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…

as if he should have said, that he knew none other way to please God but to give thanks unto him, when as he had liberally bestowed all the benefits of the world upon him, in such sort as that he felt himself most bounden unto his goodness Even so likewise will he be contented with us, when as we render unto him such thanks. Yea, but in the mean while let us consider that David knew, that if God had not freely accepted the praises which he yielded unto him, that they had bin nothing worth, as we have already declared: but we have of this here a sufficient and manifest confirmation. What is the reason why David besought God to accept the praises which he rendered unto him? he did it not like an hypocrite. He confesseth then, that when he presented him self before God, to magnify his name, that he might very well have bin put by, & his mouth to have bin stopped. And why so? because that we profane the name of God seeing there can proceed nothing but filth & stench, from those which are altogether corrupt, neither can there be any one drop of goodness in them. And although God hath put in to them any good virtues, yet they are so intermeddled with vices, as that it is lamentable. And therefore David knowing this to be so, prayeth God that his praises might please him. Now if David knew his unworthiness to be such, I beseech you, dareth any of us to say, that we are of our own power capable, to magnify the name of God, & to render him such thanks as to him appertaineth, without he of his mere free good will alloweth them, not imputing unto us the vices and imperfections which are therewithal intermeddled▪ & that ⟨p. 118⟩he will also think well of our praises and thanksgiving, yea although they deserve it never a whit? And besides, if we need to desire God, to accept our praises which we render unto him: I pray you what shall become of the rest? For it is most certain, that if there be any service which pleaseth God, it is even this when we come to do our homage for whatsoever we have received at his hands: and that we confess & protest that we have nothing but that we hold of him. When as we do this homage unto God; lo this is the service, which he chiefly desireth of us: Lo this is that sweet smelling sacrifice, which the scripture speaketh of.

as if he should haue said, that he knewe none other waye to please God but to giuethankes vnto him, when as hee had liberally bestowed all the benefites of the world vpon him, in such sort as that he felt himfelfe most bounden vnto his goodnesse Euen so likewise will hee bee contented with vs, when as we render vnto him such thankes. Yea, but in the meane while let vs consider that Dauid knewe, that if God had not freely accepted the praises which hee yelded vnto him, that they had byn nothing worth, as wee haue already declared: but we haue of this here a sufficient and manifest cōfirmatiō. What is the reasō why Dauid besought God to accept the praises which he rēdred vnto him? he did it not like an hypocrite. He cōfesseth then, that whē hee presented him self before God, to magnifie his name, that hee might very well haue byn put by, & his mouth to haue byn stopped. And why so? bicause that we profane the name of God seing there can proceede nothing but filth & stench, from those which are altogether corrupt, neither cā there be any one drop of goodnes in thē. And although God hath put in to them any good vertues, yet they are so entermedted with vices, as that it is lamentable. And therfore Dauid knowing this to be so, praieth God that his praises might please him. Now if Dauid knew his vnworthinesse to be such, I beseech you, dareth any of vs to say, that we are of our owne power capable, to magnifie the name of God, & to rēder him such thākes as to him appertaineth, without he of his meere free good wil alloweth thē, not imputing vnto vs the vices and imperfections which are therewithal entermedled & that