A04920:317
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.
I have before said that God nether hath pleasure in destruction,1 nether yet that he will the death of the sinner absolutely, that is having none other respect, but to their torment and pain only. But albeit pride and malice will not suffer you to grant, that God hath created all things for his own glory: yet will not he be suppliant unto you, that ye shall suffer him to use his creatures, at his own good pleasure.
I haue before said that God nether hath pleasure in destructiō,1 nether yet that he will the death of the sinner absolutely, yt is hauing none other respect, but to their torment and pain onely. But albeit pryde and malice will not suffer you to grante, that God hath created all thinges for his own glorie: yet will not he be suppliante vnto you, that ye shall suffer him to vse his creatures, at his own good pleasure.
- 1Answer to the 2. & 3.
Where upon these words of the Apostle: doest thou despise the riches of gods goodness, not knowing that the kindness of God leadeth the to repentance, ye infer, that the cause why God suffereth with long patience is that we should repent and amend. If you understand that God suffered his elect, even in the time of their blindness, yea and after their horrible falls and offences with great lenity and gentleness, to the end that afterward they may repent, I do agree with you. for so he did with David, Manasseh, Paul, and many others, who after their conversion did not despise gods lenity, but did magnify and praise the same, as in all their confessions may be red. But if you understand Pauls words so, that God hath none other end in that his long suffering, but that the reprobate shall repent ⟨p. 180⟩and amend their wickedness, because the holy Ghost assigneth other causes (as before we have declared) I must prefer his judgement and sentence to yours. To your unreverent bold and furious question, in which ye ak to what purpose did God suffer them with long patience,