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…

Away from me ye wicked: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

Away from me yee wicked: for I will keepe the commaundementes of my God.

Here he speaketh of the temptations which come unto us by reason of the ungodly who allure us, as much as in them lieth too make us too contemn God, and work so many offences as that they break all good order, yea, even to leave the world naked and bare of all goodness. For so much then as we are too live here amongst contemptuous and outrageous people, who have neither faith, trust, nor truth: and that these temptations are very perilous unto us: as we see what a great number of men are corrupt by them: David saith, Away from me ye wicked, because I keep the commandments of my God. Here we are to note, as before I have touched, that he speaketh not this, too ⟨p. 124⟩make recital of his worthiness, or that he allegeth it for his power and strength to win him reputation: but speaking by the spirit of God, he admonisheth us to live holily: to wit, that if we will walk in the fear of God, and be under his yoke, we must in the first place separate out selves from the ungodly. Now this is an easy doctrine to be learned, but it is so slenderly practiced of us, as that we had need better to think of it, then heretofore we have done. If there were a great number of offences in David his time, which were to turn the faithful away from the fear of God, and too lead them to do wickedly, in what case then stand we now? It is very true that we are come to the full measure of all iniquity. For if we do behold at this day the states and conditions of all men, it will seem that it is impossible for the world to be worse, that the devil so possesseth both great and small in towns & villages, as that it is a very hell and tormentory to see it. Even so then, how is it possible that a faithful man can persevere to live in the fear of God and in such soundness as he hath commanded, without he stand very sure upon his guard? without he keep a good watch? and chiefly except he separate him self from so great a number of corruptions? For at this day a man can come in no company, but that the talk shall tend to the dishonouring of God, with all ungodliness: or else the talk shall be so vain, as that it shall have no good savour, yea, and too make whatsoever good seed that is in any man, who is yet teachable, to be nothing worth. And yet many times this shall not be the greatest mischief: