A04920:541
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.
These propositions I say, you be never able to show in our writings, nether yet to prove that our doctrine did or doth tend to that end. for we constantly affirm that God revealed unto us his most holy and most just will in his plain and holy scriptures, which do assure us, that a separation shall be made betwixt the goats, and the lambs, that the one shall receive the kingdom prepared unto them before all beginning, and that the other shall be adjudged to the fire which never shall be quenched. That God stirred and raised up Pharaoh, that his power might be declared in him, that these words God plainly spoke to Moses: I know that Pharaoh shall not permit the people to depart, therefore have I hardened his heart,1 that I may multiply my wonders upon him: that David did repress the fury of Abisai, and of his servants who would have killed Shimei,2 saying: suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath commanded him the Lord perchance shall behold my affliction, and shall reward me with good for his cursing this day. That Joseph said to his brethren,3 be you not moved with sorrow, y• ye have sold me, for the Lord hath sent me for conservation of a great multitude, it is not therefore you that have sent me hither, but God, who hath made me father to Pharaoh, and Lord over his hole house. None of all these I say do we cast upon gods secrete will, as ye falsely accuse us: but we do constantly affirm that his will, is so plainly revealed in these matters that such as shall deny any of them to have been gods will, can not escape abnegation of his eternal verity. And ⟨p. 291⟩further we say that the fall of man, is plainly revealed unto us, not only by experience, but even by that same law which was imposed to him shortly after his creation, the transgression whereof made Adam and all his posterity criminal and guilty to gods justice: & that nether against gods will revealed, nether yet against his secrete will. for by his will revealed can no man further conclude, but this, that in what day soever Adam should eat of the fruit forbidden, that he should die the death. But Adam against gods command ement did eat: and therefore did he justly underlie the sentence of death. And thus do we refer to gods will manifestly revealed, what soever ye imagine, that we ascribe to his secret will.