Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/254

All such are thieves and robbers, as said the Shepherd truly, "As many as came before me are thieves and robbers," for all such, the aforesaid, came to the sheepfold apart from Christ, ascended to the cathedra by some other way, sought the things that are their own and so they are to be called hirelings, not shepherds. Therefore, the Saviour, showing who is an hireling and not a shepherd, said: "An hireling, and he who is not the shepherd and whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth away, and the wolf snatcheth and scattereth the sheep," John 10:12. Here Augustine, Homilies on John [Nic. Fathers, 7: 257–259], says: "An hireling here does not bear a good character, yet he is useful in some respects, and he is not called an hireling, unless he receives the reward from the one guiding him. Who is, therefore, that hireling who is at once both guilty and necessary? Here, brethren, let the Lord himself give us light that we may understand who is the hireling and that we be not ourselves hirelings. What is, therefore, an hireling? There are in the church certain officials of whom Paul says that they seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ. What is it, then, to seek one's own? They who seek their own are those that do not love Christ freely, do not seek God for God's sake, who pursue after temporal goods, coveting lucre and hankering after honors from men. When these things are loved by a superior, and when he serves God for the sake of these things, whoever he may be, he is an hireling; let him not count himself among the children. For of such the Lord says: 'Verily I say unto you, they have received their reward.'" Thus far Augustine. But because men of this kind sit in the cathedra, Augustine, after interposing some things, says at the same place: "But take note how the hirelings are necessary. Many, forsooth, in the church who pursue after worldly comforts nevertheless preach Christ and through them Christ's voice is heard, and the sheep follow not the