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…

yea rather, that same godly longing of ours, shall be to us in stead of horses & ships, to carry us safely over all lets. For like as to the attaining of the higher sciences, is requisite a fine & well furnished wit, so to this heavenly Philosophy, is requisite a subdued mind. For what taste can there be, where as is loathing? what access can there be, where the hart is enclosed & locked up with yronly hardness? In vain therefore shalt thou talk of Christ, saving unto such as being unfeignedly humbled, do feel how great need they have of a redeemer, by whose benefit they may escape the destruction of eternal death. As many therefore as will not wilfully be deceived and so perish, let them learn to begin with this lesson, to know that they have to do with God, to whom ⟨p. 14⟩they must ones give an account: Let them also set before their eyes that judgement seat which maketh even the Angels to tremble. Let them think that the Devil is hard at hand to accuse them. Let them hearken to their own conscience bearing witness against them. Let them not harden their hearts against the pricks of sin, & then there shall be no danger for them at all, of finding any thing to be ashamed at in the death of Christ, or to scare them from him with the slander of his cross, or finally to withdraw them selves from him for any let. Of this thing ye may behold a very goodly image in the woman of Samaria. Who as long as Christ disputed with her of the mystical drawing of the water of life, was pleasantly disposed to prattle with him & to overthwart him, & was prettily bold to dally & jest with him: but as soon as he had ones touched her con science, by casting her in the teeth with her whoredom, by & by forgetting her merry conceits, she reverently acknowledged him for a Prophet, whom newly before, she sticked not to disquiet with her taunts. Therefore whosoever is offended by Christ, ⟨image 26⟩for joining his Godhead in one person with the Manhood, or whosoever thinketh it an absurd thing, to seek life at him that was dead, and to call the cursed Cross the wellspring of all grace and salvation, let us assure our selves, that they are therefore offended, because that being utterly void of the fear of God, they have no taste at all of the spiritual doctrine.

yea rather, that same godly longynge of ours, shalbe to vs in stéede of horses & shippes, to carie vs saufely ouer al letts. For like as to the atteininge of the higher sciēces, is requisite a fine & well furnished witte, so to this heauenly Philosophie, is requisite a subdewed minde. For what taste can there be, where as is lothinge? what accesse can there be, where the hart is enclosed & locked vp with yronly hardnesse? In vayne therefore shalte thou talke of Christe, sauing vnto such as being vnfeinedly humbled, doo féele how great néede thei haue of a redéemer, by whose benefite they may escape the destructiō of eternall death. As many therfore as will not wilfully be deceiued and so perishe, let them learne to begin with this lesson, to know that thei haue to do with God, to whome