A04920:138
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.
No further answer needeth to be given to these your most unjust accusations,1 then those which we before have given. for neither do we so unreverently speak nor write, neither yet do we understand nor affirm, that gods absolute ordinance is the principal cause of reprobation, of sin, and of damnation: but simply we do teach, that God in his eternal counsel for the manifestation of his own glory hath of one mast chosen vessels of honour, whom before all times he hath given unto Christ Jesus, that they in him should receive lief. And of the same mass he hath left others in that corruption in the which they were to fall, and so were they prepared to destruction. The cause why the one were elected, we confess and knowledge not to be in man, but to be the free grace and the free mercy showed and freely given to us in Christ Jesus, who only is appointed head to give life to the body. Why the others were rejected, we affirm the cause to be most just: but yet secrete and hid from us, reserved in his eternal wisdom to be revealed at the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus. This one thing do we (compelled by your blasphemous accusations) repeat oftener then we would: to the end that indifferent men may see what doctrine it is, which you so maliciously impugn.
No further answer nedeth to be giuen to these your most vniust accusatiōs,1 then those which we before haue giuen. for neither do we so vnreuerētly speake nor write, neither yet do we vnderstād nor affirme, that gods absolute ordinance is the principall cause of reprobation, of sinne, and of damnation: but simplie we do teache, that God in his etternall counsell for the manifestation of his own glorie hath of one maste chosen vessels of honor, whom before all tymes he hath geuē vnto Christe Iesus, that they in him should receiue lief. And of the same masse he hath left others in that corruption in the which they were to fall, and so were they prepared to destruction. The cause why the one were elected, we confesse and knowledge not to be in mā, but to be the fre grace and the fre mercie shewed and frely giuen to vs in Christe Iesus, who onely is appoīted head to giue life to the bodie. Why the others were reiected, we affirme the cause to be most iust: but yet secrete ād hid frome vs, reserued in his eternall wisdome to be reueled at the glorious comming of the Lord Iesus. This one thing do we (compelled by your blasphemous accusations) repete oftener then we wold: to the end that indifferent men may se what doctrine it is, which you so maliciously impugne.