The new birthThe nevv birth

therefore it must follow, that in such case also, it may become the power of God to salvation, and the instrument of the spirit to regeneration. The same precepts, promises and threats are by reading, delivered to the mind of the man that readeth, or heareth the Word read; and why then should we think, that the Holy Ghost either cannot, or will not, work together with them? Yea doubtless he can do it when he will, and will do it then, whensoever he doth not (as often he doth not) afford to men a possibility of enjoying any other help then reading. Unless the not being preached, could make the Word not to be the Law of God: I see no reason that it should be thought unable to convert souls, without being preached. But withal we must add this, that the Word of God is made effectual by the Spirit, more often, more usually, more ordinarily, to beget a new life, in the preaching (that is to say, the interpreting ⟨p. 17⟩and applying of it, by the mouth of a man, enabled and assigned to that work) then in the bare reading: for the Lord hath appointed in his Church, Pastors and Teachers to be his Workmen, his Labourers, Dispensers of his heavenly mysteries, and Fellow-workmen together with him; that by becoming his instruments, to convey grace into mens hearts, they might become spiritual Fathers unto them; and by attendance (not to reading alone,¹ but also) to doctrine or teaching, they might save themselves and their hearers. And when Christ himself was pleased to raise up the dead world of the Gentiles, unto the new life of godliness (and so to fulfil that which himself had foretold, saying,² The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live). He commanded his Disciples to go and preach unto all Nations: will any man make himself so simple, as to say,³ he meant thus; Take the volume of the Law in your pockets, and draw it out, and read a Chapter or two at a time unto them? Nay doubtless, he willed his Disciples to do that, which they had so often seen and heard him doing; whose custom was (as we may collect out of the fourth of Luke, where one instance is recorded, to make us conceive his ordinary practice), when he had read, to interpret the Scripture by him read, as there he did, saying, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears: