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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.
behold and inquire in the open places thereof, if ye can find a man, or if there be any that executeth judgement, and seeketh the truth: and I will spare it. Oh then mark and consider, what a man may do: yea, what one man may do: what an Abraham may do: what a Moses may do: what an Elijah may do: what a Daniel, what a Samuel, what a Job, what a Noah may do! Some one man (by reason of his high favour with the Eternal) is able sometimes to do more for a land, by his prayers and tears, then many prudent men by their counsel, or valiant men by their swords. Yea, it doth evidently appear (in the sacred volume of the holy Ghost) that some one poor Preacher, being full of the Spirit and power of Elijah, doth more in his study (either for offence, or defence: either for the turning away of wrath, or the procuring of mercy) then a ⟨p. 216⟩Camp-royal, even forty thousand strong: or, as the Spirit speaketh: though they all have1 their swords girded to their thighs, and be of the most valiant men in Israel. All this is clearly proved in one verse of the book of the Psalms: where the Prophet having reckoned up the sins of the people, addeth: Therefore the Lord minded to destroy them, had not Moses (his chosen)2 stood in the breach, to turn away his wrath: lest he should destroy them. See therefore, what one man may do with God! Some one man doth so bind the hands of God, that when he should strike, he hath no power to do it: as it is said of Lot: I can do nothing, till3 thou be come out. See how the Lord saith, he can do nothing: because he will do nothing! He doth wittingly and willingly suffer his hands to be manacled and bound behind him, for some few sake, which he doth make more account of, then all the world besides: so precious and dear are they in his sight. Likewise it is written, that the Lord was exceedingly incensed against the Israelites for their idolatrous Calf, which they made in Horeb: yet he could do nothing, because Moses would not let him. And therefore he falleth to entreating of Moses, that Moses would let him alone, and entreat no more for them. Oh, (saith4 the Lord to Moses) let me alone: that my wrath