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 eleuenth priuiledge of Vertue, that is, that the Lord doth prouide temporall blessings for the louers of Vertue. CHAP. XXIII.

WHatsoeuer hetherto hath beene spoken, pertay∣neth to the spirituall blessings and riches, which the Lord God in this life, besides the eternal glo∣ry of the life to come, bestoweth vpon the louers of Vertue. But these blessings are promised to the world, at the comming of Christ, as the Oracles of the Pro∣phets haue fore-told. Therfore rightly he is called the Sauiour of the world, seeing that by him true saluation is giuen: as grace, wisedome, peace, victory, and conquest ouer our passions and affections: the comfort also of the holy Ghost, the riches of hope, and to conclude, all other blessings, which are required to the attaynement of this saluation; of which the Prophet sayd; Israel shall be saued in the Lord,* 1.1 with an euerlasting saluation. But if any man be found so carnall, who more respecteth temporall blessings, or the welfare of the flesh, rather then spirituall bles∣sings, or the welfare of the spirit, as the Iewes did; let him pro∣ceede, I will not that therefore there should be varience and contention betweene vs: yea, we will giue him longer space to deliberate of this matter, then hee himselfe would desire. Tell me, what meaneth that of the vvise-man, when directing his speach to speake of true vvisedome, in which the perfection of Vertue consisteth,* 1.2 he sayth; Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory? So that she hath in her hands two kinde of blessings, to which she inuiteth men: in one she hath eternall blessings, and in the other temporall. Doe not

thinke that God doth forsake his, so that they perish through hunger: neyther is he so vnprouident or so negligent, that see∣ing he giueth meate in due season to Ants and Wormes of the earth:* 1.3 that he will suffer men to famish, who night and day serue in his house. But if thou wilt not beleeue me, read•• if it please thee the sixt Chapter of Mathew through, and thou shalt see and finde the certainty and assured pledge of this promise. Behold, sayth the Lord, the fowles of the heauen: for they sow not, neyther reape, nor carry into the barnes: yet your heauenly father feedeth them. Are yee not much better then they? And conclu∣ding this matter, he addeth; Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eate? or what shall we drinke? or where-with shall we be cloathed? For after all these things seeke the Gentiles. For your heauenly father knoweth, that yee haue neede of all these things. But seeke yee first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnes, and all these things shall be ministred vnto you. For this cause the kingly Pro∣phet inuiteth vs to serue the Lord,* 1.4 saying; O feare the Lord yee that be his Saints: for they that feare him lacke nothing. The Lyons doe lacke, and suffer hunger: but they that seeke the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good. And this is so certaine, that the same Prophet sayth in another place.* 1.5 I haue been young and now am old: and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging their bread. But if thou desirest a longer tractate of this matter, that thou mayst see what the righteous are to looke for; heare what great things God in Deuteronomy promiseth to the obseruers of his law; If, sayth he, thou shalt harken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God,* 1.6 and obserue and doe all his commaun∣dements, which I commaund thee this day: the Lord will set thee on high aboue all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and ouertake thee, if thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the Citty, and blessed in the field. Blessed shall be the fruite of thy body, and the fruite of thy ground, and the fruite of thy cattell, the encrease of thy kine, and the flockes of thy sheepe. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in, and blessed when thou goest out. The Lord shall giue ouer thine enemies that rise against thee, that they may fall before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seauen wayes. The Lord shall commaund

the blessing vpon thee in thy store-houses, and in all that thou settest thine hand vnto, and will blesse thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee. The Lord shall make thee on holy people vnto him∣selfe, as he hath sworne vnto thee: if thou shall keepe the commaun∣dements of the Lord thy God, and walke in his wayes. And all nati∣ons of the earth shall see, that the name of the Lord is called vpon o∣uer thee, and they shall be afrayd of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruite of thy body, in the fruite of thy cattell, and in the fruite of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee. The Lord shall open vnto thee his good treasure, the heauen to giue raine vnto thy Land in due sea∣son, and to blesse all the labours of thy hand.

* 1.7 Tell mee, what riches, what treasures may be compared to these blessings? But if thou shalt say, that these promises are ra∣ther made vnto the Iewes, then vnto Christians: (for vnto these according to Ezechiel those more excellent blessings, as are the blessings of grace, and of glory, are promised) yet as in that car∣nall law, God did not denie to the righteous Iewes spyrituall blessings, so in the spirituall law he doth not withdraw tempo∣rall prosperity from good Christians: yea, hee doth giue vnto them temporall blessings, and that with a double commodity; neyther of which the wicked haue. The first is, because as a skilfull Phisitian, he bestoweth these blessings vpon them after that measure, which their neede requireth: that by this way they may be releeued, and not waxe proude, neyther beeing fatted and crammed kick and spurne. This commodity the wicked haue not; for they scrape together as much as they are able, ne∣uer regarding theyr saluation. When as notwithstanding the superfluity of temporall goods is not lesse hurtfull to the soule, then that meate is to the body, which cannot be by any meanes digested.* 1.8 For although it is necessary and needefull to eate for the releefe and sustentation of the body: yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt. So although the life of man con∣sisteth in the blood, yet too much aboundance of blood, is the cause of death, and oftentimes killeth men. The second com∣modity is, because lesser pelse, and a measurable and an indiffe∣rent possession of riches doth bring greater quietnes and tran∣quillity vnto the soule: which is the end, why men with such

greedines desire temporall goods. For whatsoeuer God can doe by second causes, he can doe it, yea more perfectly, by himselfe, without those meanes. So hath hee done in all his Saints; in whose name the Apostle sayth:* 1.9 Hauing nothing, and possessing all things: For so little doth suffice vs, that we hauing very little, and being therewith content, we seeme vnto our selues to be the Lords of the whole world.* 1.10 A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carrieth his money in gold: for so he is the richer, and he is troubled with lesse weight: after the same manner also our Lord doth lighten his, laying vpon them but easie burthens, but yet sufficient, and that which may content them. After this manner the righteous doe goe naked, yet they are content: they are poore, and yet they are rich. But the rich when they are full of wealth, yet dye for hunger; and when as they sit euen vp to the lips in water, yet they are slayne with thirst, as the Poets in times past fabled of Tantalus. For this and such like causes, that great Prophet long agoe did prayse the obseruance of the Di∣uine law, willing that in it all our meditation should be. For he knew very well, that in this all things were fulfilled. These be his words.* 1.11 Seate all these words in your harts and in your soules, and bind them for a signe vpon your hands, and they shall be as frontlets betweene your eyes. And yee shall teach and rehearse them continu∣ally vnto your children, and shall talke of them when yee tarry in your houses, and when yee walke by the way, and when yee lye downe, and when yee rise vp. Also thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house, and vpon thy gates: that thy dayes, and the dayes of thy chil∣dren may be multiplied in the Land, which the Lord sware vnto your fathers,* 1.12 to giue yee for euēr. O holy Prophet, what I pray thee hast thou found worthy of so great commendation in the kee∣ping of the law? It is not to be doubted, but thou, who wast so great a Prophet, and a Secretary of the Diuine counsaile, didst vnderstand the inestimable greatnes of this good; and knewest that in it were to be found all kinde of blessings, present, and to come; temporall, and eternall; corporall, and spirituall; and he that hath satisfied the law, hath fulfilled all things. Thou knewest very well,* 1.13 that a man did not loose his time, when hee was occupied in doing Gods will: yea, then to labour in hys owne Vineyard: then to water his gardens; to till his fields; and

to dispatch all his busines better,* 1.14 then if he had laboured with his owne hands: for he satisfying Gods will, casteth all his care vpon God, who finisheth all the rest. For this is the law of the league and federacie, which God made with man; that man should keepe his commaundements, and God would prouide all necessary things for him, and doe his busines. Neyther shall this league and couenant be euer violated of God. For if man be a faythfull seruant vnto God, God will be a faythfull Lord and patrone vnto man.* 1.15 This is that one thing which the Lord sayd was necessary: that is, to know, to loue, and to serue God; for this one thing being kept and obserued, all the rest are well and in safety.* 1.16 Godlines, sayth Paule, is profitable vnto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that, that is to come. See, I pray thee, how plainely heere the Apostle promiseth vn∣to godlines, (which is the worship and seruice of God) not one∣lie the blessings of eternall life, but also of this life: as much as are conducent to obtayne the other. But we must note heere, that labour is not excluded: for man must also labour and doe that lyeth in him, according to the quality of his estate and condition.

¶ Of the scarsitie and pouerty of the wicked.

BVt if any man on the contrary part would know, how great the aduersities, calamities, and pouerties of the wicked be, let him reade the eight and twenty Chapter of Deuteronomie, and there he shall finde those things, that both will make him wonder and tremble. Amongst many other things thus spea∣keth the Scripture:* 1.17 But if thou will not harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God, to keepe and to doe all his commaundements, and his ordinances, which I commaund thee this day, all these curses shall come vpon thee, and ouertake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the Citty, and cursed in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cur∣sed shall be the fruite of thy body, and the fruite of thy Land, and the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheepe. Cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in, and cursed when thou goest out. The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing, destruction, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand to, and that thou doest, vntill he destroy thee, and bring thee to naught quickly, because of the wickednes of thine inuen∣tions,

and because thou hast forsaken me. The Lord shal make the pe∣stilence cleaue vnto thee, vntill hee haue consumed thee from of the Land whether thou goest to enioy it. The Lord shall smite thee vvith swelling, with feauers, heate, burning, and with the sword, with bla∣sting and mildeaw: and they shall follow thee vntill thou perrish. And the heauen that is ouer thy head, shalbe brasse, and the earth that is vnder thee shalbe yron. The Lord shall turne the raine of the Lande into powder and dust, from heauen shal they come downe vpon thee, vntill thou be brought to naught. And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies: thou shalt come out one way against them, and flee seauen wayes before them, and shalt be scattered among all the kingdomes of the earth. And thy carkasse shal be meate vnto all manner of foules of the ayre, and vnto the beasts of the earth, and no man shal fray them away. The Lorde will smite thee with the botch of Egipt, and the Emerods, scab, and itch, that thou maist not be hea∣led thereof. And the Lord shall smite thee with madnes & blindnes, and dazing of hart. Thou shalt grope at noone dayes, as the blind gro∣peth in darknes, and shalt not prosper in thy waies: Thou shalt be op∣pressed with wrong, and be polled euermore, and no man shall succour thee. Thou shalt be betrothed vnto a wife, and another man shall lye with her: thou shalt build an house, and not dwell therein: thou shalt also plant a vineyard, & shalt not gather the grapes. Thine Oxe shal be slaine before thine eyes, & thou shalt not eate thereof: thine Asse shall bee violently taken away before thy face, and shall not be re∣stored to thee againe: thy sheepe shalbe giuen vnto thine enemies, & no man shall rescue them. Thy sonnes and thy daughters, shall be gi∣uen vnto another Nation, & thine eyes shall see it, & daze vpon thē all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruite of thy Land, and all thy labours, shall a Nation which thou knowest not, eate vp: & thou shalt continually suffer violence, & be oppressed alway: so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy selfe, for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. The Lorde shall smite thee in the knees & legs with a mischieuous botch, that cannot be healed, frō the sole of thy foote vnto the toppe of thy head. The Lord shall bring thee & thy King, which thou shalt sette ouer thee, vnto a Nation, vvhich neither thou, nor thy Fathers haue knowne, that there thou mayest serue strange Gods, wood & stone. And thou shalt be wondered at, spoken of, and iested at, among all Nations whether the Lorde shall

carry thee. At the length, after many and horrible curses, he ad∣deth, saying: And all these curses shal come vpon thee, & ouertake thee, till thou be destroyed: because thou harkenedst not vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God, to keepe his commaundements, and his ordinaunces which he commanded thee. And they shall be vpon thee for signes & wonders, & vpon thy seede for euer: because thou ser∣••edst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse, & with a good hart, whē thou haddest aboundance of all things. Therefore shalt thou serue thine enemy, which the Lord shall send vpon thee, in hunger & thirst, in nakednesse, and in neede of all things: & he shal put a yoke of yron vpon thy necke, vntil he haue brought thee to naught. And the Lord shall bring a Nations vpon thee from farre, & from the end of the world, as swift as an Eagle flieth, a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand: A nation of a shamelesse & cruell countenaunce, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor haue compassion on the young. The same shall eate the fruite of thy cattell, and the fruite of thy land, vntill he haue destroyed thee: & shall leaue thee neither Corne, Wine, nor Oyle, neyther the increase of thy Kine, nor the flocks of thy sheepe, vntill he haue brought thee to naught. And he shal keepe thee in, in all thy Citties, vntil he haue cast downe thy hie walles, and strong holds wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy ••and: & hee shall besiege thee in all thy Citties throughout all thy ••and which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee. And thou shalt eate the fruite of thine owne body, the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee, in that straightnes & siege wherewith thine enemies shall enclose thee.

All these be the words of the holy Scripture; but there are many moe in the same Chapter, which we doe now leaue of to remember. Which if they be read with attention & diligence, they will make a man, whatsoeuer hee be, to be amazed, and to faint and die in courage, for the horrour of so dreadfull & fear∣full things. And he that shall read, peraduenture shall open his eyes, and shall begin somwhat to vnderstand the rigour of the Diuine iustice, and the cruell maliciousnes of sinners, and of the great hate that the Lord beareth towards sinne, seeing that hee doth punish it in this world with such horrible punishments; whence we may easily coniecture, what is to bee looked for in the world to come.

Furthermore, it may irke the wicked of their insensablenesse and calamitie, because they liue as though they were blind, ney∣ther doe they see, what is referued for thē, or what punishments are prepared.* 1.18 Neyther think that these threatnings are in vaine, onely words and speeches inuented to terrifie men: for as they are threatnings, so are they true prophecies of the calamities, in∣to which the people should fall. For in the time of Achab king of Israell, when Samaria was besieged by the Armie of the king of Syria, we read that men did eate the dunge of Doues, & that thys kinde of meate was sold for a great price. But thys was not so much, at the length it came to that passe, that mothers did kil and eate the chyldren of their owne wombe. Iosephus also wri∣teth, that the same happened at the siege of Ierusalem. But the slaughters and captiuities of this people, together with the vtter ouerthrow of the Common-wealth and the kingdome of the Iewes, are so well knowne to all, that heere they neede not to be rehearsed. An eleuen of theyr Tribes were made perpetuall seruants to the Kings of Assyria: that one Trybe which remai∣ned, a long time after beeing vanquished, was brought into ser∣uitude vnder the Romaines: in which destruction, exceeding great was the number of the captiues, but greater was the num∣ber of those that were slaine, as the same Historiographer copi∣ously describeth.

Neyther let any one deceaue himselfe, saying: that this ca∣lamitie pertaineth onely to the Iewish nation:* 1.19 seeing that it ge∣nerally appertaineth to all men, who haue knowledge of the Diuine law, and doe despise it, neyther will obey it, as the Lord himselfe testifieth by his Prophet; Haue not I brought vp Israell out of the Land of Egipt, and the Philistines from Cappadocia, and the Syrians from Cyrene? Behold, the eyes of the Lord God, are vp∣pon the sinfull kingdome, and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth. Signifying, that all these changes of kingdoms, whereby thys kingdome is ouerthrowne, and that planted and raysed vp, doth come through sinne. And if any one will see that this is true, let him read ouer the histories of times past, & he shal vnderstand, how God doth chastice the froward and peruerse; but especi∣ally those, that haue the true law, and doe not keepe it. He shal see, how great a part of Europe, Asia, and Affrica, which in

times past were full of Churches, and of Christian people, now are possessed of Infidels: & he shall know also what great mas∣sacres, ruines, and destructions, the Gothes, Hunnes, and Van∣dales haue made vpon the Churches; who in the time of Saint Augustine,* 1.20 destroyed and wasted the Prouinces of Affrica, and that without any mercie or compassion; they sparing neyther men nor women; neither old nor young; neither Virgins nor married. At the same time also, and after the same manner, the kingdome of Dalmatia was wasted, with the bordering Coun∣tries, as Saint Ierome showeth,* 1.21 who was borne in that Coun∣try: insomuch, that he that should haue passed through & tra∣uelled those Countries, should haue seene nothing but heauen and earth; all things were so ruinated and ouerthrowen. Yea, if we will looke into our owne times, we shall see, what slaughters, and effusion of Christian blood, what desolations and euersions of Citties, sinne hath caused in Fraunce, Belgia, and many other Countryes? What mightie massacres, and lamentable diuasta∣tions hath sinne brought vppon the world by the sword of the Turkes, those professed enemies of Christianitie, who stil bran∣dish their swords against Christendome, for the sinnes of Chri∣stians? These sufficient plainly doe declare, how that true ver∣tue, and sincere religion, are not onely profitable to the obtay∣ning of eternall blessings, but also to gette and keepe temporall blessings: that the consideration of all these may inflame our mindes with the loue of Vertue, which preserueth vs from so many mischiefes, & bringeth with it so many good things.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay. 45.
• * 1.2

  Prou. 3.
• * 1.3

  God doth not suffer his to be hunger∣starned. Math. 6.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 34.
• * 1.5

  Psal 37.
• * 1.6

  Deut. 28.
• * 1.7

  The tempo∣rall promi∣ses of the old Testa∣ment after some man∣ner doe al∣so pertayne vnto the righteous of the new Testament.
• * 1.8

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.9

  2, Cor. 8.
• * 1.10

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.11

  Deut. 6.
• * 1.12

  In the kee∣ping of the law al good things are found.
• * 1.13

  To him that keepeth the law of the Lord all
• * 1.14

  things suc∣ceede and prosper well.
• * 1.15

  Luke, 10.
• * 1.16

  1, Tim. 4.
• * 1.17

  Deut. 28.
• * 1.18

  The fore∣sayd curses are proued by exam∣ples.
• * 1.19

  Those cur∣ses pertaine also to chri∣stians. Amos, 9,
• * 1.20

  See Ierome in his Epi∣taph vpon Fabiol. c. 3.
• * 1.21

  Ierome vpō the 4. chap. of Osea.