A20187:115
The opening of heaven gatesThe opening of heauen gates
The opening of heaven gates, or The ready way to everlasting life Delivered in a most familiar dialogue, between reason and religion, touching predestination, Gods word, and mans free-will, to the understanding of the weakest capacity, and the confirming of the more strong. By Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God, at South-Shoobery in Essex.The opening of heauen gates, or The ready way to euerlasting life Deliuered in a most familier dialogue, betweene reason and religion, touching predestination, Gods word, and mans free-will, to the vnderstanding of the weakest capacitie, and the confirming of the more strong. By Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God, at South-Shoobery in Essex.
London: printed by G. Eld for John Wright, 1610London: printed by G. Eld for Iohn Wright, 1610
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Rea. Well then to make an end of providence, tell me I pray, whereto shall we ascribe y• fall of the first man? I mean whether to Gods enforcing, or to his for saking.
Rea. Well then to make an end of prouidēce, tell me I pray, whereto shal we ascribe y• fal of the first man? I mean whether to Gods enforcing, or to his for saking.
Reli. Doubtless his falling from God ought simply to be imputed to Gods for saking: for if we say that GOD did ⟨p. 74⟩Enforce him by any compulsion, I cannot perceive, but we burden him with a marvellous untruth, notwithstanding it is always granted, that the same fall came by the necessity of Gods appointment,1 but for as much as that necessity, took not away his own willingness, it shall never excuse him. So that here in rightly appeareth the wonderful wisdom of God, who deriving his glory2 (determined off before) from the grosest of all faults, is neither the cause thereof properly, nor doth suffer it to come to pass besides his ordinance: He allowed so much as came from him-self, saying, Lo it is good: but now forsaking the good, it became evil for want of God: and in the same forsaking God suffered (yet willingly) corruption to creep under his ordinance, in such wise into the nature of man, that his own will became the cause of that evil act of eating that forbidden fruit.
Reli. Doublesse his falling from God ought simply to bee imputed to Gods for saking: for if we say that GOD did ⟨p. 74⟩Inforce him by any compulsion, I cannot perceiue, but we burthen him with a maruaylous vntruth, notwithstanding it is alwayes graunted, that the same fall came by the necessity of Gods appointment,