A04920:180
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.
THE ADVERSARY.
THE ADVERSARIE.
There argument concerning gods prescience is this.1 God knoweth all things before they be don•, gods prescience or foreknowledge is infallible, Ergo of necessity all things must come to pass as they do: which being granted, they which perish, of necessity they do perish. If of necessity then is it by gods ordinance, because so he willeth and so he hath ordained: This argument seemeth probable at the first blush. But I pray the reader to mark first how these men put no difference betwixt the foreknowledge of God ⟨p. 118⟩and his will. for they suppose, that what so ever God foreseeth he also willeth, but there supposition is untrue. for god foreseeth the death of the sinner, and yet he will not the death of the sinner, bu• rather that he repent and live. Christ did foresee the destruction of Jerusalem, and yet did he not will it, for he wept and be waled it, God did foresee the fall and final destruction of the Israelites, and yet would he not it. As he witnesseth him self: saying wherefore willy die,2 O ye house of Israel, seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth.
There argument concerninge gods preascience is this.1 God knoweth al things before they be don•, gods presciēce or forknowledge is infallible, Ergo of necessitie all things must com to passe as they do: which being granted, they which perish, of necessitie they do perishe. If of necessitie then is it by gods ordinance, because so he willeth and so he hath ordeined: This argument semeth probable at the first blushe. But I pray the reader to mark first how these men put no difference betwext the foreknowledge of God