A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 10 · Section 4
Sect. 4. Christ allows hearing the Pharisees while they taught the Law of Moses.
Yet again saith this Author, But let this also be granted, that we may hear this Argument, speak its uttermost, The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat; this seat is a ministerial seat, and they sit not here by virtue of any lawfull authority, but are meer intruders; what follows from hence? Why this, if it were lawfull to hear the Scribes and Pharisees, persons vicious in their lives, corrupt in their doctrine, having no lawfull call to the place they possessed: then it undeniably follows, that its lawfull to hear the present Ministers of England, though they have no lawfull authority or call to the office they assume. It must it seems, then 3dly, be granted, that when Christ sayes, what they say unto you, do, he is to be interpreted, to command, or at least, to permit an attendance upon their Ministry. But this is that we deny, and dare confidently aver, That it never entred into the heart of Christ to permit, much less to command any to attend upon the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees: nor is any such thing in the least intimated in the words under consideration. For first, the words are in the original foreign, &c. which may more strictly be rendred, the Scribes and Pharisees have sate in Moses chair, all things therefore whatsoever they have said unto you, &c. (i. e. whatever in times past, you have heard delivered by these men, according to the mind of God, do you not now reject because of that hypocrisie, pride, covetousness, &c. you are made to see is predominant in them.
I reply, the Argument is framed not as here by this Authour, but as I before formed it. The command to do what they bid implies a permission to hear, else how could they do as they bid? Though the words v. 2. may be rendered, have sate in Moses chair, yet the words, v. 3. according to the Greek language, and, I think, according to all interpreters must be rendered, whatsoever they shall say unto you, it being a precept concerning their future actions, and the word render'd [sit] being in the first Aorist is best rendered, as noting an indefinite time, and so is to be conceived as signifying a continued time past and present, they have and still do sit. But were it granted, that the bidding were meant of the time past, the argument were of force, they heard, therefore they may hear, Christ not disapproving their former hearing, but giving a reason, which infers a continued permission to hear them, because they sate in Moses chair, that is, taught the law of Moses, so that he makes this the entire reason of their observing, and consequently of hearing, in that they bid them observe the law of Moses, which while they did, they were to hear them, and observe them, not when they taught for doctrines the precepts of men: which is indeed the genuine reason of his caveat there and elsewhere, especially in the Sermon on the Mount, Matth. 5. & 6. & 7. in which having said, Matth. 5.17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill, he then adds, that one Jot shall not pass from the law till all were fulfilled, that he would not have the least Commandement broken by practise or Doctrine, yet with monition, that their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, if they would enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and accordingly clears the law from their false glasses, warns his Disciples of their hypocritical practises, of their corrupt doctrine and traditions, directs persons to observe the rites of the law, while he was on earth, and to acquit himself from being an enemy to the law a little before his death, though he had late experience of their opposition, yet minds his Disciples that they should not neglect their teaching out of the law, though they were not to imitate their practise. Whence may be clearly discerned, that Christ would have them heard teaching out of the law of God, notwithstanding other defects or corruptions, and that the resolution of this case is a plain rule to us, that we may lawfully hear such as teach truth, notwithstanding other defects and corruptions in their lives and Ministry: It is added,