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 here are two things to be considered off. The one is, that David telleth the reason why all the contemners of God, and all that rebel against his majesty run headlong into destruction, and that he forsaketh them: that they feel no taste nor ease in their afflictions, but that God clearly forsaketh them. David setteth down here the cause of all this: it is, saith he, because they have not sought after thy laws, and therefore are far from thy salvation. Now he clean contrary, protesteth of him self▪ that he followed the law of God, and kept it in his heart. So then we must needs conclude, that he could not be estranged from it. In very deed, this sentence at the first sight is somewhat dark, but I will make it plain in three words, and then by little and little show what doctrine we are too gather out of this. When any telleth us of our salvation, we ⟨p. 167⟩must in the first place know, whence it proceedeth: to wit, from God, and that there is no salvation but in him: in so much that so long as God is good and gracious unto us, it must needs be that all must go very well on our side, and be assured that our life is blessed, and that we shall want nothing that is meet for our welfare and felicity. So then, our salvation, and all fullness and perfection of benefits consist in this one only point, that God loveth us and receiveth us unto himself. And since it is so, let us now consider, what he is whom God will forsake. Once, we are his creatures, and even as he hath created and fashioned us, so also will he continue his goodness towards us. Now, seeing that his mercy extendeth even to brute beasts, even to the most vile and abject things, yea even which we contemn, and disdain once to look on, seeing the mercy of God extendeth so far, as the holy Scripture teacheth us, how can it be that he will forsake us, yea unto whom he hath granted so great dignity and excellency? For we have a thing excelling all other his creatures, which is this, that God hath imprinted-his own similitude and likeness, in us: Now when as he hath exalted us unto so high a degree of honour, will he, think you, now forsake us? He will not without all doubt.

Nowe here are two thinges to bee considered off. The one is, that Dauid telleth the reason why all the contemners of God, and all that rebell against his maiestie runne headlong into destruction, and that hee forsaketh them: that they feele no taste nor ease in their afflictions, but that God clerely forsaketh them. Dauid setteth downe here the cause of all this: it is, saith he, bicause they haue not sought after thy lawes, and therefore are farre from thy saluation. Nowe he cleane contrary, protesteth of him selfe that hee followed the lawe of God, and kept it in his heart. So then we must needes conclude, that he could not be estraunged from it. In very deede, this sentence at the first sight is somwhat darke, but I will make it plaine in three woordes, and then by little and little shewe what doctrine wee are too gather out of this. When any telleth vs of our saluation, wee