The mind of the godly and excellent learned man M. John Calvin what a…The mynde of the godly and excellent lerned man M. Ihon Caluyne what a…

Now to see whether it be so or no, we must first understand what it is to offend, for when S. Paul useth this word, offend, he signifieth the troubling of a conscience whereby it is letted to come unto Jesus Christ or cause to fall or draw back from him, now when he handleth this matter of which we speak of, he commandeth us to be well ware that we offend no man, well how is that? Take heed (saith he) that thou eatest not of the Offerings made ⟨image 49⟩unto Idols in the presence of a weak person that is scrupulous,¹ for it is an offence. Wherefore? For sooth in as much as his conscience is thereby edified to do evil, for he thinketh that such meat is defiled, and yet nevertheless, he sticketh not to eat of it, following thine example. Behold now how thou art cause of his ruin, or else, if he abstain, he is troubled in his heart, thinking that thou displeasest god in so doing: and is by this means set as it were on fire, and in danger to give over, because he is not well grounded in the truth of god. We see then from what offence Saint Paul calleth us back it is, when we through our rashness be the cause that a weak ⟨image 49⟩parson doth so stumble, that he fall unto ruin, or turn from the right way, or else be hindered, and to be short. When we pluck him back, or be a let unto him to profit in our lord in the stead of that we ought for to further him. In like manner, to the Romans.² After that he had showed, that it was an unfriendly thing & against charity, for to trouble a weak person because he maketh his conscience to eat of all manner of meats and that he should not constrain him: not to be to importune against his conscience. Finally, that he should not discomfort nor discourage him. And when he would conclude his purpose he saith. Let every man please his neighbour in ⟨image 50⟩well doing unto his edifying.

Now to see whether it be so or no, we must fyrst vnderstand what it is to offende, for when S. Paul vseth thys worde, offende, he signifieth ye troublyng of a conscience wherby it is letted to come vnto Iesus Christ or cause to fall or drawe backe from hym, now whē he handeleth thys matter of whiche we speake of, he commaundeth vs to be well ware yt we offend no man, well how is that? Take hede (sayth he) that thou eatest not of the Offerynges made