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…

That is to say, he gladded more in the promises of God, then in all the riches in the world, as we have seen in the ninth part, beginning with the letter TETH, which hath been in that place song, That he esteemed more of the word of God, then of all the gold & Silver in the world. And here he saith, that he rejoiceth to hear God speak, more then if he had sound all the goods in the world, that all the riches in the world were nothing to him in respect of it, It seemeth greatly at the first sight that here is some contrariety, as to stand in fear & awe of the word of God, & also to rejoice in it. For joy & fear are mere contraries. But we have already declared what it is that David meaneth by this fear: not that he was abashed too serve God, ne yet that he doubted of his salvation: But it was to bridle him and to hold him in obedience, and also to declare, that God gave him such a constancy against all the men in the world, as that when he seeth all the creatures of God to lift them selves up against him, yet that he ceased not to go on to do that which God had committed unto him, and that which he saw was his duty to do. To be short, let us then hold this for a resolute point, that David had not such a fear as made him fierce and cruel, ne yet which made him to fly from the presence of God: but he so reverenced that, which God spake, as that he stood boldly at defiance with all men, declaring that he made no reckoning of their fury, poison, nor yet of all their deadly enmities. David, I say, cared for none of all this, And why so? Because he so reverenced and honoured God, as that he fully reposed him self upon his word.

That is to say, he gladded more in the promises of God, then in all the riches in the worlde, as wee haue seene in the nienth parte, beginning with the letter TETH, which hath beene in that place song, That hee esteemed more of the worde of God, then of all the golde & Siluer in the worlde. And heere he sayth, that he reioyceth to heare God speake, more then if hee had sounde all the goods in the worlde, that all the riches in the worlde were nothing to him in respect of it, It seemeth greatly at the first sight that heere is some contrarietie, as to stand in feare & awe of the word of God, & also to reioyce in it. For ioy & feare are meere contraryes. But we haue already declared what it is that Dauid meaneth by this feare: not that hee was abashed too serue God, ne yet that he douted of his saluation: But it was to bridle him and to holde him in obedience, and also to declare, that God gaue him such a constancy against all the men in the worlde, as that when hee seeth all the creatures of God to lifte thē selues vp against him, yet that hee ceased not to goe on to doe that which God had committed vnto him, and that which he saw was his duetie to doe. To be short, let vs then holde this for a resolute point, that Dauid had not such a feare as made him fierce and cruell, ne yet which made him to flye from the presence of God: but he so reuerenced that, which God spake, as that hee stoode boldly at defyaunce with all men, declaring that hee made no reckoning of their fury, poyson, nor yet of all their deadly enmities. Dauid, I say, cared for none of all this, And why so? Because he so reuerenced and honoured God, as that he fully reposed him selfe vpon his worde.