Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/22

xviii of the early rulers of the church, so that the demons could say of them: "Paul I know and Peter I know, but who are you?" With Gregory the Great, Huss affirmed that the name does not make the bishop but the life.

One of the conclusions drawn in this treatise, as also in other treatises from Huss's hand, is that the church once got along very well without popes. And she might get along well without them again,.

A second conclusion was that papal decrees are not always to be obeyed. To rebel against an erring pope Huss boldly said was to obey God. So clear and emphatic were Huss's views on this subject that Luther declared that "Huss committed no more atrocious sin than to profess that a pope of an impious life is not the head of the church catholic. He conceded he was the head of a church, but not of the catholic church. Truly he ought to have said: 'No matter how criminal and wicked the pontifex maximus is yet ought he to be venerated for sanctity. He cannot err and all that he says and does is to be accepted and treated as an article of the faith.' The good men at Constance disposed of three wicked popes and would not allow them to be taken to the fire: but Huss was sentenced to death.'"

3. The Power of the Keys. Huss's chief statements are as follows: The Apostles, as has already been said, were all the immediate vicars of Christ, Peter's authority not being universal and total but partial and particular. Without recourse to Peter the remaining Apostles ordained bishops and presbyters, taught and pastured. Thomas, the Apostle to India, was not appointed by Peter, nor was Matthias.