A04920:177
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.
Because ye desire your argument to be solved at your own request I will take some pain: God grant it may profit. Your argument containeth in it self the fallax which is called of Equivocation, for this word knowledge or this sentence: whom God did for know in the words of Paul, which be in your Major or first proposition, do not signify the self same thing that these words, but God knew all men before, which you put in your minor or second proposition. And so because that there be four terms which in the schools be called scopae dissolutae, the argument is deceitful and false, although the form appear good. Thus I trust in your own conscience you think your argument fully and rightly solved. but yet that neither ye shall have occasion to bark again, neither yet that the simple reader shall take pain to read these vain arguments without all fruit, I will add somewhat more, and will plainly prove my solution to be good. In the ⟨p. 117⟩first proposition I say, where saint Paul sayeth, whom God for• knew,1 the same he before ordained: that the holy Ghost meaneth of that fore knowledge of God which is joy •ed with his eternal love, which before all times he did •ear to his elect, as of the words of Christ Jesus and of the words of the same Apostle in divers places before is declared. And with this fore knowledge which is joined with his love by the which his elect were appointed to be made like fashioned to their head Christ Jesus,2 did never God fore know nor foresee Cain, Judas, nor none other reprobate to appertain to him. I do not deny but that as all things ever were present before the eyes of his Majesty, so did he both foreknow, foresee, and before ordain the end of all creatures: but other ways I say doeth God fore know his elect, of whom S. Paul only speaketh. If it doeth offend you that I affirm that God did never fore know the reprobate as he did his elect: I have my assurance of Christ Jesus, of his own plain words, saying, to the false prophets I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity.