erceive, 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." When we hear God's word by the preacher, and believe
that same, then we shall be saved: for St. Paul saith, _Evangelium est
potentia Dei ad salutem omni credenti_; "The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to all that believe; the gospel preached is God's power to
salvation of all believers." This is a great commendation of this office
of preaching: therefore we ought not to despise it, or little regard it;
for it is God's instrument, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts. Our
Saviour saith to Nicodeme, _Nisi quis renatus fuerit_, "Except a man be
born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But how cometh this
regeneration? By hearing and believing of the word of God: for so saith
St. Peter, _Renati non ex semine mortali corruptibili_; "We are born
anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God." Likewise
Paul saith in another place, _Visum est Deo per stultitiam praedicationis
salvos facere credentes_; "It pleased God to save the believers through
the foolishness of preaching." But, peradventure, you will say, "What,
shall a preacher teach foolishness?" No, not so: the preacher, when he
is a right preacher, he preacheth not foolishness, but he preacheth the
word of God; but it is taken for foolishness, the world esteemeth it for
a trifle: but howsoever the world esteemeth it, St. Paul saith that God
will save his through it.

Here I might take occasion to inveigh against those which little regard
the office of preaching; which are wont to say, "'What need we such
preachings every day? Have I not five wits? I know as well what is good
or ill, as he doth that preacheth." But I tell thee, my friend, be not
too hasty; for when thou hast nothing to follow but thy five wits, thou
shalt go to the devil with them. David, that holy prophet, said not so:
he trusted not his five wits, but he said, _Lucerna pedibus meis verbum
tuum, Domine_; "Lord, thy word is a lantern unto my feet." Here we learn
not to despise the word of God, but highly to esteem it, and reverently
to hear it; for the holy day is ordained and appointed to none other
thing, but that we sho