A17684:110
A little book of John Calvins concerning offences whereby at this day divers are…A little booke of Iohn Caluines concernynge offences whereby at this daye diuers are…
A little book of John Calvins concerning offences whereby at this day divers are feared, and many also quite withdrawn from the pure doctrine of the Gospel, a work very needful and profitable. Translated out of Latin into English by Arthur Golding.A little booke of Iohn Caluines concernynge offences whereby at this daye diuers are feared, and many also quight withdrawen from the pure doctrine of the Gospell, a woorke very needefull and profitable. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by Arthur Goldinge.
London: printed by H. Wykes, 1567
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Furthermore forasmuch as these forlorn men by their sliding, or rather by their headlong falling down, do not only offend the weak, but also do shed abroad the poison of their ungodliness, to the intent to bring all the world in belief that there is no God: I must set my self at defence against this stumbling block also. And that doth the holy Ghost, while he warneth us that there shall come mockers which shall trouble our hope with scoffings: but the same spirit affirmeth that unstable souls shall be in danger of their enticements. To the intent therefore that we may be out of peril, we must gather strength in Christ. It is a solemn custom among these unpure Dogs, that the more liberty they have to belch out blasphemies, the more they play the scoffers. So by their merry jesting in talking at the table, they gird at all the principles of Religion. ⟨p. 56⟩And first of all they wind themselves into their matter by overthwart nips, or covert conceits: howbeit all tendeth to this end, to blur out of mens minds all fear of God: for at length they burst out into this opinion, that all Religions are devised of mans brain: that there is a God, because men list to believe so: that the hope of the life to come was invented to food forth the simple withal: and that the dread of dooms day is but a bug to fear children with. These songs of the Mermaids are to apt to delight the ears of many men, but it is such ears as are already tickled with the same itch of themselves. For we see some so greedily snatch at, and hunt for those things that make to the taking away of the feeling of godliness, that having in manner scarce perceived the sound of a few words, by and by they range from the eternal and unchangeable truth of God. And surely whosoever hath but meanly travelled in the word of God, when he shall have tried that our faith is far otherwise grounded than upon opinion, he shall not so easily waver. ⟨image 68⟩And they that bear the seal of the spirit printed in their hearts, it is far unlike that they should be overthrown with the assaults of these engines. But this is it that Paul meaneth where he sayeth: That men make shipwreck in the faith, after the time that they have fallen from a good conscience:
Furthermore forasmuch as these forlorne men by theyr slidynge, or rather by their headlong fallynge downe, doo not onely offende the weake, but also doo shead abroade the poyson of their vngodlines, to the entent to bring al the world in beliefe that there is no God: I muste set my selfe at defence against this stumblyng blocke also. And that doth the holy Ghost, while he warneth vs that there shall come mockers whiche shall trouble our hope with skoffinges: but the same spirite affirmeth that vnstable soules shalbe in daunger of theyr enticements. To the entent therfore that we maye be out of perill, we must gather strength in Christe. It is a solemne custome amonge these vnpure Dogges, that the more libertie thei haue to belk out blasphemies, the more they playe the scoffers. So by their mery iestyng in talkynge at the table, they girde at all the principles of Religion.