A04920:58
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.
How bold, how shameless, and how blasphemous thou declarest thy self (I speak to thee and they companions that collected these blasphemies) It shall shortly appear after that I have by gods grace with simple perspicuity declared the trueth.
How bolde, how shameles, and how blasphemous thou declarest thy self (I speak to thee ād they cōpagnions that collected these blasphemies) It shall shortly appere after that I haue by gods grace with simple perspicuitie declared the trueth.
True it is that to the natural man nothing appeareth more absurd, nor more repugnant to good reason (as men term it) then that all shall depend upon gods will and appointment for so think they, that God can not avoid the suspicion of injustice, yea say they he can not be purged nor made free from malice and cruelty. But such as entering within them self do but in a part consider what is their own condition, what is there ignorance, and how far they are inferior to y• angels in justice and knowledge, to his holy angels (I say) that be most obedient and continually stand before his face, and yet nevertheless do cover their faces, and of very reverence neither dare nor will rashly behold the brightness of his glory. If further we shall consider that as in God, his wisdom, his power, his goodness and mercy are infinite, so are his judgements and justice (in the self most righteous) incomprehensible to the dullness of our wits. For as his wisdom and power far surmount all that we can imagine, so are his judgements and justice a great deep (as David affirmeth, and in the book of Job, is plainly described) able to swallow up and utterly to confound all our senses. Alas, shall I, whose corporal eye is so feeble and weak, that directly it can not behold the son which is a visible creature, but that it shall be blinded and dazzled: shall I, I say, direct the ⟨p. 41⟩eye of my mind (corrupted by sin) to measure and comprehend the brightness of his justice, who dwelleth in the light inaccessible? If man could impose or prescribe to God a law and measure of wisdom, power, mercy, and goodness, so that none of them should otherwise be in his eternal God head, the man could understand & approve: the some appearance might they have to bring his justice (which is no less infinite and incomprehensible then the others) under the censure and examination of their judgement and reason. But what bold and foolish presumption is this? that man, who knoweth not fully what lieth within his own heart, shall without all reverence enter to judge the secrete mysteries, the full knowledge whereof doeth only abide in the eternal God head. That impudently he shall pronounce: this can not be just, because we do neither see nor understand the cause of the justice.