Chap. 2. the. 3. Diuision.
Afterward M. Doctor asketh whether S. Paule did not preach to the Romaines, when he wrote vnto them. No forsooth, his writing to the Romaines, was no more preaching than S.* 1.1 Paules hande, or his pen. which were his instruments to write with, were his tongue, or his lightes, or any other partes, which were his instruments to speake with. And S. Paule himselfe writing to the Romaines, putteth a difference betwene his writing & his preaching, when although he wrote vnto them, yet he excuseth himselfe that he coulde not come to preach vnto them, saying, that he was readie, as much as lay in him to preach vnto them.
Forsooth and I thinke verely, that the same Epistle did them more good, and wrought more with them, than if the selfe same matter, had béene preached vnto them, and not written. And if you will but peruse the. 15. and. 16. vers. of the. 15. Chapter of that Epistle, I thinke that you shall heare the Apostle call this writ∣ten Epistle in effect, preaching. I do not perceyue that in the first Chapter of this Epistle, he maketh any such difference betweene his wryting vnto them, and hys preaching. If you meane the. 15. verse, he therein onely signifieth, that so much as lyeth in him, he is readie personally to preach the Gospell among them, as well as he doth it nowe by his letters: and therefore to say that this his wryting is no more preaching than his hande or his pen, was his tongue or his lightes, is a proper iest, but not so apt for the purpose, nor so fitte for your person. A mans minde is commonly much better ex∣pressed by wryting than by worde, and that which is written continueth.