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…

See here what a notable protestation he maketh, & such one as we ought throughly to mark. For when David hath said here before, that the wicked have destroyed the law: yea, & speaking of no small number of men, but as of all in general, seeing all the world to exceed & to be corrupt: he addeth for this cause, O Lord, I have loved thy commandments, above all gold, yea and above most fine gold I have loved them in all & through all, & have utterly abhorred all false ways.

See here what a notable protestation he maketh, & such one as we ought throughly to marke. For whē Dauid hath said here before, that the wicked haue destroied the lawe: yea, & speaking of no small number of men, but as of all in general, seeing al the world to exceede & to be corrupt: hee addeth for this cause, O Lord, I haue loued thy cōmandements, aboue all gold, yea and aboue most fine gold I haue loued them in all & through al, & haue vtterly abhorred all false wayes.

Now I have said that this is an excellent protestation, considering the circumstances. For if David had dwelt amongest the godly faithful ones, which had served God, and walked in his fear: then it might have been said, that it was an easy matter for him to have conformed him self unto them. For although we see men always inclined to evil, yet they are many times reduced and framed to goodness through good examples. But I pray you in what time was it that David lived? Forsooth in such a time as that he was compassed with the despisers of God, he see nothing but following of evil throughout the world, he see as it were a mad and devilish impiety, he see every thing full of all infection: to be short, there was neither justice nor equity, no fear of God, nor yet any religion. And yet notwithstanding he saith, that he loved the word of God, and his commandments, and that he made more account of them, then of all the most precious things in the world. Let us then learn to love the word of God, not only when as we shall be stirred up by those which keep us company to serve God all with one accord: but also when we shall be amongest perverse and froward people, that we be as it were in hell amiddest all the devils, yet to persevere in this affection, and not to leave following of the word of God: that whatsoever offences we shall see committed by men, that they withdraw us not from the love which we ought to bear to the word of God. See then what we must keep in mind for the understanding of this text.