A04920:726
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.
And besides for the finding of them, there was given to each of them a piece of gold, with a charge, that wheresoever their doctrine was not received, they should leave those pieces, in a ⟨p. 433⟩witness against them of their destruction, and everlasting damnation, because they had refused peace, and a doctrine so wholesome. When they came to the places appointed unto them, they cried in the towns that men should repent, or else they should perish out of hand. They spread their garments upon the ground, before, the Rulers, and cast upon them their pieces of gold, which they had received, affirming, that they were sent of the father to bring them peace, which if they would receive, then they willed them to put all their goods in common: and if they refused, then, by this sign, and (as it were) a mark, they would witness their evil deed, and unthankfulness. For behold the time (said they) spoken of before by the prophets, in the which God will that righteousness shall reign upon the whole earth, is come. And when the king shall have fulfilled his office, that justice doeth rule in every place, then shall it come to pass, that Christ shall give up the kingdom to the father. They speaking after this manner, were taken, and (in the beginning by gentleness, and afterwith torments) they being asked of their doctrine, & life, & of the strength of the city, answered, that they only had the true doctrine, which they would maintain with the peril of their lives. For (said they) from the time of the Apostles, the trueth hath not been truly preached, nor any justice used: also that there were 4. prophets, two just, David, and John Leiden, and two unjust, the Bishop of Rome, and Luther, who was the worst of both. They being asked, why contrary to their promise they had driven the innocents out of their City, occupying their goods wives and children, & by what place of the scripture they would prove that their fact to be well, and justly done? they answered, that the time was come, which Christ spake of,1 that the meek should posses the earth, and that in like case God did give the goods of the Egyptians to the Israelites. Afterward they told of the munition, and victuals, that were in the city, and the multitude:
And besides for the finding of them, there was giuen to each of them a piece of golde, with a charge, that wheresoeuer their doctrine was not receaued, they should leaue those pieces, in a