[Sidenote f: _1. Tim. 4. 8._]

First, almightie God is to be blessed for giuing his Saints such eminent
gifts of grace for the good of his Church, and for the setting foorth of
his glorie. So _Chrysostome_, _Basil_, _Euthymius_, _Prosper_,
_Placidus_, _Parmensis_ expound it. [g]Euery good and perfit gift is
from aboue, descending from the father of lights, a good thought in a
saint is _gratia infusa_, a good word in a saint is _gratia effusa_, a
good deed in a saint is _gratia diffusa_, through his grace which is the
God of [h]all grace, saints are [i]whatsoeuer they are. Wherefore praise
the Lord in his Saints, often remember their vertues as their true
_reliques_, and as it were bequeathed [k]_legacies_ vnto Gods people. So
the wise man, Ecclesiasticus 44. _Let vs now commend the famous men in
old time, by whom the Lord hath gotten great glorie, let the people
speake of their wisdome, and the congregation of their praise._ So the
Confession of _Bohemia_, chap. 17. [l]_Wee teach that the Saints are
worshipped truly, when the people on certaine daies at a time appointed,
doe come together to the seruice of God, and doe call to minde and
meditate vpon his benefits bestowed vpon holie men, and through them
vpon his Church_, &c. And for as much as it is kindly to consider,
_opus diei in die suo_, the worke of the day[m] in the same day it was
wrought; it is well ordered by the Church of England, that the most
illustrious and remarkable qualities of the saints are celebrated vpon
their proper festiuals, that on S. _Stephens_ day, we may learne by S.
_Stephens_ example to loue our enemies: on S. _Matthewes_ day, to
forsake the world and to follow Christ: on S. _Iohn the Baptist_ his
day, to speake the truth constantly, and to suffer for the same
patiently. Thus in stedfastnes of faith and godlinesse of life (_non
legere modò sed degere sanctorum vitas_, as [n]one wittily) to bee