A04920:495
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.
To admonish you yet of one thing & so to put end to your unreasonable reasons: Wonder it is that ye will attribute to election that which ye deny to the elect. you affirm that election is sure in Christ, but not the elect say you, be like ye imagine election to be a certain speculation or imagination without any certain substance, to the which it must be referred. but S. Paul teacheth us y• contrary saying, he hath cho senvs in Christ, he saith not that election was in Christ, but we were elected in Christ Jesus before yt foundations of the world were laid. This gently I put you in mind to ground your reasons more substantially, if that by them ye intend to prove any thing. A short answer I might give you to all ⟨p. 268⟩your examples, to wit that, we speak not of election to offices, or to possession temporal, but of election to life everlasting, from the which ye are never able to prove any to have been finally secluded, that in Christ Jesus was thereto elected before the foundation of the world was laid. But yet to gratify you some what, I will pass through your examples, and communicate with you my judgement: God grant you hearts to understand.
To admonish you yet of one thing & so to put end to yor vnresonable reasons: Wōder it is yt ye will attribute to electiō that wc ye denie to ye elect. you affirme yt electiō is sure in Christ, but not ye elect say you, be like ye imagin electiō to be a certen speculatiō or imaganation without any certen substāce, to the wc it must be referred. but S. Paul teacheth vs y• cōtrarie saing, he hath cho sēvs in Christ, he saith not yt electiō was in Christ, but we were elected in Christ Iesus before yt fundaciōs of the worlde were laid. This gētly I put you in mind to groūd your reasons more substācially, if yt by them ye entēd to proue any thing. A short answer I might giue you to all ⟨p. 268⟩your examples, to witt that, we speake not of election to offi•es, or to possession temporall, but of election to life euerlasting, from the which ye are neuer able to proue any to haue bene finally secluded, that in Christ Iesus was thereto elected before the fundacion of the worlde was laied. But yet to gratifie you some what, I wil passe through your examples, and cōmunicat with you my iudgement: God grant you heartes to vnderstand.