A04920:208
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.
The third argument gather they upon that which is written to the Romans the ninth chapter afore the children were borne that the purpose of God by election nught […],1 it was said, the elder shall serve the younger as it is written,2 Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated for the true understanding of this scripture, we must know first that these words, The elder shall s•rue §1the younger, are not spoken of Jacob and Esau (for as concerning the flesh, Esau did never serve Jacob) but they are spoken of two nations which were to come of them, as the Lord said to R•becca, Not two men but two nations are in thy belly: and these words afore the children were born, are not to be referred to the sentence which followeth, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I •ated. for there §2was no such thing spoken afore their birth (as thou may plainly see in Genesis) but that was spoken many years after by the Prophet Malachi, Not of Jacob and Esau, but of two nations, of the Israelites and Edomites, as the Prophet Malachi3 expoundeth, which we may well understand of the true Church and of the malignant church: if that had been spoken afore their birth, then had the Lord not said, Jacob I have loved and Esau I have hated in the preterit tense, but Jacob shall I love and Esau shall I hate,§3 in the future tense. As in the other sentence he sayeth, the elder shall serve the younger, and not the elder hath served the younger. Now the Lord loved Jacob of his own bountiful goodness and free grace,