A04920:686
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 have before plainly proved,1 that difference most manifest betwixt y• two seeds was made in that promise. But admitting that the promise had been general, & so that the will of God this day remaineth the same which ye allege it to be: to wit, that he willeth the death of no sinner, but that he willeth all men to be saved. Can you deny, but that a separation, and division of the sheep, from the goats, of the elect from the reprobate, shall be made at the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus? Shall not these most joyful words be said unto them that shall stand upon the right hand: Come ye the blessed of my father, possess the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning? And shall not this most fearful sentence be pronounced, and executed against the other? Depart ye cursed, go to the fire prepared for the devil, and for his angels? Shall the Son of God in pronouncing sentence, do any thing that day repugning to the will of his heavenly Father? I think you will not so affirm. Then if gods will in the day of judgement shall be that many shall be adjudged to torment perpetual, and his will in the creation of man was, and this day yet remaineth, that all men shall be saved, then of necessity it doth follow that gods will shall change. If you say that death, and damnation cometh not by gods will, but by the sin, and unbelief of man, you have relieved your self nothing. for if death be one thing, and life be an other, damnation one thing, and salvation an other. Then if God this day will all men to be saved, and so to have life, and yet that day he shall will many to be damned to torment perpetual (what causes so ever you allege) I shall obtain one of two, to wit, that ether gods will is, and may be mutable, or else that there is a power superior ⟨p. 394⟩to his majesty, and godly will. For if willingly he shall damn those, whom before he would, and had determined to save, then is his will, and determination changed. And if he shall damn those unwillingly, whom willingly he would have saved, then is he not omnipotent. Consider now upon whom falleth the snow, and who do cast them selves in greatest absurdities. Now it resteth to declare how violently ye wrest the words of the Prophet, & of the Apostle. The Prophet speaking in the person of God, saith, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he convert, and live.