Vse. This may serve to direct us, to have a speciall care to raise and build up our faith.
Doctrine 6. The examples of other beleevers doe make much for the confirmation of our faith in afflictions & other temptations.
Reason 1. Because thereby it appeares that such conflicts are not contrarie to faith and pietie.
2. Because therehence we have a cloud of witnesses, to shew, that at length we shall obtaine the victorie by faith.
Vse. This may serve to direct us, to stablish our mindes more and more by such meditations.
Doctrine 7. All those things which we desire, either for our selves or for others unto salvation, we must aske of God.
This is gathered from verse 10, compared with the foregoing verse. For all those things which the Apostle had before required of the faithfull, he doth now at the end of the Epistle in their name crave of God, and he askes it with discretion, as appeares by that particle, But as if he should have said, Although all these things which I have proposed unto you by way of admonition, exhortation, and consolation, are duties which you ought necessarily to do, yet it is not to be expected, that you [♦]should accomplish it by your own strength: I do therefore call upon God, (which you likewise should alwayes do) that he would increase his grace more and more in you, whereby you may receive both to will and to do all these things.
[♦] “shold” replaced with “should”
Reason 1. Because of our selves we can doe nothing that is good.
2. Because in such like purposes and endeavours we are letted and hindred by divers temptations, and such as are most strong through our infirmitie.