A04920:634
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.
That he would destroy, that nation, which intended their destruction: that he would deliver his people: that the warfare of Jerusalem was at an end, that her iniquity was remitted:1 that she had received double punishment for all her sins, from the hand of the Lord, and that therefore he would take the dolorous cup of anguish, and sorrow out of her hand, and would give it into the hands of those, that did trouble her. By which (and many mo promises, and threatenings, God doeth not mean that any thing was done in Jerusalem, which he had not appointed. But by the one he did somewhat comfort ⟨p. 360⟩the troubled hearts of his afflicted people: and by the other, he did show the cause, why he would punish those cruel murderers, whose service before he did use in punishing his people.2 And this doeth God most plainly witness in these words: I was wrath (saith the Lord) with my people I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thy hand (he speaketh unto Babylon) thou diddest show them no mercy, but diddest lay thy very heavy yoke upon the ancient: and thou saidest, I shall be a Lady for ever, so that thou diddest not set thy mind to these things neither diddest thou remember the latter end thereof. Therefore now hear thou that art given to pleasures and dwellest careless, She saith in her heart▪ I am and none else: I shall not sit as a widow neither shall know the loss of children. Here of I say it is plain, that the punishment of gods people (as before I have proved) is his own appointment, and will. But because the punishers look to another end, therefore are they criminal before gods justice. In adducing both these examples, that is, of Israel punishing Judah, and of the Babylonians destroying Jerusalem, I find you in another most gross error, besides this which I have confuted. For you seem to affirm, that if y• Israelites, and Babylonians had kept a measure, and had not exceeded the bounds, which God had appointed, and commanded, they had not sinned. For (say you) he willed the one, but permitted the other. Then in so far as they did his will they sinned not, but in so far as they exceeded his will, and did more which he would not, but only did suffer it, they sinned. This is your profound divinity, and godly meditations of God, of his justice, judgements, and works incomprehensible to mans reason.