Two and twenty sermons of Master John Calvin In which sermons is most religiously…Two and twentie sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin In which sermons is most religiously…

According unto thy word, made unto thy servant.

According vnto thy worde, made vnto thy seruant.

Lo whereupon we must build and settle our selves, when as we will come unto God, to be heard of him to wit, upon his mere mercy, as we have here above said. But are we already come thus far forth? And if we be, yet is there an other point farther required: to wit, we must assure our selves that the graces of God shall adorn and garnish us, so we seek them according to his word. And to prove it to be so, mark I beseech you, for it were marvellous great presumption in us, to come unto God, without we had his promises for it, and to desire of him any thing, and say, O Lord, I have need of this and that. Go to now, here is already some occasion which causeth us to come unto God. And again, O Lord, thou art good and gracious: lo this is an other thing also which augmenteth our courage and boldness. But because we are so far from God, that we are not able to come near his majesty, without he come down unto us: we must then, before we can have any access to make our prayers unto him, lay this foundation which is here set before us: that is to say, the word of God, when as thereby God witnesseth unto us, that his mercy is always ready, that he there layeth it before us, and offereth the same there unto us. There remaineth now nothing else, but that we receive it by faith, and that there we declare our faith through our calling upon him. So then we see, the order which David here setteth down, that is, that he bringeth us to God, to the end we might take our whole contentation, repose, and rejoicing in his mere goodness. And since, that he hath received us through his mercy, let us beseech him that he would look unto us with his eyes of pity. For the third point, he showeth us how we ought to make such our petitions, that is, because God hath bound him self unto us of his own good will, and hath witnessed unto us that he will be near us. When then we shall come unto him in this sort, let us not doubt but that he will hear us & grant whatsoever we shall desire according to his will.

Loe whereupon we must builde and settle our selues, when as we will come vnto God, to be heard of him to wit, vpon his meere mercie, as we haue here aboue said. But are wee already come thus farrefurth? And if wee be, yet is there an other point farther required: to wit, wee must assure our selues that the graces of God shall adorne and garnishe vs, so we seeke them according to his word. And to proue it to be so, marke I beseeche you, for it were marueilous great presumption in vs, to come vnto God, without we had his promises for it, and to desire of him any thing, and say, O Lord, I haue neede of this and that. Go to now, here is already some occasion which causeth vs to come vnto God. And againe, O Lord, thou art good and gracious: loe this is an other thing also which augmenteth our courage and boldnes. But bicause we are so farre from God, that we are not able to come nere his maiestie, without he come down vnto vs: we must then, before wee can haue any accesse to make our prayers vnto him, lay this foundation which is here set before vs: that is to say, the word of God, when as thereby God witnesseth vnto vs, that his mercie is alwayes readie, that he there laieth it before vs, and offereth the same there vnto vs. There remaineth now nothing els, but that wee receiue it by faith, and that there wee declare our faith through our calling vpon him. So then we see, the order which Dauid here setteth downe, that is, that hee bringeth vs to God, to the ende we might take our whole contentation, repose, and reioysing in his meere goodnesse. And since, that he hath receiued vs through his mercie, let vs beseeche him that he would looke vnto vs with his eyes of pitie. For the third point, he sheweth vs how we ought to make such our petitions, that is, bicause God hath bounde him selfe vnto vs of his own good will, and hath witnessed vnto vs that he wil be neare vs. When then we shal come vnto him in this sort, let vs not doubt but that he wil heare vs & graunt whatsoeuer we shall desire according to his will.