A04920:672
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 we constantly affirm, that the brightness of our God doth so blind nature, and reason (as now they be corrupted) that the natural man can never attain to those things, which appertain to God, to the knowledge of his will, nether yet to his true honour. For we know that the world hath not known God, by wisdom, but thinking themselves most wise, have become most vain, in so much that they have worshipped the creatures, more then the Creator. And thus believe we that nature, and reason, are not only unable to lead us to the true knowledge of God, by the which we may attain to life everlasting, but also we affirm, that they have been mistresses of all errors, and idolatry. And therefore say we that nature, and reason, do lead men from the true God, but are never able to teach us, nether to express to us the eternal, the true, and everliving God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Further we doubt not to embrace, to believe, to reverence and to honour the majesty of our God, who hath made division, betwixt one sort of men, and an other, as plainly before we have proved. These being two chief points, in this controversy, great wonder it is, that of them ye make no express mention (as Castalio doth) in this your description. Is it because you are ashamed that such darkness, and such gross ignorance should be in your great angel of light? Just cause no doubt have both you, and he to be ashamed of your foolish imaginations. ⟨p. 383⟩But yet I fear an other thing more, which is this. That suddenly you will not commit the great, and secrete mysteries of your profession to your rude scholars. For it might perchance offend them, if at the first ye should affirm (as in your writings I can show) that saint Paul taught a more perfect way to his scholars in secrete,1 than that which he committed to writing, that Christ is not the eternal Son of the eternal God, that the Godhead of the holy Ghost is but mans imaginations, that Christs kingdom shall so flourish, that wicked men shall utterly be suppressed even in this life, that Christs justice availeth nothing▪ except man have a personal, & perfect justice within him self, that man may fulfil and obey gods holy Law, and that Christ hath no prerogative above his brethren, except this, that he is called the first begotten: I omit things much more absurd, because I will not offend the ears of the godly.