The holy court in five tomes, the first treating of motives which should excite men of qualitie to Christian perfection, the second of the prelate, souldier, states-man, and ladie, the third of maxims of Christianitie against prophanesse ..., the fourth containing the command of reason over the passions, the fifth now first published in English and much augemented according to the last edition of the authour containing the lives of the most famous and illustrious courtiers taken out of the Old and New Testament and other modern authours / written in French by Nicholas Caussin ; translated into English by Sr. T.H. and others.

Moralities.

1. THe Saviour of the world being resolved to suffer death as the Priest of his own sa∣crifice, and sacrifice of his priesthood, shews that it is an effect of his mercy, and not a suffering for any fault. He doth advance the standard of the Cross (which was the punishment of guilty persons) but he brought with him innocencie, which is the mark of Saints: he honours it with his dolours, and sanctifies it with his bloud, to glorifie it in the esti∣mation of all the just. He is without spot, and capa∣ble to take all stains, by his infinite sanctity: and yet he suffered as a sinner, to blot out all our sins; It is in this suffering he would have us all imitate him. He doth not require us to make a heaven, nor stars, nor to enlarge the sea, or to make the earth firm; but to make our selves holy as he is holy (according to our capacity) And this we may gain by his favour, which he hath by his own nature. No man is wor∣thy to suffer with Jesus, who doth not purifie him∣self by the sufferings of Jesus. If we suffer in sin, we carrie the Cross of the bad thief. We must carrie the Cross of Jesus, and consecrate our tribulations by our own virtues.

2. It is said that the venomous serpent called a Ba∣silisk (which kills both men and beasts by his pesti∣lent breath) kills himself when he looks upon a look∣ing glass, by the very reflection of his own poison. The Jews do here the very same; They come about this great mirrour of sanctity, which carried all the glory of the living God; he casts his beams upon them, but envy, the mother of murder (which kills it self onely by the rayes of golden ar∣rows) makes them dart out venomous words to

dishonour him: yet his incomparable virtue kills them, without losing any of his own brightness; to teach us, that the beauty of innocency, is the best buckler against all slanders. Though it seem to be tar∣nished for a time, yet her brightness will thereby be∣come more lively: for it is a star which the blackest vail of night cannot darken.

3. Abraham did rejoyce at this day of God two thousand years before it was manifested to the world: All the Patriarchs did long after it; and did anti∣cipate their felicities by the purity of their thoughts. This blessed Day hath been reserved for us, and yet many of us despise it. We so much love the day of man, that by the force of too much love to it, we forget the love of God. We should, and must contemn those perishing dayes of worldly honours and pleasures, which are covered with eternal night, that we may partake the eternity of that beautifull day, which shall never have any evening.