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…

My zeal hath even consumed me: because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

My zeale hath euen consumed me: because mine enemyes haue forgotten thy woordes.

Here then David showeth in effect, that he was not so greatly grieved nor yet so sorrowful for all the evils and wrongs which he endured at the hands of men, as too see the word of God to be cast under feet and clearly forgotten. See here, I say, a most sure testimony that he highly preferred the word of God, before his own person:that he had not that pleasure in his life, nor in whatsoever concerned the same, as he had in the reverence which all the creatures of God ought to have towards his majesty, Now if he had not had this zeal, he could never have been thus grieved and vexed, when as men made no reckoning of the word of God, and cast it behind their backs. And here we are throughly too consider, that David spake not in this place of a mean sorrow. For then this had been enough. to have said, Alas my God, I have been a great deal mote grieved to see the wicked contemn thy word, then when as they persecuted my self although that I was sore troubled & grievously oppressed, yet had I greater regard to thy law, then to all whatsoever concerned mine own person. This had bin enough, say I, if David had said but thus much: but he went a great deal farther, saying, The zeal of the house of God, hath even gnawne and eaten me up. Here he saith that he was consumed & brought to nothing, so that he had no strength in himself. Now here we must note by the way, that ⟨p. 149⟩David spake not this to brag of him self: but rather hath set forth this his example for our better instruction, to the end we might learn to have the honour of God and the reverence of his word in such recommendation, as that when we see the world to make light of it, and too forget it, we should be grieved and tormented a great deal more, then if we did abide all the griefs, extreme wrongs and injuries that were possible: yea, that all our particular benefit, or damage, and whatsoever is most dear, ought to be nothing unto us in respect of this light reckoning of the word of God. Lo here what wholesome lessons and instructions, we have to gather out of this place.