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…

Greatly also annoyeth the lightness which is commonly seen in divers, whereas at the beginning they show a marvellous ferventness, that flame within a while so vanisheth away, that ye would say it was kindled of straw. Othersome, although they stand furthermore somewhat better to their tackling, yet by little and little they wax cold. That thing which cometh to pass, partly of vainness, partly of slothfulness, and partly of earthly cares: the unskilful impute it to repentance. And therefore least it might repent them to late of proceeding to far, they leap back again betimes. If any being dismayed, with fear of death or persecutions (which, the more pity, happeneth to many) do fall from the Gospel, upon their inconstancy is framed a foundation of Offence. Foul surely is their fall: but in what sort so ever we deny Christ all of us, shall he therefore deny him self? Nay rather he shall evermore remain perfect, and always from time ⟨p. 70⟩to time nevertheless be like him self, as Paul also admonisheth. Far otherwise it would become us, to be reformed by such examples as these be: namely, that being warned of our weakness, we might carefully take heed, that the same happened not to us. After the time that Paul had declared the Jews to have fallen from the favour of God, he showeth their fall to be so dreadful, that he exhorteth and warneth others to beware. If then the falling away of one man or two, do utterly dismay them, whose carefulness ought to be quickened, when whole nations do fail, who would not impute the fault to their perverse judgement? Notwithstanding it is not my purpose to extenuate their fault, which as much as in them lieth do make feeble the weak souls. Only I would admonish such as waver when other fall, how malicious this amazedness is: he hath denied Christ who would have thought it? He hath taken his leave of the Gospel, whom all men believed to have been more firm than a rock. That man is now luke warm: & another is colder than Ice, when both ⟨image 82⟩of them were so fervent, that it was a wonder to see. But they that so speak, do not consider that some are therefore vanquished with fear of death, because they have not as yet conceived an assured hope of the life to come: & that othersome are stiff for cold, because worldly cares do allay the heat of the spirit in them.

Greatly also anoyeth the lightnesse which is commōly séene in diuers, wheras at the beginnyng they shew a maruelous feruentnesse, that flame within a while so vanisheth away, that ye woulde say it was kindled of strawe. Othersome, although they stande furthermore somewhat better to theyr tacklyng, yet by little and little thei waxe colde. That thing which commeth to passe, partly of vainenesse, partly of slouthfulnesse, and partly of earthly cares: the vnskilfull impute it to repentāce. And therfore least it might repent them to late of proceding to farre, they leape backe againe betimes. If any beynge dismayde, with feare of death or persecutions (which, the more pitie, happeneth to many) doo fall from the Gospel, vpon their inconstancie is framed a foundacion of Offence. Foule surely is theyr fall: but in what sorte so euer we denie Christe all of vs, shall he therefore denie him selfe? Nay rather he shall euermore remayne perfect, and alwaies from time