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The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven
The plain mans path-way to heaven Wherein every man may clearly see, whether he shall be saved or damned. Set forth dialogue-wise, for the better understanding of the simple: By Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex. Corrected and amended: with a table of all the principal matters; and three prayers necessary to be used in private families thereunto added.The plaine mans path-way to heauen Wherein euery man may cleerely see, whether he shall be saued or damned. Set forth dialogue-wise, for the better vnderstanding of the simple: By Arthur Dent, preacher of the vvord of God at South-Shoobery in Essex. Corrected and amended: vvith a table of all the principall matters; and three prayers necessarie to be vsed in priuate families thereunto added.
London: printed by Melchiside Bradwood for Edw. Bishop, 1607London: printed by Melchiside Bradwood for Edvv. Bishop, 1607
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.
THE EPISTLE TO the Reader.
Gentle Reader, seeing my little Sermon of Repentance, some few years since published, hath been so well accepted of: I have, for thy further good published this Dialogue, being the third fruit of my labour: wishing to it the like success, that God thereby may have the glory, and thou who art the Reader comfort. I have, in one part of this Dialogue, produced some of the ancient writers, and some of the wise Heathen also, to testify upon their oath in their own language, and to bear witness of the ugliness of some vices, which we in this age make light of: which I wish may not be offensive to any. In other parts of this work, I do in a manner relinquish them. But in this case I have in my weak judgement, thought them to be of some good use, to show forth thus much: that if ⟨image 4⟩we do not in time repent, forsake our sins, & seek after God, both the ancient Christian fathers (whose eyes saw not that we see, nor their ears heard that we hear) yea the very Heathen also shall rise up in judgement against us. Let none therefore stumble at it. But if any do, let them remember I am in a Dialogue, not in a Sermon. I write to all of all sorts: I speak not to some few of one sort. But that which is done herein, is not much more then that of the Apostle (As some of your own Poets have said, Act. 17.) which is warrantable. One thing, dear Christian, I pray thee let me beg of thee; to wit, that thou wouldest not read two or three leaves of this Book, and so cast it from thee: but that thou wouldest read it throughout even to the end. For I do assure thee, if there be any thing in it worth the reading, it is bestowed in the latter part thereof, and most of all towards the conclusion. Be not discouraged therefore at the harshness of the beginning: but look for smoother matter in the middest, and most smooth in the perclose and wind-up of all. For this Dialogue hath in it, not the nature of a Tragedy, which is begun with joy, and ended with sorrow: but of a Comedy, which is begun with sorrow, and ended with joy. This book meddleth not at all with any controversies in the Church, or any thing in the state Ecclesiastical,