A20202:894
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. Questionless. For God saith, My people1 perish for want of knowledge. Our Lord Jesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errors. Ye err, saith he, not knowing the scriptures. 2The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate us from the life of God. For saith he, The gentiles were darkened in their cogitation,3 being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. So then it is clear, that ignorance is not the mother of devotion, as the Papists do avouch: but it is the mother of error, death and destruction, as the Scripture affirmeth. Our Lord foreseeing the great danger of ignorance (how thereby thousands are carried headlong into Hell) doth admonish4 all men to search the Scriptures, which ⟨p. 326⟩do testify of him: that so they might get out of the most dangerous gulf of ignorance, wherein multitudes are implunged. Therefore the Noble men of Berea are commended, by the5 holy Ghost, because they received the word, with all readiness; and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Oh therefore that men would earnestly seek after the knowledge of God in time: and (as the Prophet saith) Seek the Lord, whilst he may6 be found: call upon him whilst he is near▪
Theol. Questionles. For God saith, My people1 perish for want of knowledge. Our Lord Jesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errours. Yee erre, saith he, not knowing the scriptures. 2The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate vs from the life of God. For saith he, The gentiles were darkened in their cogitation,