And, to cast everything aside, even speculation, meditations, and
whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself,
are of no profit. One thing, and one alone, is necessary for life,
justification, and Christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of
God, the Gospel of Christ, as He says, "I am the resurrection and the
life; he that believeth in Me shall not die eternally" (John xi. 25),
and also, "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed"
(John viii. 36), and, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. iv. 4).
Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that the
soul can do without everything except the word of God, without which
none at all of its wants are provided for. But, having the word, it is
rich and wants for nothing, since that is the word of life, of truth, of
light, of peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of
wisdom, of virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. It is
on this account that the prophet in a whole Psalm (Psalm cxix.), and in
many other places, sighs for and calls upon the word of God with so many
groanings and words.
Again, there is no more cruel stroke of the wrath of God than when He
sends a famine of hearing His words (Amos viii. 11), just as there is
no greater favour from Him than the sending forth of His word, as it is
said, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their
destructions" (Psalm cvii.
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