Chapter 165 of 325

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Compare 1Cor. 1.17, 18, 21. Rom. 10.14-17. ‘Praedicatio verbi est medium gratiae divinitus institutum, quo res regni Dei publice et explicantur et applicantur populo ad salutem et aedificationem.’ Bowles’ Past. Evang. Lib, ii. c. i. Archbishop Grindal in his celebrated remonstrance to Queen Elizabeth, upon her restraint at his preaching exercises, well points out the supremacy of preaching in the Christian Ministry—‘Public and continual preaching of God’s word is the ordinary means and instrument of the salvation of mankind. St. Paul calls it “the Ministry of reconciliation” of man to God. By preaching God’s word, the glory of God is enlarged, faith is nourished, and charity is increased. The ignorant is instructed by it, the negligent exhorted and incited, the stubborn rebuked, the weak conscience comforted, and to all those that sin out of malicious wickedness, the wrath of God is threatened.’ The whole of this admirable letter is given in Fuller’s Church History, Book ix. and in Strype’s Life of Grindal.

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