A04920:493
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.
for as he begetteth us by the word of verity, and by the power of his •olie spirit maketh our hearts to conceive and retain the seed of life: so by his power are we kept by faith to salvation, which is prepared to this end, that it shall be manifested in the last time & therefore (saith the Apostle) through grace are ye saved by faith & that not of your selves. ye must compel the holy Ghost to recant, which I think he will not do for your threatening, before the be able to prove that faith is any part of mans work.
for as he begetteth vs by the worde of veritie, and by the power of his •olie spirit maketh our heartes to conceaue and retein the sede of life: so by his power are we kept by faith to saluatiō, wc is prepared to this end, yt it shalbe manifested in ye last time & therefor (saith ye Apostle) through grace are ye saued by faith & yt not of your selues. ye must compel the holie Gost to recāt, wc I thinke he wil not do for your threatning, before ye be able to proue yt faith is any part of mannes work.
The words of the Apostle,1 you shame fully abuse: for in that place he entreateth only, how God useth the ministers of his word, and blessed Evangel to be helpers with God, in so far as they are the ambassadors of reconciliation, as in an other place he calleth them, he meaneth nothing nether what man doeth in the work of his own salvation by his own faith, or by his own works. And therefore although ye (as a blind man) go forward to your own perdition saying, now if man for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith, then is he out of the promise &c. yet must we pull you back and say that because faith is no part of mans work, therefore doth nether his faith nor his election depend upon the inconstancy of his own nature,2 but God of his sovereign bounty overcoming what imperfections soever be in his chosen children hath grounded their election in him self & in Christ Jesus his Sone. an other error I see in this your reason, which because I have sufficiently confuted, I will here touch it only. Ye make faith the embracing of the promise, & our obedience, to be causes of gods election, when in very deed they be but the effects of our election. for nether faith nor obedience make us to be gods elect, but because we were elected in Christ Jesus, therefore are we called, made faith full, obedient and sanctified by his free grace.