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.

¶ Aunswers to certaine obiections

BVt because thou mayest obiect against these things, which we haue spoken: How? vvas not the theese yeelding vp the ghost saued by one onely word?* 1.1 Wee aunswere vnto this, that this worke was no lesse miraculous, then the other miracles of Christ, which worke and miracle was reserued to the comming of our Sauiour, being the sonne of God into this world, and for a testimony of his glory: And therefore it was necessary, that in that very houre, when the Lord suffered, that both things cele∣stiall and terrestriall should be disturbed; that light should be mingled with night; and that the very elements should be sha∣ken; That the earth shaken in her very foundations,* 1.2 which could scarcely support and vphold God on the Crosse, should tremble and quake; That the day, the light being fled, should assume a lamentable robe, and after the manner of bewayling mourners, should be cloathed with the sable habit of black hea∣uines; That the graues of the dead should be opened; and that the dead should arise: For all these miraculous wonderments, were reserued as testimonies of the glory of his Person, among the number of which was the saluation of this theefe. In which worke his confession was no lesse admirable and miraculous, then his saluation: for his Nouell and Puny new sprung fayth, acknowledged that which his Disciples gayne-sayed. At that time the guilty theefe beleeued that, which the elect denied. The impiety of the persecutours raged, the wickednes of the blasphemers exceeded, the stripes and wounds shewed Christ onely to be but a man, and the Apostles despayring after so

many Diuine miracles, onely this theefe resteth not, nor stayed in the scandale of his crosse and death; onely he is the witnes of his Maiesty, who was a companion of his distres and heauines. Seeing that therefore these wonderfull and miraculous things belong to the dignity of this Lord, and to the mistery of that time, it will be counted a ridiculous thing to thinke, that these are matters for all times and places, which were onely proper for that time.

We see also in all well ordered common wealths,* 1.3 that some things be done ordinarily, and alwayes after the same manner, and some things that are vsed extraordinarily. Ordinary things are common to all, but the extraordinary are proper to some certaine. The same thing also commeth in vse in the common wealth of God, which is his Church. And so that of the Apo∣stle is regular and ordinary;* 1.4 Whose end shall be according to theyr works: signifying that after the common manner of speaking, an euill death followeth an euill life, and a good death a good life. And it is an ordinary thing that those that embrace Ver∣tue, and leade a godly life, doe enter into an eternal life; and those that liue viciously and wickedly, to be cast into hell fire. This sentence is common and true, which the holy Scripture doth beate vpon in many places. This the Psalmes doe sing of, this the Prophets doe celebrate, this the Apostles doe preach of, this the Euangelists haue noted. The kingly Prophet hath comprehended this in few words,* 1.5 when he sayd: God spake once and twice: I haue also heard the same, that power belongeth vnto God: And that thou Lord art mercifull: for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke. This is the summe of all Christian Philosophy. Therfore according to this speach of Dauid, we say that it is an ordinary thing, that as well the righteous as the sinner, should receaue a reward at the end of their lifes, accor∣ding to the works,* 1.6 which they haue done. Yet besides this vni∣uersall law, God can by his especiall grace and fauour bestow mercy vpon some, that they should dye the death of the righte∣ous, who haue liued the life of sinners: as also it may come to passe, that he that hath liued like a righteous man in this world, by the secret iudgement of God,* 1.7 may dye as a sinner. As it hap∣peneth vnto them, who haue sayled very fortunately in a long

voyage, and at the very mouth of the Hauen suffer shipwrack. Hence it is that Salomon sayth:* 1.8 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward, and the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth? For although it be alwayes in a manner true, that their soules, who liue like beasts, descend to hell; and that theirs, that liue like men, ascend to heauen; yet in the secret and parti∣culer iudgement of God, this order may be somtimes inuerted. Yet it is safe and generall doctrine, that a good liuer shall haue a blessed death. Therefore no man ought for the praecedent causes to leane to their examples, who haue been saued by espe∣ciall and particuler grace and sauour: for they make no gene∣rall rule, nor extend themselues to all men, but onely to few, and those vnknowne: Neyther canst thou know whether thou art contayned in that number.

* 1.9 But if thou obiectest vnto me the repentance of the Nini∣uites, which proceeded from feare, least they should all haue beene destroyed within forty dayes; consider thou not onely their sharpe and seuere repentance, which they made, but also their change of life. Change thou also thy life after the same manner, and the same mercy shall not forsake thee. But I per∣ceaue that thou art scarcely recouered of thine infirmity, and scarcely risen out of bed, seeing that thou straightwayes runnest to the first kind of life, and recallest all that, which thou didst purpose, when thou wast weake. Wherfore I leaue thee to con∣sider, what I may think of thy repentance.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Many mira∣culous and wonderful things reser∣ued to the comming of Christ.
• * 1.2

  Euseb. Emiss. of the good theefe.
• * 1.3

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.4

  2, Cor. 11.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 62.
• * 1.6

  The iudge∣ments of God.
• * 1.7

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.8

  Eccles. 3.
• * 1.9

  An obiecti∣on of the repentance of the Ni∣niuites.