A20187:87
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.
Reli. So it is.
Rea. But may we not say that GOD commandeth sin, seeing he doth after • sort will it.
Rea. But may wee not say that GOD commandeth sinne, seeing he doth after • sort wil it.
Rel. God forbid: it is the most horrible o• 1all blasphemies: neither is the consequence good, God willeth allthings, therefore h• alloweth all things: for he willeth many things, which he doth suffer, not because simply he doth allow of them, but after • ⟨p. 55⟩•ertain manner: for so far as he suffereth so far doth he allow & will them: but so far as he hath respect to the Instrument• whose actions they are, so far doth he disallow and punish them. Therefore although we do faithfully hold, and believe according as we are taught, in the confession of Christian faith, that God the father almighty willeth all things, and by his power bringeth all things to pass, even as he willeth them, yet doth it not follow that he is the author of sin, delighted with in• quity: or that Satan, & men doing evil, do obey God, in that they do evil, or that they do the will of God, in that they do evil, & therefore are not to be blamed: for besides that, wicked men do the will of God, that is to say, those things that are ordained from everlasting, they for the most part do their own work, that is to say, that which they have a will in them-selves and most greedy appetite to do, as we have oftentimes said already.