A04920:604
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.
for the fountain thereof doth every wicked man so find within him self that his own conscience shall convict him that no where else is the cause of his iniquity (& of the severe punishment, which for the same he shall sustain) to be sought but only within him self, and as proceeding of him self by instigation of the devil: into whose power he is delivered (as was Saul and others) by the inscrutable and incomprehensible (but yet most just) judgements of God. If in you were ether modesty or discretion,1 to judge of those things that be well, & godly spoken, or yet docility to be taught in those things where of utterly ye declare your selves ignorant, ye could not thus as in a furious rage spew forth your venom against gods supreme Majesty. for your horrible blasphemies are not so much spoken against us, as against God. As for us, they do no more obscure the manifest light of our doctrine, then if in your despite, ye should spit against the bright sun to impede the brightness thereof. for in none of our writings be you able to show any of these sentences, which maliciously & without shame you lay to our charge:
for the fountaine thereof doth euerie wicked man so fynd within him self that his owne conscience shall conuict him that no where elles is the cause of his iniquitie (& of the seuere punishment, which for the same he shall susteine) to be soght but onely within him self, and as proceding of him self by instigation of the deuill: into whose power he is deliuered (as was Saul and others) by the inscrutable and incomprehēsible (but yet most iust) iudgemētes of God. If in you were ether modestie or discretiō,1 to iudge of those thinges yt be well, & godly spoken, or yet docilitie to be taught in those thinges wher of vterly ye declare your selues ignorant, ye coulde not thus as in a furious rage spewe forth your venim against gods supreme Maiestie. for your horrible blasphemies are not so much spoken against vs, as against God. As for vs, they do no more obscure the manifest light of our doctrine, then if in your despyte, ye should spitt against the bright sunne to impede the brightnes therof. for in none of our writinges be you able to shewe any of these sentences, which maliciously & without shame you laye to our charge:
- 1