Page:John Huss, his life, teachings and death, after five hundred years.pdf/61

 to confirm them in the power to resist evil and stand in the spiritual conflict. If there were no bad people there would be no temptations and, in consequence, no spiritual contest and reward. The destruction of all bad people in this world would inure to the hurt of the good. Sometimes, however, it is well that worldly princes pluck up the tares. But this they must do in accordance with the Word of God and they dare not follow human ordinances. It is fitting that they first seriously reflect upon what they propose to do and get advice from men expert in God’s Word and use grace and prudence rather than severity so as to avoid doing hurt to the wheat or perchance pluck it up, Christ commanded Peter to avoid as a publican and heathen a person offending against him, provided the offender’s sin was evident and the offender refused to hear holy church and to follow its counsel. But he did not command him to subject the offender to torture and death.

In the same sermon, defining the kingdom of God, Huss found the following meanings in the Scripture: “1. It is the communion of saints in heaven, as when we pray ‘Thy kingdom come.’ 2. Christ himself, as when it is said ‘The kingdom of heaven is within you.’ 3. The church in this world or the communion of all Christians, of which Christ speaks, Matt. 3: 41, as when he says: ‘He will send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that offend.’ 4. The dwelling-place of the elect in heaven, Matt. 20: 20, ‘Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand and the other on thy left in thy kingdom.’ 5. The Scriptures, Matt. 21: 43, ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof,’ that is, the Scriptures will be taken from you and given to Christians who will use them to profit. Here belongs also Matt. 23: 13, where Christ said of the scribes and Pharisees, that ‘they shut up the kingdom of heaven to men.’ This they do by keeping back the Scriptures from the people