THE Opening of Heauen gates OR The ready way to euerlasting life Deliuered in a most Familier Dialogue betweene Reason and Religion touching Pradestination Gods word and Mans Free-will to the vnderstanding of the weakest Capacitie and the confirming of the more strong By ARTHVR DENT Preacher of the word of GOD at South-Shoobery in Essex Imprinted at London for Iohn Wright and are to bee sold at his shoppe at Christ-Church gate 1610. The Epistle to the Reader THis Diuine worke gentle Reader though the Author left vnprinted yet comming to his hands that wisht a continuance to the memory of the famous Writer and a comfort to the soule of the desirous Reader hee thought good to bring it to the presse and the rather seeing that the points herein handled beeing in them-selues very difficult and heretofore not so plainly expressed are here laid down that the meaner capacity may be instructed the skilfuller more confirmed Heere thou maist see Reason contending with Religion and Religion resoluing those doubts which to Reason seeme dissoluable Here thou shalt know though Reason tel thee if God haue praedestinated his elect yet Religion will tel thee except thou worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling thou art none of Gods fore-chosen If from hence Reason say vnto thee thou hast absolute free-will yet Religion will tell thee that thy willing comes from God In a word heere Ignorance shall be taught by Truth and Atheisme confuted by Religion Then courteous Reader peruse this worthie Worke of the eminent Preacher Maister ARTHVR DENT wherein thou shalt finde the ready Pathway to eternall life through which if thou wilt soiourne at the end thereof thou shalt finde Heauen-gates set wide open to receaue thee and troopes of Angels ready to carry thee into Abraham his bosom where thou shalt rest from thy labor and haue all teares wiped from thy eyes A fruitfull Dialogue betweene Reason and Religion touching Gods Predestination and mans freewill c. Reason WHO made this world Religion God of his owne singular mercy for the loue that hee bare vnto mankinde Reas Of what substance did God ereâ—e it Reli. Truely of nothing but by his 〈…〉 ly word Reas And is it euerlasting or shall it â—ee haue an end Reli. The scripture doth testifie that shall bee destroied with fire from heaven at such time as the Lord hath appointed Moreouer we are informed by common experience that it is by natâ—â—â— sabiect to dissolution Reas I pray you what are we to thinkâ— of God that wonderfull workemaster Reli. Wee ought stedfastly to beleeue thâ— hee is almighty righteous in â—â—â— thinges and eternall That of nature he is indeuisible and yet consisting of three distinct persons the Father the Sonne and the hoâ—â— Ghost This God is called God of incomprehenstble wisdome according tâ— which he hath most wisely foreseene and appointed all things He is vnchange able alwaies one neuer passionate â—â— is the Lord of reueng the God of Judgement at whose breath the mountaiâ—â—â—â—oe shake whose seat is the lofty Cheâ—â—â— bines whose foote-stoole is the earth hâ— is a iealious God striking idslators aâ—â— such as derogate from his honor wiâ—â— terrible plagues Hee is a consuming â—ire the king of kings the onely Lord â—â— all worlds the beginning the end anâ— yet without beginning and euerlasting Hee is inuistble though at one â—â—â—â—ant beholding all things at whâ—â—ecke the heauens are obedient tâ— clouds dos gather themselues together and the earth doth quiuer and tremble This God rebuketh the windes calmeth the seas limiteth to euery starre his instuence course and name this God formed light and darkenesse sendeth and calleth backe lightnings thunders tempestes fearefull commets blaâ—ing â—starrs and all other wonderfull impressions of the ayrs This is the God that â—ouldeth the huge earth in his hand hanging like a Globe in the midest of the world that fouldeth the heauens like a â—crowle that sendeth the seasonable spring-time Summer and Harnest Frost Could Hunger Famine and â—â—stilâ—nce he it is that by a certaine inâ—used fertility causeth trées herbes flowers and euery little grasse to sprout and â—pring to the behalfe of all liuing creatures So that neither birdes of the â—â—â—â—â—eâ—â—ts of the â—â—eld nor the silly wormeâ—â—â—â—he earth doe want sustenance this is â—â—at prouident God that contaâ—neth the â—welling seâ— within her banâ—â—â—s that orâ—â—reth that maruelous waterchange of â—â—owing and ebbing wâ—â—â—â—s that feedeth â—e whales and euery â—â—â—ing thing dwelâ—â—ng in the deepes this is that searcher of â—â—retâ—s whome no place doth exclude whose presence no action word nor thought can escape This is the good God that created man according to his owne likenesse made him Lord of the earth And when he had plaied the rebeâ— against him that recomforted him being throwne out of Paradice with the promise of the séed of the woman This God is he that sent his people Israel remedy when they were in thraldome in the land of Egipt that parted the red sea drowned their enemies that did safe conducâ— them in the wildernesse that rained downe Manna that defended Dauid from the force of Saul that foiled the Gâ— ant that saued Ionas in the bottome oâ— the sea that deliuered Daniel out oâ— thâ— Lions denne Ieremy out of the dungâ— on the thrée children out of the hot consuming Duen he is that God that seâ— his welbeloued sonne to abide thâ— death to redéeme mankinde from thâ— bondage of sinne and from the iaweâ— of sathan Finally this is that God by whole power all things were maâ— and by whose onely prouidence eueâ— thing is effectually mooued ordered aâ—â— brought to passe Reas All praise therefore bee vnto this â—od most mighty most righteous and â—ly that on this tender wise hath loued â—wnworthy wreatches deseruing noâ—â—ing but the rigor of his Iustice Now I â—ay you declare what was the causâ—at moued God to create man and to set â—im in the world Reli. That he should serue him and â—criâ—ie him Reas Which is the way to serue God â—d to glorifie hiâ—â—right Reli. To acknowledge him as he hath appointed by his word Reas Which call you the word of God Reli. The same which the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles receiued by the â—â—ly ghost and committed to writing which we call at this day by the name of â—e eld and new testament Reas How should a man know that â—hose monuments left by the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles came from God or that they did euer leaue behind them â—â—y such writings as we tearme the old â—nd new testament Religi As touching the authority therof though the orderly dispositioÌ„ of the wisdome of God the doctrine it self sauâ—ring nothing of earthlinesse the Godly agrée ment of all parts together among them-selues the maiesty of God shinyng forth in that homelinesse of spéech the laying together of the foresayings of the prophets and the successes of the same and many other such arguments may â—oâ—pell the wicked ones to confesse that
God is the only Author of the Scripture yet certainely by none other mean theâ— by the secret testimonie of yâ— holy Ghost are our barts truely perswaded that it is the word of God for saith yâ— Apostle that which we preach is the word of faith And in another place the whole Scripture saith he is giueÌ„ by the inspiratioÌ„ of God Reas But what doe you say to those sel lowes that account the scripture a douâ—sed or positiue law made for ciuill gouernment onely and authorised by Antiquity as if it were the diuine word of God least man not beeing restrained of the heddinesse oâ— his own affections by some other terrour then that of corporal punishment should not yeeld himselfe vnto necessary order Rel. For my part I haue little to say tâ— those Monsters neither by the grace â— God in any society will I haue to doe with them but my praier shal be that the â—ord will sodenly turne their hearts or â— his good timt pay them their iust deâ—rts Truely of this sort of meÌ„ I thanke God in all my daies although I haue â—ard of many did I neuer know more â—en thrée which if it had pleased the â—ord were to many by two and one these â—rée were naturall brethereÌ„n men maâ—â—lous politique insundry sciences and â—orldly wise but we the iudgements of God the two â—oungeâ— were hanged not many yeares since iustly condemned for â—â—gh â—reason and the third being the elder â—rother was taken in adultery and with â— knife â—iabbed in and slaine by the hands of his owne wife and so farre as I vnâ—erstand therâ— is not one of the name left â—liue The foole saith the Prophet doth say in his â—â—â—art there is no God and doubtâ—esse they which with their toungs doe prophaÌ„e his word deny not yâ— same thing or at least yâ— which is as â—uâ—l for besides that betwéene God and his word there is â—lwaies a mutuall relation so as the one â—â— not without the other we finde in the Scripture that God is the word â—s for al those that are departed this life in that mind I leaue them to God though without repentance we say they could not bâ— saued And as for those that bee yet â—â— uing I looke for nothing more assuredly then to heare tell of their ruine and so likewise I leaue them Rea. There is yet an other sort which do not so brodely blaspheame God as those incredulous wretche â—â— of whome wee haue spoken But they affirme yea and that very boldly that through the diuersity of translations the Scriptures are falsified in sucâ— wise that no certenty is left for beleefe to rest vpon This thing although with the grauâ— learned sort may happily not go for pay ment because they are able to iudge be twixt euery translation and his original yet are the meane sort shrewdly handleâ— with that suggestion for thus streach theâ— out that obiectioÌ„ The Scriptures say they were deliuered by yâ— Patriarches Propheâ—â— and Apostles set downe in the Hebrue and Greeke toungs afterwards â—â—anslated aftâ— diuers fashios by men yea suchmen as wâ—â— either ignorant of the truth â—â—partial â— their owne â—on ceits for doth â—ot the diâ— agreemeÌ„t of our English translations beâ—â— witnesse and make the case plaine inough Reli. I know these wranglers somewhat to well and doe pâ—â—â—eaue the wilinesse not of them as ◠〈◊〉 but of Sâ—tan These men because they can no 〈…〉 ger with their Pope-holy-righteousneâ—â—â— sit in the consciences of the Godly and cause them to imbrace that whoredome of the sea of Roâ—â— would yâ—t be loth that Satan should â—eese his intrest in those that may be â—â—ayed by any swing of reason to incline to their part if those good men would be so good as to shew forth our errours they should both bee heard and thanked I remember well that I haue often heard this obiection but who were the obiectors truely a few sillymen either papists or Newters of some little iudgement more then horses at whome the wise doe laugh and the Godly harted spew It is sufficient for our assurance that the Lord hath promised to be such a patron and protector of his word That it shall not perish when heauen and earth shall be brought to naught and that hee will haue no title added to it or diminished from it Therfore let vs giue them ouer and harken to our Sauiour Christ promising that Whosoeuer beleeueth shal be saued is blessed shal be pardoned of all his sinnes and haue life euerlasting And contrariwisâ—â—â—â—eatning that whosoeuer beleeueth not 〈…〉 neuer be saued but abide the cuerlasting â—â—rse of God Reas Well let thus much suffice concerning the word of God Now I pray you let vs returne to speake of God somewhat more you say that the nature or essence that is common in the god-head among the persons of the Father the Son and holy Ghost is one single substance vnable to be seuered Reli So I say indéed for otherwise should it come to passe that so many persons as there be so many Gods should there bee seuerally deuided therefore these thrée persons vnited together in nature are neuer seperated but distinguished so as the father is the father only the Sonne the Sonne onely and the holy Ghost the holy Ghost only Reas As these three persons are but one God in godhead so are they likewise of one euerlastingnesse or eternity and of one equality without degree Reli. Yea truely saue that in order the father is the first being of none but himselfe alonâ—â— the Sonne is second begotten of the Father the holy Ghost is the third by an vnspeakeable maner proceeding of them both Reas Surely so farre as I can perecaue this mistery is most wonderfull and vnpossible to be conceiued by man Reli. Therefore full wisely hath hée taught vs to beléene and reuerence the secrots of God that saith Fides non habet meritum vbi ratio habet experimentum Reas Besides these what other things are we to consider chiefly in God Reli. That he is excéeding iust in punishing the disobedient and wicked and that hée is excéeding mercifull to the Godly and such as loue him for it is written that vnto such the Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity and transgression Reas But it seemeth by this order of his mercy and iustice that some things doe come to passe which God willeth not otherwise should there neede no punishment and therein I cannot perceaue how his omnipotency is not impeached Reli. Doubtlesse he could not be God if any thing should happen that he would not haue come to passe whereof the Apostle was full wary in this saying God bringeth all thinges to passe according to the councell of his owne will Reli. Yet can I not perceiue how his Iustice and mercy do agree
as with theâ—â—es which being led to the gallowes doe exclame of the iudâ—e yes 〈◊〉 but if they would consider how miserable the comfort is that is borrowed of that poore reueng they would occupy their heads about their owne desarts which doe make them before God alwaies 〈◊〉 of euill deseruing more then bodily death and for the most part to bee iustly condemned of the world and not vse that malipâ—râ—nesse especially finding therein no remedy The conclusion is this and my aduise also that such as doe Ande them-selues greeued in Adam séeks hence forth to be well pleased in Christ Reas Surely I haue nothing to say against thee therefore I come yet backe to that which thou hast partly answered for why I cannot be satisfied in this wonderfull mistery of Gods seaâ—ret and reucaled will therefore I pray you to enlighten mee once againe with some example more familar then that other Reli. Néeds must he wonder and to no purpose that goeth about to be as wise as God and to vnder stand all the seacrets of his will saith the Apostle are past finding out but againe take the case to stand thus the Lord that disposeth of all things in their appointed seasons putteth the partridge into the marlins foote the pretty bird into the fowlers snare setteth the oxe foot vpon the silly worme bringeth the swelling waters out of their channels to the store-house of the poore prouident Ant the little fish into the net the lambe to the slaughter-house the lion to the hunters hand and man for his due desart oftentimes to a sharpe and sodden death this God in his righteous iudgement hath pre-ordayned my sonne to die amidest the mercilesse waues of the sea But for as much as nature the enemy to wisdome doth not suffer me to yéeld vp mine interest to the ordinance of God which you must suppose according to some extraordinary manner is disclosed vnto mee I say vnto him sonne assure thy selfe that no action in this world shall discontinew my fauour and good will towards thée Againe I make thée LORD of my whole reuenewes vse all that I haue or may procure for thée so that in consideration hereof thou wilt graunt me thy true and faithfull alegeaunce in this onely point depart not thy natiue country and I craue no more for at what time so euer thou shalt commit thy selfe vnto sayle and mast thou diest the death there is no remedy thus standeth thy safty thus thy perill thus my hearty request and thus I leaue thée Well this my sonne according to the maner of men hauing a body at home and a mind else where then where it should be neither making conscience of my great liberallity commandement nor any other good desert nor yet respecting the daunger of his owne person like a man led away with nouelties and the try all of strange aduentures rather then estéeming an honest life and the duty oâ— of a child committeth him-selfe to the safe conduct of will that idle and desperate loadsman and at last after many tormoyles is forced to fish in the déepes without his boat like as before I had tould him shall not the man séeme to do me iniury that shall reproue me for this fault of my sonne who euery way so well and fatherly intreated him as became me Thus much I compare with the Lord of Heauen who created man Lord of the whole Earth saue that hee debard him the trée in the midst of the garden But if thou hapily say that all this is not to the purpose because in the affaires of this processe I haue concealed no seacret but imparted my whole purpose to my sonne well I graunt let vs now therfore procéed euen here the case is altered let it be graunted also that before I begat my sonne I saw the sequell of this matter howbeit sith it concerned my will I would not onely obserue mine owne pleasure in that behalfe but also giue my willing consent to his fatall desteny I pray you in this case who shall let me to doe the thing that pleaseth me what hath my sonne to say against me or if hee say and repine neuer so much is it not folly to kicke against the pricke but if I in the eye of reason may séeme somewhat faulty or cruell in this action yet note that which is most vnrighteous in man is alwaies most righteous in the Lord of heauen with whom no creature doth stand in comparison Moreouer suppose that I sée a blind man taking a direct course vnto a daungerous caue and before his fall I step vnto him and say father beware and turne the â—acke for euen here at hand is such a perâ—ill as threateneth thy death the man not onely blind of body but of mind lame also not regarding my friendly admonition tumbleth downe headlong and doth breake his necke Is it strange to â—ée him burnt that will not come out of the fire but now to the matter let it be graunted that I set him in that way foreseeing his fall shall he not therefore be in 〈…〉 ited of his owne death Reas Surely but here canst thou not goe cleare away without touch for hadst thou not set the blind man in that way he might right well haue escaped that misfortune The like may bee sayd of thy Sonne also Reli. Did I not tell thée that no creature is to be compared with God who if he should damne the whole world setting the desert of Jesus Christ apart were neuerthelesse righteous true it is if I had neuer be gotten my sonne he had neuer bin drowned But the cause standing vpright as I left it canst thou shew any reason why I should not be get him séeing it was my will euen so if God had neuer made man doubtles it had bin long ere man had sinned but in those things which we know the Lord hath iustly done for his owne glory sake let vs be content and leaue off these tovish obiections of iffes and ands for what pretend we thereby but to set the Lord to Schoole and to take him forth a lesson of our owne mother wit who God knoweth hath much lesse néed thereof then the sea to borrow some small streame of water from poore brookes which the Sunne hath dried vp Rea. Wel then considering that nothing in the whole world commeth to passe rashly or casually but according to the will of God that is to say his ordinaunce may it be said that God hath appointed any thing that hee misliketh where-vpon hee doth take occasion to minister iustice Rel. Doubtlesse it must be graunted that whatsoeuer God hath appointed is appointed altogether willingly and without misliking otherwise might he séeme variable or to be canstrained to wil those things that he willeth but stay thy selfe herein appeareth the wonderful wisdom of God for those things that in their owne proper nature are naught haue yet before him great respect of goodnesse wherby
together Reli. These two are reconciled and well made manifest in his sonne For after our first parent Adam by the eternall decreement had cast him-selfe and al his progeny into the defilement of sinne God did raise him vp againe in this second Adam euen Iesus Christ for which cause he is called the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Rea. What meane you by that word sinne Reli. I call any thing sinne that in thought word or deed is committed contrary to the law and will of God Rea. And may a man say without sinne that sinne is willed by God Reli. Surely God ought not to be called the author of sinne for how can iniquity issue from that fountaine where nothing is saue onely the clearâ— water of righteousnesse Notwithstanding so farre am I of from holding him a sinner that reuerently doth ascribe all things to the prouidence of God that I accompt him rather an Ignorent and blasphemous sinner that supposeth any thing to happen by fortune or chance as if God were ignorant or carelesse thereof Reas Here I perceiue the nayle is driuen to the head therefore you had need go discreetly to worke least God bee disabled in any thing that is dew to his omnipotency or that more be attributed to his power then agreeth with his iustice Verily this is the thing wherein I haue not onely long time longed to bee instructed but also beene greatly troubled in minde about the same I pray you therefore what is the prouidence of God Reli. By this word prouidence is meant the incomprehensible fore-knowledge and wisedome whereby from the farthest end of eternity God did behold appoint and prouide when where and wherefore all thinges in heauen and earth should bee as also his vnmeasurable and omnipotent power by which hee hath brought bringeth and will bring all the same things in their seasons effectually to passe according to his own will and purpose Reas But sith the Lord is righteous and so farre off from willing sinne that on the contrary part hee doth not only forbid it but also most greeuously punish it how can we say that sinne doth attend vpon the ordinances of God Reli. Certainely my very soule doth feare least by ouer much bouldnesse I should violate or séeme to neglect that rule of reuerence that in Gods behalfe is to be obserued On the otherside I would be loath that by to much cowardize I should dishonor the truth therefore as there want not testimonies of scripture to warrant this doctrine so I thinke it not vnméete that herein I follow that generall sentence of the Apostle whereof wee haue already spoken namely that God bringeth all things to passe according to the councell of his owne will and least I may sâ—enâ—e to giue to much liberty to my owne interpretation I wil also incline to the doctrine of Saint Augustine who sayth to the very same effect The wil of God is the chiefe and principall cause of all maner of actions motions whatsoeuer for there is nothing that proceedeth not from that vnsearcheable wisdome and will of his Of these two we gather that if the wil of God be the principall and originall cause of all things that is to say of all actions and motions Either that sinne doth come to passe according to that souereigne will of his or else that sinne is nothing at all that is to say neither action nor motion which obsurdity by no meanes can be granted wherefore vnder these two banners though the first may animate a right cowardly soldier I dare now more bouldly shew thée a reason of mine owne this it is By Angels men did sinne take possession of this world as appeareth rightly in the derlining of our first parents Adam and Eue. But neither Angels nor men were euer seperated from the gouernment and subiection of their Lord and maker Ergo. Sinne doth possesse the world by the ordinance that is to say the will and appointment of God This thing is witnessed by the â—â—ostle who saith that No man shal reâ—iâ—â—â—â—e wil of God Moreouer behold saith the Lord I haue created the Smith that bloweth the coales in the fire and him that bringeth sorth an Instrument for his work I I say haue created the destroyer to destroy Many such testimonies may bee recited out of the word of God But because the wicked will here take the bitt in theyr teeth accompting God the author of sinne and runne on head-long after theyr owne appetite to all kinde of mischiefe as though it were not meerley vnlawful wee must before wee go any further seeke to abate their courage and take away that buckler where-vnder they will shield and defend their pretended innocency Therefore although by that almighty eye of God nothing doth passe in the whole world vnséene and therefore not vnwilled yet cannot God be called the Author of euill for saith the Apostle there is no vnrighteousnesse with God But the corrâ—â—â—â—â—n of the minde of the first mon saiâ—â—â—â—â—â—ter Caluin by which we are â—â—câ—me â—â—eers â—ame partly by the prâ—â—â—â—ement of Sathan partly by the frâ—â—â—y of nature which nature man did deâ—â—e by his owne voluntary and wilfull fall from whence we perceiue â—pecting the meane and second cauâ— that mankind doth perish through â—owne default And in as much as no â—â— sinneth vnwillingly but of his own â—ord for the most part no man is vnâ—ly punished by the hand of God for â—y That is the only cause of sinne that 〈…〉 exclude all other causes besides it 〈…〉 But God excludeth no mans wil in â—own actions Ergo God is not yâ— only â—se of sinne If any man wil obiect y◠〈…〉 is not the cause of his owne euill in much as God the soueraigne cause of â—ses doth prescribe the euent and diâ—t euery action to the appointed end answer out of the Maior of my former â—ument That is the onely cause of â—ne which excludeth all causes besides â—elfe But man in the wicked actions of â—olatry Murther Adultery Theft and â—â—h other neglecteth the commandeâ—â—nt of God and so far forth as in him â—â—th excludeth all causes saue his â—ne wicked lust onely Ergo Man in â—t respect is the only cause of sinne 〈…〉 iustly deserueth the wrath and correction of God as witnesseth the Prophet saying thy destruction O Israell commeth of thy selfe Reas I haue heard thee say ear now that Angells and men were created according to Gods owne likenesse that is of a sound and vpright disposition and will which thing truely is very conuenient in the eye of reason for if they had beene ordayned euill by nature or to that end that they should decline from that estate by the will of God it would argue God to bee vnrighteous at least in respect of that purpose of his Reli. Nay it is rather an inconuenience many waies which thou