An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

he did know and foresee his end▪ and yet he did create him, then if it was not his eternal counsel that to his glory this difference and diversity should be in mankind which then was but one lump or mass, why did he not give unto him such strength, as could not be overcome? It shall nothing relieve nor help you, to shift with the Papists, alleging, that God gave him free will and abundant graces by the which he might have resisted and ganestand all assaults and tentations if he would, that we deny not But yet we ask why did not God give unto him the will to resist, or why did he not so bridle satan, that he might not have tempted him? I trust ye will not with the Manichees affirm, that there was a power greater then the power of the good God, and that this wicked power did for a time overcome the power and destroy the counsel of the good God who was creator and lover of mankind. For that were plainly to deny the omnipotency of our God. If you say (as after the write) that God did only permit and suffer his fall, ye have said nothing to the purpose: for still I demand, whether he did suffer it willingly or unwillingly. If ye sa• willingly, then are ye caught in the snare which ye would avoid. If ye say it was against his purpose and will, then fall ye in to t•at horrible blasphemy of the manichees, denying gods omnipotent power, And if yet ye would escape, imagining God to look and ⟨p. 50⟩behold the end of the matter, and yet neither willing the one nor the other, then fall ye into the blasphemy of Epicurus who although in plain words he durst not deny God yet did he affirm, that he regarded not the works of men, but did idly occupy the heavens. But how far this repugneth to our faith, who believe God to be omnipotent, not only because he may do all things, but also because that it is he that created light and darkness, good and evil, and finally that worketh all in all things according to the purpose of his good pleasure: let such as be but meanly exercised in the scriptures judge, and so (I say) that mans fall and the difference that came to our knowledge by the same, was no less determined in the eternal counsel of God then was his creation. And that in this sentence is yet most evidently to be espied.

he did know ād forsee his end▪ and yet he did creat him, then if it was not his eternall counsell that to his glorie this differēce and diuersitie should be in mākynd which then was but one lompe or masse, why did he not giue vnto hym such strength, as could not be ouercome? It shall nothing releue nor help you, to shift with the Papistes, alledging, that God gaue him free will and aboundāt graces by the which he might haue resisted and ganestand all assaultes and tentations if he wold, that we deny not But yet we aske why did not God giue vnto him the will to resiste, or why did he not so bridle sathan, that he might not haue tempted him? I trust ye will not with the Manicheis affirme, that there was a power greater then the power of the good God, and that this wicked power did for a tyme ouercom the power and destroy the counsell of the good God who was creator and louer of mankinde. For that were plainely to deny the omnipoencie of our God. If you say (as after ye write) that God did oney permitt and suffer his fall, ye haue said nothing to the purpose: for still I demande, wheher he did suffer it willingly or vnwillingly. If ye sa willingy, then are ye caugh in the snare which ye wold auoyde. If ye say it was against his purpose ād will, thē fall ye in to tat horrible blasphemie of the manicheis, denying gods omnipotent power, And if yet ye wold escape, imagining God to loke and