A20187:187
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.
What though he happily may command your silence, your spirit must be touched with his sins, you may not suffer him to rest in uncleanness: for they that are of CHRIST are always careful to bring others to Christ-ward, but especially those that are so near unto them, as he is to you, you know that in process of time, the soft drop of rain doth break the hard flint, the silly worm doth throw down the mighty oak, and the slow snail doth attain to the top of Mountains. Therefore let nothing discon age you.
What though hee happily may commaund your silence, your spirit must bee touched with his sinnes, you may not suffer him to rest in vncleannesse: for they that are of CHRIST are alwayes carefull to bring others to Christ-ward, but especially those that are so neare vnto them, as hee is to you, you know that in processe of time, the soft drop of raine doth break the hard flint, the silly worme doth throw downe the mighty oake, and the slow snayle doth attayne to the top of Mountaines. Therefore let nothing discon age you.
If this opinion be established upon the prescriptions of his forefathers, try him by the Prophets & Apostles, if the length and continuance of his religion doth seem forcible to persuade him. show him the law, where God punished y• ⟨p. 124⟩transgression of Israel with four hundred years blindness; and no doubt he that would punish the transgression of that Law, the gave by Angels, with so long ignorance, may as justly persuade him, that the same God can punish the contempt of his Gospel, with a thousand years blindness; Nay prove unto him (I say) the general apostasy whereof the Apostles have told us, if he dare not subscribe to the Gospel, because he may become an offence to his friends, prove from thence, that he feareth his worldly friends, more then he loveth his heavenly God: if he shun the Gospel because of those heresies, that daily spring up in the light thereof, show him that he never knew, or else hath forgotten the Scripture, which doth witness: The Heresies must needs be, that the faithful may