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 David showeth here unto us, what the true fear of God is to wit, that we must love him of our own good will, and that with reverence▪ and not constrainedly to love and fear him, but that we desire too come unto him, and wholly to submit our selves unto his Majesty. If we shall do thus: then may we truly say that we love him, & in loving him, fear him also. In very deed, these are things that may not be separated, because it is impossible for us rightly too reverence God, and to fear him as we ought, except (as it is said in the Psalm) that we first acknowledge him to be our father, looking for all goodness and courtesy from him. This then affordeth us, in the first place, that we are assured that God loveth us, that we must take him as for our father, that we feel, that he in the loving of us, desireth nothing else but our salvation. And thus much for the first point. And after from thence also proceedeth, humility: whenas we see GOD so too abase himself, as too seek for us miserable Creatures, wretched worms of the Earth, yea even very condemned and utterly lost ⟨image 150⟩persons, the bondslaves of Satan, That God seeketh for us even in Hell, and draweth us so lovingly unto himself. And must it not needs be that we are very stubborn, if we be not touched, and moved to come unto him, and yield our selves unto him, and be ruled and governed by his hand and protection? Lo, say I, how we ought to love the name of God, to the end we might be glad of that felicity which David here speaketh of, that is, that God looketh to keep us through his providence. And although we are here compassed with a great number of miseries, afflicted a great number of ways, and judged to be most wretched, yet God is at hand to help our necessities. And namely it is said to love the name of God, Because we must receive a testimony from him, to comprehend his good will. We see not God in his Essence, or as he is in deed, but he manifesteth himself unto us by another mean: to wit, that we might behold him in the glass of his word, where he showeth himself unto us openly enough. Now David addeth soon after,

Nowe Dauid sheweth heere vnto vs, what the true feare of God is to wit, that we must loue him of our owne good wil, and that with reuerence▪ and not constrainedly to loue and feare him, but that we desire too come vnto him, and wholy to submit our selues vnto his Maiestie. If we shal do thus: then may we truly say that wee loue him, & in louing him, feare him also. In very deed, these are things that may not be separated, bicause it is impossible for vs rightly too reuerence God, and to feare him as we ought, except (as it is said in the Psalme) that we first acknowledge him to bee our father, loking for al goodnes and courtesie from him. This then affoordeth vs, in the first place, that wee are assured that God loueth vs, that wee must take him as for our father, that wee feele, that hee in the louing of vs, desireth nothing els but our saluation. And thus much for the first point. And after from thence also proceedeth, humilitie: whenas wee see GOD so too abase himselfe, as too seeke for vs myserable Creatures, wretched wormes of the Earth, yea euen very condemned and vtterly loste