Thieleman J. van Braght · 60 of 210
Account of Holy Baptism in the Sixteenth Century · Part 9
But if the authorities, through Christian equity, grant liberty to practice the faith in every respect, we are under so much the greater obligation of submissive obedience to them; but so far as the authorities abuse the office imposed on them, which extends only to the temporal, bodily government of men in temporal things, and encroach on the office of Christ, who alone has power over the spirits and souls of men, seeking, through their human laws, to press and compel men to act contrary to the Word of God, we may not follow them, but must obey God rather than men, seeing Christ has been set by God His Father above all authority and power, the head in His church; and to this Father of Spirits we are directed, that in all things pertaining to the faith we should obey Him.
And as the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, but spiritual, He has dissuaded and prohibited all His servants and followers from all secular government and highness, and has instituted in His church various , as pastors, teachers, helps and governments, by which the may be joined together, to edify the body of Christ; but the secular office* He left to the secular government, under which the followers of Christ as strangers and pilgrims, who have here no kingdom, power or continuing city, must sojourn, and fight only with spiritual weapons, which is the Word of God; seeing neither Christ nor His apostles pre
.* "But not the office of authority," then says the writer.
scribed to believers any laws or rules according to which they should govern the world; neither did they refer them to the laws of the Jews, much less to those of the Roman emperors, or laws, according to which they might regulate themselves herein; but they prescribed to believers only good doctrines, how they should conduct themselves in all Christian propriety as obedient subjects, under the government of the authorities; referring them to His own example, who shunned all the greatness of this world, and showed Himself only as a poor servant. Thus must also all His followers avoid the office of magistracy in all its departments, and not administer it, following also in this the example of Christ and His apostles, in whose church said offices were not administered, as is well known to every intelligent person.
But as all Christians are not permitted, but very strictly prohibited by God, to speak evil of, judge or condemn any one that is without their communion, we would with this still much less speak evil or injuriously of the magistracy, but trust in the only good God, who keeps all the alms of man as a signet, and his good deeds as the apple of the eye, and has promised a true reward to him who will give only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple; that he, the Blessed, will also be gracious to, and not leave unrewarded the good deeds of all authorities, particularly those who administer their office aright according to the. of God, which consists chiefly in protecting good, innocent, defenseless people, and in punishing the evil. Hence, all Christians are in duty bound to regard the authorities as God's ministers, and to pray for them, with a heart, that it may please God to be gracious to them and give them eternal salvation.
How government is of God, and for what purpose it is instituted, read: "For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Rom. 13:1-4; Sir. 17:17.
"Jesus answered Pilate: Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above." John 19:11; Wisd. 6:3; Dan. 2:21; 4:25; 5:21; Jer. 27:5.
How Christ taught His followers not to accept magisterial office, read: "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Mark 10:42-45; Matt. 20:25; Luke 22:5.
Mark the words: But so shall it not be among you. This can not be applied to the apostles only, who were equal servants, the one being no greater than the other, and they soon separating f rom each other to preach the Gospel to all nations, could not, on this account, show to each other alone the duty of servants here required; hence the words, among you, must necessarily be understood of the whole church, seeing Christ spoke to His twelve apostles many others of His principal doctrines and commandments, which relate to all believers, as His blessed lips say in the Gospel: "And what I say unto you I say unto all." Mark 13:37.
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 1$:36; 6:15; Matt. 5:39; II Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:13; Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3; Zech. 9:10; Ps. 76:3.
Read further, not according to what law the believers are to govern the unbelievers, but only how the church of Christ shall be obedient to government. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers." " ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also'for conscience' sake." "Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear." Rom. 13:1, 5, 7.
"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Matt. 22:21; Mark 12:17.
"Submit yourselves to every of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." I Pet. 2:13, 14.
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all unto all men." Tit. 3:1, 2; I Tim. 2:2; Jer. 29:7; Bar. 1:11.
ARTICLE XXVIII
Of the discipline of the Christian Church and separation of ofending members. Of this we confess: That, as a house or city cannot be maintained without doors, gates and walls by which evil men may be expelled, excluded and debarred, and the good and pious be taken in and protected; so Christ, for the preservation of His church, gave her the key of heaven, which is His Word, that by and according to the same she should judge and reprove according to truth, for their reformation, all those in her communion that are found to offend in doctrine and , that is, to act contrary to any commandment or which God has given to His church; and thus to separate the disobedient from her communion, that the church may not be leavened and stained by their false doctrine and impure walk, and become a partaker of other men's sins; and that the pious thereby may be brought to fear, and restrain themselves from the commission of similar offenses.
And, as God through Moses commanded this punishment of to be inflicted according to the magnitude of the offense, so that those who through ignorance, weakness, and otherwise, offended by minor sins against any of the commandments of the Lord, were to God by various offerings and the of the priests, but the open, great of the law could not be by such offerings, but had to die without mercy under two or three witnesses; so Christ in the New Testament also taught to inflict Christian punishment according to the magnitude of the offense; not to man's destruction, as in the punishment of Israel, which was death, by which the was cut off from and reformation; but Christ having come to save men's souls, instituted this punishment for the reformation of sinners and ordained that if any one see his brother commit a which is obviously a sin, but not so great as to have brought forth death in him, he shall out of Christian love for his soul, speak to him privately, with the Word of God, and reprove him of his sin and admonish him. If he receive this Christian admonition, he has gained his brother, and shall, out of , conceal and cover his sin. I Pet. 4:8. But if he heareth him not, he shall take one or two more with him, so that in the mouth of these witnesses every word may be established. But if he shall neglect to hear them, then the matter must be brought before the church; and if he neglect to hear the church, all the members of which, are judges, he shall be excluded from the brotherhood.
But if any one fall into open works of the flesh, from which the church perceives that, through these sins he has separated himself from his God, and incurred the divine wrath, such an one the church shall, without any of the aforesaid admonitions and words as in the case of the offending sinner, on account of "tis sins, exclude from the brotherhood, and point him to and reformation, by which he may again find with God, even as he has become separated from God through the evil works of the flesh. Thus the church shall knowingly keep none in her communion who are separated from God through their sins; nor separate any from her communion save those who have previously through their sins become separated from God; nor again receive any, and promise life and peace to them, except those who through faith and true have first been received into with God.
This true possesses the following properties: 1. That we have a sincere sorrow before Almighty God for all the sins we have committed; 2. that we confess our sins from the heart, before God and men; 3. that we desist from and do not continue any longer in sin, and, according to our ability, seek to make amends for the evil we have done, by doing good. This and reformation again opens the entrance to the kingdom of God, which before was closed to us on account of our sins. So that the church of God, by this her separation and reception, may according to His Word, follow the previous separation and reception by God in heaven, of which the action of the church is only a proof and proclamation.
And since with God there is no respect of persons, therefore the church of God shall use this key of the Word of God aright, and, in punishing, spare no one, whether he be minister or brother, man or woman, but shall judge the small as well as the great after one rule and measure of the divine word, according to the truth. And, as all disobedient sinners by consent of the church, with sorrow and sadness of heart, are excluded from the brotherhood, and referred to and reformation; so also shall all obedient, sinners with the consent and concurrence of the church, be received, by the bishop of the church. And, as men are wont to rejoice over the finding of a lost sheep, piece of silver, or son, so shall believers rejoice with all the angels of God over the and return of their erring brother or sister.
How the minor sins, whether caused through weakness or ignorance, were by the priest with various offerings, read: Lev. 4:27; 5; Numbers 5:6; 15:22.
But the open of the law were put to death without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of this. read: Num. 15:30; Lev. 24:14; Deut. 17:12; 19:15; Heb. 10:28.
In connection with this read also the words of the high priest Eli: "If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?" I Sam. 2:25.
How Christ commanded that small offenses between brother and brother should be punished, read: "I£ thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but i f he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a man and a . I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matt. 18:15-18; Luke 17:3; Gal. 6:1; Jas. 5:19.
"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death." I John 5:16.
But open offending members Christ commanded to sever and cast away without exercising admonition, , or forgiveness in regard to them, before the separation. Read: Matt. 18:8; Mark 9:42.
Thus did also the apostles, according to the doctrine of Christ, deny eternal life to all the known works of the flesh, condemning them to death, and in their assembly; delivered the Corinthian fornicator unto Satan, with the word and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, without using the aforesaid admonition with regard to him. I Cor. 5:3. Read also: I Tim. 1:20; 5:20; II Cor. 13:2.
"There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it." I John 5:16; Numbers 15:30; Heb. 10:28; I Cor. 5:13; II Cor. 13:2; Ps. 1:5; II Tim. 2:20; I Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5.
ARTICLE XXIX
Of the withdrawing from and avoiding of apostate and separated members, is confessed: As separation is commanded by God for the reformation of sinners, and the maintenance of the purity of the church; so God has also commanded and willed, that in order to shame him to reformation, the separated individual shall be shunned and avoided. This withdrawing proceeds from the separation, and is a fruit and proof of the same, and without it separation is vain and unavailing. Hence, this of God shall be practiced and maintained, by all believers, with the separated persons. This withdrawing extends to all spiritual communion, as the supper, evangelical salutation, the kiss of peace, and all that pertains to it. This withdrawing extends likewise to all temporal and bodily things, as eating, drinking, buying and selling, daily intercourse and , with all that pertains to it.
Thus, believers shall, according to the Word of God, withdraw themselves, from the separated in all spiritual, evangelical matters, as well as in all bodily and temporal things. And as in separation no persons may be regarded or spared, but must, by consent, be separated from the true members of the body; so also in withdrawing, extending to all spiritual and temporal matters, none may be spared or excepted, whether man or woman, parent or child, or whatever relation it may be; seeing we nowhere read, where God gave His church a general commandment or , that any member of said church was entirely exempted and excluded from such commandment; but on the contrary, it appears in many places, that the whole number, without exception, had to regulate themselves according to one rule set before them by God; hence this of God must be practiced and maintained by all the members of the body of Christ, without respect of persons, in the fear of God, to shame sinners to reformation, until the person punished is again received into the church.
But as all divine must be tempered with Christian kindliness and discretion, these also must have their place in this matter of shunning. Hence, the believers must conduct themselves with more discernment and equity with regards to separated persons, than did the scribes and with regard to the ; who, as it appears would rather let men perish, than that they should receive help on the , thinking that the should be broken thereby, though they themselves, in such a case, broke the for various minor matters. But even as the pious followers of the law did not sin, nor break the , when they, on this day, performed not their own, but only the works which God had commanded them, so the believers neither sin nor act contrary to the commandment of shunning, when they perform not their own works, but only the works which God has commanded them concerning separated persons; as, in case of necessity, to minister to their bodies with food and other needful things, and to their souls with the Word of God, as well as to assist them by virtue of the commandment of God, in case of danger from water, fire and the like; these all believers are in duty bound to do; and they must thus, with great carefulness, seek that which is lost, and lead that which has erred, back to the right way, reprove and instruct them with the word of God, where such Christian admonition may take place, according to the example of Christ; but in all human works believers must with all diligence withdraw themselves from the separated persons, until they have reformed and been united again with the church.
In order rightly to understand this matter, it must be considered that the people of Israel at the time of Christ were under the power and dominion of the Romans, and could not punish according to the law of Moses, hence they separated from their communion and avoided those who departed from the law of the fathers, and went over to the , Samaritans, or open sinners. Concerning this read: They regarded them as unclean, abhorred them, compared them to heathens and enemies, avoided all dealings and intercourse with them, and hindered them in their business. III Macc. 2:34. Read also: John 18:31; 4:9; Acts 10:28; 11; Gal. 2:12.
This custom Christ also observed, and commanded that the disobedient in the church should be so regarded, saying: "If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a man and a ." Matt. 18:17.
This the apostles also practiced in like manner, according to the doctrine of Christ. Read: "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this wo.7ld, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat." I Cor. 5:9-11.
Here the holy apostle forbids us to company and eat with apostate brethren or sisters, which he did not mean or command with reference to the unrighteous of this world, but permitted it with them; else we would needs have to go out of the world, seeing the whole world lies in wickedness; hence it must necessarily be understood with reference to daily intercourse and eating, buying and selling, and the like. "A man that is an heretick, after the first and second admonition, reject." Titus. 3:10; II Tim. 4:15; II John 10.
"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." II Thess. 3:14.
How this withdrawing is to be observed by all believers, with regard to all apostates, walking disorderly, without respect of person, read: "Now, we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." II Thess. 3:6.
Understand this withdrawing according to scriptures. Gal. 2:12; III Macc. 2:34, and the like, according to the spirit of the Gospel of Christ.
How believers must seek the lost, and not count the separated as enemies, but admonish them, as brethren. Read: II Thess. 3:15; Jas. 5:19; Luke 19:10; 15, the whole chapter.
ARTICLE XXX
Of the last day and the second coning of Christ from heaven, we confess: That the great God of heaven, who in the beginning created heaven and earth with all visible things out of nothing, also appointed a day and time, which cannot be known by the angels of God in heaven; much less by mortal men, but which shall unexpectedly overtake men, as the snare of the bird, and a thief in the night; at which time the Almighty God will destroy this whole visible, earthly, realm, and burn it with everlasting fire, except those of the human race who shall have done the will of God; these shall forever.
In the last great day of the Lord the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who in the presence of the apostles ascended from the earth in a cloud, shall come again from heaven, in the clouds of the sky, but not in the humiliated form of a servant, as in His first coming into the world at Bethlehem. For at this His second coming He shall reveal Himself in the clouds as a King of mighty kings, and Lord of lords, with the power and glory of His Almighty Father, and all the angels of God with Him, and shall thus, with the trump of God, and the voice of the archangel, peal forth an unutterable sound and shout; so that heaven and earth, all the mountains and islands, shall be moved; the sun and moon shall lose their brightness, the stars shall fall from heaven, and all kindreds of the earth shall weep and wail over themselves, for fear and expectation of the things which are to come; and all shall see the Son of man coming, with power and great glory.
Of this last day of the Lord, read: "And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3.
"The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." II Peter 3:16; Sir. 16:18; Mal. 4:1.
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child." I Thess. 5:2, 3.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matt. 24:35, 36; Mark 13:31; Ps. 102:27; Isa. 51:6.
Of Christ's coming from heaven, read: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." I Thess. 4:16.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27. Read also: I Thess. 1:10; II Thess. 1:7; Dan. 7:13; Jude 14.
ARTICLE XXXI
Of the Death of the body and the Resurrection of the dead, we confess: That, in the beginning, man was created immortal, but that through the envy of the devil and the sin of our first parents, death came into the world. And, as through the sin of Adam all men became sinful in him, so also through him, all men became subject to bodily death; so that in consequence thereof it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; seeing this sinful, corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the eternal, incorruptible kingdom, but must be renewed and glorified through death and the resurrection, by the power of God.
And, even as, when a man falls into a deep sleep, his heart, soul or spirit does not entirely sleep, as the body; so also the spirit or soul of man does not die or fall asleep with the body, but is and remains an immortal spirit. Hence temporal death, in the Scriptures, is called a sleep, and the resurrection of the dead an awakening from this sleep of death.
And as a sleeping man cannot receive and enjoy any good gifts, either according to the soul or the body, much less any punishment, pain and torment, unless he be previously awakened from his sleep; so also, believers cannot receive the perfect heavenly existence, nor unbelievers the eternal death or the pain of hell, either in the soulor in the body, except they have first been awakened from the sleep of death, and have arisen, through the coming of Christ.
Until this last day of judgment the souls of believers are waiting in the hands of God, under the altar of Christ, to receive then in their souls and bodies, the rewards promised them. So also the souls of unbelievers are reserved to be punished, after the day of judgment, in their souls and bodies.
And as through the sin and of Adam death came upon all men; so also the resurrection of the dead came upon all men through the Saviour Jesus Christ; so that, as in the springtime the sun, through his glorious radiance and brightness, draws forth all sweet scented herbs from the earth, as well as thistles and thorns, which are rejected and reserved for the fire; so also, shall Christ Jesus, the true Son of , in this great last day and hour, through His glorious coming and appearing in the clouds of heaven, draw forth from the earth, and cause to arise all men, the wicked and the pious; so that this great God, through His power and commanding voice, by which He spake in the beginning: Let heaven and earth be made; and His word was immediately a perfect work; and who created all visible things from that which was invisible, and made man of the dust of the ground; this same God shall, through His unchangeable power and almighty word, in the last day, call all men who have been changed into dust and earth, and have been consumed by fire, birds, and fishes, from the dust, and cause each to rise with his own body, flesh, and bones, with which they have served either their Creator or sin.
And, as a woman in travail, when her hour is come, cannot retain, but makes haste to deliver, the fruit of her womb, so also shall in this last hour, death, earth, or hell and sea make haste to deliver up the great number of the dead which in them have become dust and ashes, and passed away. These shall all arise, with their own bodies, incorruptible, which shall again be united with the soul and spirit, which through death had been separated from the body, and had remained immortal. At that time the pious shall be glorified and changed from the mortal and corruptible into the immortal and incorruptible, from the weak and frail, into the strong and glorious, being made like unto the angels of God, and the glorious body of Christ. Thus shall also those who shall live and remain at this sudden second coming of Christ from the heaven, be changed and glorified after the image of Christ.
Of the first or temporal death, which came by the first , read: "For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3:19; 25:33.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:27.
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." I Cor. 15:21.
"For God made not death: neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living." Wisd. 1:13.
"Nevertheless, through envy of the devil came death into the World." Wisd. 2:24; Rom. 5:12.