for hee maketh the Sunne 45. to rise vpon the euill and the good and his raine to fall vppon the iust and vniust On the contrarie saith Christ if yee loue them that loue you what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicans euen the same Be ye 46. perfect therefore in loue euen as your heauenly Father is perfect To giue our goods 47. only to such poore as we loue and like such as we know wil blaze the same abroade and to hate other whome we should loue is not to be perfect but partiall in loue and so for such loue we shal haue no thanke of GOD. We haue spoken before of brotherly-kindnesse that doeth keepe it selfe within some limites but this Loue wherof now we speake hath no bounds but extendeth it selfe ouer Loue hath no bounds all the world euen to our verie enemies He that cannot loue his enemies for Christs sake is not perfect in loue God loued vs when we were his enemies wee must follow God in this respect Be followers of God saith Rom. 5.6 Saint Paul and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and so forth Beloued saith Eph. 5.1 Saint Iohn If God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another The loue that God hath 1. Ioh. 4.11 shewed vnto vs is infinite and vnmeasurable wee must therefore endeauour to loue God and our enemies for his sake in some We must loue our enemies because God loued vs being his enemies measure Or else Woe Woe be vnto vs. We must loue God because hee loued vs first and wee must loue our enemies for Gods sake because he loued vs when we were his enemies This doctrine by how much more it is hard for flesh and bloud to performe because it is against our fleshly nature which is euermore desirous of reuenge by so much If we cannot forgiue we must pray God to change our hearts Mat. 18. 24. more ought wee to desire God to change or mollifie our hard harts that we may be readie to forgiue others one hundred pence seeing God is so kind to forgiue vs ten thousand talents alwaies remembring this definitiue sentence of Christ If yee forgiue not other their trespasses no more wil your heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses Mat. 6.15 Therefore Christians are taught daylye to pray the Lord to forgiue them as they doe Mat. 6.12 forgiue others that is if wee doe not forgiue others then wee desire the Lord not to forgiue vs which is most fearefull if wee haue any grace to consider ofit This then is to be When wee pray doe not forgiue we sinne grieuously perfect in loue as farre as we can attaine to perfection in this life to loue God with all our harts with all our soules and with al our strength our neighbour though our enemy as our selus The which thing because no mā can do in such absolute sort as he ought therefore we cannot bee perfect in loue til Wē cannot be perfect in loue in this life we haue laide down our fleshly nature be clothed with immortalitie but we must doe the best we can and though we cannot loue God and our neighbors as we should yet we must forgiue our enemies freely as wee are commanded yea loue them euen as our dearest frendes though they bee our mortal enemies and haue sworne our death yet wee must loue them not with a fayned We must pray for our enemies Luk. 23.24 Act. 7.60 but true Christian loue and praye for them that God woulde change their harts and forgiue them euen as Christ and Saint Stephen prayed for their persecutors saying To forgiue iniuries is giuen vnto vs of God Lorde lay not this sinne to their charge This loue which causeth vs to suffer iniuries patiently and to forgiue them freely is the speciall gift of God and giuen onely to his 1 Cor. 13.4 elect Therefore Saint Paule saith Loue suffereth long and is curteous Loue enuieth 5. not loue doth not boast it selfe it swelleth not it disdayneth not it seeketh not her 6. owne things it is not prouoked to anger it 7. thinketh no euill it reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all things it hopeth all thinges and indureth all thinges Why then he that hath this lincke of loue hath Loue hath all vertues included in it all these vertues included in it O rich chain where one lincke is bedecked with so many precious pearles contrariwise then it must needes follow that they which can suffer no iniuries they that are of a currish nature and not curteous they that enuy at other mens good successe prosperitie they that are puffed vp with pride and vaine glorie Vices contrary vnto the fruits of loue as a bladder with winde they that will commende none but disdaine all they that are not contented with their owne but seek other mens by deceite or oppression they that not onely thinke euill but study to deuise mischiefe they that are sory to haue truth knowen reioyce in iniquitie These and such like whosoeuer they are of what calling or degree soeuer they be of haue not receiued this badge of loue whereby they should be knowen to be true christians Last of all S. Paul saith that loue neuer Verse 8. falleth away but abideth with vs in this life shall continue with vs for euermore in the life to come O then let vs make much of Loue and charitie for it is a surpassing Loue a surpassing treasure treasure It is no maruell that Sainte Peter would not finishe his Chayne before this lincke of loue were aded vnto it That must A glorious Chaine that beginneth with faith and endeth in loue Happy are they that weare this chaine 2. Pet. 1.8 needes be a golden and glorious chaine that beginneth with faith and endeth in loue hauing lincked vnto them both all graces and vertues whatsoeuer happy yea thrise happy are they that weare this Chaine surely they shall neuer be bound in euerlasting chaines If these things saith S. Peter be among you and abounde they will make you that ye shall neuer be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus 9. Christ But he that hath not these thinges as faith loue the rest is blind cannot see farre of and hath forgotten that hee was 10 purged from his old sinnes wherefore breethren giue all diligence to make your calling election sure for if ye do these things ye shal neuer fall but by these meanes an 11 entring shal bee ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all prayse glory power and maiestie from age to age world without end A Praier for Loue or Charitie O Blessed Lord God most louing mercifull Father for as much as thou hast shewed vnto mankind thine infinite vnmeasurable loue not onely in creating vs of the dust of the earth then preferring vs to be lords ouer all the works of thy hands but also and especially hast manifested this thine vnexpressable kindnes towardes vs in giuing thine onely beloued sonne to death for vs that hee might bring vs vnto life to this end that in a thankeful remembrance of this thy so great loue kindnes we should shew our loue to thee againe to our neighbours and brethren for thy sake Grant therefore vnto me good Lord that I may loue thee aboue all thinges and my neighbour as myselfe not onely my frends and those that do me good but also mine enemies because thou louedst mee when I was thine enemie that I may neuer suffer the sunne to go down vpon my wrath but with all gentlenes and from my hart I may suffer iniuries and forgiue myne enemies O Lord if thou wilt vouchsafe to receaue me into thy seruice giue vnto me thy badge of christian loue or charitie whereby I may be assured that I am thy seruant let the fire of this loue breake out from me into flames of good works that I may be ready to do good vnto all but specially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith This grace vouchsafe vnto me and to all christians for his sake in whom thou art wel pleased So shalt thou O God dwel here in earth with me and I shal euermore dwelhere and in heauen with thee to whom with thy blessed sonne our Sauiour and the holy Ghost our euerlasting comforter be all lande and honour for euer and euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo honos
great actes and wonders haue beene wrought by them through the force of faith First concerning these faithful ones which liued before the comming of Christ it hath pleased the holye Ghost to make a long Catalogue of the chiefest of them in the eleauenth Chapter of the Epistle to the The faith of our auncestors commended Hebrues to this end that we shuld haue their examples euer before our eyes nay to teach vs that if they were so faithful in the time of the law much more should we be in the time of the Gospel I wil only note the examples By faith Abel his offering was accepted Heb. 11.4 before God By faith Enoch was translated from earth into heauen By faith Noe his 5. family were saued in the Arke By faith Abraham 7. came out of his own countrie being 8. tried offered vp his only begotten sonne By faith Sara cōceiued when she was fowerscore 11. ten yeeres old By faith Isaack blessed 20. Iacob and Esau concerning things to come By faith Iacob when he was a dying 21. blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph By faith Ioseph when hee dyed gaue commaundement 22. of his bones By faith the parentes of Moyses hid 23. him three months because they saw he was a proper childe not fearing the Kings commandement By faith Moyses himselfe whē he came to age refused to be called the son 5. of Pharaos daughter chusing rather to suffer aduersitie with the children of God then to enioye the pleasures of sin for a season By faith he forsooke Egypt and feared not the 27. fiercenes of the King for he endured as hee which saw him that is inuisible By faith he ordained the Passeouer and the effusion of 28. bloud least he that destroyed the first borne should touch them By faith Moyses and the children of Israel passed through the 29. red sea as by the dry land which the Egyptians assaying to doe were drowned By faith the walles of Iericho fell downe after 30. the Israelites had compassed them about seuen daies By faith the harlot Rahab was 31. not destroyed with the rest in Iericho because she receiued the spies peaceably To 32. be short by faith Gedeon Barack Samson By faith our forefathers in bat tell haue had the victorie Iephte and Dauid fought valiantly the Lords battels and had the victorie By faith Samuel Elyas Elisha and other of the Prophets together with them before named haue subdued kingdomes wrought 33. righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed 34. valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the strangers By faith women as the woman of Sareptha 1. Kin. 17.22 the Shunammite receiued their dead children restored vnto life by Elias and Elisha 2. Kin. 4.32 Through faith other also were racked 35. and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection Some other were stoned hewen a sunder 36. O the crueltie of tyrants were tempted were slaine with the sword others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skins and in Goates skins being destitute afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthy of they wandered in wildernesses mountaines 37. and Dens and Caues of the earth and these all through faith obtained good 38. report Thus the holy Ghost doth beginne and thus hee doth conclude this his Catalogue in commending the fayth of our auncestors 39. that liued before the comming of Christ Now then let vs note also a fewe examples out of the new Testament and so draw to an ende for I must needes confesse that the aboundant Doctrine which the Scripture affordeth concerning faith hath caried me much further then I purposed at the beginning Notwithstanding seeing fayth is Faith the principall Iewel of S. Peters Chaine the principall Iewell of our whole worke pardon me if I bee somewhat long in this Chapter I will endeuour to bee the briefer in all the rest By faith in the olde Testament wee heare how Sara conceaued and brought foorth Isaack according to the naturall generation of mankinde but by faith in the new Testament the Virgine Marie conceaued the Sonne of GOD by the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost without the naturall helpe of man Mat. 1.18 By faith her cousen Elizabeth acknowledged the Virgine Mary to be the mother of our Lord when also the babe Iohn Baptist sprang in her wombe By faith Ioseph Luke 1.45 the supposed father of Christ did take Marie vnto his wife when before hee had thought to put her awaye priuily By faith he and his wife fled into Egypt to preserue Mat. 1.19 the babe Iesus from the tyrannie of Herod By faith the Shepheards leaue their flockes 2. 21. in the fielde to see poore Iesus lying in a Luke 2.16 Manger who returning backe againe glorifie GOD for that they had sene and heard and publish the same to others By faith the wise men came from the East Countries to Ierusalem and from thence to Bethlem where they worshipped the childe Iesus notwithstanding his pouertie and Mat. 2.1 offer vnto him gifts golde frankencense and Myrrhe By faith holy Simeon tooke Iesus in his armes when Marie came vnto Ierusalem to be purified according to the lawe and hee Luk. 2.27 said Lorde now lettest thou thy seruant to 28.29 depart in peace and so foorth Then Simeon Verse 34. also blessed them and saide vnto Mary This childe is appointed for the fall and rysing againe of manye in Israell and for a signe which shall bee spoken against yea and a 35. sworde shall pearce thy soule that the the thoughtes of many hearts may bee opened By faith likewise at the same instant Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe 2.36.37.38 of Aser which was of a great age and had liued seuen yeeres with a husband from her virginitie but was a widdow fower-score and fower yeeres seruing God in the temple with fasting and prayer night and day she I say comming vp then at the same time confessed likewise the Lorde and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ierusalem By faith Iohn Baptist when hee came to age went out into the wildernesse to prepare Mat 3.1 the way of the Lord before him By faith he Baptiseth the people in the floude Mat. 3.5 Iordan as many as did repent and beleeue in Christ who was then at hand By faith Ioh. 1.29 hee pointed out with his finger the Sonne of God saying Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world 41. By faith Andrew the Disciple of Iohn Baptist brought his brother Simon Peter vnto Christ saying We haue found the Messias which by interpretation is Christ By faith Philip perswadeth Nathanael to come
faith it is wherof I minde to entreat as also how it is defined knowen I will now God willing proceede in my purpose to shew as much as in me lyeth out of the treasury of Gods word the excellency goodnes of this faith what rare vertues are to be found in it and the The preaching of Gods word the meanes to bring vs vnto faith mightie working and operation thereof to this end that neither so precious a iewell as faith is nor the meanes whereby we may attaine it I meane the preaching of Gods word may be so much despised and What titles are giuen vnto faith Mat 7 6 conteâ—â—â—d of wicked worldlings as it is First it maketh not a little to the commendation of this faith that the holy ghost by the mouth of Sainte Peter doth call it precious for writing to the dispersed Iewes which were conuerted to the faith 2. Pet. 1.1 he beginneth his second epistle thus SimoÌ„ Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to you saith he that haue obtayned like precious faith with vs by the righ teousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Iude 20 Christ And Saint Iâ—de in his epistle doth call it most holy saying And ye brethren edifie your selues in your most holy faith Now wee know the holy Ghost doth not delude or deceaue vs as men vse to do many times in giuing glorious names and titles to thinges that are of no great value but calling faith precious and most holy it is to signifie vnto vs that it is a most rare and singular iewel of great price estimation Faith a iewel of great price that so we shold esteem account of it for no sooner can we heare of Gems pearles and precious stones but presently wee are rauished with the desire of them Therefore the Scripture oftentimes vnder the names and titles of precious things that we most account of in this life doth comprehend heauenly euerlasting treasures as in the 7. of Mathew our Sauiour Christ saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs meaning his holy blessed worde neither saith he cast ye your pearles before Mat 6 20 swine And a little before in the sixt Chapt. seeing howe greedily wee desire worldly treasure 13.14 biddeth vs to lay vp treasure in heaueÌ„ And in the thirteenth of Mathew hee first compareth the kingdom of heaueÌ„ to a treasure hid in the fielde which being found we should sel all that we haue to buy that field 45 and againe in the same place considering how marchants do venture their goods and We ventur much for worldly but very little for heauenly treasure liues and vndertake all dangers by sea and by land to seek for gold pearls the like hee draweth this seconde similitude saying The kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ is like vnto a marchaÌ„t man that seeketh good pearles who hauing found a pearle of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it And not onely is the word of God and faith and other such meanes to bring vs vnto heauen comprehended vnder these terrene and earthly similitudes but euen heauen it self with all the beauty glory thereof as in the 21. of Reuelat 2â— the reuelation doth plainely appeare 9 10 Come saith the Angel vnto S. Iohn I wil shew thee the bride the Lambes wife then the Angell shewed vnto him in the spirite from an high mountaine the great cittie 11 holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauing the glory of God and her 11. shining was like vnto a stone most precious and so forth Then he speaketh of the wals 12. of the twelue gates theÌ„ of the situation proportion of the cittie howe it was foure square that the length and the bredth and the height of it were equall then hee commeth 16 to the building saying that the wall 18 was of Iasper and the cittie of pure gold that the foundations of the walles of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones and nameth twelue of them the first 19 was of Iasper the second of Saphir the third of a Chalcedony the fourth an Emeraude and so forth After hee saith that the twelue gates were of twelue pearles and euery 21. gate of one pearle that the street of the cittie was of pure gold as shining glasse The scripture comprehendeth heauenly things vnder earthly similitudes Now who seeth not how that the holy Ghost vnder the semblances and similitudes of gold precious stones and pearles which wee account our cheefest treasure here on earth doth signifie thereby farre more glorious excellent thinges such as saint Paule 1 Cor. 2.9 saith no eye hath seene no eare hath heard nor can be conceiued by the hart of man the ioyes which God hath prepared for vs in heauen Well then to returne to our purpose hath God himself fattributed such worthy titles to our faith as holy most precious surely then it is so let vs not doubt of it the vse that we shoulde make thereof is this that hauing it in some great measure we must account of it as a most precious iewell and not forgo it for any golde if wee haue but a little let vs pray the Lord to increase it if wee haue none at all let vs earnestly seeke it and to that end let vs make more account of Gods word and the preaching thereof then heretofore wee haue done for that with praier vnto God is the Without Faith we are most miserable onely meane to come by it otherwise if wee euer want it let vs assuredly knowe our state to be most miserable accursed notwithstanding wee haue all other riches and treasure in the worlde This doctrine wee learne in that our faith is called most holy precious Now let vs see how the thing it selfe that is faith doth agree with those excellent tytles which are giuen thereunto for it is not without great cause doubtlesse that S. Peter doth cal the faith of Gods elect precious and S. Iude most holy seeing they together with the rest of the Apostles had not onely heard the same so much praysed and commended by our sauiour Christ but also had seene by experience the rare vertues operation thereof And if euery herbe that groweth in the whole garden of this world euery gem precious stone that lieth hidden in the bowels of the earth be worthy of praise coÌ„mendations for the seueral particular operations vertues in euery of them how much more praise commendation is there to bee giuen vnto this rich Gem precious Faith hath all vertues in itselfe iewell of faith seeing a thousand folde more excellent vertues then are to be found in all kinde of hearbes and precious stones though they be innumerable are aboundaÌ„tly to be found in this one and onely iewell of faith But here I must
saith Hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life And Saint Paul saith by grace ye are saued Ioh. ◠36 Ephe. 2.8 By things to come I meane the accomplishment and performance of our saluation which in this life we doe patiently waite for and expect by hope therefore hope is sometimes vsed in the same sence that faith is as in the eight to the Romaines Saint Paul saith we are saued by hope that is by Rom. 8.24 hope our faith is supported and wee are comforted til we haue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules Againe this difference is betweene faith and hope that faith doth imbrace and apprehend Wherein faith and hope agree the promises of things and hope the things whereof the promises are made onely in this faith and hope agree that they haue alwaies respect vnto one and the selfe same benefits As for example when Abraham Gen. 17.19 was promised to haue a sonne in his olde age he did verily beleeue it but with hope did expect the performance thereof many yeares He was promised also the land of Canaan to him and his seede he did verily Gen. 17.8 beleeue it should be accomplished but yet hee did onely enioy the same by hope Thus we haue seene briefely the difference betweene faith hope and loue as also how they agree in one but of loue we shalspeake more God willing in the last Chapter Now let vs proceede a little further in our purpose to shew the excellencie and worthines of faith whereby we are assured of things inuisible as though wee saw them Things inuisible are plainely seene with the eyes of faith-Heb 11.3 with our bodily eyes if not more assured Through faith wee vnderstand the world was made by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare Through faith we are assured of our election before the foundations of the world were laide God hath chosen vs saith Saint Paul in Christ before the foundation of the Ephes 1.4 world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Through faith wee are assured of our reconciliation with God for God was in Christ saith the Apostle and reconciled 2. Cor. 5.19 the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Through faith wee are assured of our redemption iustification and sanctification Ye are of him saith Saint Paul in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1.30 who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Through faith we are assured of our adoption that wee are the sonnes of God The spirite Rom. 8 16 beareth witnesse vnto our spirites saith the Apostle that wee are the children of God Through faith wee are assured that wee haue the spirit of God Know ye not that the 2. Cor. 13.5 spirite of Christ dwelleth in you except ye be reprobates Through faith wee haue the true knowledge of God and of Christ and in the ende euerlasting life This is life eternall to know God the father and whome hee hath Ioh. 17.3 sent Iesus Christ Lastly through faith we are assured that nothing shall separate vs from the loue of God for those whome God once loueth to Ioh. 13.1 the ende he loueth them I am perswaded saith Saint Paule that neither death nor Rom. 8.38 life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our If we haue faith nothing can separate vs from God Lord. See thē the excellency of faith which may yet againe be considered fower maner of waies In respect of God in respect of our neighbours in respect of our selues in respect of the deuill and of the world In respect of God we feele peace of conscience Being iustified by faith wee Rom. 5.1 haue peace towardes God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Wee haue hope of the glorie to come Wee haue accesse vnto the 8.21 Heb. 4.16 throne of grace In respecte of our neighbours we haue mutuall concord godly loue and charitie In respect of our selues wee haue patience in afflictions reioycing in Rom. 5.3 tribulations ioye in the holye Ghost dying vnto sinne liuing vnto righteousnesse In respect of Sathan our faith fighteth for Ephe. 6.16 vs against his temptations and in respect of the world wee doe by little and little ouercome it This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith 1. Ioh. 5.9 What should we say more If thou haue faith all things in heauen and earth make for thee if thou want faith al things in heauē earth hel make against thee if thou haue All thinges make for the faithful as al things make against the infidels faith thou art rich without any other thing if thou want faith thou art poore possessing al other things if thou haue faith thou maiest bee bolde as a Lyon if thou want faith thou wilt tremble at the shaking of a leafe if thou haue faith thou needes not feare the Faith a strong fort against our enemies force of thine enemies but for want of faith the heartes of people faint within them The wicked flie saith Salomon and no man pursueth them contrariwise the faithfull will say with Dauid God is our hope Pro. 28.1 and strength a helpe in troubles ready to bee founde Therefore will wee not feare Psal 46 1.2 3. though the earth remoue and though the mountaines fall into the depth of the Sea the hils shake at the surges of the same Againe Dauid saith though thousands had Psal 3.6 hemd me in on euery side yet would I not feare And againe I will say vnto the Lord O my hope and my fortresse he is my God Psal 92.1.2 in him will I trust surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from 3. the noysome pestilence he will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt bee safe vnder 4. his feathers his truth shall be thy shield and buckler thou needst not bee affraid of the terror of the night nor of the arrowe that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that 5. walketh in the darkenesse nor of the plague One faithfull man better in fight then a thousand infidels that destroyeth at the noone day a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hande but it shall not come neere thee Behold then I beseech you the 6. force of faith blessed is the man that hath 7. the Lord for his God Psa 144.15 Now hauing hitherto heard the excellencie of faith and what profit we receiue therby it shall not be amisse to note for our further comfort and consolation what worthy praise commendation the Scripture hath alwaies giuen vnto faithfull men and women what
vnto Christ saying vnto him Beholde wee haue 45. found him of whome Moyses did write in the lawe and in the Prophetes By faith Nathanael sayth vnto Iesus thou art the Sonne of God thou art the Kinge of Israell 49. because Christ said hee saw him vnder a fig-tree By faith Simon Peter and the Sonnes of Zebedee leaue their fishing and Mat. 4.18 21. nettes to follow Iesus after that hee had tolde them that he would make them fishers of men By faith Mathew the customer left all his Mat. 9.9 gaine to follow Iesus By faith Sainte Paul Saint Steuen and all the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11. endured all labours and daungers imprisonment 23 mockings scourgings death it selfe Acts. 7.59 for the name of Christ and for the worke of the ministerie By faith infinite Martyrs and the Saints of God since the time of the Apostles haue done likewise By faith Zacheus made this protestation from his heart Luk. 19.8 saying Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue done anye man wrong I restore him fowerfolde to whom Christ answered This day saluation is come into thine house By faith the good Mat. 8.10 Centurion said that Christ was able to heale his seruant with his onely worde of whose faith Christ himselfe gaue this commendation that he had not found so great a faith no not in Israel By faith the poore woman of Canaan saide vnto Christ that it was lawfull for Mat. 15.28 dogges to eate vp the crummes which fall from their Masters table whose fayth also Christ highly cōmended saying vnto her Woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt But what stand I to reckon vp more examples to this purpose let vs looke vp into the starres of heauen and if we be able to number them then may wee also bring into a The starres of heauen and the faithfull children of Abraham innumerable reckoning all the true sonnes of Abraham registred in the booke of Gods remēbrance for their strong and stedfast faith in the promises of God made vnto Adam Abraham and the rest of Gods elect since the beginning of the worlde These examples which I haue noted and manye other which of purpose I omit are surelye written for our learning that wee through patience Rom. 15.4 and comforte of the Scripture might haue hope Last of all the great and glorious titles wherby the faithfull are called in the Scripture How the faithful are named in the Scripture make not a little to the commendation of this faith whereof wee speake The faithfull are called the sonnes of God the sonnes of light liuing stones the temple of the holye Ghost the bodye of Christ the housholde of God the fellow Cittizens of 2. Cor. 6. 18 Luk. 16.8.1 Pet. 2.5.1 Cor. 6.19 Eph. 1.23 2.6 1. Pet. 2.9 the Saints a royall Priesthoode a holy nation a peculiar people Wherfore seeing we haue heard so great commendation of faith and faithfull people what maruaile is it that the Scripture euerye where doeth exhorte vs vnto faith and that Christ himselfe and all his Apostles did take so great paines to bring the world vnto the obedience of faith by the preaching of the Gospell and reioce in nothing more then to heare see how that the Churches of God where the Gospell hath beene preached did continue in their faith Therefore Saint Paule in the first to the Romanes did thanke God that their faith Rom. 18. was published throughout the world And Coloss 1.2 in the first to the Collossians hee beginneth thus To the saintes and faithfull brethren in Christ and by and by he saith We giue thankes to God since we heard of your faith 3. in Christ Iesus And againe in the seconde Chapter hee saith I reioyce to behold your Chap. 2. 5. order and stedfast faith in Christ And in the first to the Thessalonians and first he saith 1 Thess 1.2 We giue God thankes for you without ceasing remembring your effectuall faith And in the second to Timothie first he calleth 3 to remembrance the vnfayned faith which 2 Tim 1.5 dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice And to Philemon hee writeth thus I giue thanks when I heare of Phile. 1.4 5. thy loue and faith What doth all this signifie vnto vs but that this saith whereof wee speake is most excellent in the sight of God and man Hence commeth it to passe that the same Apostle doth so earnestly exhort vs vnto this 1 Cor 16 13. faith to abide in it Stand fast in the faith saith he quite you like men and be strong Againe hee saith Proue your selues whether 2.13.5 ye are in the faith Againe We walk by faith and not by sight Againe Aboue all Ephes 6 16 1 Tim. 1 5 6.11 12 take the shielde of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Againe The ende of the commandement is loue out of a pure harte and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And vnto Timothy he saith But thou O man of God follow after righteousnes godlinesse faith loue patience meekenes and so forth Faith must fight for vs. 2. Tim. 1.13 By and by hee saith Fight the good fight of faith Againe keepe the true patterne of the wholesome wordes which thou hast hearde of mee in faith and loue in Christ Iesus Againe hee bids vs to doe good vnto all but especially to them that are of the housholde Tit. 2 2 of faith And to Titus he saith let the elder men be sound in the faith And in the Epistle Heb 4 2. Gods word profiteth not without faith 11.6 to the Hebrewes it is saide that Gods worde profiteth vs not except it bee mixt with faith And without faith it it is impossible to please God For a conclusion therefore Christ himselfe saith Bee faithfull vnto the death I wil giue thee the crown of life What tounge then can expresse the Reuel 2.10 excellencie of faith and the profite wee receiue by it Contrariwise all woe and miserie is theirs that haue not this faith for All woe is theirs that haue not faith Rom. 14.23 without faith whatsoeuer wee doe is sinne whether we pray reade sing eate drinke labour or whatsoeuer wee doe without this faith I say it is sinne Iannes Iambres are compared with the reprobates that want 1 Tim. 3.8 2 Tim. 1.20 faith Hymeneus and Alexander are noted with eternall infamie because they made shipwracke of their faith For want of faith the man in the Gospel that presumed to come to the wedding was bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter Mat. 22.12 13. darkenes there shall be weeping gnashing of teeth Finally as vnbeleefe was the cause that so many thousands died in the wildernesse and