Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/133

Rh end, "he held together the structure and weighty edifice of the whole of Christ's work." For truly the foundation with which the church is grounded in Christ is the faith which Peter confessed, when he said: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And of this foundation Paul said, I Cor. 3:10: "According to the grace which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I laid the foundation," that is to say, by teaching the faith of Christ. And he adds: "And another buildeth thereon," that is, he does good works on the basis of faith. "But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon," that is, his spiritual life in Christ. For Paul adds: "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ. And if any man build upon this foundation gold"—that is, the doctrine of deity and heavenly things—"silver"—that is, the doctrine of the humanity of Christ and created things—"precious stones"—graces which adorn the soul and its faculties—he without doubt is built upon Christ. So the apostles built when they taught with clearness and fervor the doctrine of the deity and humanity and the Christian graces and, when they lived in the flesh, planted with their blood the church of Christ. But which of them built upon Christ and planted the church on Christ more industriously, this we shall no doubt know when we reach the heavenly country, the Lord himself being our leader.

It is conceded, however, that Peter had his humility, poverty, steadfastness of faith, and, consequently, his blessedness from the Rock of the church, which is Christ. But that by the words "On this Rock I will build my church" Christ should have intended to build the whole militant church upon the person of Peter, the faith of the Gospel, as expounded by Augustine, and reason declare untrue. For on the Rock, which is Christ, from whom Peter received his strength, Christ was to build his church, since Christ is the head and the foundation of the whole church, and not Peter. On the