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…

And yet calling Christ God with full mouth, he deviseth us, I cannot tell what manner of shadowy Ghost: as if ye would say he had from the beginning been nothing but an Idea of Plato: and that of any other right he was not the Son of God, but because he was conceived by the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin. In the mean while, he heapeth together many cartloads of speculations, which have so little colour or none at all, that any man ⟨p. 61⟩being in his right wits may easily perceive, that none could not so play the dizard, but he that is bewitched with the love of him self. But if that as soon as the truth of God hath put up her head, proud wits are both by their own ambition moved, & by the Devil driven, either to darken, or else to pervert it with their lewd glosses and frantic opinions, there is no cause why we should be troubled as with a strange matter. Wherefore as we have said before, that pride is the mother of all Heresies: so the vainness of them that make themselves disciples of such masters, is the continual nurse to cherish the same. As often as any error is spread by the false prophet, Moses affirmeth us to be tried whither we love God from the hart. To what end is that, but that we may know, that none other are led away from the pure doctrine, but such as under a false profession did counterfeit holiness? As for the faith which is steadfastly rooted, these engines can so little overthrow, that they do rather make manifest the firmness thereof: like as Paul writeth, that when sects ⟨image 73⟩do reign in the Church, those which are tried be made manifest. Whereby it is the less wonder, that as soon as any blast of a new sect bloweth, many slide aside hither and thither, seeing very few have the fear of God imprinted in their hearts. So much the less becometh it us to stagger with the multitude.

And yet callinge Christe God with full mouthe, he deuiseth vs, I cannot tell what maner of shadowye Ghost: as if ye would saye he had from the beginnynge bene nothyng but an Idaea of Plato: and that of any other right he was not the sonne of God, but bycause he was conceiued by the holy Ghost in the wōbe of the Uirgin. In the meane while, he heapeth togither many cartloades of speculations, whiche haue so litle colour or none at all, that any mā ⟨p. 61⟩