An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

for none of us doeth impute upon God that he punisheth any man, for thing that he provoketh him to do. for iniquity cometh not of gods provocation, motion, nor holy Spirit, as that before we have declared. and therefore as God hath revealed to us a more assured knowledge in his holy scriptures, then the Philistines priests had, so are we bold to affirm that which was hid from them, & which also you can not abide, to wit, that all creatures are compelled to serve to gods glory in such sort as his wisdom hath appointed them: and yet that the wills of men are neither violently moved nor enforced by God to commit iniquity, to the which all §10men are ready bent of natural corruption. Amongest many foolish and most disagreeing similitudes which ⟨p. 345⟩your captain Castalio useth for probation of his purposes (for in such doeth stand the chief ground of his divinity) none can be more foolish, nor further repugning to that which he and you would prove, then is this. If God should punish a man: because he hath a beard, should any glory redound to God there of▪ seeing he hath given us beards him seis: Here of you will infer, that if God punish sin which he hath willed or appointed to be, then can he not be just. But let us examine, if your Simile doeth agree even in the chief points, in the which if it prove any thing it must agree. first we know that the beard of man was created by God. But who amongest us did yet ever affirm that sin and iniquity was made or created by God? Sin we confess was foreseen, yea and ordained in the incomprehensible counsel of God, and that for the most just and the most righteous end and purpose. But that it was made or created by God, that are ye not able to prove by our doctrine. Thus doeth your similitude halt in the chief member. for they must be both a like gods creatures and creation, if God shall be bound no more to punish man, for having of the one, then for having of the other. moreover the beard of man so springeth groweth, and abideth of a mere natural motion, that albeit men sleep, eat, drink, do or what so ever actions pleaseth them, (not taking care or solicitude of their beard) it cometh nevertheless to that state and perfection that nature will suffer. But hath man sin none otherwayes then thus? Doeth man sin I say, having neither will, mind, nor appetite to sin?

for none of vs doeth impute vpō God that he punisheth any man, for thing that he prouoketh him to do. for iniquitie commeth not of gods prouocation, motion, nor holy Spirit, as that before we haue declared. ād therfor as God hath reueled to vs a more assured knowledge in his holy scriptures, then the Philistians priestes had, so are we bold to affirme that which was hid from thē, & which also you can not abide, to witt, that al creatures are compelled to serue to gods glory in such sorte as his wisedom hath appointetd them: and yet that the willes of men are neither violently moued nor enforced by God to committe iniquitie, to the which all