two wives, who had one husband Jacob, Leah and Rachel, are a figure.4091 Of these two, the
two blind men also are a figure, who sat by the way side, to whom the Lord gave sight.4092
And if ye pay attention to the Scriptures, ye will find the two Churches, which are not two
but One, figured out in many places. For to this end the Corner-Stone serveth, for to make
of two One. To this end serveth That Shepherd, for to make of two flocks One. So then the
Lord who was to teach the Church, and to have a school of His Own beyond the Jews, as
we see at present, would He be likely to send those who believe on Him unto the Jews, to
learn? But under the name of the Scribes and Pharisees He intimated that there would be
some in His Church who would say and not do; but, in the person of Moses He designated
Himself. For Moses represented Him, and for this reason did he put a vail before him, when
he was speaking to the people; because as long as they were in the law given up to carnal
joys and pleasures, and looking for an earthly kingdom, a vail was put upon their face, that
they should not see Christ in the Scriptures. For when the vail was taken away, after that
the Lord had suffered, the secrets of the temple were discovered. Accordingly when He was
hanging on the Cross, the vail of the temple was rent from the top even to the bottom;4093
and the Apostle Paul says expressly, “But when thou shalt turn to Christ, the vail shall be
taken away.”4094 Whereas with him who turneth not to Christ, though he read the law of
Moses, the vail is laid upon his heart, as the Apostle says. When the Lord then would signify
beforehand that there would be some such in His Church, what did He say? “The Scribes
and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. What they say, do; but do not what they do.”4095
7. When wicked clerics hear this which is said against them, they would pervert it. For
I have heard that some do wish to pervert this sentence. Would they not, if they might, efface
it from the Gospel? But because they cannot efface it, they go about to pervert it. But the
grace and mercy of the Lord is present, and allows them not to do so; for He hath hedged
round all His declarations4096 with His truth, and in such wise balanced them; that if any
one would wish to cut off anything from them, or to introduce anything by a bad reading
or interpretation, any right hearted man may join to the Scripture what has been cut off
from the Scripture, and read what went above or below, and he will find the sense which
4091 Gen. xxix. 23, 28.
4092 Matt. xx. 30.
4093 Matt. xxvii. 51.
4094 2 Cor. iii. 16.
4095 Matt. xxiii. 2, 3.
4096 Sententias.
1074
The tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. Of the shepherd, and the hireling,…