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…

The reason of all errors is not much unlike hereunto. The faith of many quaileth: and some do utterly fall from the Gospel, because they conjecture it to be the seed of error. As though any man should give over tillage and sowing of the ground, because the pure seed doth oftentimes degenerate into cockle. To the intent the strangeness of the matter should not abash any man, Christ warned us that it should come so to pass. For albeit that in that place he compareth Hypocrites to darnel, and the true and ⟨p. 58⟩natural Sons of God to wheat: yet he showeth how this is the accustomed fraud of Satan, to corrupt and defile the heavenly seed of God by all the means he can, to the intent it should not come to fruitfulness: we know that the world lay a long time barren like a waste and untilled ground. Now hath God sowed the doctrine of his Gospel by his Ministers: do we marvel if Satan do intermeddle as many corrupt errors as he can? For what whole wane loads of false opinions hath he not brought in immediately with the first springing up of the Gospel? I do omit the innumerable multitude. But what can be devised more prodigious than the dotinges of Valentine, of Montane, and of the Manichees? Now it is to much folly, that they which count it for a miracle that the light of the Gospel was not quenched in so thick darkness, or which heartily rejoice to hear, that the strength thereof hath continued unappalled against so many assaults, should be offended at the doctrine of the Gospel, because now also Satan sullieth it with the darkness of his lies. ⟨image 70⟩Howbeit, forasmuch as men do sundry ways stumble at this rock, I will briefly show, that there is no kind of Offence, the which they incur not of their own accord, either through their slothfulness, or else some other singular vice of their own. They which simply make this one objection, that sects do bud out of the doctrine of the Gospel, partly are glad to seek starting holes, and partly, through overmuch lightness do lay the cause of evil upon the Gospel, which resteth otherwhere. Who so ever will vouchsafe to open his eyes, he shall plainly see that the Gospel is not only the pure and clear truth of God, but also the best bond of holy unity.

The reason of all errours is not much vnlike herunto. The faith of many quayleth: and some doo vtterly fall from the Gospell, bicause they coniecture it to be the séede of errour. As though any man should giue ouer tillage and sowinge of the grounde, bicause the pure séede doth oftentimes degenerate into cockle. To the entent the straungenesse of the matter shoulde not abashe any man, Christe warned vs that it shuld come so to passe. For albeit that in that place he cōpareth Hypocrites to darnell, and the true and