the office of magistracy is an ordinance and institution of God who
himself willed and ordained that such a power should be over every
country in order that thereby countries and cities might, through good
policy and laws, for the punishment of the evil and the protection of
the pious, be governed and maintained in quiet and peace, in a good
civil life; without which power of authority the world, lying as it
is in wickedness, could not subsist. Hence, all believers are in duty
bound, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake, to submit
themselves to this power, and as good subjects, to obey it with fear
and reverence; willingly and without murmuring to render unto their
human ordinances and laws everything that is due to them, whether it be
tribute custom or excise; and to pray with an humble heart for their
life and welfare, and thus to seek with a faithful heart the prosperity
of the country and city in which they reside; and though they, for
the word of God, may have to suffer persecution, the spoiling of their
property, and death, from the authorities, they may not speak evil of
them, nor resist them in any wise with weapons and defense, but commit
vengeance to God alone, and expect consolation with God after this
life. Rom. 12:2; Wis. 6:4; Ecclesiastes 17:14.
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 ordinances, as pastors, teachers, helps and governments, by
which the saints may be joined together, to edify the body of Christ;
but the secular office[222] 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 prescribed 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
heathen 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.
[222] _But not the office of authority_, then says the writer.
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 ordinances 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 fervent 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 ordinance
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; Syrach 17:17.
“Jesus answered Pilate: Thou couldest have no power at all against me,
except it were given thee from above.” John 19:11; Wis. 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 gentiles 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 from 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
18:36; 6:15; Matt. 5:39; 2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:13; Is. 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.”
“Wherefore 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 Cesar the things which are Cesar’s, and unto God
the things that are God’s.” Matt. 22:21; Mark 12:17.
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance 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.” 1 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 meekness unto all men.” Tit.
3:1,2; 1 Tim. 2:2; Jer. 29:7; Baruch 1:11.
ARTICLE XXVIII.
_Of the discipline of the Christian Church and separation of offending
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
conversation, that is, to act contrary to any commandment or ordinance
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 transgressors
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 reconciled to
God by various offerings and the intercessions of the priests, but the
open, great transgressors of the law could not be reconciled 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 transgressor was cut off from repentance 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 transgression 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 fervent charity, conceal
and cover his sin. 1 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 his sins, exclude from the
brotherhood, and point him to repentance and reformation, by which
he may again find grace 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 repentance have first been received into grace
with God.
This true repentance 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 repentance 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 repentance
and reformation; so also shall all obedient, penitent 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 repentance and return of their erring brother or
sister.
How the minor sins, whether caused through weakness or ignorance, were
reconciled by the priest with various offerings, read: Lev. 4:27; 5;
Numbers 5:6; 15:22.
But the open transgressors 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?” 1 Sam. 2:25.
How Christ commanded that small offenses between brother and brother
should be punished, read: “If 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 if he neglect to hear the
church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily
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.” 1
John 5:16.
But open offending members Christ commanded to sever and cast away
without exercising admonition, intercession, 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. 1 Cor. 5:3. Read also: 1
Tim. 1:20; 5:20; 2 Cor. 13:2.
“There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.”
1 John 5:16; Numbers 15:30; Heb. 10:28; 1 Cor. 5:13; 2 Cor. 13:2; Ps.
1:5; 2 Tim. 2:20; 1 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 ordinance 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
conversation, 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 ordinance, 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
ordinance 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 ordinances 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 Pharisees with regard to the Sabbath; who, as it appears
would rather let men perish, than that they should receive help on the
Sabbath, thinking that the Sabbath should be broken thereby, though
they themselves, in such a case, broke the Sabbath for various minor
matters. But, even as the pious followers of the law did not sin, nor
break the Sabbath, 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 transgressors 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
Gentiles, 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. 3 Maccabees 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 heathen man and a publican.” 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 world, 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.” 1 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 a lunatic, after the first and second admonition, reject.”
Titus 3:10; 2 Tim. 4:15; 2 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.” 2 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 yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly,
and not after the tradition which he received of us.” 2 Thess. 3:6.
Understand this withdrawing according to scriptures. Gal. 2:12; 3 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: 2 Thessalonians 3:15;
Jas. 5:19; Luke 19:10; 15, the whole chapter.
ARTICLE XXX.
_Of the last day and the second coming 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 abide 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 fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:16; Syrach 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.” 1 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; Is. 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.” 1 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: 1 Thess.
1:10; 2 Thess. 1:7; Dan. 7:13; Jude 14.
ARTICLE XXXI.