Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/32

xxviii common. The chief weapon of attack against him was Wyclif's system as set forth in the XLV Articles, condemned by ecclesiastical authority and recently by the eight doctors to whom he was replying.

The materials, taken from Wyclif, are under Huss's hand subjected to altogether new collocations, and in matters of detail, where we would expect Huss to have drawn from his predecessor, he does not. For example, he does not repeat Wyclif's use of the ark and the seamless coat of Christ as figures for the unity of the church nor make reference to Solomon and the temple. Nor does he introduce David at the side of Peter as an example of one who is predestinate and yet is lacking for a time in righteousness. Huss omits many of the authors quoted by Wyclif such as Bradwardine, Henry of Gauda and, as already stated, Bonaventura. There is evidence, as Schwab long ago suggested, that Huss was well read in the canon law and used it independently. As for Augustine, Loserth has expressed the opinion that Huss knew his copy well. With Luther, at a later time, he felt profound respect for this father's theological learning and piety. In this treatise he designates Augustine now the "holy man" now the "great doctor" and pronounced him the foremost of biblical expositors, the man who was more profitable to the church than many popes. As for materials from Scripture Huss's treatise contains much that Wyclif does not give as also fresh considerations from reason. His references to Christ, whom he frequently calls "the best of masters" will at times be found to be charged with true eloquence as well as piety.

If it were necessary to point to the custom of his age to justify Huss's procedure, the cases of John Gerson and Cardinal d'Ailly might be cited. Gerson, rector of the university of Paris, without making acknowledgment, appropriated a considerable part of one of Henry of Langenstein's