A04920:203
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.
If (say you) I shall grant that all things of mere necessity must come to pass according to the prescience and foreknowledge of God, then had Adam afore his transgression no free will, your illation, or consequence is false. for the fore knowledge and prescience of God did neither take away free will from Adam, neither yet did compel it by any violence, but did use it as an ordinary mean, by the which his eternal counsel and purpose should take effect. but for the better understanding hereof, we must advert and note that which before we have touched, and promised after more largely to entreat the same. to wit ⟨p. 126⟩that gods prescience and foreknowledge is not to be separated from his will and decree,1 For none otherwise doeth God foresee things to come to pass but according as he him self hath in his eternal counsel decreed the• same• for as it appertaineth to his wisdom to foreknow and foresee all things that are to come, so doeth it appertain to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his own will: neither yet herefor doeth it follow, that his fore knowledge prescience, will or power, doeth take away the free will of his creatures, but in all wisdom and justice, (how ever the contrary appear to our corrupted judgements) he useth them, as best it pleaseth his wisdom to bring to pass in time, that which before all time he had decreed. To the which purpose and end, they (I mean the creatures and their wills) what so ever they purpose to the contrary, or how ignorantly that ever they work it nevertheless do voluntarily, and as it were of a natural motion incline and bow to that end to the which they are created. To make the matter more plain, let us take the creation and fall of Adam with the creatures that served in the same, for example. For what chief end did God create all things (of Solomon and Paul we have before declared) to wit for his own glory to be showed: the glory I say of the riches of his mercy towards the vessels of mercy,2 and the glory of his justice and most just judgements towards the vessels of wraith.3 And that this eternal counsel of God should take effect as he had purposed, man was created righteous, wise, just and good, having free will, neither subject to the thraldom of sin, nor of satan at the first creation: