Reply to Gellius Faber: Of the Mission or Calling of the Preachers, Part 1

Gellius complains very much of a bitter and sneering letter of the Anabaptists, as he calls them, in which, as I understand from his writing, they are said to have given five particular reasons why they cannot in good conscience accept the preachers as true and unblamable, and cannot use their sacraments as true and Scriptural ordinances, and so on. Of these the calling of their preachers is the first reason. Gellius diligently tries to maintain that their calling is Christian and according to Scripture, and says that ours is sectarian and not according to Scripture.

Answer. How bitter and sneering this letter may have been I do not know, for I have never seen it. But I presume it was not as bitter as Gellius complains it was, but that it was a reproof of his corruption and of his deceiving and unscriptural sacraments; something which he always maliciously calls brawling and sneering.

Since I did not read the letter myself, as I said, I will not undertake to defend every word of it. But by virtue of my ministry of the divine word, and because I have been disgracefully treated in regard to it, I will undertake a defense as far as concerns the five articles in which the preachers are reproved or accused, whose calling Gellius maintains as evangelical and right. And I trust that, with the gracious help of God, I will be enabled to defend these articles with such power and clearness of Scripture that all impartial, reasonable readers, on comparing our writings, will by the grace of God see, as in a mirror, that he and all the worldly preachers are not the called preachers and teachers of the church of Christ to whom the Scriptures point. They will see that they are the open preachers and teachers of the world, or of the church of antichrist, against whom the Scriptures warn us on every hand, and in many places terrify us against them. He who has ears, let him hear what the word of the Lord teaches.

Gellius points out a difference between the calling or sending of the prophets of Christ and the apostles, and the calling of the bishops, pastors and other servants of the church, and says, “That the sending of the prophets of Christ and the apostles was done without any means of man, solely of God; but that the sending of the bishops and pastors is done of God by means of man.”

Answer. We do not contradict this, but agree with him in this respect. But we do contradict that the calling they boast of is done in accordance with apostolic doctrine and usage. And we would say that we should observe well the five following points or articles according to the Scriptures, namely: by whom they are called; what those who are called are; for what purpose they are called; what fruit the called bring forth; and what the real desire and seeking of the called is.

In the first place, we must observe that the calling which was done by means of man in the early, apostolic church was done not by the world but by the true Christians and obedient disciples of the Lord and his word. For Luke writes, Acts 14, verse 23, “And when they had ordained elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.” Paul also says to Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and ordain elders in every city, as I appointed you,” Titus 1, verse 5, and so on. Read also First Timothy 3, verse 12.

Since the preachers, then, boast of a calling of God by means of man, as was said, I would ask without any artifice: Who is the Paul or Barnabas, or the Timothy or Titus, that has called and ordained Gellius and preachers like him to the service? If they answer, the magistracy, then I would ask in the second place whether the magistracy, who take this matter upon themselves, have the spirit, calling, ministry, ordinance and power of Paul, Barnabas, Titus and Timothy. If they answer yes, then I would like to see their grounds proven according to Scripture. If they say it is because the magistrates are part of the church, as Gellius seems to hold, then I would ask in the third place: Are they moved by the Spirit of God? Have they crucified the flesh with its lusts, and do they, in their weakness, walk innocently and in a Christian way with his followers, according to Christ’s example and teaching? Have they become new creatures? Are they in Christ and Christ in them? And so on. If they say, God knows, and not we, then I would ask in the fourth place: Are you such trees, then, that we cannot judge your fruits, and such lights that we cannot see their shining? My reader, ponder well these questions.

The Scriptures plainly testify that no one is a Christian except one who is in Christ and has his Spirit, Romans 8, verse 9. It is evident that the magistracy do not conform themselves to the example and Spirit of the Lord, as may, alas, be seen on every hand by their fruits. For they live in every respect according to the lusts of the flesh, and seek vain honor, treasure, pompous living and so on; they are earthly-minded and not heavenly-minded. Therefore we should consult the word of the Lord as to whether such people are competent to ordain preachers, pastors and servants for the church of Christ, when their fruits testify that they themselves are still without Christ’s Spirit, kingdom, church and word, as was said.

If they should say that they are not called by the magistracy but by the church, then I would ask in the fifth place whether the church which has called them is flesh of Christ’s flesh and bone of his bone, Ephesians 5, verse 30; that is, a church which sincerely seeks and fears God; which walks in obedience to his word; which loves and serves its neighbor; controls its ungodly lusts; strives after truth with all its heart; leads an unblamable, pious life; and is prepared, for the sake of the will and word of the Lord, to sacrifice and give up money, goods, blood and life, no, father, mother, life, husband, wife, children and everything else, if the honor of God requires it. If they answer no, which is the true answer, then it is already proven that they are not the church and people of the Lord; for the church of Christ must be in unity of spirit with Christ, as has already been heard. If, then, they are not of Christ’s church, how can they call preachers to the church of Christ, as Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus and the early church did? If on the contrary they answer yes, then I say again that their open unrighteousness, slander, godlessness, avarice, pomp, drunkenness, excess, unchastity, hatred, envy, unmercifulness, violence and so on testify before the whole world that the answer is not the true one.

It is manifest that both the magistracy and the subjects are directly contrary to the Spirit and word of Jesus Christ, to his walk and his actions, and that they have not a syllable which agrees in this respect with the spirit and actions of Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus, or of the early church. Therefore I am very much surprised that he can be so imprudent and inconsiderate, or so very bold, as to boast in these times of grace, in which the truth has become so manifest, that he and the preachers of his character were called and ordained of God by means of man, as the elders of the early church were by Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and Titus.

O, that God would grant that he would for once consider this, and not compare the faithful men and dear servants of God, together with the zealous, regenerated congregations and pious children of the early churches, to this impenitent, reckless and wicked world which wishes to be considered the true church; and that he would no longer blind the poor, unwary hearts who pay little regard to the holy word with such a show and quoting of the Scriptures. For it would be of infinite value to his poor, miserable soul at the time of his departure.

I will now leave it to the reflection of all intelligent readers how the calling of which the preachers boast can stand the test of the Scriptures, when those who they boast called them are found to be not only not regenerated, pious Christians, but besides that, open despisers of God and his word and impenitent fighters against them, as may, alas, be seen on every hand by their actions.

In the second place we should observe of what disposition, doctrine and conduct the called servants of the word should be, according to the testimony of the Scriptures; namely, “Blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of filthy gain; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in subjection with all gravity;” not a novice; he must be holy, just, temperate and so on. “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince those who contradict.” “Moreover he must have a good report from those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil,” and so on. “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things,” First Timothy, chapter 3; Titus, chapter 1.

My reader, observe that this is not my word but the word of the Holy Spirit, which gives a true pattern of a true preacher, bishop, pastor, teacher and servant who will bring forth fruit in the church of Christ which will remain, John, chapter 15.

The Holy Spirit points us to such teachers, that we may obey and follow them. Paul says, “Obey those who have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as those who must give account; that they may do it with joy and not with grief,” Hebrews 13, verse 17. In another place he says, “We beseech you, brothers, to know those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake; and be at peace among yourselves,” First Thessalonians 5, verses 12 and 13.

Such teachers are compared in the Scriptures to the oxen that tread out the grain, which are not to be muzzled. They are the elders worthy of double honor, and the faithful laborers worthy of their hire, Deuteronomy 25, verse 4; Matthew 10, verse 10. But how Gellius and all the preachers of the German nations, whom he esteems as faithful servants, conform to this I will leave the impartial reader to judge according to the word of the Lord.

Faithful reader, consider well what I write. They boast that they are called in accordance with the Scriptures, as you may hear, although it is obvious and plain to the touch that they lead a life such as Peter and Jude portray. Many of them have so fallen into the fullness of Bacchus that, alas, they live night and day like swine at their ease; their tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean, as the prophet says, Isaiah 28, verse 8. They walk fearlessly after their own lusts, as Jude says; and they count the passing, lusty life a joy, says Peter; they are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you.

Some of them also are open fornicators and adulterers. How their wives, generally speaking, conform themselves to the Scriptures may be gathered from their fruits. Others are so avaricious that they have become open usurers. They are so intent upon perishable gain, money and possessions that I dare say truthfully that through the easy doctrine of their gospel they have become lords upon earth; yet most of them are loved by the world and highly esteemed by the ignorant. Their pomp, laziness, ease-seeking, vanity, light-mindedness, pride and so on are beyond all description, to say nothing of their tyranny, lying, brawling, slandering, betraying and stirring up of uproar against all who seek and fear the Lord.

Reader, it is as I write. O, how willingly would I be silent and keep this to myself, if the honor of God and his word and the love of your souls did not compel me otherwise; but as it is, I am forced to touch upon their abominable shame. Their abominations are so gross and terrible that my soul shrinks back at the thought of them; so imagine how it is when I must treat of them and write of them. How their actions and behavior agree with the description of Paul, who teaches us that they must be unblamable, have only one wife, not be given to wine, not be avaricious nor covetous of filthy gain, be temperate, modest and kindly, and have a good report from those who are outside, I will leave all pious hearts to judge in the fear of God according to the Scriptures. See, my reader, since it is manifest that in their walk they are quite contrary to the word of the Lord, it is in fact nothing but vain hypocrisy to call such unfruitful, offensive actions evangelical edification, and such an empty mockery a calling.

But Gellius tries to clear himself of this and lays the blame on those who, according to his writing, lead an unchristian life after the lusts of their flesh, against the ordinance of the apostles, saying that they cannot weaken the cause of the pious by their unrighteousness. To this I would say in the first place: He complains of them so much in his book, and says that they would do better as keepers of swine than as pastors of the sheep of Christ, and wishes that they would be put out of office and so on; and these make up the majority of them, as may be openly seen. Therefore Gellius should admit that according to the Scriptures we should not follow such men nor partake of their sacraments, even if they were the true sacraments; for he himself admits that they are useless people and wishes them put out of office.

In the second place I say: Since Gellius acknowledges that they are unfit for their offices, and since he and they are of one church, calling and service, why does he allow them to remain in their offices, and why does he not, by virtue of his calling, excommunicate them with the advice and consent of his church? For they are a hindrance to the congregation and a reproach and disgrace to Gellius and his fellow preachers, whom I wish were pious and unblamable themselves.

If he says that the magistracy are to blame, he then admits that those magistrates are not true servants and members of Christ who admit such offensive people as adulterers, winebibbers, the covetous and so on, who are met with on every hand, to be preachers, while they ruin the souls of the poor, miserable people by their wicked, offensive life, to say nothing of their doctrine; though the magistrates might shut them out with a single word, without bloodshed. And what is more, Gellius himself is a faithless shepherd and a dumb watchman; and the magistracy, which is his elector and his companion in church service, holds God in contempt and slanders his word.

In the third place I would say that it would be well for Gellius first to learn from the Scriptures the nature of Christ and his church, together with that of the true servants of the church, pastors and preachers; to judge all things rightly by the Spirit, word and example of the Lord; and to search thoroughly himself, his fellow preachers and his church, before contending so maliciously against the pious and accusing them before the whole world without cause. I would say further: Since (if I understand him rightly) he admits that we should not hear the adulterers, winebibbers, strikers and so on, nor partake of their sacraments (something which was probably meant to give his cause a good appearance), we are forced to look in the light of Scripture at how he himself, according to Paul’s doctrine, can stand as a pastor of the church and a servant of Christ.

Paul says, A bishop must be blameless; this applies also to a true preacher, pastor and teacher. And it is obvious that Gellius is not unblamable but blamable in many respects; that he is a friend of the world who seeks to please the world, contrary to the word of God and the example of Christ, the apostles and the prophets. Otherwise he would have suffered persecution, Second Timothy 3, verse 12, and would not have carried on his service at ease for so long a time, as is testified by the example of Christ, the apostles and all the true witnesses.

Again, he is a hireling who has been hired as a servant at fixed wages and a stipend, contrary to the example of Christ and of all the true messengers who have been sent by him. Not only is he not persecuted for the sake of the testimony of Jesus, but he himself persecutes the godly, pious hearts who have neither injured nor harmed him or anybody else. He persecutes them willfully by his instigation, advice and writings, contrary to the example of Christ and of all the chosen, as may, alas, be seen in his writings quoted here. Besides this, his doctrine is wrong and deceiving. He is a reviler, condemner, defamer and backbiter of the innocent who sincerely fear God and are zealous for his word, indeed, who would seal it with their blood, something which he does not do. This assertion is, alas, proven by his writing, in which, without just cause, he accuses and condemns the God-fearing, pious hearts before the whole world as apostates, Anabaptists, conspirators, contrabands, sowers of pernicious seed, excommunicated sects, servants and tools of the devil, and so makes them objects of suspicion, although they sincerely seek the Lord and daily sacrifice possessions and blood for the sake of his holy word.

Besides, he is a supporter and defender of the kingdom of antichrist, a falsifier of the Scriptures, an abuser of the sacraments, a strengthener of the impenitent, a liar and so on, as will be plainly shown, by the grace of God, each in its turn.

In the third place it should be observed for what purpose the true preachers are called; namely, that they should teach the word of the Lord; rightly use his sacraments; lead and rule in the church of God; gather together with Christ and not scatter; console the afflicted; admonish those not ordained; seek what is lost; bind up what is bruised; separate those who are incurable, without any respect of persons; and diligently watch over the vineyard, house and city of God, as the Scriptures teach, Matthew 28, verse 19; Matthew 12, verse 30; Mark 16, verse 15. [Note 1]

See, my reader, these are the real reasons why the Holy Spirit has ordained bishops, pastors and teachers in the house of the Lord, according to the precept of Paul, who says, “He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Ephesians 4, verses 11 to 13.

But for what purpose Gellius and all the preachers of the world are called may be gathered from their doctrine and work: namely, to preach to suit the magistracy and the world. Again, to sacrifice to the two golden calves of Dan and Bethel (understand what I mean); to keep the church of antichrist, without repentance and regeneration, in unity and peace of the flesh, on the perverted and crooked road of darkness and death, under the name and semblance of the word, contrary to the Spirit, doctrine and example of Christ; to console the willful, reckless world, which wishes to be called the church of Christ without regeneration and obedience, in its impenitent and ungodly nature, with the death, blood, baptism and Supper of the Lord; to oppose Christ Jesus and his word and Spirit violently, so that the world may live on unrebuked in its original state and unrighteousness; so that the preachers may continue in their improper gain and careless life; and so that the ignorant people, both rich and poor, may live on unreproved in the lusts of their flesh, in pomp, splendor, drinking and carousing, in avarice and hoarding; in short, may continue in the broad and easy way of the flesh.

This is made too manifest to be denied by deeds which speak for themselves. Yet their cause is artfully adorned with the Scriptures; they talk much; they boast loudly of the grace and favor of God; they use baptism and the Supper under the appearance of truth, as if they were the church of Jesus Christ; although in fact they are nothing but a selfish, refractory, impenitent, earthly and sensual people, as is obvious from their fruits. If I do not write the truth, reprove me.

It is clearer than daylight, then, that they are not called to uphold the church of Christ, which is of God and of a divine nature, with saving doctrines, Scriptural sacraments and an unblamable life, with earnest reproof without favor or respect of persons, and with faithful admonition and separation if necessary. Rather, under false pretenses of the name and church of Christ, they are servants of the world: they receive their reward from it, honor and love it, speak of it and please it, and it seeks them and loves to hear them, for they are of the world, as John says, First John 4, verse 5.

Therefore it is, in the third place, an indisputable proof that they, alas, are not called servants of the church of Christ, as they falsely pretend, but are the servants and supporters of the kingdom of antichrist, as may be learned unmistakably from their doctrine, walk and fruits if we examine them closely.

In the fourth place we should observe what kind of fruits they bring forth; for Christ says, “I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain,” John 15, verse 16. We confess with holy Isaiah, as Gellius also does, that the doctrine of the holy gospel, if preached in the power of the Spirit, according to the Spirit of Christ, cannot fail to bring forth fruit. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud,” so also is the word that goes forth out of the mouth of the Lord, Isaiah 55, verse 10.

But Gellius and we should consider well that the sowers must, by the power of true faith and the working of the Holy Spirit, be changed into the Spirit and nature of Christ, and must then teach or set before the people the pure, unadulterated seed, which is the word, without any abuse, leaven or hypocrisy; for where there are such sowers, there it will bud and bring forth. The word of the prophet which the mouth of the Lord has spoken is true and firm. But where there are not such sowers, there they rise up too early or start out too late; labor and pains will be in vain; for God does not work repentance except through those who are of his Spirit.

The word, then, does not remain fruitless where there is true preaching, as we have seen; and we see clearly that the seed of the preachers of the world brings forth no fruit to repentance, but only hypocrisy. Therefore it is an indisputable fact that they do not have the word of the Lord in power, but are artful workers and not true preachers; otherwise the word of the prophet must be false, which says, “If they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings,” Jeremiah 23, verse 22.

Preachers, then, are known by their fruits. Gellius and preachers like him have preached their doctrine and sacraments so many years to the whole world (which they may go on doing without fear, since they do not oppose the impenitent in their hypocrisy and unbridled life, but rather console and encourage them); and yet they do not convert one miser or usurer to liberality, and do not bring their disciples any further than a profession in name and appearance. They remain unchanged in their hearts, hate and oppose true righteousness, walk upon the broad way, and strive earnestly after the world, the flesh, money and possessions. The pompous remain pompous, the proud remain proud, and liars continue in their falsehood, as is manifest. Therefore this fruitless preaching of theirs, their vain doctrine and church service, fully prove that their calling is not of God and his word but of the son of the abyss, of antichrist and of the world, however much they adorn their cause and boast of it. The word of God is and will remain true, Isaiah 55, verse 11.

Gellius then refers us to his fruits and says, Is not the preaching of the truth and the light of the holy gospel, which we diligently preach and spread abroad both by teaching and by writing, a good fruit and a glorious testimony that our calling is of God and not of the devil; by which the kingdom of the devil is destroyed, and by which the papistical abominations, idolatry, masses, absolutions, vigils and so on have become a deadly stench?

Answer. If they did not mix the dross with the silver and water with the wine, that is, if they would preach the truth without falsehood and the light without darkness in the power of the Spirit, and would testify to it before the whole world by a pious and unblamable life, then we would agree with them that it is a glorious light and a noble fruit. But since they practice wrong and pervert truth into lies, the true apostolic baptism into the baptism of heretics, the church of Christ into pernicious sectarianism and conspiracy, and so on, and on the other hand pervert lies into truth, antichristian baptism into Christian baptism, and the reckless, wild world into the Lord’s church, and so on, we say that their doctrine is deceiving, offensive and wrong, and is not the true doctrine, as Gellius boasts and pretends.

Yes, my reader, they preach the word of the Lord in such a way that unrighteousness and abuse still remain in full sway. They teach the truth in such a way that in many respects false doctrine, lying and deceiving are not yet weakened or destroyed. They use and practice divine service in such a way that the high places are honored and idolatry is not avoided. They preach the Christian church in such a way that the church of antichrist remains in full power, as is openly manifest to the whole world both by their work and by their tyranny.

In short, it is manifest that they preach and spread abroad the gospel in such a way that no repentance follows, but everyone, alas, remains as he is; indeed, what is worse, the people are not only not regenerated but are growing more wicked every day. Neither praises, reasoning nor artful demonstrations will avail here, for their fruit testifies that their doctrine is faithless and false, as was said before, Jeremiah, chapter 23.

The serpent spoke the truth when he said, “God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as gods, knowing good and evil,” Genesis 3, verse 5. But what he promised before that was a lie, namely, “You will not surely die.” Adam and Eve were deceived by it. So also do those who teach the serpent’s word. By their unscriptural sacraments of impenitence they teach the impenitent, carnal people about the death of the Lord in such a way, and so console them by false promises in their reckless, Adamic nature and life (although they do sometimes speak the truth, as the serpent did, bring forward Scriptures, partly reprove sin and praise virtue), that nobody is to be found who truly feels sorry for his sins, who sincerely repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Jeremiah 8, verse 6. Behold, says the prophet, they practice falsehood and strengthen the wicked in such a way that no one repents of his wickedness.

That some of them have in this way weakened the papistical abominations, for this they and we give praise to the Lord. But what does it avail if they renounce the pope and then step into his place themselves? It is true that many branches of the tree of antichrist are cut off, but the roots and trunk still remain. And although they destroyed some high places, yet they walk in the ways of Jeroboam and have not come to Jerusalem for the purpose of truly worshiping.

Yes, kind reader, if the learned had firmly trusted the living God and faithfully held to his word; if they had not acted hypocritically with the world; and if they themselves had faithfully practiced in power and deeds, without fear of the cross and of the disfavor of the magistracy, what they have pointed out in some of their writings, O, what a noble and clear light would have shone on the world! Now, alas, through the fear of the cross, through hypocrisy, selfishness, the desire for ease, ambition and the favor of men, it has become such a pernicious darkness and destruction, and a broad way.

In the second place he says, Is the whole Bible, translated (into the German language) by the memorable Doctor Martinus, a despicable fruit? Are the songs or hymns composed by Luther and many others a contemptible fruit? And is not the constancy which exists in these times of peril and danger to body and possessions, as it did at the beginning of the gospel, a noble and genuine fruit of our calling? But such fruits are of no account in their sight, or else they will not see them, although they are the surest and best fruits, and so on. Only the fruits of the outward life and of dealings with men, although they are often mere hypocrisy, count in their sight.

Answer. The deceased translators, authors and composers we will leave undisturbed, for they have already found their Lord and Judge; but we will turn to the living, with whom we have to speak. His saying that writing, translating and composing are the surest and best fruits is, in my opinion, a very senseless assertion; for such things can be done through learning and skill in languages, without regeneration and change of heart, as he himself knows well. Yes, just as the Bible or the Scriptures are read by the greater part of the world with impure, carnal hearts, so they can undoubtedly also be translated from one language into another through knowledge and skill in languages, with a carnal, unregenerated and impious heart.

And just as hymns are generally sung carelessly in God’s houses or temples, and are sung light-mindedly here and there in the streets and in riotous taverns, so they can also be composed by a light-minded heart without spirit or regeneration. These, therefore, are not the surest and best fruits, as Gellius claims, for they do not remain. But whatever some in bygone times may have written in true zeal, which is Scripture or agrees with Scripture and is useful to the regeneration of the pious, we should reasonably praise and esteem.

However, the surest and best fruits are these: to preach the word of God in such power that many may be born of him and be led to fear and love him sincerely; to serve their neighbors heartily; to die to flesh and blood; to believe in Jesus Christ with all their heart and tremble at his word, so that they may do nothing contrary to it; to worship God truly and conform their whole life or walk to his Spirit, word and example. For such fruits remain.

I would say further: He boasts of the danger and constancy (as he calls it) of some of their number now, in these times of war, which he calls a time of trial, because (if we understand him rightly) they can no longer uphold and protect their cause by force of arms; and he considers it a noble fruit, although they have perhaps not been tried to the point of death, as we daily are. And therefore he so rashly condemns and profanes our cause, which, the Lord knows, we have maintained and will maintain in spite of sword or any other deadly weapon; something which cannot be truthfully refuted. We have patiently walked according to the example of Christ; we have sacrificed our possessions and blood, which might have been saved by a single hypocritical word; and at all times, for our unconquerable constancy, we suffer by fire, water and sword. Being defenseless, and without any resistance, “we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter,” Romans 8, verse 36.