An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

Secondly, that Adam for his defection was justly adjudged to death, and last that in the person of him that then was lost, was damned his hole posterity. and yet nevertheless God did freely choose of the same such as upon whom it pleased him to bestow the •onor of adoption, and yet after in the same place he sayeth when we speak of predestination, I have constantly taught and this day do teach, that from thence we ought to begin, that justly are all reprobate left in death, who were dead and damned in Adam, that justly they perish who by nature are the sons of wrath. And therefore that none hath cause to complain of gods rigorous severity, seeing that all do bear the cause of damnation within them selves. for if we shall come to the first man we shall find that willingly he fell, and so by his one fall, he brought perdition to all his posterity. And albeit that Adam fell not, but that God both knew and ordained the same, yet serveth that nothing, nether to extenuate and excuse his crime, nether yet to wrap God in society of the same: for always must we look to this, that he spoiled him self of the righteousness which he received from God, that willingly he made him self servant to sin and to satan, that without compulsion he cast him self headlong in to destruction and death. yet resteth one excuse, to wit that he could not avoid nor fly that which was decreed by God: but his voluntary transgression is sufficient to his condemnation, nether yet is the secrete counsel of God the proper and natural cause of sin, but the free and plain will of man. And there for seeing that man findeth ⟨p. 155⟩in him self the cause of his misery, what shall it profit him to seek it in the heaven. And after albeit that men by long compassing about, purpose to delude them selves, yet can they never make them selves so brutish and dull but they shall feel the sense of sin graven in their hearts. Therefore in vain is it, that ungodliness goeth about to absolve man, whom his own conscience damneth. In so far as God willing and knowing permitted man to fall, the▪ cause may be secrete and hid, but unjust it can not be. And yet he further writeth, this sayeth he is to be holden without all controversy, that sin was ever hateful to God, for most rightly doth this commendation, wherewith of David he is commended agree to him:

Secondly, that Adame for his defection was iustly adiudged to death, and last that in the personne of him that then was lost, was damned his hole posteritie. ād yet neuertheles God did frely choose of the same such as vpon whom it pleased him to bestow the onor of adoption, and yet after in the same place he saieth when we speak of predestination, I haue constantly taught and this day do teach, that frome thence we oght to begin, that iustly are all reprobat left in death, who were dead and damned in Adame, that iustly they perishe who by nature are the sonnes of wrath. And therefor that none hath cause to complein of gods rigorous seueritie, seing that all do bear the cause of damnation within them selues. for if we shall com to the first man we shall find that willingly he fell, and so by his one faule, he broght perdition to all his posteritie. And albeit that Adam fell not, but that God both knew and ordeined thesame, yet serueth that nothing, nether to extenuat and excuse his crime, nether yet to wrap God in societie of the same: for alwaes must we looke to this, that he spoiled him self of the righteousnes which he receaued from God, that willingly he made him selfe seruant to sinne and to sathan, that without compulsion he cast him self headlong in to destruction and death. yet resteth one excuse, to witt that he could not auoid nor flie that which was decreed by God: but his voluntarie transgression is sufficient to his condemnation, nether yet is the secrete counselle of God the proper and naturall cause of sinne, but the fre and plaine will of man. And there for seing that man findeth