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…

Now it followeth, I am thy servant, grant me therefore understanding: that I may know thy testimonies.

Now it followeth, I am thy seruauant, graunt me therefore vnderstanding: that I may knowe thy testimonies.

This is a more large exposition of the verse going before: he hath said, O Lord, deal with me according to thy mercies, & now he saith, I am thy servant. And how is this? it should seem that there is some diversity betwixt these two sayings. For doth not David in calling him self the servant of God, set down before, what service he hath done him? Now let us note that for the first place that it is not said for any brag, nor that he was so able a man to attain unto any such worthiness, neither yet that he deserved to be preferred before others: he meaneth not that this honour appertained unto him of right. What then? It is as much as if he had said, O Lord, I am thine. Now, cometh it of our selves, that we are the servants of God? have we obtained this estate, or degree as of our selves? Alas it is very far of: for we have it of free gift. Since the time that we were the bondslaves of Satan, God hath taken us unto him self, to be of his household and of his number. In that then that we are his, it is not because we have deserved it, but because he hath called us unto him of his free mercy and goodness. And in deed, if a man who was first of a base condition, serveth a noble man, he will not say that he was worthy of the service of such a master, nor yet that he was put unto him therefore: but will thus say, sir, I confess that you have received me into your service of your mere ⟨image 142⟩favour and grace, and have done me the honour which appertained not unto me. And thus should we most wretched worms of the earth say, Lo God, who ceaseth not still to do us good: and yet we will be so arrogant, as too determine to attribute unto our selves I know not what, as though he had herein nothing to do with us. Now I beseech you tell me whether is this to go? And that which is more, let us consider a little, what service it is that God might draw and pluck out from us, to do unto his majesty. If he shall leave us unto our selves to be as we are, about what shall he employ us, and what service can we do him? For lo, both we and all that is within us are altogether given to wickedness. We cannot once think any good: how shall we then do any? Next of all, David meaneth not, that he being called to serve God, was able too discharge himself thereof: for he felt him self utterly unable to do it.