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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
The plain mans path-way to Heaven.The plaine mans path-way to Heauen.
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.
Theol. It is so brutish and beastly a sin, that a man would think, it should not need to be spoken against: but that all reasonable men should even abhor it, & quake to think of it. For it is a most swinish thing: it maketh of a man, a beast: it taketh away the heart of a man from all goodness, as witnesseth the Prophet Hosea, saying: Whoredom, wine, and new1 wine, take away their heart. For, what heart, what stomach, what appetite can whoremongers and drunkards have to any thing that is good? either to hear or read the word of God, or to pray or to meditate in the same? Alas, they are far from it, far from God, and far from all grace and goodness. Therefore the Prophet Joel saith: Awake ye drunkards: weep and2 howl ye drinkers of wine. Yea, the mighty God of heaven doth pronounce a woe against them, saying: Woe unto them that rise up early3 to follow drunkenness: and to them that continue until night, till the wine do inflame them. Our Lord Jesus himself giveth us a caveat, to take heed of it: Take heed, saith he, that4 your hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life: and so that day come upon you unawares. Thus you hear, how both Christ himself, and sundry of the Prophets, do thunder down from heaven ⟨p. 163⟩against this gross beastliness, which now aboundeth & reigneth amongst the sons of men.
Theol. It is so brutish and beastly a sinne, that a man would thinke, it should not néed to be spoken against: but that all reasonable men should euen abhorre it, & quake to thinke of it. For it is a most swinish thing: it maketh of a man, a beast: it taketh away the heart of a man from all goodnesse, as witnesseth the Prophet Hosea, saying: Whoredome, wine, and new1 wine, take away their heart. For, what heart, what stomacke, what appetite can whoremongers and drunkards haue to any thing that is good? either to heare or read the word of God, or to pray or to meditate in the same? Alas, they are farre from it, farre from God, and far from all grace and goodnesse. Therefore the Prophet Ioel saith: Awake yee drunkards: weepe and