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…

Plead my cause and deliver me: quicken me according unto thy word.

Pleade my cause and deliuer me: quicken me according vnto thy worde.

Here David expresseth what this his affection is, whereof he hath spoken: too wit, how that the wicked unjustly persecuted him, as again hereafter shall more at large be declared. Now we know, that the griefs which the children of God do suffer in this world, are diverse and sundry: For sometimes God will lay heavy hand upon ⟨image 173⟩them, without any man his touching: sometimes also men shall persecute them with unjust actions, so that the wicked shall torment and grieve them. David then showeth that the affliction which he endured, was of this second kind, to wit: that he had enemies which did unjustly trouble him. And see wherefore he desireth God, too plead his cause, and restore him. By this we are admonished, according to that which I have already said, that when we have lived in a good conscience, and have travelled even to do good unto every man, so that no man hath any cause justly to complain of us, yet although we are persecuted and troubled we must not for all that be overmuch abashed: because as great matters as all these were laid upon David. For this is most sure, that he walked so marvellous soundly as that every man had occasion too love him. And yet notwithstanding he was not without troubles amongest men. And why so? Because of their unthankfulness. Let us then understand that this vice began not first in these days, (I mean the unthankfulness and iniquity of men:) But long time a go, and therefore as much as in us lieth, let us seek after peace: but if so be we shall procure to do any wrong, the world will never give over hating of us, and procuring of our hurt, yea, and go about even to destroy us. But as I have already said, let not that seem strange unto us, seeing it came so to pass in David. And thus much for this. Now in the second place, we are to beseech God too avenge our cause, too comfort us, when we see our selves to be wrongfully dealt withal, when as we are oppressed with false and slanderous reports, that we are evil spoken of without just desert: we must then desire God to be our warrant and deliverer: and let us not doubt but that he will take our cause into his own hand, & show him self to be more then a protector & lawyer.