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…

To be short, let not us cease too attribute all the help ⟨image 196⟩which we shall feel from the hand of God, unto his judge merits▪ although he hath inferior means too help us, Now in the end David concludeth,

To be short, let not vs cease too attribute all the helpe ⟨image 196⟩which we shall feele from the hand of God, vnto his iudge mentes▪ although hee hath inferior meanes too helpe vs, Nowe in the ende Dauid concludeth,

I have gone astray like a Sheep that is lost: seek thy servant for I do not forget thy Commandments.

I haue gone astray like a Sheepe that is loste: seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy Commandements.

Here we might think it very strange why David saith, that he hath strayed like a lost sheep, seeing that he addeth, That he hath not forgotten the Commandments of God, and that we have already seen by so many goodly protestations, that it was his whole delight to serve God: yea and that it was too him more deer then Gold and Silver. And how is it then that he now compareth him self unto a lost sheep. For to make plain this hard point, it is commonly said, that David confesseth him self to be a strayed sheep, yea notwithstanding the great desire that he had to please GOD, too govern his whole life aright, and yet that he ceased not to err. This saying is very well verified in him self. For although that this appertaineth not unto the whole life of David: yet he had a terrible fall, and was like a pore lost beast in the sin which he committed with Bethsabe, Uriah wife: For it seemeth that he had then forsaken God, and that he was as it were a lost man. He might then very well say, that he had highly and mightily erred like a lost sheep. But this might be taken more properly. That David respected not the time wherein God had called him, & set him in a good way: but rather respected his own natural estate and condition, and saith, O Lord, what am I of my self, without thou guidest me? Alas what had become of me? In what case had I been? Where should I have first begun? David then might very well make here protestation of such his condition as is common with us. For this is a general thing amongest us all, that we all go astray like wild and forlorn beasts, until such time as GOD repaireth and amendeth us. For in what case shall GOD