And that which is brought by the Authours of the Admonition, and so scornefully hurled a∣way of M. doctor, that Saint Paule compareth the preaching vnto pianting and watering, is a* 1.1 very (*) 1.2 notable place to proue that there is no saluation, without preaching. For as the husbande man receyueth no frute, vnlesse he both plant, and water that which is planted: Euen so there is no saluation to be looked for, where there is no preaching. It may be that God doth sometymes worke sayth by reading onely, especially where preaching cannot be, and so he doth sometymes without reading, by a wonderfull wor〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e of his spirite: but the ordinarie wayes, whereby God re∣gener〈1 line〉〈1 line〉teth his children, is by the worde of God, which is preached. And therefore Solomon sayth,* 1.3 that where prophecie, (which is not a bare reading, but an exposition and application of the Scrip∣tures) fayleth, there the people perish.
Saint Paule sayth, I haue planted, Apollos watered, but God gaue the increase.* 1.4 Erg〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 there is no saluation without preaching: is not this good stuffe, and a strong argu∣ment to builde a matter of saluation vpp〈1 line〉〈1 line〉n? Saint Paule there declareth, that the preaching of the worde is not effectuall, except God giue the increase, and that wée ought not to attribute our saluation to the Ministers of the worde but onely to God. He maketh no comparison betwi〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t reading and preaching, neyther is there anie thing there spoken, eyther of tilling, or watering, which may not also be applyed to attentiue and diligent reading. If your distinction of quoting Scriptures, some tymes for the matter, sometymes for the phrase, serue at any tyme to excuse the vn∣skilfulnesse of the Authours of the Admonition, it must eyther serue nowe or n〈1 line〉〈1 line〉uer: else I vnderstande not to what purpose it can be alledged. It may be that God doth not onely worke fayth by reading, but it is commonly so, especially in such as reade with vnderstanding. And yet this derogateth nothing from preaching, for God wor∣keth by both.
Solomon sayeth. That where there is no vision the people decay. And most tru〈1 line〉〈1 line〉* 1.5 it is. For where there is no true doctrine, nor faythfull Ministers to preache the same, there the people must néedes decay in Godlinesse, and true knowledge: but this derogateth nothing from reading.
Both reading and preaching be necessarie in the Churche, and moste prof〈1 line〉〈1 line〉∣table, the commendation of the one doth not take anie thing from the other. But* 1.6 preaching doth profit mo than reading doth, bicause it is more apt sor the ignorant & vnlearned: & if in this respect you preferre preaching to reading, bicause it doth more cōmōly profit, & serueth more to ye instructiō of those which are ignorāt, bicause it more