A04920:227
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.
Their fourth argument,1 Hath not the potter power over the clay even of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and an other unto dishonour of this they infer that God hath ordained and made some to salvation and some to destruction and damnation ⟨p. 142⟩§1But for the more perfect understanding of this place afore thou go any further read the xviii chapter of leremie, and thows•alt perceive this to be the meaning. As the Potter hath the clay in his hand, so hath God all men in his power: and as the potter breaketh the vessel, wherein is found an incurable fault, so God destroyeth the man in whom there is found obstinate wickedness §2which can not be amended. It is not the meaning of this place that God without any just cause doeth make any man to destruction. for as the Potter maketh no vessel to break, yet not withstanding he may, but he will not lose both his clay and his labour, §3but only breaketh such as will not frame to be good, notwithstā ding he made them to be good. As every good artificer would his work were good, so God created no man to lose him, but only loseth them which will not be good whom he created to be good: as §4the Lord sayeth, I planted the a noble vine ā • a good root, whose seed is all faithful.2