Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/294

242 reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears they will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts and will turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside unto fables," II Tim. 4:1–4. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at that prelates gratefully accept the statements of the aforesaid doctors, for they anoint all those statements with the oil of flattery and do not lay down a single word of correction with intent to suppress their wickedness. But a Master, a Bishop, and most just Judge will come, who will think most righteously of the flattering speaking of the doctors and the wickedness of the prelates, even he who said: "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, all things, therefore, whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe, but do not according to their works, for they say and do not."

Truly this Master never spoke fair of the wickedness of prelates and doctors. He spoke the truth, taught his own faithful ones and confuted the scribes, sitting in Moses' seat, because of their evil works. He spoke truth and taught truth, for he sat in Moses' seat, that is, the authority of judging and teaching God's law, as has been shown above,.

By that authority Moses said: "They come unto me, that I may judge between them and show them the statutes of God and his law," Ex. 18:16. "All things, therefore, whatsoever they bid you," that is, pertaining to the seat of judgment, "do," namely, from the heart, "and observe," namely, in deed. "But do not according to their works," that is, keep their doctrine, do not follow their life: "for they say and do not." Chrysostom says: "They preach the faith and act in unbelief, give to others peace and do not have it themselves, cry out the truth and love a lie, denounce avarice and love covetousness." Augustine, as above, on Ex. 18, says: "Sitting in Moses' seat, they teach God's law;