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…

David goeth forward and saith, Suffer not any iniquity to have dominion over me. To what end and purpose sayeth he this? For he had before desired God too order his steppes, to the end he might serve him in true and faithful obedience. Forsooth it is, because that when God hath bestowed his grace upon us, to be desirous too cleave unto him, yet shall we never come to the full end there of without great afflictions, having so mighty an enemy to stand against us as we have. It is very true that we desire nothing else but to be made teachable of God, and to suffer our selves to be governed by the great Pastor or Shepherd Jesus Christ: this is already one good steppe: but let us a little better consider, wherefore such grace profiteth us not. It is because the Devil cometh soon after too set it on fire, for he always findeth good store of Wood in us according as we are stored with many vices and imperfections in our nature, until such time as God shall have wholly taken us from out of this flesh. For all our lusts and affections are so many rebellions against God, as that we never cease to fight against him, that if at anytime on the one side we go about to do good, we are on the other side carried to do evil. What must we then do? We had need to have God too array us with a power and constancy, to resist all these contrarieties and wicked lusts which are in us: that we be not only teachable, and governed by him, but also that we be fenced with such armour and weapon, as are meet too ⟨p. 144⟩fight against Satan and all his crafty sleights and strengths, to the end our enemy might have no hold of us: so that we having as Saint Paul saith, both our headpiece, and shield, might be armed and appointed at all pieces, And when as we shall be thus armed, then to see how we should wholly and fully cleave unto our God. And whatsoever the Devil shall craftily invent against us, whatsoever stops and lets are in us: yet let us not doubt but too obtain victory.

Dauid goeth forward and sayth, Suffer not any iniquitie to haue dominion ouer me. To what end and purpose saieth he this? For he had before desired God too order his steppes, to the ende he might serue him in true and faithfull obedience. Forsooth it is, because that when God hath bestowed his grace vpon vs, to be desirous too cleaue vnto him, yet shall we neuer come to the ful ende there of without greate afflictions, hauing so mightie an enemie to stand against vs as we haue. It is very true that we desire nothing else but to be made teachable of God, and to suffer our selues to be gouerned by the great Pastor or Shephearde Iesus Christe: this is already one good steppe: but let vs a little better consider, wherefore such grace profiteth vs not. It is because the Deuil commeth soone after too set it on fire, for hee alwayes findeth good store of Woode in vs according as we are stored with many vices and imperfections in our nature, vntill such time as God shall haue wholy taken vs frō out of this flesh. For all our lustes and affections are so many rebellions against God, as that wee neuer cease to fight against him, that if at anytime on the one side we go about to do good, we are on thother side caryed to do euil. What must we then doe? We had neede to haue God too array vs with a power and constancy, to resiste all these contrarietes and wicked lustes which are in vs: that wee bee not onely teachable, and gouerned by him, but also that wee be fenced with such armour and weapon, as are meeete too