The sinners guyde A vvorke contayning the whole regiment of a Christian life, deuided into two bookes: vvherein sinners are reclaimed from the by-path of vice and destruction, and brought vnto the high-way of euerlasting happinesse. Compiled in the Spanish tongue, by the learned and reuerend diuine, F. Lewes of Granada. Since translated into Latine, Italian, and French. And nowe perused, and digested into English, by Francis Meres, Maister of Artes, and student in diuinitie.

THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE.

THIS first Booke, Christian Reader, dooth containe a large exhortation to Vertue, which is the watchman and keeper of the commandements of GOD, in which consisteth true Ver∣tue. This Booke is deuided into three principall parts. In the first part Vertue is perswaded to be embraced of vs, with those rea∣sons and common arguments, which are wont chiefely to bee alledged of the holie and auncient Fathers: as are those bonds, by the which we are bound to our Lord GOD, as well by that, which hee is in him∣selfe, as by that which he is for vs, by reason of his inestimable bene∣fits, and also by the necessitie of Vertue herselfe, which is prooued and layd open vnto vs by the foure last things: which are, Death, Iudge∣ment, Heauenly-glory, and Hell. And these are handled in the first part.

In the second part, the same thing is conuinced and prooued mani∣festly by other newe reasons: as are the commodities and profits of grace, which are promised in this life to the students & louers of Ver∣tue. Heere the twelue particuler prerogatiues and priuiledges are re∣hearsed, by which Vertue is famous & renowned: and they are hand∣led and discoursed of seuerally, and by themselues. Which preroga∣tiues, although many times they are touched of the Saints and holy Writers, shewing the light, the peace, the true libertie and ioy of a quiet conscience, and the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost, which things the righteous enioy, and all those excellent benefits, which are circumscribed within Vertues circumference: yet neuer any man was seene, or read of me, who handled this matter so copiously, and in

that order, as wee doe. Therefore it hath not beene vnto mee a little trouble, or a small labor to bring together into one head all these things out of diuers places of Scripture, & to call thē by their propper names, to reduce them into order, to declare and display them, and to approue euery one of them seuerally by diuers testimonies of the Scriptures and of the Fathers. This diligence was very necessarily bestowed, that they, who are not mooued to loue Vertue for the hope of the good to come, because it seemes to be farre off frō them, at the least that they might bee moued with the profite of that inestimable good, which Vertue affoordeth in this world. But because it suffiseth not to pro∣duce all the reasons, which proue and establish this question and mat∣ter, vnlesse also the contrarie arguments and obiections bee refuted: therefore the third part of this Booke is occupied and conuersant in o∣uerthrowing and confuting them, in which we plentifully aunswere all the excuses and obiections, which are wont to be alledged of naughtie men, why they doe flie and eschew Vertue.

Because the matter and subiect of these two Bookes is Vertue, wee would not haue the Reader to be ignorant, that by this word Vertue, we barelie or solely vnderstand the habite of Vertue, but also her acti∣ons and duties, to the which that noble habit is ordered and disposed: because the Figure is very well knowne, that the effect is signified by the name of the cause, & the cause by the name of the effect.