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…

nor a Monster to startle at. Rather impute it to thine own unthankfulness, that thy wondering at so inestimable a grace, swalloweth not up all thoughts repugnant unto it. I know these things are spoken in vain unto many. Neither is it hidden from me, what a laughing they make at us, because we seek for life in the death of Christ, grace in his curse, and righteousness in his condemnation. Verily (say they) so floweth cold water out of a burning furnace, & light springeth so out of darkness. And hereupon they conclude: that nothing is more foolish than we, which hope for life at a dead mans hand, which ask forgiveness of a condemned person, which fetch the grace of God out of one that was cursed, & fly for refuge to the Cross, as to the only author of everlasting salvation. And therewithal laughing at our simplicity, they think them selves very sharp witted. But I say, they want the thing ⟨p. 13⟩which is chiefest in true wisdom: that is to wit, the feeling of the conscience. For what manner of wisdom, what manner of Reason, what manner of Judgement is it, where the conscience is dulled? But whereof cometh all this, that they should so abhor the principles of Christian Religion? but that the Devil hath altogether so sotted them, that they are touched with no fear of God's judgement, nor conscience of sin? I said a little before, that there was none other way for us to come to the wisdom of God, than by becoming fools to the world. But of this humbleness, like as of all the rest of our Religion, the foundation is conscience and the fear of the Lord: the which being taken away, in vain thou endeavourest to make up the building. Therefore, who so ever will easily vanquish all the kinds of Offences by me mentioned, let him no more but enter deeply into him self. For as soon as he shall acknowledge his own wretchedness, the way as well for him unto Christ, as for Christ unto him, shall by and by be paved & made level. The voice of the Prophet crieth, ⟨image 25⟩prepare ye the ways of the Lord. And what other thing is meant by preparing of this way? but that men knowing in how great distress they were, should begin to long after Christ, whom heretofore they loathed standing in their own conceit. By the same means also we prepare us a way unto Christ:

nor a Monster to starcle at. Rather impute it to thine owne vnthankefulnesse, that thy wonderinge at so inestimable a grace, swalloweth not vp all thoughtes repugnant vnto it. I know these thinges are spoken in vaine vnto many. Neither is it hidden from me, what a laughynge they make at vs, bicause we séeke for life in the death of Christe, grace in his curse, and rightuousnesse in his condemnation. Uerely (say they) so floweth colde water out of a burninge fornace, & light springeth so out of darknesse. And hereuppon they conclude: that nothinge is more foolish than we, which hope for life at a dead mans hande, whiche aske forgiuenesse of a condēned person, whiche fetch the grace of God out of one that was cursed, & flie for refuge to the Crosse, as to the onely authour of euerlastinge saluation. And therewithall laughyng at our simplicitie, they thinke them selues very sharpewitted. But I say, they wante the thinge