A04920:65
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.
Your second is like vain, seeing that neither Adam him self did stand in his perfection, neither is any of his corrupted seed as he is the son of Adam borne in that condition and dignity: But contrary wise, we must refuse flesh, and blood, nature and our first Adam, if ever we shall be partakers of life. This only were sufficient to confute, both your unreasonable reasons. But that, here after the shall have no occasion to complain of obscurity, neither yet that we relent in any part, I will first simply propose what we teach and believe, and there after by gods grace evidently prove the same.1 You make the love of God common to all men and that do we constantly deny, and say that before all beginning God hath loved his elect in Christ Jesus his Son and that from the same eternity he hath reprobate others:2 whom for most just causes in the time appointed to his judgement he shall adjudge to torments and fire inextinguible. Here you stomach, and storm, here ye cry blasphemy, and here you say, that we affirm that, which can not be proved by gods scriptures. How sure is the probation of the former part, let the indifferent reader judge by that which is all ready spoken. Let us now come to the second. And that ye shall not think that I shall more depend upon arguments and reason then upon scripture,3 I will begin with scripture, and let arguments and reason serve only in stead of hand maids, which shall not command but obey scripture pronounced by the voice of God. After that by rebellion man was spoiled of all graces, and that the contrary vices had taken place and possession in the hearts of both these miserable creatures, of Adam I mean, and of the woman. God pronounced this sentence against the serpent. Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou amongst all the beasts of the earth. I shall establish enmity betwixt the and that woman, betwixt thy seed, and her seed. That seed shall break down thy head and thou shalt break down his heel. As I suppose no ⟨p. 47⟩man will be so impudent, as to deny that this is the voice of God, pronouncing and promising, that he will stablish and put a battle, where none was appearing to be: for satan before had obtained such victory, and so had vanquished both the woman and Adam, that they could never have resisted that servitude by them selves.