“All of them, in general, boast themselves to be Christians, and that they have God’s word, although their seeking and doings are quite contrary to Christ and his word.
For, if we turn to the magistrates, whom we should reasonably expect to know the ways and judgments of the Lord, as Jeremiah says, we find that they have broken the yoke and rent asunder the bands.
If we turn to the preachers, we find there the envy of Cain to all those who fear the Lord, an insatiable love of money, a Balaamitic avarice, a light minded, easy doctrine, idolatrous sacraments, and a lustful, vain, careless life, as maybe openly seen.
If we turn to the common people, there we find extortion, hoarding, drinking, carousing, lying, cheating, cursing and swearing; some commit adultery and fornication, others are marauders, pillagers, thieves and murderers, nay, they lead, alas, such a life that we may well, in anguish, sigh with Hosea, that “There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood,” Hosea 4:1, 2; with Paul, “They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable,” “and the way of peace have they not known,” Rom. 3:12, 17, and, that their sins have reached unto heaven, Rev. 18:5.
O, dear Lord, how long will this dreadfully great blindness, blasphemy, deceit, abomination, blood-thirstiness and recklessness continue!
Noble lords, reform; do works meet for repentance, such as can stand before the Lord; humble yourselves with the king of Nineveh; take off the ungodly, tainted coat of sin; repent in sackcloth and ashes; cry out unto the Lord with a broken heart: rend your hearts and not your garments, as the prophet says; let the pious Josiah be your pattern, who turned himself unto the Lord, with all his heart, and soul and strength, as soon as the law of God was read to him, from the book which was again found, John 3:7; 2 Kings 22:11.
Dear lords, seek, fear, and serve God with all your strength; do justice unto the widows, orphans, strangers, and all the forsaken; cleanse your hands of blood, rule your countries in wisdom and peace, and let all your thoughts, words and actions be conformed to the crucified Christ Jesus; follow his footsteps; for “Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool;” “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way, and live,” Isaiah 1:18; Ezek. 33:11; 18:32.”
Menno Simons (1496-1561) www.mennosimons.net