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 forasmuch as what matter so ever a man entreateth of, distinctions are wont to give great light unto it, I will here make a brief distinction between the chief kinds of Offences, which have both troubled the course of the Gospel from the beginning, and also do hinder it at this day. Therefore of Offences, (if it seem good) let us call some inward, which (at leastwise as men suppose) spring of the Gospel it self: or although they grow otherwise, yet are they almost ever annexed unto it. And let us call other some ⟨image 18⟩outward, as springing out of heads altogether strange and removed from the Gospel. Of the first kind are those, that have their beginning as it were enclosed in the very doctrine of the Gospel. Paul sayeth, that the Gospel is foolishness to the worldly wise men. The which is true: not only because the homely and unpainted simplicity thereof is had in derision by them, but also because many things are therein contained, which to mans judgement are not only very absurd, but also very toys to laugh at. For whereas it is preached that the Son of God, who is eternal life, did take our flesh upon him, & became a mortal man: and that by his death was purchased unto us life, by his condemnation our righteousness, by his curse our salvation: it abhorreth so much from the common sense of men, that the sharper witted any man is, the sooner he casteth it of. And now seeing the Gospel spoileth us of all praise of wisdom, virtue, and righteousness, leaving nothing to us of our own but utter shame, it cannot otherwise be, but it must greatly offend us. For such is ⟨p. 7⟩the pride of our flesh, that no man will willingly suffer those things to be wrested from him, with the vain imagination whereof we are all puffed up. Hereupon riseth a most sharp conflict. These things also touching the denying of our selves, the crucifying of the old man, the despising of the world, the embracing of the Cross, how sore do they with their sharpness Offend us? But the experience hereof is yet far harder, when the faith is tried by persecutions and other calamities. Besides these, there are other things also, which partly seem unto mans reason Paradoxes and things full of absurdity, as the things we spake of first:

And for asmuch as what matter so euer a man entreateth of, distinctions are wonte to giue great light vnto it, I will here make a briefe distinction betwéene the chiefe kindes of Offences, which haue bothe troubled the course of the Gospell from the beginninge, and also doo hinder it at this day. Therfore of Offences, (if it séeme good) let vs cal some inward, which (at leastwise as men suppose) springe of the Gospell it self: or although they grow otherwise, yet are they almoste euer annexed vnto it. And let vs call other some