A04920:650
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.
I am glad that once ye will confess that it is nothing repugning to gods good nature,1 for just causes, to harden the heart, and to make blind the eyes of the reprobate. But that therefore nothing resteth to the Prophets or Apostles, but only to declare unto men their hardness I can not admit. For we do find that God doth so communicate his power with his true messengers, ⟨p. 371⟩and ambassadors, that what soever they loose in earth, he doth loose in the heaven, & what soever they bind in earth, he bindeth in heaven, whose sins they remit, they are remitted, & whose sins they retain, they are retained. The Lord him self saith unto Jeremiah:2 Behold I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have ordained thee above nations, and kingdoms, that thou mayest root out, destroy, & scatter, and that thou mayest also build up, and plant. And unto Paul it was said: And now I shall deliver the from the nations, to the which I send thee that thou mayest open the eyes of those that be blind, that they may convert from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. These words do witness that the effectual power of God doth work with the word, which he putteth in the mouths of his true messengers, in so much that ether it doth edify, lighten, or mollify to salvation, or else it doth destroy, darken, and harden. For the word of God is of the nature of Christ Jesus, & he is not only come to illuminate, and to raise up, but also to make blind, and to beat down, as he him self doth witness, saying, I am come to judgement into this world, that those that see not shall see & that those that see shall be blind. And Simeon saith:3 Behold this is he that is put in resurrection, & in ruin of many in Israel. In so much, that upon whom that stone of offence falleth, it shall burst him to powder. And therefore we can not admit that the ministry of his blessed word preached, or published by his faithful messengers, be nothing else but a simple declaration what men be.
I am glad that once ye will cōfesse yt it is nothing repugning to gods good nature,1