An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

That this conditional, If, in these words,¹ if it were possible, the elect should be drawn into error, affirmeth nothing, I am content, so that the same reason be a law against you in all other places. But that this word impossible shall be interpreted in all places of Scripture by this phrase, a thing hard to be done, I can not admit, without testimonies more evident, then yet ye have adduced, for the most part of those plainly deny that interpretation. For as it is impossible for a Camel (or Cable, that is a great rope of a ship) remaining in the own quantity, to go through an needle's eye (remaining in the own straitness) so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own natural pride, covetousness, and corruption, to enter in to the kingdom of God. and therefore▪ when those which heard, were offended, asking, And who may then attain to salvation? Christ answered, things that be impossible before man, are possible with God. mark well that Christ called the humiliation of the rich man, impossible unto man, but possible unto God. And the same I say is true of those that seek glory and praise of men. for impossible it is unto such abiding in that corruption unfeignedly to believe in Christ Jesus. for albeit the spirit of vain glory did now and then burst out and appear amongst the disciples, yet was it always repressed and corrected by the severe objurgation of their master, and in the end, by the power of the holy spirit, it was removed. God doth not affirm that it is impossible to a woman to forget the child of her bosom, but laying his perfect love against her natural love corrupted, he sayeth, if she may, yet, can not I forget them that trust in me: and so he preferreth his love towards his children, to the love of any creature, which they ⟨p. 285⟩can bear towards others.

That this condicionall, If, in these wordes,¹ if it were possible, the elect should be drawen into error, affirmeth nothing, I am content, so that the same reason be a law against you in all other places. But that this word impossible shalbe interpreted in all places of Scripture by this phrase, a thing hard to be done, I can not admitte, without testimonies more euident, then yet ye haue adduced, for the most part of those plainely deny that interpretation. For as it is impossible for a Camel (or Cable, that is a greate rope of a ship) remaining in the own quantitie, to go through an nedils eye (remaining in the own streitnes) so is it lyke impossible for a rich mā remaining in his own natural pryde, coueousnes, and corruption, to enter in to the kingdom of God. and therefor when those which heard, were offended, asking, And who may then attein to saluation? Christ answered, thinges that be impossible before man, are possible with God. marke well that Christ called the humiliation of the rich man, impossible vnto man, but possible vnto God. And the same I say is true of those that seke glorie and praise of men. for impossible it is vnto such abiding in yt corruption vnfeanedly to beleue in Christ Iesus. for albeit the spirit of vaine glorie did now and then burst out and appere amonges the disciples, yet was it alwaies repressed and corrected by the seuere obiurgation of their master, and in the end, by the power of the holie spirit, it was remoued. God doth not affirm that it is impossible to a woman to forgett the childe of her bosom, but laying his perfect loue against her natural loue corrupted, he saieth, if she may, yet, cā not I forgett thē that trust in me: and so he preferreth his loue towardes his childrē, to the loue of any creature, whiche they