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…

If at any time while he was in torments the party that had with others conspired the death of the Tyrant, held his peace, because he would not bewray his fellows, all men wondered at his constancy. In so many provinces, in so many Cities, do not the innumerable examples of keeping promise to the uttermost, witness that their tongues were governed by God? And whereas in every man severally, yea and oftentimes in weak women too, the whole welfare of the Church lay in jeopardy, surely therein was a notable Miracle, that all had not within a while been utterly rooted out. And yet among so many abatements, not much unlike to destructions, it ceased not algates to spread further. And that was truly to triumph ⟨image 52⟩under the slander of the Cross. Yea rather he that shall weigh all circumstances indifferently as he ought to do, shall confess that among innumerable deaths, there was a continual race of many resurrections. That thing which for the difficultnesse thereof might seem incredible to us, if any man would tell us that the like should happen hereafter: Now when the same is come to pass, not only to despise it, but also to count it a thing to be offended at, is not a point of wisdom, but of a malicious wilfulness. Those were in deed the most violent brunts, howbeit, other ages also were not exempted from the same warfare of the Cross, but that they tasted of harder encounters, which would at that time serve God sincerely and faithfully. The Romaine Empire had submitted it self to the kingdom of Christ. The Church might seem to be placed in a happy seat of quietness and glory. The barbarous nations also had yielded to the profession of Christ. But in the mean while, Heretics and unbelieving men held the Sovereignty, in so much that good & true ⟨p. 41⟩shepherds being chased by violence (& not without reproach) from their Churches, lived like banished persons in unknown countries: Yea and they had not been suffered to have lived in exile, had they not hidden themselves from the Tyranny of their enemies. In that the Church hath often been left to the violence of so cruel persecutions, in that it hath lien well near overthrown to be frodē under foot of the enemies, this is far from any likelihood of worldly dignity.

If at any time whyle he was in tormentes the partie that had with others conspired the death of the Tyranne, helde his peace, because he would not bewraye his fellowes, all menne wondered at his constancie. In so many prouinces, in so many Cities, doo not the innumerable examples of kéepynge promisse to the vttermoste, witnesse that their tounges were gouerned by God? And whereas in euery man seuerally, yea and oftetimes in weake women too, the whole welfare of the Churche laye in ieoperdie, surely therein was a notable Miracle, that all had not within a while bene vtterly rooted out. And yet amonge so many abatementes, not muche vnlike to destructions, it ceased not algates to spreade further. And that was truely to triumphe