A04920:620
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.
ANSWER.
The more nigh ye draw to the end, the less ye prove your purpose, but the more ye utter your malice and venom. No just cause see we,1 why that the place of the books of the kings shall be explained by that which is written in the chronicles in such sort as you require,2 to wit, that nothing be left to God in that grievous offence of David except an idle and only permission. for the holy Ghost feareth not to say:3 The wrath of the Lord God ⟨p. 350⟩was yet moved against Israel, and stirred up David against them, that he said go and number Israel and Judah. Here plain it is that the eternal God who was angry against Israel dad stir or move David to number them, not by an idle permission, as you allege, but by such motion, as nothing repugneth to his justice. Where ye say, the other place explaineth this: for it affirmeth that the devil stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel, I answer as the one place repugneth nothing to the other, so doeth it not explain the other in such sense, as ye adduce for it repugneth not to say, that God, man, and the devil work in one fact & action, as in the histories of Job, Ahab, Shimei, and Pharaoh is manifest. God for just causes giveth his commandment and power to satan (as to his instrument) be he never so wicked, to do what in his eternal counsel, was before decreed, Satan of a wicked and rebellious mind chooseth such instruments, and useth such means as God likewise hath appointed. Men in all wicked actions, of their free and voluntary. motion, do follow their corrupt, and wicked affections in declaring their pride, vanity, malice, or cruelty, which wicked affections in so far as they are wicked, we confess that God will not: for he can will no iniquity. but yet that his eternal, & almighty power shall be judged so idle, that it doeth nothing in such actions but only suffer, we can not admit for such reasons as we have before alleged, where that we did examine the difference betwixt gods will, and his permission.