The Complete Works of Menno Simon Volume 1 44AN EXHORTATION TO THE DISPERSED AND UNKNOWN CHILDREN OF GOD.

Sincerely beloved brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, I inform you with great joy, that some praiseworthy brethren have written and informed me that the merciful, faithful Father has endued you with the heavenly gift of his divine knowledge, and enlightened you with his Holy Spirit, that your faith works by love, your hope is lively, and your union among each other, is christian-like, that your peace is pleasant, and that the church of the Lord is increased and extended daily in great power and glory, through the grace of God. For which I thank his paternal kindness with joyful heart, and I pray his grace inasmuch as he has called you to the fellowship of his beloved Son, and to the imperishable, eternal kingdom of his glory through his holy gospel that he may now and henceforth preserve you with the great power of his divine arm, in your faith, love, doctrine, truth and life, without any offence till the end. Faithful is he who has called you, and he will undoubtedly do it, if you only continue to be ardent in prayer, and unwavering in your undertaking, never become sleepy nor slothful, nor at last return again, as did refractory, disobedient Israel to the flesh pots of Egypt. May the Lord eternally and graciously preserve us. Since, then you are called to such a high and glorious grace, as related, and we undoubtedly know our weak, vile flesh, and the sinful nature which we possess from Adam which makes our whole heart and life unclean, and besides we learn from the Scriptures, that our opponent, the devil, goes about like a roaring lion, having rest neither day nor night, but always seeking that he might devour us; therefore I exhort you as my fellow-combatants, against the evil flesh, and the tents of death, that you may strictly watch inwardly and outwardly over yourselves, that you circumcise, teach, purify and sanctify your hearts with the Spirit of God; exhort and reprove one another; curb your thoughts; subdue and extinguish your impure evil lusts, in the fear of the Lord; for blessed are the pure in heart; walk worthy of the Lord and his gospel to which you have come. Whatever God has commanded, do it without murmuring; act so that none may truthfully complain of you; be sincere children of God, unblamable in this crooked and perverse generation, and shine as beautiful, clear, torch-lights in the midst of a dark night in this evil world.

Take the Lord Jesus Christ as an example, and follow his footsteps; walk as he walked, for therefore did Moses and all the prophets preach; to that end did the Son of God come down from heaven; he sent out the holy apostles, and instituted baptism and the Lord's Supper as the mouth of the Lord commanded, that we may thereby be admonished to awaken, to repent and lead an unblamable, pious life in all righteousness. "Be ye holy; for I am holy," says the Lord; Peter says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light," 1 Peter 1:16 ; 2:9 . You are guests called to the table of the Lord, and have come to the marriage of the Lamb; ye are his chosen friends and bride, therefore, hear his voice willingly, and whatever is pleasing to him, do cheerfully. Adorn yourselves with the shining garment of white linen; be faithful unto death, and beware of all strange gods; dedicate yourselves wholly unto the Lord, that he may be your Lord and bridegroom, and teach, reprove, govern and lead you with his Holy Spirit and word, and have his perfect work in you; for you are in his grace, and through his grace you are accepted of him; espoused unto him, bought with his precious blood, reconciled to the Father, sanctified as priests and kings, and made heirs of his eternal kingdom. Therefore it is proper and right that we should be grateful to such a kind Lord, for such gifts; hear him, lay his word to heart and do what is well pleasing to him.

Beloved children; fear not, but be comforted in the Lord; for he is such a faithful, pious King, to whom you have sworn and bowed your knees, that not the least of his promises shall fail you; he will be our shield and great reward, therefore, doubt nor stagger not; for it is but a small thing that we endure the heat of the sun, tribulation, fear, sorrow, temptation, robbing, persecution, prison and death for a short time. The messenger is now at the door, who shall say to us, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you;" thus will our mourning and temporary pain be changed into ceaseless joy; these tyrants, with their bloody mandates, will come to an end, and all our persecutors, avengers, executioners and torturers will cease; we will follow the Lamb, adorned in white garments, with palms in our hands and crowns upon our heads; neither torment nor pain, nor pangs of death will harm us; but we will forever exalt, praise and thank, in inexpressible joy and glory, the Lamb who sits upon the throne.

Behold, my children, all the truly believing, pious hearts comfort themselves with this approaching change, whereby they possess their souls with patience; well know ing that great is their reward in heaven, and that on the other hand, all the ungodly shall have their portion in the eternal, unquenchable fire, under the intolerable, dreadful sentence of God, in the abyss of hell, if they do not be converted and repent with all their hearts. Woe! woe! to these wretched people, for it was an evil day, in which they were born!! My children be cheerful in Christ, and despair not, for so long as we desire God sincerely, seek, fear, love, honor and serve him, and with an upright, pure zeal walk in the truth, neither world, flesh, tyranny, devil, sin, hell, nor death shall hinder us; but the victory, which is gained by a firm faith in the blood of Christ, will, through the grace of God, be on our side, and this through the Spirit of Christ which abides in us. David says, "By my God I have leaped over a wall," Ps. 18:29 . Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." Christ says, "Be, of good cheer I have overcome the world;" and thus will they overcome, who will abide in Christ, as we may not only see in the prophets and apostles, but also in many pious hearts at the present day, in great power and clearness.

I have nothing particular any more to write; therefore, beware that you walk wisely and circumspectly; preserve your wedding garment; have oil at all times in your lamps, lest the Lord meet you in an undue time, find you unprepared and in nudity, and close the door on you, or cast you into outer darkness.

With unfeigned, true, brotherly love, and out of a pure heart, love each other sincerely, as those who are regenerated not of corrupt but of incorruptible seed, out of the word of the living God, which will abide forever; for love is of God and of a divine nature, and does right before God and man, is long-suffering, compassionate, peaceable, and gives offence to none. In short, it is unblamable and brings forth christian fruit; it is the spiritual girdle of Aaron and his sons; the girdle of perfection and the fair bond of peace. O how completely happy is he, who is girded with this bond, for he is born of God, he is in God and God is in him; yea, where this love is, there we find the true, sincere and pious christian. Therefore, take care of this bond, for if you lose it; you mill lose Christ Jesus and eternal life.

Beware of false doctrine, of all discord, strife and dissention, and without wavering, adhere to the Spirit, word and example of Christ if you would not be deceived; for every spirit which is not satisfied with the Spirit, word and example of Christ, and will not conform thereto, in his weakness, he is not of God, but is the spirit of antichrist, which would rob you again and all the pious of the precious light of revealed truth, which graciously appeared to us, poor children, in these abominable days, and would again lead you on the crooked paths of death, under the semblance of the Scriptures.

My children in Christ, be you warned. Out of true brotherly love, I write to you. The merciful, gracious God grant that you may read, hear, and understand it, with such hearts, that it may bring much fruit among you, and that your fruits may abide in eternal life. Pray for your poor, unknown brother, who loves you, in truth. He that continues to be perfect to the end, shall be saved. The saving power and fruits of the crimson blood of Christ, be with you, and with all my chosen brothers and sisters to eternity, Amen.