A04920:456
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.
In the words of the Apostle written in the second chapter to the Ephesians,1 ye seem not to understand his meaning, where he sayeth: ye were sometimes without Christ, for say you) we are sure, that without Christ there is no election. In which words, thou that writest, playest with the simple ignorant reader,2 the vile sophister, confounding by the english word, without, that which in latin is most evidently distincted. Doth Paul say? Eratis aliquando extra Christū? or sayeth he not? Eratis sine Christo? To make the matter sensible to you (my dear brethren) be you never so simple, where he sayeth without Christ, there is no election, that proposition is ⟨p. 241⟩•rue, if it be understand, that man was never elected to lief everlasting, but in Christ Jesus only. But if he will affirm that none are elected in Christ Jesus, without Christ, that is to say, before that they come to the true, and perfect knowledge of gods mercies in Christ, that proposition is most false and doth repugn (as plainly ye may see) to the mind and words of the Apostle. for he affirmeth, that we were elected in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world was laid, yea when we were dead by sin, ignorant of him, strangers from the testament of his promise which S. Paul calleth to be without Christ, without God in this world, & without the league of the testament. And by these words doth the Apostle magnify the superabundant mercies of God showed to the world in Christ Jesus. By the which he received not only the Jews who long had continued in league with God, but also the Gentiles to the participation of his glory: albeit that from the days of Abraham, they had lived as despised & rejected of God. Let the reader now judge how strongly ye conclude. To the place of the Apostle, touching the illumination of such, as after utterly fall back, I have before answered, ye unjustly accuse us, that we seek shifts and narrow bores, to the end that we shall not be subject to the trueth. For this is our plain confession, which we simply and boldly do affirm, that this is a stable and immutable foundation: the Lord knoweth his own, that no creature is able to separate his elect from his love,3 which in Christ Jesus, he beareth to them.