A04920:418
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.
God ⟨p. 222⟩open your eyes that you may see the light, and mollify your hearts, that ye may magnify with gods children his superabundant love and mercy bestowed even upon the most unworthy.
God ⟨p. 222⟩open your eyes that you may se the light, and mollifie your heartes, that ye may magnifie with gods children his superaboundant loue and mercie bestowed euen vpon the most vnworthie.
If ye think that this love hath only place before that man offend, you see the holy Ghost plainly repugneth to your sentence, for he speaketh to them that had been polluted & defiled with all sins.1 If yet ye reply, but that was during the time of their ignorance and not after they were illuminated by grace, ye have said nothing against our confession. for we affirm that God loveth sinners being wrapped in death and damnation by sin.2 and that we have plainly proved. But yet for your satisfaction, and instruction (for I take to record the Lord Jesus y• I would bestow my own life, to join you fully to Christ Jesu) I will proceed a little further with you▪ Do ye think that the sin of David touching the nature and quality of the sin it self, was more horrible and odious be fore God, then were all the sins committed in Ephesus, by those, to whom the Apostle writeth? yea then the •innes which were done amongest the hole Gentiles? I trust ye will not think it. and we clearly see that God loved y• elect in Ephesus and amongest the Gentiles when they were drowned in all kind of iniquity. If still ye reply David was unthankful who after so many benefits received, so traitorously declined from God, following his own appetites, and of purposed counsel, murdering his innocent servant, and y with great ignominy of God. This nether do, nether yet ever did we deny. but yet as y question is other, so is not our confeion proved false, Albeit David was unthankful (yea and after Adam most unthankful, of any of gods children to his days). for herein standeth the doubt, whether y the unthankfulness of gods children, after they have once received mercy, grace, and large benefits from gods hands, doth so alienate the mind of God, from them, that he beareth to them no manner of love, till they turn to him by repentance