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 will I return to my purpose, from whence I have by little and little made digression: That God is hereby better known to be the keeper of this Church, because it hath always been miserably vexed, than if it had flourished among the greatest commodities, in peaceable joy and tranquillity. At such time as the name of God was begun to be called upon in the household of Seth, (as Moses declareth) no doubt but the Offspring ⟨p. 30⟩of Cain, like as they were more in number and bolder in all mischief, so also they vaunted themselves over proudly against them, being both few and given to meekness. How then could the Lambs have any while continued safe among the Wolves, if they had not been shielded with the helping hand of God? Afterward also, continually from time to time, as the wicked sort grew in malice, so grew they in power & ability to hurt: shall we say they stood by mans power & policy, who lived like persons overwhelmed among so many outrageous beasts? Onlesse peradventure any man will surmise, that the Giants were of modesty restrained from doing harm to the godly that were in their danger, of whom they knew themselves abhorred, as an adulterous offspring. At length remained but one man with a small household, who being commanded by the Lord to build the Ark, by the space of a hundred and twenty years together, provoked against himself the raging madness of them, that were altogether out of their wits against God. For in seeking a new kind ⟨image 42⟩of Sanctuary to save his own life, he threatened destruction openly to them all. How often (may we think) that he, being provoked with their railing and lewd behaviour, did earnestly stand in contention with them on the behalf of God's righteousness? now in such a number of cruel enemies, must he not have stand to the hazard of as many deaths, onlesse he had been delivered by the hand of God? Reckon hereunto that if he had not been sustained by the power of God, he had of himself a thousand times every year come to nothing. Afterward ensueth a greater and more heavenly miracle in the Ark, that being deprived of sky and air, he found life no where but as it were in the grave: he had not where to draw the breath of life, but where it was unlike but he should be stifled to death:

Now wil I returne to my purpose, frō whence I haue by little and little made digression: That God is hereby better knowen to be the kéeper of this Churche, bicause it hath alwayes bene miserably vexed, than if it had florished amonge the greatest commodities, in peaceable ioye and tranquillitie. At suche time as the name of God was begonne to be called vppon in the householde of Seth, (as Moyses declareth) no doubte but the Ofspringe