An Exposition of the Last Psalme

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 modo sed degere sanctorum vitas, as [n]one wittily) to bee followers of them as they were followers of Christ; is (as [o]blessed Latymer was wont to say) the right worshipping of Saints, and of God in his Saints.