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.

¶ Of the eternitie of these punishments.

BVt besides that those things which hetherto vvee haue re∣membred, be sufficient to beget in vs very great feare & ter∣rour, yet they shall be much more effectuall, if we consider the perpetuitie of these punishments. For if there were any end, or intermission, or refreshing to be found in them, at the least after many thousand yeeres, certainly it would be a great comfort to these miserable and wretched soules. But what shall I speake of Eternitie, which knoweth none other end, then that which the Eternitie of GOD himselfe hath? Which space is so long, that (as a famous Doctour testifieth) if any of those damned should shed but euery thousand yeere one teare,* 1.1 greater aboun∣dance of water shoulde flowe out of his eyes, then this whole world should be able to containe. What thing more terrible can be spoken or thought vpon? But if all the torments vvhich are in hell, were as the pricking of pinnes, yet for their Eternity they might suffice to moue a man, to vndergoe with a cheereful minde, the punishments, tribulations, crosses, and what soeuer miseries are in this world: at least, that hee may escape Eternall punishment.

O that this word Eternall, might alwayes stay and dwell in thy minde, how profitable would it be vnto thee? We reade of a certaine man, very studious and contemplatiue of the vanities of the world, who when on a certaine time he fell into the co∣gitation

of this Eternity, fearing a thing of such continuance, which should haue none end, hee began thus to reason with himselfe: There cannot a man of a sound wit be found in this world, who would accept the gouernment of the whole world, with that condition, that for the space of thirty or forty yeeres together, hee should stretch himselfe vpon a bed strewed with roses and springing flowers: which thing if it be so, what is the madnes, frenzie, and dotage of men, that will for a thing of ve∣rie small moment, embrace a burning firy bed, vpon which he shall be rosted and broyled for euer and euer? This onely con∣sideration was so profitable to that man, and wrought so great fruites in him, that forth-with vices being forsaken, hee sought after Vertue, and in a short time, in such manner profited in them, that hee became an holy man, and a Prelate of the Church.

What will the delicate tenderlings of this world say, who for the noyse of one gnat, doe passe whole nights without sleepe, when they shal see themselues stretched vpon this bed of burning fire, and to be burned in euery part with lyuing flames? And that not for one night, but to endure for euer. To such the Prophet Esay speaketh in these words,* 1.2 Who among you shall dwell with the deuouring fire, who among you shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings? Whose shoulders are so hard or of Iron, that can beare such a burthen so long a time? O nation bewitched and sencelesse, ô men blinded of that old deceiuer, who doth muffle and hood-winke all the world with his de∣ceipts and guiles. What I pray thee is more strange from rea∣son, then that men regard and respect euery small trifle, that pertayneth to this life: and in a matter of so great moment, are so inconsiderate and negligent? If we doe not see these things, what wil we see? What wil we feare, if we doe not feare these things, or what shal we fore-see, if we doe not fore-see these things? But if these things be so, why doe we not embrace ver∣tues with great alacrity of spirit, although they be hard and dif∣ficult▪ at the least that we may eschew these euils?

It is most certaine, that if God should grant to thee a choyce, and say; all the time that thou liuest, thou shalt eyther be tor∣mented with the goute, or be extreamely vexed with the tooth∣ache,

which disease neyther night nor day, shal suffer thee to take any case or rest: or if thou wouldest be free from these dis∣eases, thou shalt enter into some austere and straight kinde of lyuing, which thy nature can hardly brooke: consider with thy selfe which of these thou wouldest choose. I doe not thinke that a man can be found so foolish, who (for the onely loue of himselfe) would not choose rather this straight kinde of liuing, then that he would endure so long time these griefes and do∣lours. Seeing that therefore the discruciatements and dolours that we speake of, are infinitely more greeuous, & in diuturnity of time without any comparison longer: and this austere and straight kinde of lyuing, which God requireth of thee, is much more lesse, then that thy nature can brooke and beare: vvhat madnes is it then to be vnwilling to vndergoe so small labours, and so short troubles, by which thou mayest escape those eter∣nall torments? Who doth not see that this is the greatest errour of this world, and intollerable madnes? But the reward and fruite will be, that whilst a man will not free himselfe here from so great euils, by a small labour of repentance, that there he shall make euerlasting sorrow, and repentance without any fruite or profit. Wee haue a figure of this thing in the furnace, which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heated in Babi∣lon, The flame of which mounted aboue the furnace nine and fortie Cubits;* 1.3 for the defect of one Cubit, it came not to the number of fifty, which signifieth the yeere of Iubily: that we may vn∣derstand, that although these eternall flames of Babilon, that is, of hell, doe burne aboue measure and most cruelly doe torment the miserable and wretched being damned, yet they shall neuer come to that, to obtayne the fauour of a true Iubily. O punish∣ments without profit, ô barren teares, ô sharpe and bitter re∣pentance, yet voyde of all hope and solace. How little of those thinges, that there the damned suffer without fruite, if they heere had suffered willingly and patiently, might haue preser∣ued them from these euils? How easily might they haue beene deliuered, and for how small paines?

Therefore let fountaines of teares flow out of our eyes, and let sighs without ceasing be fetched from the bottome of our harts.* 1.4 Therefore I will mourne and howle, sayth the Prophet, I

will goe without cloathes, and naked; I will make lamentation like the Dragons, and mourning as the Ostriches; because the plagues of my people are greeuous. If these things were suspected of men, and if there were no credite to be giuen to these things, or if they were doubtful and vncertaine, after some manner it were tolle∣rable, if men fel into this error. But we professing all these things most assuredly, and with a most vndoubted beleefe, and know∣ing most certainly,* 1.5 (as our Sauiour sayth) That heauen and earth shal passe; but not one iote or one title of these things shall scape, till all things be fulfilled. And saying plainely, that all these things are to be holden most religiously, and yet liuing securely and negli∣gently, this doth passe all wonder and admiration.

Tell me, ô blind and witles man, what thou doost finde wor∣thy amongst the riches and goods of this world, that may be compared with this price? Graunt it, sayth Saint Ierome, that there is in thee the wisedome of Salomon, the beauty of Absa∣lon, and the strength of Sampson: let the yeeres and life of E∣noch be promised vnto thee; possesse the riches of Craesus, and the power of Octauian: what shall all these things profit thee, if at the length thy body be giuen for meate vnto wormes, and thy soule carried of deuils to hell, be deliuered to euerlasting tor∣ments, to be tortured with the rich Glutton.

Let these things suffice for the first part of our exhortation to Vertue. In the next, we will speake of the seuerall and perticu∣ler prerogatiues and priuiledges of Vertue promised to the vertuous.

The end of the first part.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A fearfull saying.
• * 1.2

  Esay, 33.
• * 1.3

  Dan. 3, A notable Allegory.
• * 1.4

  Mich. 1.
• * 1.5

  Math. 5.