Green on Article XXXVIII: Of Christian men's Goods, which are not common

“ That it is not leafull for a Christen man to beare office or rule in the Commen Welth : That no man’s lawes ought to be obeyed : That it is not leafull for a Christen man to take an othe before any judge : … That all things be common, and nothing sever all.”

[…]

“ Excludatur etiam ab eisdem Anabaptistis inducta bonorum

et possessionum communitas, quam tantopere urgent, ut nemini

quicquam relinquant proprium et suum. In quo mirabiliter

loquuntur, cum furta prohiberi divina Scriptura cernant, et elee-

mosynas in utroque Testamento laudari videant, quas ex propriis

3r5

[…]

See also the quotation from the Augsburg Confession in the notes on Article XXXVII. § 3, heading (3), p. 31 1.

The Belgic Confession (Art. XXXVI.) also gives a summary of Anabaptist opinions which are to be condemned : —

“ Quamobrem Anabaptistas et turbulentos omnes detestamur qui superiores dominationes et magistratus abjiciunt, jura ac judicia pervertunt, bona omnia communia faciunt, ac denique or- dines omnes ac gradus, quos honestatis gratia Deus inter homines constituit, abolent aut confundunt.”

The earlier Anabaptists had strong Millenarian expectations ; rejecting Infant Baptism, they taught that those who joined them must be baptized anew 1 with the baptism of the Spirit. They also proclaimed the equality of all Christians and commu¬ nity of goods. All external law they abolished.2 The Bible they regarded as unnecessary, since the perfect children of God have in themselves the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. War was held to be unlawful, and oaths unnecessary, within the kingdom of Christ. These ideal notions the Anabaptists attempted to force by violence upon men unprepared for them, and, rapidly degene¬ rating themselves, Antinomianism became prevalent amongst them. Their fanaticism knew no bounds, and drove them into every kind of madness, excess, and disorder. The outrages at Munster, which city became the scene of the wildest licentious¬ ness, until Romanists and Protestants alike combined to secure its downfall (June 24, 1535), remain engraved upon the pages of history, an awful example of the terrible results to which sincere but ill-guided zeal may lead men.

§ 3. — EXPOSITION.

(1.) Communism is not a necessary outcome of Christianity.

The Riches and Goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as certain Ana¬ baptists do falsely boast.

Some have gathered from Acts ii. 44, iv. 32, that in the

1 Hence the name “Anabaptist.”

earliest days of the Church the Christians at Jerusalem, by the very rules of the Christian society, surrendered all their property as individuals into one common stock ; in fact, that Communism was their principle. Such an interpretation must, however, after careful consideration, be rejected on the following grounds : —

(a) We have clear evidence that the Apostles did not en¬ force any such rule of surrender of all private property. Thus S. Peter expressly tells Ananias that he had not been obliged to sell his property at all, and, moreover, that after he had sold it he had not been under any obligation to surrender the proceeds of the sale (Acts v. 4).

fb) A system of Communism is, of course, incompatible with Almsgiving, and —

(2.) Almsgiving is a Christian duty.

Every man ought of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

Almsgiving was the practice of the early Church on a very large scale (see, e.g ., Acts iv. 34—37, xi. 29, 30, xx. 35, xxiv. 17; Rom. xv. 25 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1—3 ; Gal. ii. 10 ; 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18), in accordance with our Lord’s own teaching (S. Matt. vi. 1—4; S. Mark x. 21, 22; S. Luke xxi. 1-4). In Acts ii. 44, iv. 32, we conclude, therefore, that S. Luke is describing, not an institution, but the spirit and temper of the first Christians. The Apostles, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, understood our Lord’s teaching too well to convert what He intended to be a voluntary grace into an enforced rule. The sum of the whole matter is that, though Christian men’s goods be not common, yet ought they to be communicated to one an¬ other, according as the brethren have need (Rom. xii. 1 3 ;

1 Cor. xvi. 2 ; Heb. xiii. 16).

Notes

• See Reformatio Legum, “De Haeresibus,” Cap. 13, quoted on Article XXXVII. § 2. Cf. the quotations in the notes on Article XXXVII. § 3, heading (3), p. 31 1.