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…

how be it to desire to be privileged from that incommodity, whereunto we see the most holy name of Christ & his Gospel subject, that is utterly against all reason. Therefore they that at this day allege, that Offences are the cause why they dare not give their consent to the pure doctrine of the Gospel which we profess, but are rather horribly afraid to come at it, I would warn all such to take heed, that in stead of Christ they set not them selves up an Idol. For this must be taken for a sure ground, that if we will shun all Offences, we must therewithal also utterly renounce Christ, who if he were not the stone of Offence, were not the true Christ.

how be it to desire to be priuiledged from that incōmoditie, whereunto we sée the moste holy name of Christe & his Gospell subiect, that is vtterly against all reason. Therfore they that at this daye alledge, that Offēces are the cause why they dare not giue their cōsent to the pure doctrine of the Gospell which we professe, but are rather horribly afrayde to come at it, I woulde warne all such to take héede, that in stéede of Christe they set not thē selues vp an Idoll. For this must be taken for a sure grounde, that if we will shunne all Offences, we must therewithall also vtterly renounce Christe, who if he were not the stone of Offence, were not the trewe Christe.

Howbeit I know there be four sorts of men whom Offences withhold from Christ, or at least which under this colour are enemies to the Gospel. The fear ⟨p. 5⟩of Offences holdeth many back conceived of a certain natural modesty, in so much that they dare not ones take a taste of the Gospel. Other some being more slothful and unapt to be taught, do hinder them selves rather by dullness than by wilfulness. And there are very many, who being sotted with pride & the vain opinion of that wisdom which they are far from, are to themselves an occasion of Offence through their own arrogance. There are also which maliciously and of set purpose do gather together all Offences, and invent many new of their own brains, and that not so much for ill will they bear toward Offences, as for hate of the Gospel, to the intent they may by some means or other raise a slander of it. Yea rather whereas they themselves are the Authors of Offences, of very spite most impudently they turn the blame thereof all together upon the Gospel. With such slanders the books of Sadolet, Eckius, Pyghius, Cochlaeus, and such like, are to be seen throughly fraughted. The first and second sort are to be dealt withal somewhat more gently: but