A04920:688
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.
If the destruction, slaughter, & death of these wicked men, and of the great host of Sennacherib was not the will of God, I can not tell how man shall be assured of his will. For the plain word did before promise, that the Lord should destroy them, and the fact doth witness the constancy, and performance of his will. and the same thing doth God this day, & shall do to the end of the world, when he shall adjudge the reprobate, (as before is said) to the death perpetual: and that not against his will, but willingly, for the manifestation of his just judgements, and declaration of his own glory. And therefore I say that your proposition (saying, God willeth the death of no creature) is manifestly false, as it that repugneth to gods justice,1 and to his evident scriptures. The mind of the Prophets was to stir such as had declined from God, to return unto him by true repentance. And because their iniquities were so many, & offences so great, that justly they might have despaired of remission, mercy, and grace: therefore doth the Prophet for the better assurance of those that should repent, affirm, that God delighteth not, nether willeth the death of the wicked. But of which wicked? of him no doub•e ⟨p. 396⟩that truly should repent, in his death did not, nor never shall God delight. But he delighteth to be known a God, that showeth mercy grace, and favour to such, as unfeignedly call for the same, how grievous so ever their former offences have been. But such as continue obstinate in their impiety, have no portion of these promises. For them will God kill, them will he destroy, and them will he thrust by the power of his word in to the fire which never shall be quenched. The Apostle in these words: God willeth all men to be saved, & to come to the knowledge of the trueth speaketh not of every man, and of every particular person. But of all men in general, that is to say, of men of all estates, all conditions, all realms, and all ages. For as in Christ Jesus there is nether Jew, nor Gentile, nether man, nor woman, free man• nor servant, but all are one in him, so can no estate, no condition of man, no realm, nor no age be proved so wicked, and so corrupt, but out of the like hath God called some to the participation of his light, and to salvation, and life by Christ Jesus.