A04920:605
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.
Evil thoughts come▪ from God. God punisheth man for the offences whereof he is author, and where unto he provoketh him. God moved and forced Pharaoh to punish the people.
Euill thoghtes come▪ from God. God punisheth mā for the offences wherof he is author, and wher vnto he prouoketh him. God moued and forced Phara• to pnuishe the people.
These I say and others your horrible blasphemies (which we so detest, that we affirm, the first authors of them to be worthy of most sharp punishment) you be never albe to show in any of our writings. And this might serve for a sufficient answered to all your despiteful railing. But lest you should still glory in your iniquity and gross ignorance, I will discover the same ⟨p. 338⟩following your answer, in the words of S. James saying God tempteth no man. if ye affirm that God nether tempteth the obedience of his servants, nether yet sendeth false prophets to tempt his people, his plain scriptures will rebuke your vanity. for God tempted Abraham, he tempted his people forty years in the wilderness, he tempteth also by sending false prophets, as Moses doth witness. And therefore ye must be compelled to grant, that this word tempting or to tempt is diversly taken in the scriptures: sometimes to try and examine, sometimes to bring to light and knowledge things that be secret in mans heart, sometimes to seek by experience a certainty of things spoken, pronounced, or affirmed, and sometimes move, or to provoke to iniquity: & in this last signification we confess that God tempteth no man. for as the matter of all iniquity lieth within man, so is he provoked, moved, and stirred thereunto by his own lusts, and instigation of the devil only. And thus albeit we grant that to move evil thoughts, is to tempt, yet we deny the conversion. which is this, Ergo to tempt is to move evil thoughts. But let us hear further of your profound vanity: all is good say you that cometh from the father of light (God grant that in your hearts ye were assuredly so persuaded) if evil thoughts come from him they must be good. and so you conclude, that then was Josephs words false, and that God may be called the father of darkness (O execrable is your blasphemy) because from him come evil thoughts which are darkness. Answer. If any of us have so written or spoken, let us be stoned to death as execrable blasphemers. And if that ye in your blind fury do therewith unjustly burden us, although ye may escape the hands of man, yet shall you not escape gods severe and sudden vengeance. It is malice that will not suffer you to understand how that these evils which men willingly commit; in so far as they come from God are just, profitable and good.