hypocritical and whose are not; for our people sacrifice possessions, blood and even life for their cause, but what theirs do is well known.

This, then, is my conclusion as to the first reason he gives for publishing his writing. Just as the angel of darkness can transform himself into an angel of light, as Paul says, Second Corinthians 11, verse 14, and can feign love and make great promises, can feign a true confession of Christ and can use the Scriptures masterfully, so his servants can do the same, as may be seen here. For Gellius says he published his writing that he might redeem some and save others from deceit; to silence the Anabaptists, as he calls them; to root out the pernicious weeds; to serve the church of Christ; to keep the weak of the Netherlands in the right understanding of evangelical doctrine and the right use of the holy sacraments, and so on. But if we rightly consider it and judge it by the Spirit, word and example of Christ, and by the usage of the holy apostles and the early apostolic churches, we find it to be nothing but an institution of the flesh; an encouragement to the impenitent; an inducement to the broad way; a defense of the churches of antichrist; a confusing and blindfolding of the simple; a covert instigation to persecute the pious; a destroying of the church of Christ; a skillful hindering of the godly; an unreasonable, envious defamation of the saints; an adulteration of the holy word; indeed, an open encouragement to unrighteousness, impenitence and carnal liberty.

See, this is the effect, fruit and aim of his writing, although he adorns it and covers it under the semblance of good intentions and love. If I should ever meet with him and not be able to prove these assertions by their fruits and by the strength of the Scriptures, then I will be willing to recant them and bear my shame; for I trust that, through the grace of God, I know what I am writing about.

Another reason, says Gellius, why he published his writing is that a nobleman to whom he addressed it offered to bear the expenses of printing it, and so on.

Answer. Zeal is a good thing and highly commendable, if it is in a good cause, for the service and glory of God. But let everyone consider well how, why and for what reason he is zealous, lest he make himself guilty of innocent blood, which is the most abominable sin next to sinning against the Holy Spirit.

If his honor has done this in sincere zeal and with good intentions, as Paul did before his conversion, and meant it for the honor of God and the salvation of his neighbors, then I hope that God will give him more light and make the truth more manifest to him. But if he has done it for the sake of an idle name or fame, or for the sake of carnal profit and satisfaction, something which the learned can very adroitly paint before such high persons; or if he contends against the people of God with a bitter zeal, as Gellius and the preachers generally do, which I trust is not the case; then his action has become such a gross sin and great blindness that I fear he will never be brought to confess Christ.

I would therefore cordially admonish his honor, and beseech him in Christian love, not to burden himself any more with the sins of others; for he and everybody else will have burden enough of their own at the day of judgment. All misleading of miserable souls, all unbelief and idolatry, all light-mindedness and liberty of the flesh, together with all the uproar and tyranny that are likely to result from his writing, will be required at his hands in the day of Christ, as well as at the hands of the preachers, if not repented of; because he helps and supports them in their abomination with his advice and assistance, with money and material.

Therefore, in my opinion, his honor would have done better to consider the matter well first and to lay out these expenses for the support, help, consolation, nourishment and clothing of the needy, especially in these hard times, and not for the purpose of deceiving many unwary hearts and putting more hindrances and persecution on the pious.

Again, that Gellius has published his writing with the permission of this nobleman makes it look as if he were one of those who honor and esteem a person according to the measure of his usefulness. But for what reason he has done so, what he is seeking and how his heart stands in this matter, I will leave to the Lord who knows all things.

Experience sufficiently teaches what disposition the rich are of, namely, proud-hearted, ambitious and covetous of honor. God’s wisdom did not say without cause, Truly, “I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,” Matthew 19, verse 24. James also says, “Come now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that will come upon you. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten; your gold and silver are rusted, and their rust will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh as if it were fire,” and so on, James 5, verses 1 to 3. Again, Paul says, “For you see your calling, brothers, that not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called,” and so on, First Corinthians 1, verse 26.

The mouth of the Lord, then, and his faithful servants James and Paul as well, have expressed so plainly the dangers of the rich and of those of high standing; experience teaches how proud-hearted they are, as may be gathered from their high titles, houses, coats of arms, medals, clothes, servants, horses and dogs; and Christ says, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 18, verse 3. Therefore it would be more in keeping with evangelical righteousness if Gellius would instead diligently teach such proud hearts and high persons the humility of Christ: that they may learn to deny themselves and to know themselves, what they are born of, what they are and what they will be; that they may die to their excessive pomp, splendor, superfluity and ungodliness; that they may fear God in all sincerity and walk in his ways; that they may faithfully serve their neighbors with their abundance in true humility of heart. He should not continually kindle the fire of pride, fleshly security and light-mindedness by his flattery or by high-sounding and pleading phrases; for the inborn, ambitious nature of the flesh of Adam’s children is, alas, already too ready to crave such things without being encouraged by flattery and smooth words.

I would therefore faithfully admonish all to fear God, to strive after truth and to love their neighbors; for the time is coming, and is near at hand, when we will all hear, each one at his time, “Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward,” Luke 16, verse 2. I do not dedicate this reply and defense of mine to this one or that one, as is the custom of the learned, but dedicate it in Christian humility “To the pious Reader,” and I desire to submit it to the judgment of all the godly and pious.

If anyone under the broad canopy of heaven, whether learned or unlearned, man or woman, can teach me with plainer Scriptures or with more powerful truths, I will gladly accept such instruction and obey it. But by the grace of God we are convinced that we are on the sure and true way which Christ has prepared for us. Blessed are we if we walk in it and enter in at the narrow gate. Let all of understanding minds who, in true zeal and in the fear of God, seek the praise of their Lord, read and judge what now follows.