" With these words Christ our Saviour teacheth us,
that all those that love better worldly things than God and his word
shall be shut out from his supper; that is to say, from everlasting joy
and felicity: for it is a great matter to despise God's word, or the
minister of the same; for the office of preaching is the office of
salvation; it hath warrants in scripture, it is grounded upon God's word.
St. Paul to the Romans maketh a gradation of such-wise: _Omnis quicunque
invocaverit nomen Domini salvabitur: quomodo ergo invocabunt in quem non
crediderunt, aut quomodo credent ei quem non audisrunt_? that is to say,
"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved: but how
shall they call upon him, in whom they believe not? How shall they
believe on him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" At the
length he concludeth, saying, _Fides ex auditu_; "Faith cometh by
hearing." Where ye may perceive, how necessary a thing it is to hear
God's word, and how needful a thing it is to have preachers, which may
teach us the word of God: for by hearing we must come to faith; through
faith we must be justified. And therefore Christ saith himself, _Qui
credit in me, habet vitam aeternam_; "He that believeth in me hath
everlasting life.
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