A04920:205
An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations
An answer to a great number of blasphemous cavillations written by an Anabaptist, and adversary to Gods eternal predestination. And confuted by John Knox, minister of Gods word in Scotland. Wherein the author so discovereth the craft and falsehood of that sect, that the godly knowing that error, may be confirmed in the trueth by the evident Word of GodAn answer to a great nomber of blasphemous cauillations written by an Anabaptist, and aduersarie to Gods eternal predestination. And confuted by Iohn Knox, minister of Gods worde in Scotland. Wherein the author so discouereth the craft and falshode of that sect, that the godly knowing that error, may be confirmed in the trueth by the euident Worde of God
Geneva: printed by John Crespin, 1560Geneva: printed by Iohn Crespin, 1560
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
and what moved him, the holy Ghost doeth ⟨p. 128⟩witness, to wit his avariciousness. The scribes, Pharisees, Priests and Seniors and people, led, some of malice and envy, some to gratify their rulers, and altogether of set purpose to crucify Christ, do consent with Judas. Pilate albeit he long refused and by divers means studied to deliver Christ, yet in the end for fear of displeasure, as •well of the priests and people, as of the Emperor, he willingly without all compulsion of gods part, pronounced an unjust sentence of death against Christ Jesus which his soldiers also most willingly did execute. This I say we see that the creatures and their wills without all compulsion do serve gods counsel and purpose. Here I know that ye think that either I write against my self or else that I conclude a great absurdity. for if I say that God did nothing but foresee these things and so permitted them (as after you speak) to follow their own train, that he worketh no more, but as a simple beholder of a tragedy, then do I agree with you and if I do say (as in very deed I do understand and affirm) that the eternal counsel and purpose of God did so rule in all these things, that rather they did serve to gods purpose and most just will, then fulfil their most wicked wills: then will you cry blasphemy, and say that I deliver the devil, Adam, and all the wicked from sin, of the which I make God to be author. To the first I have answered before, that as I separate not gods foreknowledge from his counsel, so do I affirm that he worketh all in all things according to the purpose of the same his good will: and yet that he useth no violence, neither in compelling his creatures, neither constraining their wills by any external force, neither yet taking their wills from them: but in all wisdom and justice, using them as he knoweth most expedient for the manifestation of his glory, without any violence I say done to their wills.1 For violence is done to the will of a creature, when it willeth one thing, and yet by force, by tyranny or by a greater power it is compelled to do the things which it would not: as if a pudique and honest matron or chaste virgin should be deprehended alone by ⟨p. 129⟩a wicked and filthy man, who with violence and force (though the will of the woman did plainly repine) did deflower and corrupt her.