A04920:75
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 Christ denied them to be of God, that is, to be the sons and wessels of his mercy elected in his eternal counsel, borne of him by the spirit of regeneration, by the which their stubborn blindness being removed, and they made obedient, durst be bold to call him Father. In this sense Christ denieth them to be of God. If any think that their wickedness and wilful refusal of grace offered was the cause that they were not of God, as I neither excuse their manifest rebellion, neither yet deny it to be a most just cause of their condemnation, so utterly deny I that their pierced sins were the only or the chief cause of their reprobation. For Christ him self feareth not to assign an other cause: Saying, Therefore ye do not hear, because ye are not of God.1 If they had heard, that is, received and believed Christ Jesus and his doctrine, their sins had ben purged and their blindness removed. But him could they not receive. And why because they are not of God. But to the objection, that the fore knowledge of good works, or of rebellion to come, should be the cause why God doth elect, or reject, we shal• (God willing) after answer. Now only I mind to follow that which I have purposed, which is that Christ Jesus him self maketh a plain and manifest difference betwixt one sort of men and an other. How often doth he affirm that, his sheep do hear his voice, that he knoweth •hem, and that they know him, that it hath pleased the Father to give the kingdom ⟨p. 57⟩to the little flock. That many are called and few chosen. That some there be whom Christ Jesus never knew, no not even when they wrought greatest miracles. In all these and many places more it is evident,2 that Christ maketh difference betwixt one and an other. but one place most notable all others I will shortly touch, and put end to this matter. Christ Jesus in that his most solemn and most comfortable prayer (after other things) sa•eth, I have manifested they name to the men whom thou hast given to me of the world. They were thine, and thou hast given them unto me, and they have kept thy word. And shortly after: I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them whom tho• hast given unto me: Because they are thine.