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.

§ 6. The mercifull eye of Jesus serves for an Anti∣dote against all sorts of Envy.

LEt us next consider the second modell: and if we * 1.1 be stung by the birings of Envie; Let us cast our eyes upon Jesus Christ, as heretofore did the Israelites on the brazen serpent to free themselves from serpents of fire. The eie of Jesus was a gentle eie, an eie of love, of compassion, and of mercy which opened (as the gates of the East) to let in day light, and the spirit of life. It alwayes had in our cause the symptomes which Physi∣cians gave a sick eie, which is, to watch, to sparkle, and to weep: yea, the eie of the Saviour of the world was to watch incessantly, for our salvation, even to the pas∣sing of nights in oratories dedicated to God, as S. Luke observeth. Is it not this eie the Prophet Jeremy meant, when he said, I see awaking rod? The interpreters think * 1.2 he alluded to the sceptre of the Kings of Egypt which had an eye pourtraied upon the top of it; and that such was the sceptre and power of Jesus for our sakes: a po∣wer not harsh and imperious, but sweet and charitable; which spent it self without waste in the watches wherein it persevered for our salvation. Others, following the * 1.3 Hebrew letter, instead of a waking Rod, reade a twig of an Almond-tree, which first of all other trees, flourish∣eth, and expecteth not the summer to tell us news of the spring; So the eie of Jesus, so soon as it began to ex∣ercise the functions of life, was seen all in blossome, and in an amorous aspect for us: In blossome; when, at his arrival, he caused the Angels to sing the Hymne of Glory, and Peace; of Glory to God, and of Peace to men: In blossome; when, at the age of twelve years he so sweetly darted forth beams in the Temple of his fa∣ther; In blossome; when, from the top of a mountain, he looked on his poor famished people who wandred through the deserts, as sheep deprived of their shep∣heard: In blossome; when he stayed upon so many mi∣serable bodies, deteined by incurable maladies, to give them health. O eie of Jesus! Eie of the Nazarean! al∣ways flourishing and blown for the comfort of mortals.

I say, in the second place, this eie sparkled when he was to give the example of zeal (which it behoved

him to have) the honour of his heavenly father; then it was when he was armed with terrours and lightnings, to cast astonishment into wicked souls, and to deliver * 1.4 those from their Tyranny who thereby were oppressed: There was seen I know not what of glittering and fla∣ming to sparkle from his eyes, and the Majesty of a Di∣vinity did shine on his face, saith S. Jerome. Have you heretofore considered the Angel of the living God, who was as a sentinell, in the great flaming pillar of fire which led the Israelites in the passage of the red-sea? Have you observed, how (placed just in the midst * 1.5 of two armies, the one whereof was of the people of God, and the other of the Egyptians) he darted raies of favour on the heads of the elect, which were all lighted with a celestiall light, notwithstanding the thick darknesse of the Egyptian night, and at the same time he threw on Pharaohs Diadem and on his warlike horses the avenging dart of Gods anger, to involve them in remedilesse misery? So the eye of our Lord hath alwayes beheld (and at this day likewise doth lo∣vingly behold) such as fear his holy name and do trem∣ble out of the reverence they bear to his divine Majesty; but as for perverse souls, who have hands armed against heaven, he hath sparklings sharp and quick, which are the messengers of his justice. As for thee (Libertine) this sparkling eie; for thee (Harpy) for thee (bloudy Devil) for thee (wicked creature) it throws forth sparks of fire which in this life will begin to burn thy sinfull soul: but, as for souls (chaste and loyall) he hath sweet influences, and mercies. In the last place, I likewise say, to shew the benignity of this eye, that it was almost alwayes weeping, and dropping for us in tears a thousand times more precious then those of Myrrhe. O what tears were those of Jesus! Jesus was the firmament which divided waters from waters, heavenly tears from earthly tears. And seeing Inter∣preters say, that the masse of waters was divided into two substances, whereof the one, congealing into a bright Chrystall, made Heaven; and the other, remain∣ing on the earth, made the Sea; I may say, the tears of Jesus were all Chrystalline▪ and wholly celestiall, as that Palace of God, which we see over our heads; but ours are salt, bitter, and storm like the sea. Jesus yet walking on the earth, was towards the wicked and proud, a mount Sinai, which roared, thundred, light(ned, and seemed to be as the Charriot of the God of Hosts; but in respect the miseries of the earth, and the pains likewise which waited on sinners; he was a Mount Lebanon that ceased not to make the waters stream forth in the spring, which issued from the snows wherewith the winter had wholly covered it. Jesus the true Lebanon, * 1.6 in whitenesse of innocency: Jesus the true Lebanon, in the continuall waters of his eyes, which can no more be dryed up then the fountains of Lebanon. Jesus also the true Lebanon, in the sweetnesse of the odours of his eternall sacrifice. He burnt as the incence of Lebanon, and dissolved as the snow of Lebanon; at the same time giving us fire and water; Fire to enkindle our love, water to wash our sinnes: O how these waters have quenched the flames of the sword of the Cherubin, able to burn all the earth with the fire of Justice! O how sweetly distilled these tears for us on the day of his birth, when he moistned the clots of his poverty! O how often have these tears hathed his eyes in the sacri∣fice * 1.7 of prayer! O how pitifully these tears bedewed the pomp of his triumph, when he wept over miserable Jerusalem! O how efficacious were these tears; when he oftered them for us in the bloudy Sacri∣fice of the Crosse, and rendered up his sweet soul into the hands of his heavenly Father, bleeding and weep∣ing, and looking this last time on the earth in his mortall conversation to lift it up to Heaven!

Notes

• * 1.1

  The eie o•• Jesus watch¦ing, spark∣ling, weep∣ing.
• * 1.2

  He erat per∣noctans in oratione Dei. Hier. 1. 11▪
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.4

  Igneum quoddam, atque syde∣reum radia∣bat ex ocu∣lis ejus & divinitatis majestas lu∣cebat in fa∣cie. 8. Hier. in Mat.
• * 1.5

  Exod. 14. 20
• * 1.6

  Numquid deficiet de petra agri nix Libani. Hier. 18.
• * 1.7

  In diebus carnis suae preces sup∣plicationés∣que cum clamore va∣lido et la∣chrymis of∣ferens ex∣auditus est pro sua re∣verentia. Hob 5. 7.