A draught of eternitie. Written in French by Iohn Peter Camus Bishope of Belley. Translated into English by Miles Car preist of the English Colledge of Doway

A practise to engraue in our heart the memorie of Eternitie.

LXXIV.

IT is not all to sow, Athanasia, but the principale thing is to

reape the crope. The Theorie is faire, like vnto RACHEL, but yet bar∣raine: but the Practise is fertile, like LIA, though lesse agreeable in the eye. It is not enough to make spe∣cious speculations: vnlesse our actiōs doe answeare vnto them, all is worth nothing: yea they serue par∣aduentures to leade vs into ruine; for the seruant that knowes the will of his Maister, and doth it not, shall be bett with many stripes. All that say Lord, Lord, shall not enter into glorie, but those that shall obserue the heauēly Fathers Commandements. To enter into the Marriage of the Lambe, it is not enough to haue the Lampes lighted, but there must be oyle in them too. Hell is full of the chaffe of good desires: but the Granarie of Heauen, receaues onely the wheate of good workes. Let vs descend therfore to the Practise, before we sound the retreate; and let vs put the

last singer to this DRAVGHT by spirituall endeauours, wherby to im∣print deeply in our heartes, this wholsome memorie of Eternitie, be it the Blessed, accursed, or Essentiall. It is reported that the great TAMER∣LANE, who in his tyme was the scourge of God, and the terrour of the world, was wont in Camping himselfe before a Towne (which shut the Gates, and resolued to withstand the dreadfull forces of his troopes) to put out the first day of the Seige a white Bannar, in signe of pardon, mildnesse and mercy, in case they should freely rēder themselues vp into his hands. The second day he caused a reade one be hung out, to signifie that in the cōposition, some of them should pay for it. But the third day he set out a black one, as a signe of his indignatiō, and to protest vnto them, that there was no place left to Clemencie; but that taking

the Towne by force, he would offer vp all the inhabitants victimes to DEATH, without all respect to age or sexe. These three colours, Atha∣nasia, wherwith DRAVGHTES are made (for ordinarily they are minuted vpon white paper with vermillion and blacke) doe represēt vnto vs, those three standarts, and the reference which they haue to the three sorts of Eternities, which I haue deciphered vnto you. The white, as the ground, doth put before your eyes the Essentiall Eternitie, which is the proper essence of God, the eternall fundation of all created Eternitie. If we deliuer our selues vp to his loue and milde Clemencie, we may confidently expect from this so sweete a God to them that seeke him, that white stone promised to the Elect in the Apocalipse, which shall be a better marke of the reward of eternall saluation, to such as haue

whitened their soule in the blood of the Lambe. The rede colour, which conteynes light in it, and is the co∣lour of the Rose, doth prefigure vnto vs the Blessed Eternitie, where the Roses doe neuer fade; and where the Elect behold the light of the Di∣uinitie in the light of Glorie. But withall this bloodie colour doth in∣timate, that none arriues at this Fe∣licitie, but by the price of the blood of the Lambe; and that through the fire and water of many tribulations and sufferances, They shall be saued, ac∣cording to the Apostle, yet as by the fire, of anguishes and labours. But alas how nakedly doth the black co∣lour, a colour of mourning, sadnesse, and night, represent, that accursed E∣ternitie; wherin, are exteriour darknes, without all hope of day; where are gnashings of teeth, and the rest of the Calamities, which rudely and wea∣kely we haue drawen. O Athanasia,

to th'end that those bannars, no lesse daunting then the Archangell's trūpet; or rather, to th'end that that which they represent, may neuer depart out of our view: and that this thought may not be blotted out of our soule, make a full resolution to exercise your selfe in the ensuing Practises. Sithens Habits are not be∣gotten in vs, according to all Philo∣sophie, but by often iterated Actes. If your heart be truely touched with a desire of eternall saluation, it will be like vnto the Saylers needle tou∣ched with a Loadstone, which turnes continually towards the North, so your thoughtes will incessantly di∣rect themselues towards Eternitie; now, towards the Blessed; now, towards the Accursed; now, towards the essentiall, this last imbracing the two former, as the Firmament the inferiour Spheares. And though the methode which I am about to pro∣pose

vnto you, to helpe to stay your mynd vpon this Obiect, may seeme at the first sight verie simple, I would aduise you, not to dispise it for all that, as did NAAMAN at first the aduise of the Prophete, to wash himselfe seauen tymes in Iorden, if he would be deliuered of his le∣prosie. Call to mynd, that the mat∣ter of the Sacramentes, which are the instrumentes of Diuine graces, is verie simple and common, yet vnder the vaile of so slender appea∣rances, ly hid, the infinite treasures of wisdome and Goodnes. Why, euen the Scripture it selfe sends vs to Pismires, litle birds and flowres to gather from them profitable lessons and instructions. Take then for your first PRACTISE (if I may haue be∣leife with you, that which hath brought a wonderfull profit to some soules of myne acquaintance) to thinke as often of Eternitie, as you

heare the cloke strike, night or day. Let this sound put you in mynd, that stepp by stepp you doe so ap∣proach to your end, that by an in∣sensible progresse you drawe neere your graue; which ought to be the Gate of Eternitie. And then soaring in spirit beyond transitorie things, which doe vanish as a shade, aspire to that blessed Eternitie, not subiect to the measure of tyme, which is the course of the Sunne or the PRI∣MVM MOBILE, and say: when shall my feete be established vpon the liuely Rocke, that my stepps may no more slide, and that the fir∣mament being as a pauement, I may walke vpon the face of the starrs. This will come to passe, my Atha∣nasia, if you doe carefully, and duely, manage the houres and moments, of which we are about to speake: and if, while tyme serues, you will doe good deedes, which doe ad∣dresse

and bring vs to Eternitie.

For the second PRACTISE take those three tymes, The morning, Noonetyde, and Euening, wherof DAVID makes mention, saying: In the euening, morning, and the midst of the day, I was myndfull of God. And to helpe your memorie, be at∣tentiue to the ANGELVS DO∣MINI BELL, which doth admonish vs to recite three tymes the Saluta∣tion of the Angell, in honour of the Misterie of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God: and ioyne to this pious custome the memorie of Eter∣nitie, by thinking, that the Im∣mortall became mortall, and the E∣ternall for your saluation did subiect himselfe to Tyme, in vniting his Di∣uinitie to our humanitie. How good occasion doth this descent of the Sonne of God into earth administer vnto you, to rayse vp your selfe to Heauen, and there to seeke a per∣manent

Citie for euer, in the holy Sion. Vndertake this holy exercise by taske, and for the space of some dayes; to th'end that custome may beget in you a habite, frequently to thinke of Eternitie.

For the third PRACTISE: oblige your selfe by a firme pourpose (yet without vow) to say euery day at some houre most comodious for you, three PATER NOSTER's. And in reciting them, to thinke of the Blessed, accursed, and essentiall Eternitie, which is God. Vniting your selfe to the last by Loue: by desire to the Blessed: detesting the accursed, rather by the correction of your manners, and amendment of life, then by emptie words. For as we come not to the celestiall Eter∣nitie without doing good; so we auoyd not the accursed, but by flying euill.

When you recite your beades, or the Crowne of our Blessed Lady, a

prayer very familiar to all those who make profession of pietie. Let this crowne of flowres, put you in mynd of the flowres, which neuer fade, wherof the Garland of Eternitie is wrought. Let the round forme of this Crowne make you myndfull, that the Sphearicall figure which hath nether begining nor end, is the Symbole of the essentiall Eternitie, which neuer had begining, nor shall euer haue end. This you may vse as a fourth PRACTISE.

None can liue like a good Chri∣stian, who doth not twice a day, at least, wind vp the Cloke of his heart, and thinke of his wayes, to witt, in the morning and euening: These are two tymes, which he that desires to liue according to God, and to direct his footsteps in the pathes of Peace, ought neuer to omitt. Take then some litle part of that tyme, to cast a looke vpon Eternitie, that totall

cōtinuance, which is neuer followed with euening nor morning. And beseech God Almightie, that you may so passe through temporall, that you may not loose eternall things. This shall be a fift PRACTISE for you. Lets passe to