1 He sets before them the examples of holy men,
whose piety is recorded in the Scripture.
WHEREFORE let us obey his
excellent and glorious will;
and imploring his mercy and
goodness, let us fall down upon
our faces before him, and cast
ourselves upon his mercy; laying
aside all vanity, and contention,
and envy which leads unto death.
2 Let us look up to those who
have the most perfectly ministered
to his excellent glory. Let us
take Enoch for our example;
who being found righteous in
obedience, was translated, and
his death was not known.
3 Noah being proved to be
faithful, did by his ministry,
preach regeneration to the world;
and the Lord saved by him all the
living creatures, that went with
one accord into the ark.
4 Abraham, who was called
God's friend, was in like manner
found faithful; inasmuch as he
obeyed the commands of God.
5 By obedience he went out of
his own country, and from his
own kindred, and from his father's
house; that so forsaking a small
country, and a weak affinity, and
a little house, he might inherit
the promises of God.
6 For thus God said unto him;
"get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that
I will show thee."
7 "And, I will make thee a great
nation, and will bless thee, and
make thy name great, and thou
shalt be blessed. And I will
bless them that bless thee, and
curse them that curse thee; and
in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed,"
8 And again when he separated
himself from Lot, God said unto
him; I Lift up now thine eyes, and
look from the place where thou
art northward, and southward, and
eastward, and westward, for all
the land which thou seest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy seed for
ever.
9 And I will make thy seed as
the dust of the earth, so that if a
man can number the dust of the
earth, then shall thy seed also be
numbered.
10 And again he saith: and
God brought forth Abraham, and
said unto him; look now toward
heaven, and tell the stars, if thou
be able to number them: so shall
thy seed be.
11 And Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him for
righteousness.
12 Through faith and hospitality
he had a son given him in his
old age; and through obedience
he offered him up in sacrifice to
God, upon one of the mountains
which God showed into him.