A20187:74
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.
Rel. Although I have not detracted1 from the freedom of will, so much that ⟨p. 42⟩thou hast cause to gather that consequent out of my words: yet for my better answer to this objection, I will use the help of Saint Augustine, who saith. It is undoubted that we do will, when we will, and that we do work, when we work; but to be able to will, and to be able to work; he bringeth to pass in us, of whom it is said, God is he, that worketh in us, both to will, and to do, again the2 same Augustine, which of us (saith he) dare avouch that man kind was utterly spoiled of freewill by the sin of the first man? freedom perished in deed through sin, but it was that freedom, where with man was created in Paradise, free to enjoy full righteousness, and immortality: for the which the nature of man standeth in need3 of grace, according as the Lord him-self doth testify, saying. if the Son do deliver you then shall you be free indeed, free I mean to live well, and uprightly: for so far is it off, that freewill did perish altogether in sinners, that by the same freewill, men do offend, especially they that take pleasure in sin, and which being delighted with sin, do with pleasure greedily follow their own lusts: thus much S. Augu. ⟨p. 43⟩And now to conclude, if by that freedom4 of mans will which thou sayest is bereft, by the doctrine of providence, thou mean that man doth not evil willingly, and with a plain consent and tractableness unto Satan the tempter, so far am I from bereaving him of that will, that I affirm, his mind and will to be carried to evil things most willingly, according to the sa[…] after sin, man is free from5 righteousness: for the more certainty, let a man enter into himself, and consider, whether it be compulsion, that doth cause him to sin, or his own voluntary will, and I doubt not but he shall soon perceive the whole fault in his own freewill: but if by freeness, thou mean never so little an ablenesse of mans own proper strength, to perform never so little good o evil: I willingly de embrace thy objection; namely, that man hath no freedom at all,