A04920:584
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.
ADVERSARY,
ADVERSARIE,
As for the sentence which ye allege God maketh hard hearted, whom he will, and of whom he will he hath mercy,1 this place hath been very unreasonably wrested of some of you,2 so that thereby you have burdened God to be the cause of condemnation, who at his pleasure receiveth or resiseth such as have either of pain or pleasure deserved nothing at all. §1God forbid that any man should conceive such a fantasy of God, but we must first learn how God lightened all men that cam into this world §2which light who so refuseth, him the Lord by long sufferance, with bountiful benefits and fatherly corrections doeth call to repentance. But if we loving darkness better then light, will utterly refuse light, or after we have been by the goodness of God partakers of gods grace, do forsake the covenant of the Lord, then hath he mercy on whom he will, and that for §3his own sake, and others he maketh hard hearted, that is he giveth them over to their own hearts lusts, So that the cause of their induration, is not the will and pleasure of God which doeth nothing without a just cause, but their obstinate wickedness which will not be reformed. These suffer justly and the other receive grace by the mercy fo God which may when ⟨p. 329⟩he will, have mercy, on whom he will, and that besides his covenant.