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…

Now let us pass to the last sort of Offences: which I said to consist partly of surmised slanders, & partly to spring of malicious cavillations, which froward men fetching a far of, do unjustly wrest upon the Gospel. Of slanders I purpose ⟨image 94⟩to speak this before: that is no marvel if lewd persons by spreading them far abroad, endeavour to overthrow the credit of our doctrine among the simple. For it is not convenient that we should be exempted from the common law of the servants of God. Surely Paul was not so wayward to make those complaints for nothing, which are to be seen everywhere in his writings. Many things, of his wisdom he suppressed with silence: many things, of his modesty he did forgive: many things, of his noble courage he swallowed up and said nothing: and yet we see how often he con plaineth that he was spitefully slandered through the congregations. I speak of sinister backbitings, wherewith malicious persons did burden him, being absent & knowing not of it, before persons to light of credit, unskilful of all things, and ignorant of the truth. For it is to well known how the servants of God, yea & the Son of God too, have with open slanders been openly assaulted. But the Devil when he seeth he can profit nothing by open assault, assaileth ⟨p. 83⟩the good name of the godly privily, as it were by mines. Therefore when Paul was going of his hard souldierfare in countries far of: when through a thousand dangers he endeavoured to enlarge the kingdom of Christ: having continual conflicts with sundry enemies, rū nynge hither and thither of purpose & desire to gather nations far distant asunder, into the unity of the faith: cowardly and currish whisperers burdened him behind his back with undeserved slanders. Which of us may require to have his good name untouched of all the snatchynges of wicked men, seeing that Pauls pureness of living was not able to defend him? Yea rather (as he witnesseth him self to have done) let us go through with unappalled courage by infamy or good name. For it is no less behovefull for the servants of Christ, to set light by slanderous reports: than to be free from the enticements of vainglory. For Satan by burdening them with wrongful misdeemynges, seeketh either to break, or (at leastwise) to hinder their cheerfulness in doing well.

Now let vs passe to the laste sorte of Offences: which I saide to consiste partly of surmised slaunders, & partly to spryng of malicious cauillatiōs, which frowarde mē fetchyng a farre of, doo vniustly wrest vpon the Gospell. Of slaūders I purpose