Scotland/Scots > Life of John Knox ; and, The life of Alexander Henderson

LIFE OF JOHN KNOX. ]09
adopt their other opinions, concerning the unlawfulness
of infant baptism, civil magistracy, national churches,
oaths, and defensive war. But besides these notions, the
anabaptists were, at this period, generally infected with
the Arian and Pelagian heresies, and united with the pa¬
pists in loading the doctrines maintained by the refor¬
mers, respecting predestination and grace, with the most
odious charges.
Our Reformer had occasion to meet with some of
these sectaries both in England and on the continent,
and had ascertained their extravagant and dangerous
principles. He was apprised that they were creeping
into Scotland, and was afraid that they would insidi¬
ously instil their poison into the minds of some of his
brethren. He refuted their opinion respecting church-
communion, by shewing that they required such purity
as was never found in the church, either before or since
the completion of the canon of Scripture. In opposition
to their Pelagian tenets, he gave the following statement
of his sentiments. “ If there be any thing which God
did not predestinate and appoint, then lacked he wisdom
and free regimen; or, if any thing was ever done, or yet
after shall be done in heaven or in earth, which he
might not have impeded, if so had been his godly
pleasure, then is he not omnipotent; which three
properties, to wit, wisdom, free regimen, and power,
denied to be in God, I pray you what rests in his god¬
head 1 The wisdom of our God we acknowledge to be
such, that it compelleth the very malice of Satan, and
the horrible iniquity of such as be drowned in sin, to
serve to his glory and to the profit of his elect. His
power we believe and confess to be infinite, and such as
no creature in heaven or earth is able to resist. And
his regimen we acknowledge to be so free, that none of
his creatures dare present them in judgment, to reason,
or demand the question, Why hast thou done this or
that? But the fountain of this their damnable error,