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 other things, which make the way of saluation easie & sweete.

THis that we haue hetherto said, is sufficiēt to take away that common impediment, which many alledge. But let vs put the case that this is not, which wee haue spoken of, and there∣fore this way is hard and difficult: I pray thee tell mee, why should it be troublesome and grieuous vnto thee, to do that for thy soule, which thou refusest not to doe for thy body? Shall it seeme a great thing vnto thee, to suffer a little trouble here, that hereafter thou maist escape eternall torment? What would not the rich couetous man buried in hell willingly doe, if he might haue licence to come into the world againe, that he might a∣mend his errors? It is not meete, that thou shouldest doe lesse now, then he would doe, seeing that, if thou doost perseuere in thy wicked maliciousnesse, the same torments remaine for thee, and therefore thou oughtest to haue the same desire.

Furthermore, if thou wouldest diligently perpend and con∣sider, the manifold and great things, that GOD hath doone for thee, and greater, which he hath promised thee; and also thy hainous sinnes, by which thou hast offended him; moreouer, the great torments which the Saints haue suffered, but most of all, those exceeding great ones, which the Holy of Holies him∣selfe hath borne, without doubt it would shame thee to be vn∣willing to abide so little for the loue of God; yea to be vnwil∣ling to flie that which delighteth thee.* 1.1 Therfore Saint Bernard saith: The afflictions of thys world are not worthy of the fault past, which is pardoned, nor of the present grace of consolation,

which is giuen, nor of the future glory, which is promised vnto thee. Euery one of these considerations ought worthily to moue vs to enter into this way, although it be very laborious. But, that we may confesse the truth, although our life in euery part, and in euery proceeding, is grieuous, and full of tribulations, yet without cōparison, greater is the griefe & trouble, that is found in the lyfe of wicked men, then that which is found in the life of good men.* 1.2 For although to goe or walke in the way be labori∣ous, for which way soeuer thou walkest, at the length thou shalt be wearie, yet much greater is the trouble of him, who walketh blindly and often dasheth his feete against the stones, then of him, who goeth with open eyes, and seeth where and howe he passeth. Seeing therefore that our life is a way, it cannot be, but man must be wearied, vntill he come to the place of re••••. But a sinner who vseth not the light of reason, but his own affections, and is gouerned by the perturbations of his minde, it is certaine that he walketh blindfold: for there is not any thing founde in the world more blinde then the perturbations of the mind. But good men who are gouerned of reason, when they meete with rockie and breake-necke downfalls, they shun them, and so they walke with lesser labour, and with greater securitie.

That great wise man long agoe vnderstood this, and there∣fore said:* 1.3 The way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day: But the way of the wicked is as the darknes, they know not wherin they shall fall. Neyther is the way of the wicked onely obscure and darke,* 1.4 as Salomon sayth here, but also difficult, slipperie, and full of Caues & Dennes, as Da∣uid saith: that thou mayst thereby learne, how often they flyp and slide, that tread in that path. Besides, in thys short and small trouble, which meeteth with the godly, a thousand kind of helps are giuen, which doe lighten & diminish this trouble. For prin∣cipally, the presence & fatherly prouidence of God doth help, which guideth them: and the grace of the holy Ghost, which encourageth them; & the Sacraments which strengthen them, and the Diuine consolations, which cheere them, and the ex∣amples of good men, which comfort them, and the holy Scrip∣tures which teach them, and the peace of a good conscience, which doth ioy them, and lastly the hope of glory, which ma∣keth

them constant and vnmoueable, with a thousand other graces and benefits of God, which maketh thys way so easie & pleasant to the walkers in it,* 1.5 that they say with the Prophet; How sweet are thy promises vnto my mouth: yea, more then Honny vnto my mouth. Let it be whosoeuer it will that considereth of this thing diligently, he shal find very many authorities of scrip∣ture concerning this matter; notwithstanding some of them make thys way harde and sharpe, others make it easie, light, and pleasant.* 1.6 For the same Prophet in another place sayth: For the wordes of thy lippes, I haue kept straight and difficult wayes.* 1.7 And in another place: I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. For thys way hath two things, Difficulty and Suauitie: the one by reason of nature, the other by reason of grace: & so that which is difficult by reason of the and, is made sweet & pleasant by reason of the other. As well the one as the other,* 1.8 the Lord sheweth when he sayth, that his yoke is easie, and his burthen light. For when he calleth it his yoke, he signifieth the heauines, which is in the way of the Lord, but when he calleth it easie, he intimateth facilitie, which is in respect of the grace that is giuen.

But if thou shalt demaund of me, how both it can be a yoke, and easie and light, seeing that it is of the nature of a yoke to be heauy? I aunswer, that the reason of it is this; because the Lord maketh it easie and light,* 1.9 as he promiseth by his Prophet: And I will bee to them, as hee that taketh of the yoke from theyr iawes. What maruell is it then, if the yoke be light, seeing the Lord supporteth, easeth, & as it were carrieth it himselfe? If the bush burned & was not consumed,* 1.10 because the Lord was in it, what maruell is it, that it is a burthen, and also light; if the same Lord be in it, who helpeth vs to carry it? Wilt thou that I shall show thee as well the one as the other, in one and the selfe same per∣son? heare what the Apostle sayth:* 1.11 We are afflicted on euery side, yet are we not in distresse: in pouertie, but not ouer-come of pouer∣tie. We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast downe, but we perrish not. Behold, here on the one side trouble and distresse, and on the other side comfort and consolation, which the Lord giueth in them. The same thing also the Prophet Esay, insinuateth, when he sayth;* 1.12 They that waite vpon the Lorde, shall renue theyr

strength: they shall lift vp the wings as the Eagles: they shall runne, and not be wearie, and they shall walke and not faint. Doost thou not see, that the yoke is here made light through grace? Doost thou not see here, that the strength of the flesh is changed into the strength of the spirit? Or that I may speake better, the strength of man, into the strength of God? Doost thou not see how the holy Prophet doth not conceale eyther the trouble or the ease? Therefore, thou hast not my brother any cause, for which thou shouldest shrinke from this way, albeit it be rough and difficult, seeing that there be so many and so great meanes, which make it plaine and easie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bernard in his small Sermons, chap. 30.
• * 1.2

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.3

  Prou, 4,
• * 1.4

  The way of the wicked, hard and difficult.
• * 1.5

  Psalm, 119,
• * 1.6

  Psalm, 17,
• * 1.7

  Psalm, 119,
• * 1.8

  Math, 11,
• * 1.9

  Osea, 11,
• * 1.10

  Exod, 3,
• * 1.11

  2, Cor, 4,
• * 1.12

  Esay, 40,