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 EIGHT TITLE. That man is bound to desire Vertue, by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him: which is the last Iudgement. CHAP. VIII.

AFter death followeth the perticuler iudgement of euery one, and after that the vniuersall iudg∣ment of all: when that shall be fulfilled, which the Apostle sayth:* 1.1 Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, that euery man may receaue the things which are done in his body, ac∣cording to that he hath done, whether it be good or euill. Heere we will speake of the rigour of that strict account, which shall be exacted of vs in this iudgement; and what will follow after the sentence of this iudgement; that man may see, that he not one∣lie is inuited vnto Vertue, but rather that he is drawne and con∣strayned. First therefore we are to consider, that one thing a∣mongst other, which holy Iob wondered at, that although man is so weake a creature, yet God who is so great and mighty, en∣treth with great rigour into iudgement with him. Insomuch,

that there is no word, no thought, no inordinate and disordered motion, which he hath not written in the booke and record of his iustice: that he may exact a most strict account of it. After a long discourse he at length sayth thus.* 1.2 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemy? Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen too and fro? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possesse the iniqui∣ties of my youth. Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly vnto all my paths, and makest the print thereof in the heeles of my feete. Such one consumeth like a rotten thing, and as a gar∣ment that is moth-eaten.* 1.3 And a little after: Man that is borne of a woman, is of short continuance, and full of trouble. He shooteth forth as a flower, and is cut downe: he vanisheth also as a shadow, and con∣tinueth not. Doost thou thinke it meete to open thine eyes vpon such an one, and to bring him with thee vnto iudgement? Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines? All these things said holy Iob, great∣lie wondering at the seuerity of the diuine Iustice, which he saw that God did vse vpon man, being a creature so fraile, and so ready to fall into all euill: who drinketh in iniquity like water. But if he should vse this seuerity vpon Angels (who are spiritu∣all creatures, and much more perfect) it were lesse to be meruai∣led at: but that God should vse it vpon man (whose passions and euill inclinations are innumerable) and that by exacting so strict an account, that in his whole life hee doth not winke at one idle word, nor doth let passe our minute of time ill spent, this doth exceede and passe all admiration. For who doth not feare, and exceedingly tremble, when he heareth those words of the Lord,* 1.4 Verily I say vnto you, that of euery idle word that men shall speake, they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement. Goe too therefore, if an account shall be giuen of those words, which offend no man; what shall become of vnhonest words? Of vnchast thoughts, of hands full of blood? Of the eyes of adulterers? To be briefe, of all the time of thy life euill spent in the works of iniquity? If this be true (as it is most true) what tongue, what eloquence, can remember so great things of the rigour and seuerity of this iudgement, which shall not be much lesse then the truth of the thing? Or which can be equalized with it in any manner of respect? How will wretched and mi∣serable

man stand astonished and amazed, when in the assem∣blie of so many Senatours, and in the presence of such a Coun∣cell, an account shall be required of a little word, which he hath spoken such or such a day without purpose or fruite? Who will not be amazed at this demaund? Who durst haue sayde these things, vnlesse Christ himselfe before had spoken them? Who durst haue vttered them, vnlesse he had affirmed them? What King was euer found, that did expostulate, or was gree∣ued with his seruants for so small a fault? O the depth of Chri∣stian Religion, how great is the purity, which thou teachest? How strict is the account, which thou exactest? And with how seuere a iudgment doost thou examine & search out all things? How great will that shame be,* 1.5 with which wretched and mise∣rable sinners shall be there confounded? When as all their ini∣quities and enormities, which closely they committed within the wals of their houses, whilst they liued, whatsoeuer also vn∣honest or filthy thing euen from their birth to their death they haue polluted themselues with, all the corners of their hart, and euery secret, shall be discouered and opened in this Court be∣fore the eyes of the whole world? Who there shall haue a con∣science so pure, that when these things shall begin to be done, will not straight-wayes change colour, and tremble throughout euery part of his body? For if a man doth blush, and is asha∣med to tell his faults secretly to an other; how great will that shame be, with which sinners shall be confounded in the sight of God, and all the world? So great shall that shame be, that the wicked,* 1.6 as the Prophet testifieth, shall cry out, saying to the mountaines couer vs, & to the hils fal on vs. But be it that these be tollerable: but what wil it be, whē as those most sharp & keene arrowes of that finall sentence, shot from Gods mouth through their harts, Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the deuil and his Angels? Alas with what dolours wil sinners be tormented hearing this sentence;* 1.7 When we can heare but a litle portion of his words, saith Iob, who can vnderstand his fear∣ful power? This voyce shal be so horible & of such force, that the earth in the twinkling of an eye shall be opened,* 1.8 And sodainlie they shall goe downe to the graue, as the same Iob sayth, those which now take the Tabret, and Harpe, and reioyce in the sound of the Or∣gans,

and they that now spend theyr dayes in wealth. This fall Saint Iohn describeth in the Reuelation,* 1.9 in these words; And after these things, I saw another Angell come downe from heauen, hauing great power, so that the earth was lightned with his glory. And hee cryed out mightily with a loud voyce, saying: It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon the great Cittie, and is become the habitation of deuils, and the hold of all foule spirits, and a Cage of euery vncleane and hateful Bird. And a little after, the same Euangelist addeth, saying: Then a mighty Angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone, & cast it into the Sea, saying: with such violenee shall the great Cittie Babi∣lon be cast, and shall be found no more.

After thys manner the wicked shall be cast into that pit and darke prison, full of all confusion, which in this place is vnder∣stood by Babylon. What tongue shall be able to expresse the multitude and aboundance of paynes, which they shall suffer?* 1.10 There their bodies shall burne with liuing fire, that neuer shall be put out; there without intermission, their soules shall be gnawne of the worme of conscience, which shall suffer them to take no rest; there shall be continuall weeping and gnashing of teeth neuer to haue end, which the holy Scriptures do so often threaten and repeate.* 1.11 In this place of desperation, those wret∣ches being damned, raging with extreame madnes, shall turne their furie against God, and shall rage vpon themselues, eating their owne flesh, tearing their owne bowels, most furiously ren∣ting one anothers flesh with theyr nayles, and continually blas∣pheming the Iudge, who condemned them to these paines. There euery one shall curse his miserable estate, and his vnhap∣pie birth, repeating without ceasing that sorrowfull complaint, and those mournfull and forsaken lamentations of Iob,* 1.12 Let the day perrish wherein I was borne, & the night when it vvas said, there is a man child conceiued. Let that day be darknesse, let not GOD regard it from aboue, neyther let the light shine vpon it. But let dark∣nesse and the shadow of death staine it: let the cloudes remaine vppon it, and let them make it feareful as a bitter day. Let darknes possesse that night, let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yeere, nor let it come into the count of the Moneths. Yea, desolate be that night, and let no ioy be in it. Let them that curse the day, (being ready to renue theyr mourning) curse it. Let the starres of that twilight be dimme

through the darknesse of it: let it looke for light but haue none: ney∣ther let it see the dawning of the day. Because it shut not vp the doores of my Mothers wombe: nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. Why dyed I not in the birth? or why dyed I not when I came out of the wombe? Why did the knees preuent me? and why did I sucke the breastes? Thys will be the musicke, thys the song, which the vnhappie and miserable, shall sing without end. O vnhappy tongues, which pronounce nothing but blasphemies; ô vnluckie eyes, that see nothing but calamities and miseries; ô miserable eares, which heare nothing but complaints and gnashings of teeth; ô vnhappie bodies, which haue no other refreshing but burning flames. What minde shal they haue there, who whilst thy ly∣ued heere, triflingly bestowed their houres, and spent all theyr time vpon pleasures and delights?

O what a long chayne of miseries, haue thy short pleasures wrought & made for thee. O foolish and sencelesse, what shall the allurements of the flesh now profit you, which you then so much delighted in, sith yee are now cursed to eternall mour∣ning and bewayling? vvhat is become of your riches? vvhere are your treasuries? vvhere are your delights? vvhere are your ioyes? The seauen yeeres of plentie are past, and other seauen yeares of dearth and scarcity are come, which haue deuoured vp al their plenty; no memory or footstep being left of it. Your glory is perished, and your felicitie is drowned in the Sea of sor∣row; you are come to that scarcenes and sterilitie, that a small droppe of water is not graunted vnto you, by which the fierce flaming heate of your throate may be cooled, which so excee∣dingly doth torment you. Not onely your delights haue not profited you, which you enioyed in this world: but they shall be the causes of greater torments. For then shal be fulfilled that which is written in the booke of Iob,* 1.13 The pittifull man shall for∣get him: the worme shall feele his sweetnes: he shall bee no more re∣mēbred, & the wicked shal be broken like a tree: then the sweetnes of the delight of euill things shal be turned into the wormwood of sorow, when the memory of fore-passed pleasures (according to the exposition of Saint Gregorie) shall be get greater bitter∣nesse of present griefes: they remembring what somtimes they haue been, and what place they now are in: and that for that

so soone passed away, now they suffer that, which shall endure for euer.

Then at the length, too late they shall acknowledge the de∣ceits of the deuill, and being in the midst of errours, they shall begin in vaine to vtter those words of the Wiseman;* 1.14 Wee haue erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined vnto vs: wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction, and we haue gone through dangerous wayes: but we haue not knowen the way of the Lorde. These shall be the com∣plaints, these shall be the lamentations, this shall be the perpetu∣all repentance, which the damned shall there make world with∣out end, when it shall profit them nothing, because the time is past and gone, in which they should haue brought forth fruites worthy of repentance. All these and euery one of them, if they be considered,* 1.15 are pricks and motiues vnto Vertue. Wherfore also Saint Chrisostome dooth vse this argument also in his Ho∣milies, that he might stirre vp the people to Vertue. That thou maist prepare thy soule, (saith he) as the dwelling and habitati∣on of God, remember that horrible and exceeding feareful day, in which we all standing before the throne of Christ, shall ren∣der an account of things done heere: our sinnes shall be layde open before the eyes of all people, & our actions shalbe reuea∣led and showne to all those that know them not, where the fie∣rie Riuer, and the vnsleeping worme are, where all things are naked and open. Where the bookes of our harts shall be ope∣ned, and our secret and hidden deedes done by day or night, by ignoraunce or forgetfulnes, shall be read manifestly, & all those things that now lie hid, shal be reuealed.

Thinke therefore, that wee must come before a Iudge that cannot be deceaued: where not onely our actions, but also our words and thoughts shall be iudged; where wee shall receaue dreadfull and terrible paynes for those things that seeme but small vnto vs. Alwaies remember these things, and neuer for∣get that vnquenchable flame. Haue an eye to him, comming to iudge the quick and the dead. Thinke vpon the thousands, and tenne thousands of Angels wayting vpon the Iudge; nowe let thy hearing preuent the sound of the Trump, and that feareful sentence of the Iudge condemning. Let thine eye fore-see some

cast into vtter darknes, others excluded and shutte out of the gates, after much labour of virginitie. Consider some to be ga∣thered as tares,* 1.16 and to be cast into a fiery fornace, and others de∣liuered to the vnsleeping worme, and to mourning, & to gna∣shing of teeth: this man to bee iudged for his vnreasonable laughter, that man for iniuring his neighbour, or because hee hath offended his brother; this man to be condemned for faults that he hath forgot, another man for an idle word; this man to be damned for his ill meaning, another for slaunderous rayling; one for anger to suffer intollerable punishment, another for ig∣nominie; some to be depriued of the knowledge of Christ, and to heare,* 1.17 Verily, I say vnto you, I know you not: because they haue doone those things, which Christ hath forbidden.

These things therefore beeing thus, what ones ought we to be, or what teares ought we to shedde, and to say: Oh that mine head were full of water,* 1.18 and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night. But that we may escape this dreadfull punishment,* 1.19 Come yee, let vs come before the face of the Lord with confession, and with diligence and amendement of life, let vs call vpon the name of our Lord God;* 1.20 For in the pit, who shal praise or confesse thy name? God hath giuen all things double vnto vs, two eyes, two eares, two hands, two feete. If therefore one of these be hurt, by the other we comfort and relieue our necessi∣tie. But he hath giuen but one soule vnto vs; if wee shall loose this, with what shall we liue? Therefore let vs looke to prouide for this, let vs preferre nothing before the safetie of it, because this is also iudged with the body, and is freed and cleered toge∣ther with it, and together with the body, dooth appeare before Christes tribunall. If thou then shalt say, my money allured me,* 1.21 the Iudge will say vnto thee: hast thou not heard, What shal it profit a man, though hee should winne the whole worlde, if hee lose his owne soule? If thou shalt say, the deuill deceaued me, he also will say vnto thee,* 1.22 that it profited Eue nothing, to say, The Ser∣pent deceaued me. Therfore we remembring these things, come, let vs rayse and stirre vp our selues, before we be ouer-taken, be∣fore that great day of the Lord come and appeare, of which the Prophet sayth;* 1.23 Behold, it commeth, and who shall endure it? Or who shall abide the day of his comming? That is a feareful day

of hurly burly, and of darknes. But thou wilt say; Howe then may I escape these foresaide euils? I will tell thee: not onely keepe thy body pure and vnspotted, but when thou hast suffe∣red iniurie, do good for it, if thou beest accused, be thou pati∣ent. When thou doost fast, be not boasting of it; for fasts are not commended for abstayning from meate, but for abstayning from sinne. Search the Scriptures, & see how first the Prophet seeth a Hasill-wand, and afterwards a burning Cauldron, de∣monstrating vnto vs, that the fire doth consume those that doe not beare the chastisement and correction of the rodde. So by Moses the pyllar of fire showed,* 1.24 that they that obserue the law, receiue the light, but the disobedient receiue fire. Reade the Scriptures of our Sauiour, and learne, howe that when we goe hence thether,* 1.25 no body can helpe vs. The brother shall not re∣deeme the brother from endlesse torments, nor the friend hys friend, nor the parents their children, nor the children their pa∣rents.

And what doe I speake of myserable men, when as if Noe, Iob, and Daniel come, they cannot intreate the Iudge? But thou wilt say; Whence may I know this to be true? Looke vp∣pon him that hauing not his wedding garment, was excluded, and none intreating for him. Looke vppon him that had the talent committed vnto him, and dyd not increase it, and how for him no body intreateth. Looke vpon the fiue Virgins, shutte foorth, neyther the other fiue intreateth for them, which also Christ calleth foolish; because, after they had troden pleasures vnder theyr feete, after they had cooled the fornace of concu∣piscence, then they were found fooles, and not without cause, because they obseruing that great dutie of Virginitie, dyd not keepe that small commaundement of Humilitie. Looke vpon the Iudge in the day of iudgement, placing the Sheepe on hys right hand, and the vnprofitable Goates on his left, and saying to those on his right hand: Come yee blessed of my Father, receaue a kingdome prepared for you. But those on his left hand to be cast into vtter darknesse, and that no body dooth helpe and succour them being cast out. For it is a true speech; Behold the man and his worke.* 1.26 Thou hast heard how Diues neuer pittying Lazarus, was tormented with flames, & desired a droppe of water. Thou

knowest how that Abraham himselfe could not ease his paines, although he desired and beseeched him. Therefore heereafter we regarding and respecting our selues, before we are confoun∣ded and vtterly cast downe, let vs giue the glory to God. It is better here that thy tongue should be dried vp through fasting, then to keepe it moyst, and there to desire that moysture, which being denied, is eternall paine. Heere with small labour wee may auoide great torments.* 1.27 And if we be so delicate and ten∣der in this life, that we can not suffer patiently a feauer of three dayes, how shall we in the life to come be able to suffer euerla∣sting fire? If wee doe feare the sentence of death pronounced of an earthly Iudge, which taketh only from vs life of a few yeres: why doe we not feare the sentence of this Iudge, which depri∣ueth vs vtterly of an eternall life? If we are terrified seeing the execution of some horrible punishment, which in this world is inflicted vpon some malefactour, when wee see the Sargiants with the Hang-man to draw the malefactour to punishment, to beate him, to hang and quarter him, or to burne him. Yet all these are rather solaces then sorrowes, if they be compared with the punishments to come. For these torments are ended toge∣ther with life; but there neyther the worme shall dye, nor the tormenter shall be wearied, nor the fire shall euer be extingui∣shed. In so much, that if all things, which thou shalt compare with this punishment, be fire, be sword, be beasts, be what tor∣ment thou wilt, yet it is a sleepe, and a shadow in comparison of this. But what will the condemned doe, when they see them∣selues depriued of so great a good, and condemned to so great misery? What will they doe? What will they say? How will they breathe? And all these in vaine. For after the ship is drow∣ned, the Saylers are for no vse: neyther is a Phisition profitable, when the diseased dye. Then although too late, they shall dis∣claime their errours,* 1.28 and say, this was to be done, and this not. Although we often haue beene admonished, yet we haue not obeyed. Then the Iewes at the length shall acknowledge him, that commeth in the name of the Lord, but this too late know∣ledge shall nothing profit them. For there shall be no time. O vs wretched and miserable,* 1.29 what shall we bring for our excuse in that day, when as heauen, the earth, the Sunne, the Moone,

the day, and the night, with all things that are in the world, shall accuse vs, and shall cry out for reuengement vpon vs, bearing witnes of our euils? Yea, if all should hold their peace, yet our owne conscience would lift vp her voyce against vs, and accuse vs. All these things are out of Saint Chrisostome; by which it is manifest, how greatly hee shall be striken with a vehement feare, who shall come vnprepared to this sentence. This same Saint Ambrose feared,* 1.30 when he sayth: woe vnto me, if I shall not rise at midnight to confesse and prayse thee ô Lord. Woe to me, if I shall deale craftily with my neighbour. Woe vnto me if I shall not speake the truth. The axe is layde to the roote of the tree; let it bring forth those fruites of grace, which it should of repentance. The Lord is at hand, that requireth fruite, hee giueth life to the fruitfull, but casteth the barren into the fire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2, Cor. 5.
• * 1.2

  Iob. 13.
• * 1.3

  Iob. 14.
• * 1.4

  Math. 12.
• * 1.5

  The shame of sinners in the last iudgment.
• * 1.6

  Ose. 10. How feare∣full the sen∣tence of the Iudge is. Math. 25.
• * 1.7

  Iob, 26.
• * 1.8

  Iob, 21.
• * 1.9

  Apoc. 18,
• * 1.10

  The paines of the dam∣ned.
• * 1.11

  The blas∣phemies of the damned
• * 1.12

  Iob, 3.
• * 1.13

  Iob, 24.
• * 1.14

  Wisdom. 5.
• * 1.15

  In the 22. homily to the people of Antioch.
• * 1.16

  For what sinnes men are damned
• * 1.17

  Math, 15.
• * 1.18

  Ierem. 9.
• * 1.19

  Psalm, 95.
• * 1.20

  Psalm, 6,
• * 1.21

  Math, 16,
• * 1.22

  Gene, 3,
• * 1.23

  Mala, 3.
• * 1.24

  Exod, 19,
• * 1.25

  Psalm, 49,
• * 1.26

  Luke, 16.
• * 1.27

  Certaine excellent compari∣sons.
• * 1.28

  Repentance too late.
• * 1.29

  Our accu∣sers.
• * 1.30

  Ambro••e vpon Luke.