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…

And besides, even the meanest sort of us, have also our excuses, and will say, I am a poor man, I must get my living with great pains all the day long by my handy work, I have scarcely any leisure once co come to hear a sermon on the Sunday. See what starting holes we find out, to the end we might follow our vanities, pleasures, and idle times, or I know not what other our slothfulness, rather then we would hear the word of God and meditate thereon. So then, David contrarily showeth, that whiles he was small and of no reputation: yet that he never ceased continually to be exercised in this lesson, even to submit him self to the obedience of God. And so we see him to be given from his childhood: and that he did not only take pleasure therein, when God had advanced him to the kingdom, that he did not begin then to taste of the law of God & to apply his whole study thereto: but when he kept his fathers sheep and cattle, and was brought up in the sheepcotes, before he came any thing near the court: even all that while, I say, he never ceased but was wholly occupied in the holy study of the law of God. Now let us learn hereby not to exempt out selves by our trifling excuses, as a great number of men do: but let us understand, that David here exhorteth all the faithful in general: that the contemptible, base, and simple persons, yea even as simple as young children and that have no knowledge of that which is most esteemed amongst men, that they ought not for all that to forget the word of God. And so, let also both great and small give them selves to the study thereof, that we may be all the scholars of the law, and of the Prophets, but especially of our saviour Jesus Christ seeing that God hath now bestowed a more excellent ⟨p. 152⟩grace upon us, then ever he bestowed upon David. For over and besides the doctrine which David received from the mouth of Moses, see how God hath laid open unto us the infinite treasure of his heavenly wisdom, insomuch as we have the Gospel, out of which the son of God hath spoken unto us, who is master over the whole household, as it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Now is this the doctrine that must make heaven and earth to tremble,¹ as it is spoken by the Prophet Haggai:

And besides, euen the meanest sort of vs, haue also our excuses, and will say, I am a poore mā, I must get my liuing with great paines all the day long by my handy worke, I haue scarsly any leysure once co come to heare a sermon on the Sunday. See what starting holes we finde out, to the ende we might followe our vanities, pleasures, and idle times, or I knowe not what other our slouthfulnes, rather then wee woulde heare the word of God and meditate thereon. So then, Dauid contrarily sheweth, that whiles he was small and of no reputation: yet that he neuer ceased continually to be exercised in this lesson, euen to submit him selfe to the obedience of God. And so we see him to be giuē from his childhood: and that he did not onely take pleasure therein, when God had aduaunced him to the kingdome, that hee did not begin then to taste of the lawe of God & to apply his whole study thereto: but when hee kept his fathers sheepe and cattle, and was brought vp in the sheepecoates, before hee came any thing neare the court: euen all that while, I say, he neuer ceased but was wholy occupied in the holy study of the lawe of God. Nowe let vs learne hereby not to exempt out selues by our trifling excuses, as a great number of men do: but let vs vnderstand, that Dauid here exhorteth all the faithfull in general: that the contemptible, base, and simple pesons, yea euen as simple as yong children and that haue no knowledge of that which is most esteemed amōgst mē, that they ought not for all that to forget the word of God. And so, let also both great and smal giue them selues to the study thereof, that we may be all the schollers of the lawe, and of the Prophets, but especially of our sauiour Iesus Christ seeing that God hath now bestowed a more excellēt