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 continuall warre, and inward trouble of wicked men.

THis then is the warre, this is the contention, and this is the continuall trouble and perturbation, in which all men com∣monly liue, who follow the flesh. For when as on the one side they are depriued of grace, which is as a bridle restrayning the passions, and mortifying them: and on the other side they haue so vnbridled and inordinate appetites, and such dissolute affec∣tions, that they scarcely know what it is to resist any vice: it fol∣loweth that they liue in infinite lusts & desires of diuers things; some gape after honours, some after dignities, some after riches, some after the lusts of the flesh, and others are moued with o∣ther pleasures and concupiscences. For our appetite is an vnsa∣tiable sire,* 1.1 which neuer fayth it is sufficient; or as a greedy and deuouring beast, which neuer can be satisfied; or as an Horse∣leach, who hath two daughters crying; Bring, Bring: Giue, Giue. This Horsleach is the inexpleble and vnsatiable appetite of our hart; and the two daughters be, Necessity and Greedi∣nes, or Rauening: one of which is as it were true thirst, the other as a false and fayned thirst: neither doth the one lesse afflict then the other, albeit the one be true necessity, the other fayned.

Hence it is, that neyther poore men, nor rich men (if they be euill) haue any true quietnes or peace: for coueteousnes and wretched desires torment these, & necessity doth alwayes gnaw vpon the hart of the other, saying; Giue, Giue. What tranquil∣lity then, what quietnes, what peace can that man haue, these two troubling and interrupting him, & crauing infinite things, which are not in his power?* 1.2 What rest can that mother haue, who hath tenne or a dozen hunger-starued children hanging on her, crying out through hunger and famine, and begging bread, neyther hath she whereof to giue them? This is one of the chiefest miseries of wicked men, who hunger and thirst, and whose soule (as the Psalmist sayth) faynteth in them.* 1.3 For when as theyr owne loue hath so great rule and dominion ouer them, (from whence all these desires flow) and they haue placed all

their felicity in visible things, hence that thirst and dogs famine ariseth, which they haue of those things, in which they suppose theyr felicity to be placed: when as oftentimes they cannot haue those things that they desire, (for others more greedy and stronger doe many times preuent them) forth-with they are troubled and afflicted,* 1.4 as a child that hath beene brought vp in a thousand delicacies and cockerings, who when those thinges are denied him, that he desireth, hee weepeth, and cryeth out with such a clamour, that his parents are afrayd, least he should burst in sunder: for euen as the satisfying of the desire, as the vvise-man sayth, is a tree of life: so there is not a greater griefe or discruciatement, then to desire, and not to haue that is desi∣red. For that is to dye through hunger, neyther to haue that thou mayst eate. But that is the greater, that by how much the longer that it is denied which is desired, so much more the de∣sire doth encrease: & by how much the desire not satisfied is en∣creased, by so much the more the torment is encreased: therfore they are in continuall tribulation. This is that most miserable e∣state, which our Sauiour so copiously sheweth in that parable of the prodigall sonne,* 1.5 in which it is sayd, that there arose a great dearth throughout that Land, and he began to be in necessity: And through hunger he was constrayned to feede Swine, although he was the sonne of a great noble man. But this is more misera∣ble, that he would haue filled his belly with the huskes, that the Swine eate: but no man gaue them him. With what greater Art I pray thee, could the whole discourse, and all the miseries of the life of the wicked be more liuely depaynted? Who is that prodigall sonne, who left his fathers house, & wandred abroade into a farre Countrey; vnlesse a miserable sinner, who forsa∣king God, entreth into the way of vices, and abuseth all the be∣nefits of God? What Countrey is that, in which that famine a∣rose, vnlesse this wretched world, where the hunger of world∣lings is so insatiable, that they can neuer be satisfied with those things, that he present: but alwayes walke about like hungry Wolfes; alwayes rauening, and still seeking further. But if thou shalt consider what is their exercise and practise in this life, thou shalt finde it be none other then to feede Swine; and to fill the bellies of theyr filthy appetites and desires. If thou doost not

beleeue me, obserue each one of their paces, and each one of the actions which a carnall man doth from the morning till the euening; and thou shalt see that all his study is nothing else, but to seeke to seede Swine, and to satiate and fill some one of these bestiall sences, whether it be the sight, or the hearing, or the touching, or the tasting, or some other, not as the Disciple of Christ, but as a very Epicure: as if he had none other thing but a body common with beasts: as if he beleeued that he had no other end, nor was made for any other vse, then to attend vpon the pleasures and delights of his sences: thinking vpon none other thing, then to goe hether to day, and to morrowe thether to huntings, to banquets, to feasts, to bridals, to playes, to merriments, to dauncing, and to such other solaces, that hee may delight some one of his sences. What other thing be their sweet odours? what their merriments? what their feastings? so great delicates? their decked chambers? their consorts of mu∣sicke? their meetings? their receipts and expences? What o∣ther thing I say be these, then to seeke for huskes, and feeding for this heard of Swine? Giue it what name thou wilt, call it pure nobility, magnificence, or if thou wilt courtly splendour and glory; yet in Gods Dictionary it hath not this name, but is called the feeding of Swine.* 1.6 For euen as Swine are a certayne Heard of beasts, that delight in mire and durt, and are nouri∣shed with the basest and most vncleane meates: so the soules of these men (if so be that they are to be called men) are delighted with no other thing, except with the most filthy durt of carnall pleasures. This also is greater then all misery, that a son sprung from so noble a Father, who was created to feede at the table of the Lord, and to be nourished with the bread of Angels, cannot be satisfied with foode so meane, because there is so great fa∣mine in that Land. For there be so many Merchants for these merchandizes, that one hindereth another, and all remaine hun∣gry. That is, when as two doe couet and desire one, and the selfe same thing, they doe sildome well agree betweene them∣selues. But neyther is it possible, that Swine should not grunt vnder an Oake, or should not bite one another, whilst euery one desireth the Acornes. This is that miserable estate, and that dearth and famine which the Prophet describeth, when he saith;

They w••••ndered in the barren desert,* 1.7 and in the wildernes out of the way, and found no Citty to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, theyr soule faynted in them. What hunger and what thirst is this, but a burning desire, which the wicked haue for the things of this world; which the more it is restrayned, the more it burneth; the more it drinketh, the more it thirsteth; and the more wood is cast on,* 1.8 the more fiercely it burneth. O miserable and wret∣ched estate and condition; whence is this burning thirst bred, but of that, because yee haue forsaken the fountaine of lyuing waters, and drunke of Cesternes, which cannot hold water? The Riuer of true felicity is dried vp vnto you, and therefore you are dispersed in the vvildernes, and you seeke to quench your thirst out of the foule ditches of corruptible and momen∣tany things.* 1.9 This was the ingenious Stratageme of cruell Ho∣lophernes, who when he had besieged Bethulia, he tooke from them all their fountaines of water: and so the miserable distres∣sed Cittizens had no store of water, vnlesse there was some Wels neere vnto theyr walls, out of which priuily they drew water rather to moysten their lips, then to drinke. What other thing doe you, ô yee louers of worldly pleasures? Because yee haue lost the veine of lyuing water, and yee come to drinke by stealth out of the fountaines and Cesternes of creatures, where∣soeuer yee finde them, which are rather to refresh and wash the mouth, and so rather to procure, then quench thirst. O vn∣happy creature, sayth the Prophet, what hast thou to doe with the way of Egipt, that thou shouldest drinke pudle water? &c. What water can be more filthy, then sensuall delight? For no man can drinke it without a noysome and pestilent smell, and a hurtfull sauour:* 1.10 which is the biting of conscience, proceeding from it, which, as the Phylosopher sayth, is the companion of carnall pleasure.

It happeneth also many times, that the appetite is blind, and cannot see betweene that it cannot obtayne, and betweene that it may: and through the violence of affection it maketh that seeme easie, which is most hard and difficult: Hence it is that man desireth many things, which he cannot haue. For not any thing is found woorthy to be desired, which hath not many competitors, who seeke and search for it, and many litigious

louers,* 1.11 who are hinderers and forbidders, to gain-say and with∣stand vs, that we may not obtaine it. But when as the appetite wisheth and cannot haue; desireth and cannot obtaine; is hun∣gry, and cannot haue to eate, oftentimes he spreadeth his armes in the wind, and oftentimes is much troubled about that, which he cannot compasse. Oftentimes he is at the toppe of the lad∣der, and suddainly is cast downe to the earth, and it is snatched out of his hands, which hee thought that hee had beene sure of. Hence it is that he thinketh that he dyeth, that he bursteth, that he is afflicted, and that he is troubled, when as he is so far from that he so earnestly desired.

For when as these two faculties of the soule, that is, the facul∣tie concupiscible and irascible, are disposed after this manner, that the one serueth the others turne; it is certaine, that if the fa∣cultie concupiscible obtayneth not that it would, then the facul∣tie irascible is troubled and disturbed, by lamenting, by crauing, by sending,* 1.12 by casting it selfe into all dangers, that shee may sa∣tisfie her sister, when she seeth her heauy, sad, or discontented. Therefore of thys, confusion of desires, and inward disquietnes ariseth, of which we now speake: which S. Iames calleth a war, From whence,* 1.13 sayth he, are warres and contentions among you? are they not hence, euen of your lusts, that fight in your members? For ye lust, and haue not, &c. Therfore truly calleth hee it a warre, for the naturall contradiction which is betweene the spirit and the flesh, and betweene these desires and those.

There commeth also to these another euill, much more la∣mentable, and that is thys. Oftentimes men accomplish theyr wishes and desires, and they thinke that they haue sufficient, and are satisfied, and theyr estate is at that passe, that if they wil, they can liue to theyr harts content. But foorthwith another minde possesseth them, and they perswade themselues that such ho∣nours, titles, dignities, places and preheminences, are necessary for them. Now if perhaps they seeke after these, and labour to obtaine them, and if they be denied them, and are not able to compasse them, then they be strooken to the hart, & feele grea∣ter torment, then if all those thinges were wanting vnto them, which before they thought were sufficient to liue well: & thus they liue with this sting, or that I may speake better, with thys

continuall scourge, as long as they are in this worlde, which di∣sturbeth all their prosperity. And this I may compare to a gun, which hath a pin or wedge knocked into the tuch-hole, which maketh the gunne or engine to bee profitable for nothing, al∣though it be still whole, and keepeth the same bignes and pro∣portion, and hath still his charge and full shot, for that smal let being driuen into that narrowe hole, by which it shoulde take fire, hindereth all his strength and force. The same Art GOD vseth against the wicked, that they may plainly knowe (so that they will open theyr eyes) that felicitie, and the content of mans hart, is the gyft of God, which hee giueth when, and to whom it pleaseth him, without any of theyr labour or industrie, and ta∣keth it away againe according to his pleasure, by putting a peg or pinne into the tuch-hole of the gunne: that is, by sending some of these perturbations into theyr felicity.

For thys cause, although they be mightie and rich, as out∣wardly appeareth, yet by reason of this hidden & secret defect, they are so desolate, and liue in so great perturbation and trou∣ble, that thou wouldest thinke that they had nothing, and that they possessed nothing. Thys is that which Esay speaketh in the person of the Lord, against the power of the King of Assi∣ria, Therefore,* 1.14 saith he, shall the Lorde God of hosts send among his fatte men, leanenesse, and vnder his glory he shall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire. That it may appeare thereby, howe the Lord knoweth to finde out a rock, against which the shyp say∣ling prosperously, may be dashed in sunder, and to send weak∣nesse in the midst of strength, and misery in the midst of pro∣speritie.

The same thing is also shewed in the booke of Iob, where it is sayd,* 1.15 that the Gyants doe mourne vnder the waters, that we may know that God hath deepe places, and myseries for them also, as he hath for them that be base and small, who otherwise seeme more subiect to the calamities of this worlde. Salomon sheweth thys more plainly, when amongst other miseries of this world,* 1.16 he reckoneth vp this as one of the greatest, saying; There is also another euill which I saw vnder the sunne, and it is much a∣mong men: A man to whom God hath giuen riches, and treasures, and honour, and hee wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desi∣reth:

but God giueth him not power to eate therof, but a strange man shall eate it vp. What is thys, that GOD hath not giuen him power to eate thereof, but to spend his goods, and not to haue that content by them and that rest of minde, which hee might haue of them. For by that small perturbation and trouble of which wee speake, God disposeth, that all his felicities is chan∣ged; that thereby he may vnderstand, that as the dead letter gi∣ueth not true wisedome, but it is God that giueth it: so neither the riches and goods of this world doe giue true peace and con∣tent, but it is God that giueth it.

Therefore, that we may returne from whence wee haue di∣gressed: If they, who haue all things that they desire, and haue not God, doe liue in sorrowes, and are exceedingly disconten∣ted; what shall they doe, to whom all these things are wanting? Because euery defect of them, is as a famine & as a thirst, which pincheth and afflicteth them, and as a thorne, which pricketh through theyr hart. What peace, what tranquilitie, can there be in that soule, in which there is such sedition, so great warre, and such trouble and hurly burley of appetites and cogitations? Of such men it is very well spoken of the Prophet;* 1.17 The wicked are like the raging Sea, that cannot rest. For what sea, what waters, or what windes can be more tempestuous and vnquiet, then are the passions and appetites of the wicked, which are wont to sub∣uert Mountaines and seas? Also, sometimes it cōmeth to passe, that in this sea contrary windes doe rage one against another, which is a token and a cause of a greater storme. For oftentimes the same appetites doe striue one against another,* 1.18 after the ma∣ner of contrary windes. For oftentimes that the flesh willeth, that the honour nilleth; and that the honour desireth, that the riches refuse: and so desiring & couering all things, they knowe not what they would desire; yea, they vnderstand not thēselues, and they knowe not what to chuse, nor what to reiect: for the appetites are contrary one to another, as the humors in a surfit∣ting infirmitie, in which the Phisitian doubteth what is to bee done, least perchance that which is conuenient for one humor, be hurtfull for another. Thys is the confusion of languages in the Tower of Babel, and that strife, for which the Prophet de∣sireth the Lord,* 1.19 Destroy, ô Lord, and deuide theyr tongues,

for I haue seene crueltie and strife in the Cittie. What cruelty, what deuision, what strife is this, but of wordly mens harts, and the diuersitie of their appetites, when they are contrarie amongst themselues, lusting after, and coueting contrary things, whilst one refuseth that the other desireth?

Notes

• * 1.1

  The two daughters of our appe∣tite. Prou. 30.
• * 1.2

  A similie.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 107.
• * 1.4

  A similie.
• * 1.5

  Luke, 15.
• * 1.6

  A simily.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 107.
• * 1.8

  The thirst of the wic∣ked.
• * 1.9

  Iudith, 7.
• * 1.10

  The com∣panion of carnal plea∣sure.
• * 1.11

  The impa∣tience of the appetite
• * 1.12

  Whence y^e vnquietnes of the mind ariseth.
• * 1.13

  Iames. 4,
• * 1.14

  Esay, 10,
• * 1.15

  Iob, 25,
• * 1.16

  Eccles, 6,
• * 1.17

  Esay, 57. A simili∣tude.
• * 1.18

  Appetites fight one a∣gainst ano∣ther.
• * 1.19

  Psalm, 55.