A04920:520
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.
ANSWER.
If it had pleased you ether diligently to have red out writings, ether faithfully to have recited the testimonies, which we use for confirmation of our doctrine, ye should have found mo, and such as be somewhat more ⟨p. 284⟩plain then any of those that ye take upon you to confute. But praised be God who giveth such mayest, even to those places, which ye your self appoint, that when ye have said all, yet doth the verity remain invincible.
If it had pelased you ether diligently to haue red out writinges, ether faithfully to haue recited the testimonies, which we vse for confirmation of our doctrine, ye should haue found mo, and such as be som•hat more ⟨p. 284⟩plaine then any of those that ye take vpon you to confute. But praised be God who giueth such maieste, euen to those places, which ye your self appoint, that when ye haue said all, yet doth ye veritie remaine inuincible.
That this conditional, If, in these words,1 if it were possible, the elect should be drawn into error, affirmeth nothing, I am content, so that the same reason be a law against you in all other places. But that this word impossible shall be interpreted in all places of Scripture by this phrase, a thing hard to be done, I can not admit, without testimonies more evident, then yet ye have adduced, for the most part of those plainly deny that interpretation. For as it is impossible for a Camel (or Cable, that is a great rope of a ship) remaining in the own quantity, to go through an needle's eye (remaining in the own straitness) so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own natural pride, covetousness, and corruption, to enter in to the kingdom of God. and therefore when those which heard, were offended, asking, And who may then attain to salvation? Christ answered, things that be impossible before man, are possible with God. mark well that Christ called the humiliation of the rich man, impossible unto man, but possible unto God. And the same I say is true of those that seek glory and praise of men. for impossible it is unto such abiding in that corruption unfeignedly to believe in Christ Jesus. for albeit the spirit of vain glory did now and then burst out and appear amongst the disciples, yet was it always repressed and corrected by the severe objurgation of their master, and in the end, by the power of the holy spirit, it was removed. God doth not affirm that it is impossible to a woman to forget the child of her bosom, but laying his perfect love against her natural love corrupted, he sayeth, if she may, yet, can not I forget them that trust in me: and so he preferreth his love towards his children, to the love of any creature, which they