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had appointed him a protracted term,[1] he hastened to wage war upon man and to beset him with wiles, to the intent that he might oust him from his Lord’s favour and make him a partaker with himself in the curse which he and his hosts had incurred; wherefore God (extolled be His praises!) appointed unto man the power of repentance and commanded him to apply himself to the truth and persevere therein. Moreover, he forbade him from disobedience and frowardness and revealed to him that he had an enemy on the earth warring against him and relaxing not from him night nor day. Thus hath man a right to reward, if he adhere to the truth, in the love of which his essence was created; but he becomes liable to punishment, if his soul master him and drag him into lusts.’ Night dccccxv.‘But tell me,’ rejoined the prince, ‘by what power is the creature able to transgress against his Creator, seeing that His power is without bounds, even as thou hast set forth, and that nothing can overcome Him nor depart from His will? Deemst thou not that He is able to turn His creatures from disobedience and compel them to adhere eternally to the truth?’ ‘Verily,’ answered Shimas, ‘God the Most High (honoured be His name!) is just and equitable and tenderly solicitous over the people of His love.[2] He created His creatures with justice and equity and of the inspiration of His justice and the abundance of His mercy, He gave them dominion over themselves, that they should do whatever they would. He shows them the way of righteousness and bestows on them the power and ability of doing what they will of good: and if they do the opposite thereof, they fall into destruction and disobedience.’ (Q.) ‘If the Creator, as thou sayest, hath granted men power and ability[3] and
