CHAPTER XX
OBEDIENCE NOT ALWAYS TO BE RENDERED TO THE CHURCH OR ITS PRELATES
Again, that the doctors in their double statement may be better understood, since they say that "the Roman church and the prelates are to be obeyed in all things by their inferiors," etc.,[1] and again, ‘Therefore ought they to be obeyed and submitted to," I take it as true from the rules of grammar that this complex statement "are to be obeyed" means as much as the complex expression, "ought to obey," and further, that this word "ought" expresses a debt of obligation to obey under pain of mortal sin. This supposition appears from the affirmation of the doctors derived from the words of the Saviour: "All things whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe," Matt. 23:3. For this word of the Lord is a commandment. Secondly, this supposition appears from the words of the doctors, when they say: "Certain of the clergy in the kingdom of Bohemia who do not agree, striving, so far as in their power lies, to lead the faithful people to disobedience in respect to their prelates and to irreverence for the papal, episcopal, priestly and clerical dignities." It is only noted that there would be mortal sin in disobedience, and irreverence would be mortal sin. Thirdly, this supposition appears from the assertion of St. Augustine, when he says: "If thou art not obedient to thy father (understand not thy bodily father but thy spiritual father) thou hast lost all the virtues." In this way it is plain that a virtuous man is not able to lose all the virtues except by
- ↑ In his de sex Erroribus, Huss has a chapter on obedience, Mon., 1: 238 sq., in which he denies that it is to be rendered in all cases to ecclesiastical superiors. The terms, "inferiors" and "subjects" refer to ecclesiastical rank and orders.
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