" Now since God (says Luther) hath caused his holy gospel to go forth, he acts with us in a two-fold way : 1st, externally ; and 2d, internally. Externally he acts with us by the verbal word of the gospel, and by visible signs, as in baptism and the sacrament. Internally he acts with us by the Holy Ghost, faith, and other gifts. But all this in such order, that the outward means must precede, and the inward must arise through the outward, and succeed them ; for thus he has concluded not to give any person these internal things but by the externals ; for he will give to none the spirit nor faith but by the external word and sign which he instituted for that purpose, as he says, Luke 16, " let them hear Moses and the prophets." Hence St. Paul also calls baptism a washing of regeneration, in which God pours out his spirit abundantly, Tit. 3 ; and the verbal gospel, the power of God to save those that believe, Rom. 1."

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