A20187:97
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. Needs must he wonder and to no purpose, that goeth about to be as wise ⟨p. 62⟩as God, and to under stand all the secrets of his will (saith the Apostle) are past finding out, but again take the case to1 stand thus; the Lord that disposeth of all things in their appointed seasons putteth the partridge into the marlins foot, the pretty bird, into the fowlers snare, setteth the ox foot upon the silly worm, bringeth the swelling waters out of their channels to the store-house of the poor provident Ant, the little fish into the net, the lamb to the slaughter-house, the lion to the hunters hand, and man for his due desert oftentimes to a sharp and sodden death: this God in his righteous judgement, hath pre-ordained my son to die, amidest the merciless waves of the sea. But for as much as nature the enemy to wisdom, doth not suffer me to yield up mine interest, to the ordinance of God (which you must suppose, according to some extraordinary manner is disclosed unto me) I say unto him, son assure thy self that no action in this world shall discontinue my favour and good will towards thee. Again, I ⟨p. 63⟩make thee LORD, of my whole revenues, use all that I have, or may procure for thee; so that in consideration hereof, thou wilt grant me thy true and faithful allegiance in this only point; depart not thy native country, and I crave no more: for at what time so ever, thou shalt commit thy self unto sail and mast, thou diest the death, there is no remedy; thus standeth thy safety, thus thy peril, thus my hearty request, and thus I leave thee. Well, this my son, according to the manner of men, having a body at home, and a mind else where, then where it should be, neither making conscience of my great liberality, commandment, nor any other good desert, nor yet respecting the danger of his own person, like a man led away with novelties, and the try: all of strange adventures, rather then esteeming an honest life, and the duty o• of a child (committeth him-self; to the safe conduct of will, that idle and desperate loadsman, and at last after many turmoils, is forced to fish ⟨p. 64⟩in the deeps without his boat, like as before I had told him, shall not the man seem to do me injury, that shall reprove me, for this fault of my son, who every way so well, and fatherly entreated him as became me?