the further provision empowering the government to impress nonresistant people into non-combatant service.
In our Confession of Faith, adopted at Dortrecht, Holland, in 1632, the position of our church is defined as follows:
"Regarding revenge, whereby we resist our enemies by the sword, we believe and confess, that the Lord Jesus has forbidden His disciples and followers all revenge and resistance, and has thereby commanded them not to 'return evil for evil, nor railing for railing'; but to 'put up the sword into the sheath,' or, as the prophets foretold, 'beat them into plowshares.' Matt 5:39,44; Rom. 12:14; I Pet. 3:9; Micah 4:3.
"From this we see, that, according to the example, life, and doctrine of Christ, we are not to do wrong, or cause offense or vexation to any one; but to seek the welfare and salvation of all men; also, if necessity should require it, to flee, for the Lord's sake, from one city to another, and suffer the 'spoiling of our goods,' rather than give offense to any one: and if we are struck on our 'right cheek, rather to turn the other also' than to revenge ourselves or return the blow. Matt. 5:39, 10:23; Rom. 12:19.
"And that we are, besides this, also to pray for our enemies, comfort and feed them, when they are hungry and thirsty, and thus by well doing convince them and overcome the evil with good. Rom. 12:20, 21.
"Finally, that we are to do good in all respects, 'commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God,' and according to the law of Christ, do nothing to others that we would not wish them to do unto us.—II Cor. 4:2; Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31."—Article 14, Page 25.
This position has been uniformly held by our forefathers from Reformation times and their loyalty and devotion to their faith is attested to by their suffering, even to the extent of martyrdom and banishment by those governments enjoining military service upon their citizens, and for which cause they gratefully accepted the hospitality and the guarantee of religious liberty of this land, historical records bearing ample witness to these facts.
In relation to governments we believe that every child of God, besides being a citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom
