A04920:67
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.
But yet ye reply this can not be proved to be the eternal coū sell of God. for it is pronounced in respect of the faith works and obedience of the one, and in respect of the infidelity vicious living and inobedience of the other. Your objection (which here I now entreat that after I be the less troubled) hath two members, the former will I now touch, abiding better opportunity for the other. Where ye allege, that this can not be proved to have been the eternal counsel of God, because it was pronounced in time, your reason appeareth (and is) more then foolish. For what is he that against he plain scripture of God will affirm this reason. The kingdom of heaven shall be given in the end of the world to the elect of God, therefore it was not prepared to them before the beginning. Doth not (I say) the plain voice of Christ condemn this vain reason: Or if I should say: the death of Christ was four thousand years after the beginning, therefore the lamb was not killed from the beginning. Were not this most foolish▪ and contrary to the plane scriptures? But is not the contrary reason most sure▪ most true and strong? God in time hath pronounced, and his sentence being once pronounced, most constantly doth he execute the same: Therefore it was his eternal and immurable counsel. As our election was purposed and decreed in gods eternal counsel before the beginning of all times, and yet from age to age was the same revealed to his chosen children. Did therefore the Apostle or rather the bo•ie Ghost lie (who doth affirm, ⟨p. 49⟩that we were elected) as before is proved in Christ Jesus before all time? Even so is it in this matter, the sentence by the which the battle came forth first to the knowledge of man was temporal. But the stability and continuance of it plainly proveth, that is was and is the eternal purpose and counsel of God. But yet more deeply to dis•ende in to the matter.1 Was it the eternal purpose and coū sell of God to create the world and so to make man to his own image and similitude? I suppose that every reasonable man will confess that so it was. Then do I ask if God was ignorant what should become on all mankind before that any creation was? so to affirm is to deny his eternal knowledge, wisdom, and God head: