B02626:893
The plain mans path-way 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.
London: printed by Ja. Young for G. Lathum, 1643
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,1 My people perish for want of ⟨p. 348⟩knowledge. Our Lord Jesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errors.2 Ye err, saith he, not knowing the Scriptures. The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate us from the life of God:3 For, saith he, the Gentiles were darkened in their cogitation, 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 admonish all men to search the Scriptures, which 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 the holy Ghost,4 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 may be found, call upon him whilst he is near. Isaiah 55.6.
Theol. Questionlesse. For God saith,1 My people perish for want of ⟨p. 348⟩knowledge. Our Lord Iesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errours.2 Ye erre, saith he, not knowing the Scriptures. The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate us from the life of God:3