A04920:304
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.
As for the sentence of Paul:1 God willing to show his wrath, to make his power known suffered with long patience, the vessels of wrath ordained to damnation, &c. it is direct contrary to your error not withstanding ye abuse it to maintain the same. For seeing as Paul sayeth, God suffered them with great patience, he is sorry for them: if he be sorry, then hath he no pleasure in their destruction:2 and that wherein he hath no pleasure, he willeth it not and that which he willeth not, he doth not ordain it. Wherefore seeing God suffered them with great patience to fall, he hath not ordained §1them to fall: in despisest, sayeth S. Paul, the riches of gods goodness and patience and long sufferance, not knowing that the kindness of God leadeth the to repentance. behold here the cause why God suffered with §2long patience, is that we should repent and amend. If they had ben absolutely ordained to damnation afore the foundation of the world▪ then God knew they should never repent, and amend. to §3what purpose then suffered he them with long patience? Notwith standing this is plain enough▪ and conform to the word▪ yet ye despising what so ever is contrary to your mind, ye stick fast to the literal sense of thse words, ordained to damnation, which words be spoken after the common manner of speaking, as they be called after the common phrase of speech, ordained to damnation, whose end is damnation, we use to say of a man that is cast to