Brief and Clear Confession: An Admonishing Confession and Clear Demonstration

Again, those teachers did not go about offering their services, as these do, but they were called by God, as were Aaron, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah, Paul and others. Others, born of the blameless church of Christ, were chosen by lot, as was Matthias, Acts 1, verse 26. Being called, they were constrained by the Spirit to teach, to admonish, to console, to reprove, and to serve and protect their poor brothers and sisters according to God’s holy word with all their strength. Since they were called in this way, and felt an urging spirit in them and were moved by love, as was said above, they fittingly filled their office with all care and diligence, watching night and day for the eternal salvation of their sheep, working diligently in the vineyard of the Lord, ruling the people of God with the rod of the Lord; they did not doubt and made use of no flattery, but in a good conscience they reproved the great as well as the small, the rich as well as the poor, the learned as well as those who were not learned; the word was proclaimed in their church wholesome and unadulterated, at all times and in all places, as was said above, according to the measure of faith and Spirit which God by his grace had given to every one of them. Most beloved, do not excuse yourselves on the ground that not all who boasted of being teachers of the church of Christ, even in the time of Paul, were sincere, pious and urged by love, as appears from Philippians 1, verse 15; Philippians 2, verse 21; Philippians 3, verse 2. Truly, I say to you, they boasted of being such, but in truth, before God, they were not. For it is not hidden from you what kind of fruits they produced and how Paul regarded them. For you are aware that it is not the intention and will of God, nor ever shall be, that his holy word should be proclaimed to the erring world for salvation by drunkards, whoremongers, the avaricious, idolaters, despisers of the Scripture, gluttons, the proud, thieves, the bloodthirsty, vain talkers, enemies of the cross of Christ, by those whose belly is their God, by those who are already condemned by the word of God, or by the carnal or earthly-minded. But only by truly regenerated Christian, blameless men who sincerely seek God from their inmost souls, urged by the Holy Spirit and constrained by love, as Christ said three times to Peter, “Do you love me? Yes, Lord (answered Peter); you know all things and know that I love you. Jesus says to him, Feed my lambs,” John 21, verse 15.

O most beloved, take heed what spirit urges you, what love constrains you, what church calls you and what things you seek. Follow the good and not the evil. I tell you in Christ Jesus that my soul is troubled for your sakes. I pray you, beloved brothers, receive it willingly. I must speak my mind frankly; for as far as I can deduce and understand from my past actions and from your evident fruits, you are all, none of your teachers excepted, urged by your flesh and belly, and are therefore all hirelings and not shepherds, John 10, verse 12. Or at best you are such shepherds as seek the wool, milk and flesh and do not care for the Lord’s sheep. For wherever the fattest are, there are also the best sheep. O brothers, consider what the Lord’s prophets have so often threatened against such. Indeed, how many are found among you who, for the sake of an earthen house, or for ten guilders, move from one place to another, as if they were not all bought equally dear at one price? I fear that you would all do it.

O brothers, if you confess this to be true, then judge for yourselves what it is you are seeking; and if you will not confess it in words, superbia sive pertinacia impediente, it still cannot be denied by the intelligent. God has been mocked long enough. Brothers, be converted! [Note 1]

As the teachers serve their bellies — avaricious, desirous of shameful gain, earthly-minded, as Paul says, not to say proud, lazy, vain, drunken, spiteful and envious — so too are all those minded who are taught and begotten by them, as may be plainly seen, since both teacher and church live and walk so shamefully that all heaven must be ashamed and astounded at it. For their avarice, unchastity, pride, pomp, greed, drunkenness, hatred, envy, fornication, adultery, bloodthirstiness, usury, fraud, vanity and all manner of shame have no limits or bounds. Moreover, we find open fencing schools, gambling houses, houses of ill fame and drinking houses. For as the teachers are, so are their doctrine, sacraments and church, as the saying is, Qualis Papa, tale Evangelium et omnia. Truly, I say — believe it if you choose — Christ does not send such avaricious, selfish and carnal teachers, nor does he acknowledge such a self-conceited, carnal and blameworthy church. But those who are sent by Christ Jesus have his Spirit and crucify the lusts and desires of their flesh, so that in preaching to others they may not be found shameful; they seek only the praise of God and the salvation of their beloved brothers, refuse all shameful gain, presents and gifts so long as they have the means to support themselves, honor no one for the sake of gain, live blamelessly, teach the word wholesomely and use the sacraments according to the commandments of the Lord, exclude all degenerate sisters and brothers, again proclaim grace to those who are converted, and keep constant vigilance and care over those of the Lord’s church whose care is entrusted to them. [Note 2]

Since you are not such as the Scriptures require you to be, but are still opposed to the true doctrine and also blameworthy in life, as is apparent, I admonish you in all earnestness and brotherly love to become sincere Christians first, before you undertake to impress and teach Christ to others. Let us examine ourselves, that we may learn to know our own ailments, and knowing them, die to them. For before God neither smooth words nor appearances will avail. Brothers, I must tell you the plain truth, which may be galling and bitter to you: with your teachers there is found neither Spirit nor power, nor trust in Christ, nor fear of God, nor love of the brothers, but only a vain calling of words for the sake of a stipulated salary, without any show of Christian fruits. Therefore all your calling is nothing but sowing on the shore to reap the wind; for the pure word of God and the teaching of the Holy Spirit cannot be pointed out and taught by servants who are unclean and carnal. All intelligent persons must doubtless agree to this.

Since, then, I say, you are blameworthy both in doctrine and in life; since your doctrine, such as it is, is hired for a salary and is without spiritual fruit; since no blameless church is begotten by you; and since the signs of the Word are abused by you — it is apparent that you are not the true messengers of God, but run your own course, urged by the flesh and not by the Spirit; not sincerely seeking the salvation of the church, but rather the temporal profits and rents, and that with such rapacity that you are not ashamed to receive them as the reward and price of your preaching — profits and rents which in ancient times were taken from the true and lawful heirs by feigned words and fraudulent dealing, as Peter says, indeed by nothing but theft and sly robbery.

Thus you sell, first, the precious, free word of God, which by grace was given us by God without price. And secondly, it is paid for with what was stolen. More lies hidden here than I will disclose. Qui de furto vivit et rapina, non dubium est quin fur est et raptor. Do look at the matter in a Christian light. See, feel and taste your manifest error, unworthiness and plain avarice. I speak here of all your preachers, for they all enjoy such gain. Your teachings, benefices, pensions and rents are such an abomination in my eyes that, brothers, truly I would rather be beheaded, burned, drowned or torn into quarters by four horses than receive such benefices, pensions or rents on account of my preaching. Indeed, when the giving of salaries to preachers was established, a very fearful, corrupting pestilence surely crept into the church of Christ, which has corrupted it so that, alas, there are scarcely any left who have kept the breath of Christ in them. You must all agree to this. What other reason is there than this, that the preachers have sought the temporal gain of their own bellies more than the eternal gain of the souls of Christ? Since you freely accept and enjoy the shameful gain mentioned before, and what is still worse, since you diligently seek and desire it, how can you defend yourselves and say that you are not greedy of filthy lucre, First Timothy 3, verse 3, and that you do not honor persons for filthy lucre’s sake? O brothers, I wish you would awaken to consider the matter, and that you were all of one mind with us in it; for it would doubtless be profitable both to the praise and truth of God and to your poor souls if we dispensed without pay the precious word of God, the word of eternal salvation and heavenly grace, which can be merited by no works nor repaid with money. As we received it of God by grace only, without price, so we would dispense it again without pay, and teach it to hungering consciences out of brotherly love alone; and God surely would not forsake us, but would care for us and protect us as a father in every emergency. But it cannot be so with you, because you are without faith and love. [Note 3]

Since you are all buried to your ears in filthy lucre; earthly and carnally minded in all things; not yet dead to the flesh by the power of regeneration; have not yet received Christ Jesus in all his words, and on that account are not yet wholesome in doctrine and do not conform the ministration of the signs to the word of God; are blameworthy in doctrine, as is plain; and since there is found with you no power, no fruit of the Spirit, no true fear of God and no brotherly love, but rather heresy, upbraiding, blasphemy and profaning of the teachings and lives of the pious saints and children of God, who for the testimony of their consciences, confirmed by the word of God, have fled from their country and kindred, and for the sake of that testimony are prepared for water, fire and sword if God so wills; and besides, since your doctrine is quite powerless and fruitless, and the church which you beget is quite earthy, carnal and contrary to the testimony and fruits of the holy word of the Lord — therefore we repeat that you are not the true messengers of Jesus Christ. Do not be angry with me, most beloved.

It is for the reasons mentioned before that we will not hear or attend your preaching, nor partake of your supper. For we shall never desire to enter your church and become one body with you until you sincerely repent and embrace a free, Christian doctrine, not hired nor sold, but urged solely by the Holy Spirit through brotherly love; a true use of the sacramental signs according to the command, doctrine and usage of Christ and his apostles; and a blameless life and walk, led in the love and fear of the Lord. If we did so before these are found with you, we are sure that we would sin against God and his holy word — from which may the kind, merciful Father save us. For before God it is not fitting for us to commit ourselves to such doctrine, admonition and church as, first, err in doctrine, and secondly, do not in the least show by their lives that they are the truly regenerated children of God or the true church of Jesus Christ. But, most beloved, since you do not have the blameless doctrine and walk of Jesus Christ, it is your duty to renounce your doctrine and life and voluntarily bid farewell to all the lusts of the flesh, to seek the kingdom of God in sincerity of heart, and to enter with us into all obedience to our beloved Lord Jesus Christ with all your strength, if you do not desire to err willfully, so that together we may become the holy, Christian and blameless church: godly, holy, clean, obedient to God, serving all mankind, powerful in truth, shining forth in righteousness, dead to sin, living by the Spirit, indeed in all things Christian, heavenly and blameless in Christ Jesus.

Do receive my admonishing confession in good faith, and do not take it as going too far — such words, namely, as clean, blameless and the like. For they are spoken by Christ Jesus himself and by his holy apostles to the church of the Lord, John 13, verse 10; Philippians 2, verse 15. Do not understand it, most beloved, as though we thought ourselves so clean and blameless as to be without sin. Not at all, dear brothers; for I know full well that holy John teaches, saying, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,” First John 1, verse 8. Again, James says, In multis enim labimur omnes. “In many things we offend all,” James 3, verse 2. Indeed, beloved brothers, with Paul I find the inclination to commit sin so strong in my flesh at all times that I often think recklessly, speak inconsiderately, and “the evil which I would not, that I do,” Romans 7, verses 8 and 19.

But the abominable, shameful sins and offenses, such as adultery, fornication, hatred, envy, drunkenness, pomp, splendor, cursing, swearing, gambling, desire of filthy lucre, abuse of the ordinances of Christ, and fraud, I truly detest from the inmost of my heart; and by the grace of the Lord they should never be practiced by any sincere, God-fearing Christians, since they hate and oppose them; for the spirit which is in them is a deadly enemy of all ungodliness, wickedness and sin (meanwhile we often find that we are born of Adam). Besides, their spirit strives and hungers after the truth, righteousness, will and commandments of God, yet in great weakness; for they are greatly held back in the works, fruits and fulfillment by the heavy burden of the sinful flesh. Nevertheless, because the good Spirit of God abides in them, they do not cease to fight their sluggish flesh. For the life of true Christians is nothing but a continual combat on earth. Whoever valiantly battles and overcomes will be clothed in white raiment and fed with the heavenly bread of the tree of life, Revelation 2, verse 17.

See, most beloved, since you and your church have never triumphed in this battle (I judge from what I hear and from your actions which I see), but still serve the world, the flesh and the devil carelessly, we hold, according to the testimony of the Scripture, that you vainly and wrongfully boast of the name, grace, deliverance, merits, death, blood and promises of Christ; for you do not have his word, nor through the word his faith, Spirit, fear and love, and consequently you do not follow them.

Therefore I pray you by the mercy of the Lord to consider for once what kind of teachers you are, what kind of spirit urges you, what kind of love prompts you, with what intentions and from what motives you teach, what kind of fruits you produce, what kind of ordinances you use, and to what kind of church you teach and minister. Judge all things according to the divine testimony, without self-love, flesh and partiality. I do not doubt that if you examine the matter rightly, you will not be surprised that we will not hear your doctrine nor use your sacraments, and refuse unto death to become members of your church. For this remains incontrovertible and eternally unchangeable: that as Christ Jesus is of one mind with the Father and sent by him, so all teachers who can be considered as sent by Christ Jesus should be of one mind with him. Those who are one with Christ in Spirit, love and life, who teach what was commanded by Christ, such as repentance and the peaceable gospel of grace, which he himself received of God and taught to the world — all those who hear, believe, keep and fulfill the same in true fear are the church of Christ, the truly believing Christian church, the body and bride of Christ, the ark of the Lord, the mount and paradise, the house, people, city and temple of God, the spiritual Eve, flesh of Christ’s flesh and bone of his bone, children of God, the chosen generation, the spiritual seed of Abraham, children of the promise, branches and trees of righteousness, sheep of the heavenly pasture, kings and priests, a holy begotten people which is God’s own. Besides, they are chosen to proclaim the power of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light, Colossians 1, verse 14; First Corinthians 12, verse 27; Hebrews 12, verse 22; Matthew 5, verse 14; Second Corinthians 6, verse 16; Second Corinthians 11, verse 5; Ephesians 5, verse 30; First Peter 2, verse 9; Romans 9, verse 8; Isaiah 61, verse 3; Psalm 95, verse 7; Psalm 79, verse 13; Revelation 1, verse 6; First Peter 2, verse 9.

All those who do not have the Spirit, love and life of Christ, nor sincerely desire them, have no share in the glorious Jerusalem of God, that is, in Christ’s church, no matter whether they are teacher or disciple, prince or subject, man or woman; moreover, they have neither prayer, nor God, nor Christ, nor promise, nor remission of sins, nor any sure consolation of eternal life, so long as they do not sincerely repent, receive God’s word, and fulfill it in true fear, as Christ himself says, “He that believes not is already condemned,” John 3, verse 18.

Dear brothers, you may contradict this as much as you will, yet this foundation shall stand forever and will never be changed. The words of Paul shall never be broken, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,” Romans 8, verse 9; and where the Spirit is, there the fruits of the Spirit will also be, as it is infallible that if the spirit is in man, the evil one as well as the good, it will show itself by its fruits, Galatians 5, verse 16; Matthew 7, verse 17.

Lastly, most beloved, if you want to be the true church of Christ and boast of the truth, grace, word, Spirit and blood of the Lord, then first separate all your preachers who are urged by the unclean spirit and the flesh, and who are therefore not of the church of Christ, namely all those who are desirous of filthy lucre, as was said above. Again, also all drunkards, wranglers, flatterers, the proud, envious and avaricious; for all these testify by their fruits that they do not have the Spirit of Christ. And if they do not have the Spirit of Christ, how then can these poor, miserable men teach and impress the Spirit, power and will of God, the word of grace and the word of eternal life, which they do not confess? Indeed, brothers, it is impossible for me to teach the things which I do not know myself; and how shall I serve in the house of the Lord while I myself am a castaway? Judge for yourselves.

Secondly, cleanse your church also. Exclude, according to the word of God, all adulterers and fornicators, drunkards, slanderers, swearers, those who lead a shameful and disorderly life, the proud, the avaricious, the idolatrous, the disobedient to God, whoremongers and the like, so that you may become the holy Christian church which is without spot or blemish, which is like a city built upon a rock. If these things are truly observed and found with you, and besides them a free, Christian doctrine, the true ministration of the sacraments of Christ — not according to the opinion of men or of the learned, but according to the true doctrine of Christ and his apostles — and again the fear and love of God, and a blameless life according to God’s word, then you will always have us as your brothers; for that is what we seek. But if you remain as you are, then I say publicly: better to die than to enter into your doctrine, sacraments, life and church, as was said above.

Beloved brothers, it is no use to bring up the Scripture about the Pharisees sitting in the seat of Moses, Matthew 23, verse 2; nor that Herod sent the wise men of the east; nor what some say, If the devil should preach the word of God, why not hear it? Christ Jesus did not send the Pharisees, the servants of the letter, to preach the word of the Spirit and of life; Herod did not send the wise men with good intentions; nor has the devil ever sincerely given praise to God; nor does God want the praise of the devil, for Christ says, “Hold your peace, and come out of him,” Luke 4, verse 35. Therefore it is useless to bring forward such reasons, since God by his mercy and grace has so opened the eyes of our minds that we surely know that the spiritual service of the New Testament can be administered by none but servants of the Spirit, impelled in love by the power of the Holy Spirit; for it is and remains a service of the Spirit and not of the letter, Second Corinthians 3, verse 6. Enough has been said on this.

In short, deny yourselves, be prepared to do the will of God, seek nothing but his honor and praise and the eternal salvation of your brothers, and hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God. Believe and receive Christ Jesus rightly in his blessed word, and you will undoubtedly understand and grasp the true way, the truth and life eternal, to the praise of God and to your own salvation. May God, the kind and merciful Father, grant us all this. Amen. Matthew 5, verse 6; Jeremiah 31, verse 25.

Since I, dear brothers, have diligently reproved the preachers in this my admonishing confession, according to the word of God, for receiving filthy lucre, I do not doubt that there are some who will bitterly contradict me in this matter and say, “Beloved Menno, you cannot deprive us of the privileges Christ Jesus has given us; as you have cited from Paul, those who serve the gospel shall live by the gospel. Tell us, why do you seek to take away what is our privilege?” To those who contradict me in this way I would first reply by asking whether the teachers to whom this privilege is given by Christ through the gospel are not sent by Christ Jesus. They must answer yes. Then I say again: since it was those sent by Christ who enjoyed this privilege given by Christ, those who run their own course and are not sent by Christ do not have this privilege.

Again, I ask whether these teachers to whom this privilege is given by the Scriptures were not men of the Spirit, of love and of truth. Doubtless they were. Then I reply: if it is men of the Spirit, of love and of truth to whom this privilege is granted by the gospel, then those who do not teach and serve by the Spirit, love and truth may not claim and use this privilege; for they are not the teachers to whom it was given and promised by the word of God.

Thirdly, I ask whether the teachers sent by Christ Jesus, who according to the Scriptures may enjoy this privilege, led a shameful life after they were called; and if they led a shameful life and were found corrupt before God and his church, whether they could remain any longer as teachers in the blameless church of Christ. They must doubtless answer, No. Then, if they answer no, it is the truth that those whose life and walk in the church of Christ are no more pure and useful than the filthy carrion by the roadside are no teachers in the church of the Lord: such as drunkards, perjurers, those filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, deceit, debate and malignity. For if the salt has lost its savor, says Christ, it is from then on good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men, Matthew 5, verse 13; First Corinthians 5, verse 10; Second Corinthians 6, verse 10; Romans 1, verse 29. And if the church is to be blameless and without spot or blemish, how much more the teachers, as Christ himself teaches, saying, You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth, Ephesians 5, verse 30; Matthew 5, verse 13. Since the carnal teachers mentioned before are already excluded from and deprived of the Christian office of teacher by God’s own ordinance and word, because they do not live up to the doctrine, and by their evident unbelief and disorderliness are not in the church of Christ, they cannot enjoy that privilege; for Christ Jesus has promised and given sincere, pious, spiritual, meek, true, blameless teachers, sent by God, and not disorderly, lazy, vain, idle, drunken, shameful, lying, pompous, gluttonous, avaricious and carnal rogues, Romans 10, verse 16; Isaiah 51, verse 7; Isaiah 62, verse 6.

Fourthly, I ask whether the men of God — the prophets, apostles and teachers sent by God — were also hired or bought at a stipulated annual salary to teach and proclaim the free word of grace. I know that the answer must be no. For they taught only by the urging of the Spirit and of love. I say again: since your preachers are hired and bought at a stipulated salary or rents, and do not preach unless they are hired, they must acknowledge that they are hirelings and not teachers who are sent; for they do not teach by the urging of the Spirit and love, but are enticed and drawn on, as Balaam was, by the promised salary, benefices and rents. Qui id negat, Solem in die splendere minus concedet. [Note 4]

Fifthly, I ask whether the teachers sent by God, men of the Spirit, of love and of truth, enlightening both in doctrine and in life, lived on a stipulated salary, benefice or rents, or whether they did not live by the services or assistance of the brothers, so far as they could not provide it for themselves. They must confess that it was by the assistance of the brothers, and not by fixed benefices, pensions or rents. This I teach, seek and sincerely desire. Therefore this is my brief conclusion and Christian admonition to all preachers and teachers. Brothers, humble yourselves and become blameless disciples, so that you may afterwards become called teachers. Try your spirit, love and life before you begin to pasture and to teach. Do not run your own course, but wait until you are called by the Lord’s church — I say, the Lord’s church — by the Spirit of God, and are constrained by urging love. If this is the case, brothers, then pasture diligently, preach and teach valiantly, cast from you all filthy lucre and booty; rent lands, milk cows, learn a trade if possible, do manual labor as Paul did, and all that you then fall short of will doubtless be given and provided to you by the pious brothers, by the grace of God. Do not understand it as ‘superfluously,’ but as ‘necessarily.’

Such privileges the holy gospel grants to the blameless preachers who are sent by Christ Jesus, and nothing further. But of preachers who run their own course, are earthly and carnally minded, are blameworthy in doctrine and in life, who “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies,” and who for the sake of their lazy, gluttonous, easy flesh teach and serve to please the world as hired servants at fixed wages — of these the Scriptures know nothing. Therefore I say once and for all: if they will not do otherwise, but always say in their hearts, Erret quilibet homo ad libitum, nihil ad nos, modo ventri nostro provisum fuerit, then I will leave them in the hands of him who shall judge them and us according to his most holy word and his pleasure. [Note 5]

Brothers, decide the more wisely, and, living in the great God through all things, do not refuse to bid farewell to your carnal bodies.

Here you have, beloved sirs, friends and brothers, our plain confession of the incarnation of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ, which I thus sincerely confess and believe; for you asked me to do so, and, I trust, with a good intention. Therefore I have not hidden my faith. Now judge the matter rightly, if you are spiritually minded; and if I should, as you think I do, err, as is natural to man — which I trust I do not — then do not think that I do so out of obstinacy or partiality; but before God, my Creator, it is because I know no other than that it is the firm, immutable foundation of God’s word and truth. Brothers, do not look on me as one who seeks anything contrary to the will of God. Not at all. The eternal truth, word and will of God I am prepared to do, at the risk of all that his fatherly kindness may lay upon me. This I say in sincerity of heart, and I have no doubt. Therefore I say to you that if you have any plainer Scriptures in support of this article of the incarnation of Christ, if you have a clearer foundation, truth or clearer proof than we have, then help us. By the grace of the Lord I will change my heart in this matter and follow your doctrine. But above all, brothers, I want you to understand that in this I will not accept or listen to human doctrines, nor cleverness, nor garbling of the Scriptures, nor flatteries, nor presumption, but only the plain Scriptures, truth and immutable testimony; just as we have presented to you in this matter of our confession nothing but scriptural truth and immutable testimony. But if you cannot bring forward such, then take heed, hold your peace and leave us our faith in peace; for, most beloved brothers, before God I seek nothing but the pure, unadulterated word of God and its testimony.

Besides this, I have presented to you here how and in what manner I admonish and teach the open-hearted brothers; by which doctrine no God-fearing conscience can be afflicted, nor Christian soul deceived. I pray and desire you to do likewise, that you may build and not break down. Brothers, if you then do not take heed how and what you teach, I can beseech and admonish you in love, but it is not fitting for me to force you, even if I could. Every person shall have to render an account of his teaching and doing before God and not before men.

In the third place you have my admonishing confession of how both teacher and church should be minded according to the Scriptures. Again, I pray and desire by the mercy of the Lord that you will not receive this scriptural truth in bitterness; for what I have written is the unchangeable word and will of God, and will remain so forever. Therefore take heed not to be angry with me on account of my writing because it is contrary to your flesh. Truly it is not mine but the doctrine of Christ; not my will but the will of Christ. If you are angry, you are not angry with me but with Christ, who has taught and instructed us thus in his holy gospel or word. And if you fear God, you will doubtless love me the more, because by the grace, Spirit and word of God, as far as he bestows it on me, I open the kingdom of heaven to you and show you the right way; indeed, because I fearlessly, and in true brotherly love, of which God is my witness, speak to you and point you to the eternal, immutable truth; because I cut the cankering flesh from your wounds and do not flatter you; for I seek not your carnal but your spiritual friendship; not your praise but the praise of God; not your goods and gifts but your salvation and souls. For these reasons I tell you the pure truth of God and do not spare you. O brothers, receive it in gladness of heart. It is the only word and will of Christ. If you reject it, you do not reject me but Christ Jesus, who has bought us all so dearly. Therefore take heed to awaken this very day, and no longer wander and go on in darkness and deadly blindness. And let the poor, ignorant people, the poor, innocent souls, no longer err under your name and cover. The whole wide world depends on you learned. As you pipe, so they dance; as you teach, so they believe; and as you go, so they follow. Therefore woe to you if you teach wrongly; if you destroy and do not gather; if you deceive and do not pasture; if you corrupt and do not convert.

Receive eyes of wisdom, that you may rightly teach and lead others according to the will of God, and that the word which Christ spoke may not apply to you, “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch,” Matthew 15, verse 14. Lastly, if God please, I shall soon send you my treatise on the baptism of believers, with other doctrines, from which you may clearly learn my foundation, doctrine, seeking and intentions; why I labor, what I strive after, and by what Scriptures and for what reasons we assert the baptism of believers; and for what reasons we consider infant baptism vain, idolatrous and contrary to the word.

Read it all in sincerity of heart, ponder it, and follow only the true sense of the divine Spirit and truth. Let opinions go; let flesh and adroitness be destroyed. Many have been deceived by them. This our doctrine concerning the preachers, concerning the blamelessness of the church, concerning the baptism of believers, concerning the Supper of a blameless assembly, and concerning the separation of the penitent, is doubtless the eternal, immutable word, will and ordinance of God; therefore, by the grace of the Lord, we will never be reasoned out of it by human wisdom, cleverness, threats or tyranny. Indeed, at all times I am prepared to testify to and assert this doctrine before God and my brothers, with the sure testimony of my conscience, at the cost of all anxiety, persecution, blood and death. Let the merciful, kind Father deal with me and with all who sincerely seek and fear him according to his divine, blessed will. Read it with discretion and judge it in a Christian way.

This in brief is my foundation and conviction concerning the articles of the Christian church: that before God neither baptism nor Supper nor any other outward ordinances avail if partaken of without the Spirit and the new creature. But before God only faith, love, the Spirit, the new creature or regeneration avail, as Paul plainly shows, Galatians 5, verse 6. All those who by the grace of God receive these from above allow themselves to be baptized according to the commandment of the Lord, and rightly partake of his Supper, Acts 2, verse 38; Acts 9, verse 19; Acts 8, verse 38; Matthew 28, verse 19.

Indeed, with ardent desire they commit themselves to the ordinance and doctrine of Jesus Christ, and will never again willfully oppose the holy will and plain testimony of God. For this reason I kindly beseech you, most beloved, from my inmost heart, not to dispute with me or any other person about any outward articles and literal ordinances, but first to conquer and subdue yourselves — that is, your unbelieving, miserable, refractory, obstinate flesh, which still keeps and hinders you from the truth, faith, knowledge, righteousness and obedience of God. Indeed, doubtless, if that is rightly vanquished, you will see into all the ordinances of God, and confess and practice them. But as long as it lives in you and has its sway, you will dispute and oppose, and never comprehend, understand and follow the immutable foundation of eternal truth. Beware.

No more at present. But rightly compare yourselves with Christ: his love and Spirit with your love and spirit; his seeking, doctrine, sacraments and life with your seeking, doctrine, sacraments and life; and you will no doubt find where you fall short.

May God, the merciful Father, grant to you and to us all true wisdom, understanding, faith, knowledge and true judgment; an ardent heart, true fear, love, doctrine, life, sacraments and ordinances, through Christ Jesus, our Savior and eternal Deliverer of the world. Amen.

“Enter in at the strait gate,” Matthew 7, verse 13.

Amara est veritas, et qui eam prædicant repletus amaritudine, dicit Hieronymus. [Note 6]