Luther and the learned have done wrong in bringing about such a disturbance, tribulation, and misery in the world by their doctrine and change, since they, according to Gellius, still remained the church of Christ, although the anti-Christ had quite destroyed and demolished the true religion. Reader, reflect upon this, and judge whether I write the truth or not.
In his second proposition he judges himself; for he writes, that anti-Christ was seated in their church, which baptizes children; has placed himself therein as a God; trampled under foot the true religion and worship; he also acknowledges, above, under the head of the separation, that the papists are no Christians; for he says, "that those who leave us would sooner become papists than Christians again." Kind reader, observe closely what I write. Since it is manifest that the Roman anti-Christ has, for a number of years, reigned in peace in their church; has given them to drink from his cup of abominations; has destroyed the true religion, and re-instated his abominations; and since he himself admits that the papists are no Christians, therefore, it is certain and plain that their church was not, as he claims, the general Christian church and temple of God, to which the promise of God was given. For it cannot be that they can be the disciples of anti-Christ and then yet remain the Christian church and temple.
Now consider, if the pious, whom he calls anabaptists, are so much out of way, by renouncing all the anti-Christian abominations, false, condemned sects and churches; and, if they place themselves in such a frightful position, as he sighingly complains, by humbly submitting themselves to the only, eternal Messiah, Christ Jesus, and by placing themselves as an example of all obedience and virtue, in their weakness, before all the world.
His second argument is this: "In and with all churches which teach the doctrine and faith of Christ Jesus; are not altogether fallen away; do not altogether reject and profane Christ and his holy gospel and which do not altogether trample upon the use of the holy sacraments and neglect them, as under the reign of Mahomet, there still remains the name of the holy church. In and with our church, which has the infant baptism as an apostolic ordinance, the doctrine and faith of Jesus Christ, as taught by the apostles, never was altogether fallen away, as it was with the Turks; although abominably adulterated and weakened by anti-Christ; therefore, the name of the church remains with our community and has true members in it."
Answer. If his first proposition was consistent and right, then it would also be consistent and right to say. The doctrine and faith never were entirely fallen away with the Arians, Circumcellians, Munsterians, and other sects; the gospel was not altogether rejected and profaned, and the sacraments altogether trampled upon by them, therefore, the name of the church remains with them, and true members of the church are found among them. We are, therefore, also wrongfully called "devilish heretics, conspirers, and apostate anabaptists," by him, for we so highly prize the gospel and the sacraments of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we daily sacrifice our possessions and blood for their sake, as may be seen.
If he should say that the beforementioned sects did not act and teach in accordance with the Scriptures, and that they therefore were not in the communion of the Christian church; then he judges himself still more markedly. For the papistic church to which he refers, did not do this; if they did rightly act and teach, then he very unjustly says that they are not Christians, as has been heard that he did.
Again, by his writing, "There still remains the name of the holy church," he openly testifies that his assertion is without all foundation in the Scriptures; for he does not refer to the unadulterated doctrine, to the salutary use of the holy sacraments, nor to the pious, unblamable life, which should ever be found in the church of Christ; as if the name could keep the church in God and could bind it to the promise, without the Spirit, word, sacraments, faith, and obedience of Christ. No, no, reader, no. "I know," says the First and the Last, "the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan," Rev. 2: 9. If the name alone constituted the true church, then all the raving tyrants, enemies of Christian truth, all murderers, perjurers, whoremongers, avaricious, pompous, and unrighteous, would be members of the church of Christ,
