Humble and Christian Justification: A Humble and Christian Defense, Part 2

In the seventh place, they slander us and say that we are vagabonds, sneak-thieves, deceivers, new monks and hypocrites; that we claim to be without sin; that we are heaven-stormers and work-saints, who want to be saved by our own merits and works; that we are an ungodly sect and conspirators, murderers of the souls of infants, Anabaptists, profaners of the sacraments, and possessed by the devil.

Answer. These and similar slanders Christ Jesus, together with the holy apostles, prophets and saints of the early church, had to hear many times, as was said in the preface. “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household?” “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.” Yet we trust that it is known to all honorable, pious and reasonable men that all these slanders are spoken against us by our opponents without any truth, out of mere hatred and envy, so that they may hinder and oppose the course of the word and afflict the innocent, Matthew 10, verses 25 and 24.

Reply to the charge, Vagabonds. Vagabonds are rogues, evil-minded and idle persons, and evildoers, who because of their crimes wander from place to place without a home. But we are poor, miserable pilgrims, and, according to the flesh, strangers, who, not because of any crime but for the testimony of Jesus Christ and our consciences, must flee with our wives and children before the tyrannical, bloody sword to save our lives. And so we have to earn our bread in foreign lands, in anxiety and tribulation, hearing many scornful and abusive words, we who, according to Scripture and reason, should be received in love, provided for and protected, and not be so unmercifully rejected and slandered as we are at present on every side, First Peter, chapter 1; First Corinthians, chapter 4; Exodus 22, verse 24; Isaiah 58, verse 6; Jeremiah 7, verse 5; Zechariah, chapter 7; Matthew, chapter 25; Romans, chapter 13; First Peter, chapter 4; Hebrews, chapter 13.

Reply to the charge, Sneak-thieves. Sneaks are thieves and murderers who secretly enter houses to take the property or lives of others; also perjurers, adulterers and fornicators who are intent on defiling the houses of their neighbors. For such wait for the darkness and say, “No eye shall see me; and disguises his face. In the dark they dig through houses,” Job 24, verses 15 and 16. But this is not the case with us. Yet it has gone so far, through the lying, upbraiding and cries of the learned, that, alas, one cannot say anything publicly about the word of the Lord, although it is the only bread by which our souls must live. And as we learn and understand from the Scriptures that Moses and all Israel ate the Passover at night, Exodus, chapter 12; that Christ admonished Nicodemus at night, John 3, verse 2; that the church assembled at night to pray, Acts 12, verse 12; that Paul taught the word of the Lord all night, Acts, chapter 20; and that the early church assembled at night to break the bread of the Lord, as the Scriptures mention, we therefore confess that it is permissible to preach the word of the Lord at night as well as in the daytime, to the praise of the Lord. And so we often assemble in the fear of God, without injury to anybody (the Lord knows), at night, in a Christian manner, to teach the word of the Lord and to admonish and reprove in all godliness; also to pray and to administer the sacraments in the manner the word of the Lord teaches us. [Note 1]

Reply to the charge, Deceivers. Deceivers are those who call impenitent, carnal persons Christians, and console them in their blindness, greed, pride, pomp, splendor, debauchery and idolatry with water, absolutions, bread, wine and ceremonies; who so shamefully adulterate the word and sacraments of God and lead poor, miserable souls into death for the sake of a meal of bread or a handful of barley. Of all this, before the Lord, we are innocent, by his grace. For we teach the word of the Lord unadulterated and with a good conscience, without respect of persons. We seek the salvation of every soul, and not their favor and gifts. We administer the Lord’s baptism and Supper according to the direction of his holy word. And although we are poor, weak and miserable, of evil, unclean flesh, and diseased sinners, yet in our weakness we would gladly act rightly, be pious, and live blamelessly before the world.

We seek and desire, by the grace and help of the Lord, according to our small talent, to restore what has fallen; to make right what is wrong; to seek what is lost; to humble the high-minded; to direct the hungry into the right pasture; to lead the thirsty to the true fountain and the blind in the right way; so that by this we may sow the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in many hearts, to the praise of our God, and proclaim his great and adorable name, Ezekiel, chapter 34; Second Corinthians, chapter 10.

Reply to the charge, New Monks. We would consider those to be new monks who formerly, with a show of zeal, set up churches, cloisters, human statutes and the easy, epicurean life, and who have abandoned these and in their place accepted a more lustful, pompous and carnal life, without change of heart, and have remained in their sins; and who from the beginning have placed the firmness of their faith, hope and salvation on human choice, opinion and flattery. It is the manner and custom of monks to follow human statutes, commands and institutions, and not the word of God. They have their abbots, priors and pursers or procurators, and are called after their founders and masters Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Bernardinians and Jacobins.

Not so with us. We trust, by the grace and mercy of the Lord, that we are children of God and disciples of Christ. We know of no other Abbot than him on whom all true Christians call in spirit and truth, saying, “Abba, Father,” Romans 8, verse 15; Galatians 4, verse 6. Our head or Prior is Christ Jesus, Colossians, chapter 1; Ephesians, chapter 1.

Our procurator or purser, who distributes his gifts to everyone, is the Holy Spirit, First Corinthians 12, verse 11.

Our profession is the sincere, frank and fearless confession of faith, Matthew, chapter 10; Romans 10, verses 9 and 10.

Our statutes and laws are the express commandments of the Lord, Matthew 19, verse 17.

Our cap and cloak are the garments of righteousness, with which we would gladly clothe ourselves, Matthew 22, verse 11.

Our cloisters are the assembly of the saints, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Hebrews 12, verse 22; Revelation 21, verse 2.

Our easy monk’s life and pleasure are the daily expectation of prison and fetters, fire and water; to be exiled with our wives and children; to suffer hunger, tribulation, anxiety and pain for the testimony of Jesus.

See, kind reader, this is the monkhood which we confess and practice, and no other. By the grace and power of the Lord we also hope to remain in it unchangeably all our lives. O indiscreet slanderers and blasphemers! John 4, verse 23.

Reply to the charge, Hypocrites. According to the Scriptures, hypocrites are those who put on a holy appearance before the outward world by words and gestures, such as the scribes and Pharisees, Matthew, chapter 23, and who are inwardly full of all unrighteousness, greed, hatred and deceit, as our opponents are. They pretend to be Christians, talk much about the word of the Lord, boast much of the gospel and Christianity, and claim that they practice the true doctrine of Christ and that they are his holy church; while at the same time they adulterate the word of God, call the wholesome administering of the sacraments heresy, hate all the pious, and openly practice the works of the flesh, as may be seen. We will leave it to all intelligent persons to judge whether such are not the companions and fellows of the scribes and Pharisees.

The reason why we are accused as hypocrites, and why it is falsely said of us that we claim to be without sin, is that we teach repentance according to the Scripture; that we testify with holy Paul that perjurers, adulterers, idolaters, drunkards, the greedy, liars and the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, First Corinthians 6, verse 10; Galatians 5, verse 21; Ephesians 5, verse 5; that those who are carnally minded shall die, Romans 8, verse 13; and with John, that those who sin (that is, willfully) are of the devil, First John 3, verse 8; and that we therefore, in our weakness, abhor such works. And yet with Moses we have often confessed, by word of mouth and in writing, as we always will confess, that no one is clear before God, because of the inborn nature, Genesis 6, verse 5; Genesis 8, verse 21; with Isaiah, that we are all as the unclean; with David, that no living man is righteous before God, Psalm 14, verse 3; with Paul, that nothing good dwells in our flesh, Romans 7, verse 18; with John, that if we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, First John 1, verse 8; and with James, that in many things we all offend, James 3, verse 2.

See, kind reader, this is why the preachers call us hypocrites who claim to be without sin. Such abominable lies are told by those who pretend to preach the word of God!

Reply to the charge, Heaven-stormers. Further, because we teach from the mouth of the Lord that if we would enter into life we must keep the commandments, Matthew 19, verse 17; Mark 10, verse 19; John 15, verse 10; that in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but the keeping of the commandments of God, First Corinthians 7, verse 19; and that the love of God is that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous, First John 5, verse 3; therefore the preachers call us heaven-stormers and work-saints, and say that we want to be saved by our own merits. And yet we have always confessed, and by the grace of God always will, that we cannot be saved by means of anything in heaven or on earth other than by the merits, intercession, death and blood of Christ, as has been amply shown above, John 14, verse 3; Acts 4, verse 12; Philippians 2, verse 10.

See, in this way the best has been turned into the very worst by these perverse people, and they do not observe that the whole Scripture condemns to death all licentious, obstinate despisers and transgressors of the commandments of God, who plainly prove by their deeds that they do not confess the saving grace of God and do not believe in Christ Jesus, and who, according to Scripture, remain in damnation, wrath and death, John 3, verse 36. For whoever acts unrighteously shows by his works whose disciple he is.

Reply to the bitter slander, Ungodly Sects and Conspirators. As regards the bitter, envious slander and charge that we are a perverse, ungodly sect and conspirators, we answer: If we were allowed an impartial hearing with our opponents before a tribunal of persons who understand the word of God, we would soon be cleared of the infamous charge, and they would be found guilty. For what kind of conspirators they are, this Scripture testifies: “There is a conspiracy (note: conspiracy) of her prophets in the midst of her, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst of her,” Ezekiel 22, verse 25.

Anyone may find a place in their sect who will only keep their ceremonies and acknowledge them to be the true preachers and messengers, no matter what kind of life he leads, if he only steers clear of falling into the hands of the executioner. No drunkard, no greedy or pompous person, no defiler of women, no cheat or liar, no thief, robber or shedder of blood (that is, by going to war), no curser or swearer is so great and ungodly that he is not called a Christian. If he only says, I am sorry, it is all ascribed to his weakness and he is admitted to their Supper; for, they say, he is saved by grace and not by merits. He remains a member of their church, although in all his doings he remains an unrepentant, obstinate and ungodly heathen, today as yesterday, and tomorrow as today; although the Scripture so plainly testifies that such shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Romans 1, verse 32; First Corinthians 6, verse 10; for they are of the devil, John 8, verse 44; First John 2, verse 11.

O preachers, preachers! Learn once and for all to know your own sect and conspirators, we pray you for Christ’s sake. You boast that you are the true Christian church, but we fear you are a new Sodom, Egypt and Babylon. Oh! oh!! For many years we drank from the same cup with you and walked in the same spirit; we received one chrism and anointing with you, we know very well. But we have received mercy, and have spat out the abomination we had drunk in, and have willingly entered into the lovely communion of his saints, into the house, kingdom and body of Christ, who hate all ungodliness and sinfulness, and with all their strength strive after and desire righteousness and godliness. Although they are called an ungodly sect and conspirators by you and all the world, yet they are peaceable and joyful in spirit, and are assured in their consciences that the truth is on their side, and that they are not an ungodly sect and conspirators, but God’s own peculiar people, church and body, First Corinthians 12, verse 13; Ephesians 1, verse 5; Colossians 1, verse 18; First Peter 2, verse 10. O Lord, how lamentably your little flock is always slandered! Romans 12, verse 4; Ephesians 1, verse 23; Ephesians 5, verse 27.

Reply to the slander and false charge, Murderers of the souls of Infants. In the same way we must often hear from these poor, blind people, who seek the salvation of their children in the baptism of their preachers, that we murder the souls of our infants. This is because we believe the word of the Lord, that the kingdom is promised to them by grace, by the election of God our heavenly Father, through the merits of Jesus Christ, as he says, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 19, verse 14; Mark 10, verse 14; Luke 18, verse 16; and because we therefore do not allow them to be baptized with the baptism of antichrist. For not the baptism of antichrist but the promise of Jesus Christ assures us of the salvation of our little children if they die and depart from here. But if the good Father lets them grow up and grants them his grace, then we would bring them up in the instruction and fear of the Lord as much as we are able. When they can understand God’s word and believe it, the Scripture directs that they be baptized, Matthew 28, verse 19; Mark 16, verse 16. But those who practice such manifest hypocrisy and antichristian works drive the devil out of innocent vessels which are cleansed with the blood of the Lord; they conjure, salt, anoint and consecrate them, and baptize them on the faith of others, while in all the Scriptures they do not find a single commandment to practice such flummery and mockery.

The parents console themselves with the thought that their children are now Christians; and so from the cradle on they are raised in all manner of blindness, pomp, splendor and idolatry, without the fear of God, so that when they come to the age of understanding they have no knowledge of the word of God, and all their lives, trusting in infant baptism, they walk a crooked and dark way, without confession, faith and new birth, without Spirit, word and Christ. What such people do to the souls of their little children I will leave to their own consideration and to the sentence of the word of the Lord.

Reply to the base charge of being Anabaptists. We must also be called Anabaptists by the learned, because we baptize on the confession of faith, as Christ commanded his disciples to do, and as the holy apostles taught and practiced, as did also the worthy martyr Cyprian with all the African bishops; and besides, because we, with the Nicene Council, cannot accept the heretical baptism which is of antichrist as Christian baptism; and because we are also informed by the Scriptures that Saint Paul rebaptized some of those who were baptized with the baptism of John, which was from heaven, because they did not acknowledge the Holy Spirit, Acts 19, verse 3. We baptize only according to the command of Christ and according to the teaching and practice of the holy apostles, and do no more in this matter than Cyprian did, together with the councils of Carthage and Nice (although we acknowledge that we do not believe all their doctrine). We rebaptize those who are not baptized with a divine baptism (as those were who were baptized by John), but with the baptism of antichrist, and who at the time of their baptism had no knowledge of divine matters, as both nature and the Scriptures teach, since they were still unconscious infants. And since for this reason we are called Anabaptists by the learned, then indeed Christ and his apostles, Cyprian and his bishops, the Nicene Council, and the holy apostle Paul must also have been Anabaptists. This cannot be denied.

Reply to the blind charge that we are profaners of the Sacraments. Again, some of the learned also call us profaners of the sacraments, because we do not believe that the bread and wine of their Supper are the actual, real flesh and blood of the Lord; or, as some have it, because we do not believe that through the wine and bread we actually partake of the flesh and blood of the Lord. And yet we reverently administer the Supper to the penitent (as far as man can judge) as a figurative or sacramental sign, with fear and trembling, and also with thanksgiving and joy, according to the Scripture and according to the practice of the fathers, such as Gregory, Augustin, Chrisostom, Tertullian, Tyrill, Eusebius and so on; and in our weakness we diligently strive rightly to commemorate and fulfill the holy, glorious mystery: the Lord’s death, love and peace, the unity of his church, and the communion of his holy flesh and blood, which are symbolized to all true Christians by this sign of bread and wine. The poor slanderers do not observe how fearfully they profane the sacraments of the Lord, if we may call what they administer sacraments. Although they believe that they distribute the actual flesh and blood of the Lord, they still esteem it so lightly that they distribute it to known drunkards, the greedy, liars, the impenitent and so on, as if the Lord’s Supper were to be partaken of by the penitent and impenitent alike. Whether this is not profaning the sacraments you may judge according to the Scriptures.

Reply to the Pharisaic charge that we are possessed by the devil. We consider those to be of the devil who speak his words, who teach falsehood instead of truth, Genesis 3, verse 4, steal the glory from God and miserably deceive souls. But we trust, by the grace of the Lord (eternal glory be to God), that we hate the word of the devil from our inmost hearts, and that we greatly desire the words of eternal truth and the fruits of the Spirit, according to the talent received; which is a clear proof that we are not of the spirit of the devil, but of the Lord. For if we were of the devil, as we are charged, we would walk on a broader road and be befriended by the world, and would not so resignedly offer our property and blood for the cause of the word of the Lord. Yet it is only right that the disciple not be above the master. The Father of the house himself had to hear that he was of the devil, John 10, verse 20; John 8, verse 48. The Pharisees and scribes must show their nature and spirit. For when they cannot stand with their foolish wisdom before the power and truth of the Lord (for the spirit of Belial must always give way to the Spirit of the Lord), they break out in madness, heap falsehood on falsehood, upbraid and lie with all their might, and ascribe it to the devil, although their consciences testify that it is the Spirit of the Lord. By what kind of spirit such people are driven, their words and works sufficiently testify.

See, kind reader, here you have our reply to the principal slanderous charges with which we are greeted by our backbiters, opponents and persecutors. Their writings are filled with such slander, and their mouths overflow with it. We are painted in such colors (the Lord forgive them) that we will quite likely be considered a perverse, ungodly people by the great mass who walk on the broad way, as long as the world stands. O perverse nature! “O generation of vipers (says Christ), how can you, being evil, speak good things?” Matthew 12, verse 34. I fear that they are members of the awful beast which rose out of the sea, which was like a leopard, whose feet were as the feet of a bear and whose mouth as the mouth of a lion; and which opened his mouth to blaspheme the name of God and his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven, Revelation 13, verses 2 and 6. For what is there that is holy and right according to the Scripture which they do not trample with their feet and blaspheme with their mouths as an ungodly, accursed abomination? O dear Lord, save all your beloved children from this lying, deceiving generation forever!

Eighthly and lastly, they say, Well, if the truth is on their side, let them come out in public.

Answer. We would faithfully urge the reader to consider well from what motive and with what intention they say so. For most of them say it out of mere envy and bloodthirstiness, we are sure, thinking that if we did so it would soon be brought to an end. Others perhaps say it out of simpleness and ignorance, thinking that we cannot defend our course by virtue of the Scripture, since Christ and his apostles, as also the prophets, generally preached in public before the people, and were also sent for that purpose. To those who say it out of bloodthirstiness we would say that they, with the Pharisees and scribes, have burdened themselves with the blood of the innocent, and are counted as murderers, Matthew 23, verse 34; John 10, verse 16; Luke 11, verse 49.

But to those who say it out of ignorance (if there are such, as we hope there may be), we would say in all love that they should diligently search all the Scriptures, to see if they will find any passages showing that the apostles and prophets went out publicly to preach when they were sure beforehand that it would cost them their lives, as we know would be the case if we went out publicly. No, no. If I remember rightly, they always avoided the places and cities which they were sure would seek their lives; or else they kept themselves hidden, as did Baruch and Jeremiah when king Joachim had commanded that they should be taken, Jeremiah 36, verse 19.

They have all feared death and fled from it, however much they were gifted with the Spirit of the Lord. “Moses cried to the Lord, saying, What shall I do with this people? they are almost ready to stone me,” Exodus 17, verse 4.

Jeremiah says, “O my lord the king, let my supplication, I pray you, be accepted before you; that you cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there,” Jeremiah 37, verse 20.

David fled before Saul from one mountain to another, and from one wilderness to another.

Urijah of Kirjath-jearim, a prophet of the Lord, fled from the sword of the king of Judah into the land of Egypt, Jeremiah 26, verses 20 and 21.

Elijah, the spiritual man of God, fled to the wilderness before the threats of Jezebel, First Kings 19, verse 3. From fear of those of Nineveh, Jonah wanted to flee to Tarshish, Jonah, chapter 1.

When Paul knew that they were lying in wait for him, he was let down by the wall in a basket by night, Acts 9, verses 24 and 25.

See, kind reader, in this way the exalted men of God have feared and avoided death, and did not, as a rule, go where they feared violence until they were urged to do so by an oracle or by a revelation from angels.

So also Elijah appeared before king Ahab after the long drought and famine, First Kings, chapter 17. So the apostles spoke the word of the Lord freely in the temple after they had been led out of prison by an angel, Acts 5, verse 19; Acts 12, verse 7; Acts, chapter 26; Acts, chapter 20.

So Paul preached at Corinth a year and a half after the Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not your peace: for I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you: for I have many people in this city,” Acts 18, verses 9 and 10, and other similar Scriptures. We are aware, beloved reader, that God has the power to save his own, if it is his will. For he struck the Syrians with blindness when they wanted to take Elisha. He sent Jonas through the turbulent waves, in a whale, to Nineveh. He took from the fire its power, and shut the lions’ mouths. He delivered the apostles with the help of angels. He is the Lord who lives unchangeable in his power and glory, Second Kings 6, verse 18; Jonah 1, verse 17; Daniel 3, verse 27; Daniel 6, verse 22; Acts 12, verse 11.

But these are particular miracles of God which are not shown to everyone; no Scriptures direct us to go where we know for certain that we shall die or be imprisoned for life, but we are admonished in plain words to flee from the tyrants; and the faithful men and servants of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, have done the same, as was said. Therefore we say simply (and with a good conscience) that we will not now, nor at any future time, go out publicly, unless it is proven to us by Scripture in sincerity of heart (which we know is impossible) that we should do so, before we are driven, as the apostles and prophets were, by the power of the Lord, whether by a revelation from angels or by the urging of the Holy Spirit, as was heard. But in such a case we are at all times prepared to do the will of the Lord, and publicly to teach his holy word and administer his sacraments at the peril of our lives, Matthew 10, verse 23; Jeremiah 1, verse 7; Matthew 2, verse 13; Matthew 4, verse 12.

It is also well known to the honorable reader, and to all who are acquainted with us, that we are called rebels and mutineers everywhere by the learned, although we are always quiet and deal justly with all people. And if we were now to teach the word of the Lord publicly, in the face of the upbraidings of the learned, the mandates of the rulers and the mad cries of the populace, some of them would cry, Rebels! rebels!! although we are, thank the Lord, clear of all rebellion and bloodshed, as has been heard.

Others would say, and not unjustly, that we had killed ourselves by unlimited zeal, since we were well aware of what had been resolved against us in places, and yet in the face of it we taught our doctrine publicly.

We further ask the reasonable reader to take into consideration that a true teacher who preaches the word of the Lord blamelessly cannot at the present time dwell safely in any kingdom, country or city under heaven, as far as we know, if he is known. If he is not allowed to dwell safely, how can he safely preach and teach?

Besides, we plainly see that the innocent sheep must suffer and be led to the slaughter even though they are not teachers. Should the teachers, then, who are blamed for everything, and who with Christ are hated above all evildoers, still go out before the public in these mad, fearful times of all evil and tyranny? It would be foolishness; for neither common sense nor the Scriptures teach us to do so.

And although we do not teach at public meetings where all classes assemble, yet the truth is not kept silent, but is preached here and there, both by day and by night, in cities and in the country, by word of mouth and in writing, at the peril of life. This is testified by judges, tormentors, prisons, fetters, water, fire, sword and stake.

Flanders, Brabant, Holland, Gelderland and so on must also confess at the last judgment that the word was preached to them; for they have shed innocent blood like water because the word was preached. It is so preached in these countries that we may well say with holy Paul, “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to those who are lost; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe,” Second Corinthians 4, verses 3 and 4.

Besides, about the year 1545 or 1546, I asked the preachers of Bon for a public meeting and discussion, under bishop Herman of Cologne, on condition of safe conduct.

I have also twice asked this in writing of those of Emden, and once of those of Wesel, on the same condition.

But although those of Bon, and also those of Wesel, had offered this to some of the brothers, still, when they found that I was willing to do so, it was refused under a false pretense of necessity by those of Bon, as also by those of Emden.

Those of Wesel wished that the devil might deal with me.

Again, for many years I have also offered to discuss with them in print; but it was not accepted.

See, kind reader, in this way we have from the beginning of our service been prepared and ready to give an account of our faith to every person who desired it in good faith, no matter whether he was ruler or citizen, learned or unlearned, rich or poor, man or woman. And today we are ready to do so as far as possible; we are not ashamed of the gospel of the glory of Christ. If anyone desires to hear from us, we are prepared to teach; if anyone desires to know our foundation, we sincerely desire to explain it clearly, if our writings are not enough. If anyone desires to discuss the matter of our faith with us, no matter who he is (except those who have renounced us after scriptural admonition was exhausted in their case), in sincerity of heart, without philosophy, flattery and garbling, and according to the unadulterated evangelical doctrine and truth, the commandments, prohibitions, usage, Spirit and example of Christ and of his disciples, and without any trickery, deceit or roguery, as Hilarius and Augustin and others did in their time with some who were suspected in their doctrine; we will not, by the grace of the Lord, refuse to do so, if we possibly can, before a public meeting or before twenty or more impartial, reasonable witnesses. For our most ardent desire is that the truth may be made manifest. But the bloody murder of antichrist must be left out; for it is devilish and unbecoming in a Christian, Revelation 17, verse 18; John 8, verse 44.

Our adversaries and opponents make our life and doctrine suspect with many by saying that if the truth is on our side we should come out in public (although they say so out of mere vindictiveness, for they know very well that we cannot do so, since there are tyrants and bloodshedders everywhere, as may be seen). Therefore we give them this discreet answer.

Further, I would say: if the truth is on the side of our opponents and not with us, as they claim; and since they can go freely before the whole world (that is, each sect in its own way) to preach their doctrine, faith and life; and since we have to be subjected daily to suffering and torture; they should therefore show enough reason and love toward us poor creatures to obtain liberty for us from the magistracy, whom they, by their crying and slander against us, have caused to be so bitterly opposed to us (something which does not become reasonable men, not to say Christians). Then we may, in their presence, before a public assembly or before twenty or more impartial, reasonable witnesses, as was said before, have our foundation, doctrine and faith heard and explained according to the sure and true testimony of the Holy Scriptures. If they then have anything to bring against our foundation, doctrine and faith, let them do so in the name of the Lord. Truth shall bear the crown. If not, let them lay their hands on their mouths and keep silent, and never again blaspheme what is right and just.

Kind reader, if this could be accomplished, many hard words would be saved; many miserable souls who are now kept by them in such accursed blindness would be delivered from the snares of hell; and the noble, glorious truth, now so greatly hated and despised by the world, would be made manifest in splendor and beauty. But so much discretion has not been found up to the present time.

We are not allowed a public discussion in a Christian manner, as we have anxiously asked of them at different times, and the ignorant and unversed still cry, If they are right, why do they not come out publicly? Therefore we will leave it to the consideration and judgment of the intelligent reader from what motives they cry this, what kind of faith, love, gospel and truth they have, and by what kind of spirit they are driven. For whoever has the truth will never come to shame; for truth is great, stronger than wine, kings and women.

Here, dear reader, you have our defense and discreet reply to the bitter, envious falsehoods and slanders of those who envy us; by it we will live or die, and appear before our God on the judgment day, though perhaps I shall not be thanked for it by many. Yet they, on every side, by such inhuman falsehoods and slanders, rob us of our honor and reputation; they so lamentably adulterate and suppress the precious, worthy word of our Lord Jesus Christ; they maintain and uphold all the earth in its impenitent, ungodly state, and cause so much misery to many a pious child. Therefore we have written this in this emergency as a reasonable defense and Christian reply on behalf of all pious and God-fearing persons, so that by it all intelligent and reasonable readers who cannot hear our spoken defense may rightly judge between us and our opponents, may see the innocence of us all, and may learn to confess the poor, despised truth which is so lamentably stolen from them by their preachers. And with this we would place in the hands of the Lord this and all the other shameful charges and accusations which are so enviously published against us, and leave them to his last judgment.

They may prove the nature of their father and fill up the measure of their bloodthirstiness, for they will not do otherwise. We trust, by the grace of the Lord, to possess our souls in patience, and not to turn our faces from the spies until the coming of him who shall come. Then they shall see him whom they have pierced, Revelation, chapter 1. And with this I sincerely pray the readers and hearers, whether their station is high or low, learned or unlearned, for Christ’s sake to accept this my labor in love and to interpret it rightly. For I have done it for no other purpose than the praise of my God and the service of all well-disposed persons; and with the intention that the rulers (I mean those who are reasonably minded and would not willfully act against the will of God) may be warned against protecting this ungodly state of affairs and against heaping innocent blood on themselves; that the preachers who err unknowingly may no longer serve and protect the kingdom of hell by their falsehood, slander, upbraiding, ungodly doctrine, sacraments and lives; and that the common people may place their trust in the word of the Lord, seek the right way, fear the Lord, die to their sins and reform their sinful life.

Heartily beloved reader, do not be repelled if it should taste bitter to your flesh. See, in Christ it is the truth to which we have testified here; nor will any other foundation, doctrine, way, light and truth ever be found.

Therefore I desire that it be kept hidden from no reasonable person, but that it may be read by or to everyone, no matter who or where they are, if it might be of use to them and they are not intent on the ruin or blood of anyone; so that by it the saving truth of Jesus Christ may be spread and the accursed falsehood of antichrist destroyed.

May the Almighty, eternal Father, the Creator of all things, the God of heaven and of earth, grant all my hearers and readers the heavenly gift and power of his Holy Spirit, so that they may hear and read this my humble treatise in the true fear of God, and with pure, impartial hearts may wisely examine it, well understand it, accept it with true faith, and humbly fulfill it in willing obedience, to the praise of their God and the salvation of their souls, through his beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. To him be the honor, praise, kingdom, power and glory forever and ever. Amen.

“Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight,” Proverbs 12, verse 22; Proverbs 6, verse 17.

“Do not devise a lie against your brother; neither do the like to your friend. Do not be in the habit of making any manner of lie: for the custom of it is not good,” Ecclesiasticus 7, verses 12 and 13. [Note 2]

MENNO SIMON.