A20187:188
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.
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 may1 be tried, if his eyes be prefixed upon professors, that he can find many faults in their manners, let him look back into him-self, and he shall see that Papists and Protestants are very men, needing the Physician: But if he find not so great corruption in him-self; First let him take2 heed least it fare with him, as with men ⟨p. 125⟩that be sick, which when they think them-selves recovered & nearest to health, are even then furthest from health and nearest their end. But if there be not indeed such corruption in them (which is hard to be determined on either side, considering how partial our nature is in it own behalf, and ready to flatter it self) let him never impute this to the dignity of his religion, but to the goodness of God the giver of all good things. If he fear the Gospel because it is ill spoken off, Let him remember that Christ3 himself is a stumbling stone made for the fall of many: if he be afraid of corrupt tram slations, let him either correct, or show us y• causes of his misliking, and he shall be satisfied. Finally if he shall stumble at Jar that is now avas among Divines, let him without partiality, read the monuments of Popery, & he shall perceive ten times more odds among the Doctors thereof: