A20202:985
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
A Morning prayer, to be used in private families.A Morning prayer, to be vsed in priuate families.
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.
O Lord our God, and heavenly Father, we thy unworthy children do here come into thy most holy and heavenly presence to give thee praise and glory, for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards us: especially for that thou hast preserved us this night past from all the dangers and fears thereof, hast given us quiet rest to our bodies, and brought us now safely to the beginning of this day, & dost now afresh renew all thy mercies upon us, as the Eagle reneweth her bill, giving us all things abundantly to enjoy; as food, raiment, health, peace, liberty, and freedom from many miseries, diseases, casualties, and calamities which we are subject unto in this life, every minute of an hour: and not only so, but also for vouchsafing unto us many good things, not only for necessity, ⟨image 207⟩but even for delight also. But above all (dear Father) we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life, specially for thy most holy word and sacraments, and all the good we enjoy thereby; for the continuance of the Gospel amongst us; for the death of thy son, & all that happiness which we have thereby; also because thou hast chosen us to life before we were, and that of thy mere goodness, & undeserved favour towards us, & hast called us in thine appointed time, justified us by thy grace, sanctified us by thy spirit, & adopted us to be thine own children, & heirs apparent to the great crown. O Lord open our eyes every day more & more, to see and consider of thy great & marvellous love to us in all these things; that by the due consideration thereof, our harts may be drawn yet nearer unto thee, even more to love thee, fear thee, & obey thee: that as thou art enlarged towards us in mercy, so we may be enlarged towards thee in thanksgiving: & as thou doest abound towards us in goodness, so we may abound towards thee in obedience & love. And sith (deer father) thou art never weary of doing us good, notwithstanding all our unworthiness & naughtiness: therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy, & fatherly kindness towards us even as it were force our hearts, and compel us to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of ⟨image 207⟩thanksgiving in our mouths.
O Lord our God, and heauenlie Father, we thy vnwoorthy children doe heere come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thee praise and glory, for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs: especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof, hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies, and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day, & dost now afresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs, as the Eagle reneweth her bill, giuing vs all things abundantly to enioy; as foode, raiment, health, peace, libertie, and freedome from many miseries, diseases, casualties, and calamities which we are subiect vnto in this life, euery minute of an houre: and not onely so, but also for vouchsafeing vnto vs many good things, not onely for necessitie,