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 there cannot almost any deformity of the Church be feigned so ugly to the sight of the world, as the banishment of Babylon. The cruel sacking of all things, the foul destroying & wasting of the Country, the casting down and defacing of the City by fire and fury of the enemy, the horrible overthrow of the Temple, the unworthy spoiling of the holy furniture thereof, how great liberty of vaunting might they give to the enemies? And the things that I have now reckoned, do show how arrogantly the Chaldees behaved themselves. By all likelihood the worshipping of God was everywhere railed and scoffed at in all mens mouths. Howbeit these things were but as certain preparatives. The people being led to Babylon, was ⟨p. 36⟩like a dead carcass as it were laid into the grave: saving that this difference there was, that the torn members were scattered asunder, least they should grow together again. There was no house of God any more, there was no Sanctuary, no inkling of God's service, no solemn assemblies, no nor so much as the name of a Church. And to the intent there should want no spite that might be devised, the holy vessels were set out for a show in their proud and unpure feasts. Yea and the cruelty was so outrageous, that it became treason to call upon God. But this so excessive heaping together of all mischiefs, maketh the power of God to appear more manifest in restoring the welfare of his people. First of all, in that Daniel and his fellows were from bondage advanced to such preeminence, as hath seldom been seen, to the intent they might somewhat relieve their miserable oppressed brethren: It is by this example apparent, that the Church even when it seemeth utterly abandoned, is nevertheless cared for of God. In that the three holy men ⟨image 48⟩which were cast into the furnace, scaped safe and sound again out, there appeared a token very worthy to be had in remembrance, of the deliverance of the people, which shortly after should ensue. As for the returning it self of the people, it was no less to be wondered at, than a certain rising again from death which had never been heard of: so that the faithful might justly boast in the Psalm, how they were at that time like men in a dream.

Now there cannot almost any deformitie of the Churche be fained so vgly to the sight of the worlde, as the banishmēt of Babilon. The cruell sackynge of all thinges, the foule destroying & wastinge of the Countrey, the castinge downe and defacinge of the Citie by fire and furie of the enemie, the horrible ouerthrow of the Temple, the vnwoorthie spoylinge of the holy furniture thereof, how great libertie of vauntinge might they giue to the enemies? And the thinges that I haue now reckened, doo shewe how arrogantly the Chaldies behaued themselues. By all likelihoode the worshippinge of God was euerywhere rayled and scoffed at in al mens mouthes. Howbeit these things were but as certaine preparatiues. The people beynge ledde to Babilon, was