Sweete thovghtes of Iesvs and Marie, or, Meditations for all the feasts of ovr B. Saviovr and his B. Mother togeither with Meditations for all the Sundayes of the yeare and our Sauiovrs Passion : for the vse of the daughters of Sion : diuided into tvvo partes / by Thomas Carre ...

THE VIII. MEDITATION. For new-years-day.

I. POINT.

CONSIDER that this good newes, which the Angells told vs these dayes past, of the birth of a sauiour, comes home, this good new yearesday to our vses and profit: being indeede the best new-yeares-gife that Heauen had to giue. For if he were borne for vs, these dayes past, this present day, he is giuen to vs. He is ours then by a double title, and that too the best imaginable: By birth∣right: nobis natus. Borne for vs: And by Deed of free gift: nobis datus. Giuen to vs.

[Affection.] O Bountie! Bountie! Bountie! so old! for thou louedst me from all eter∣nitie. And yet so new! for thou, louest me in tyme too, and by the imensitie of thy gift, shewest the imensitie of thy bountie. Learne, my soule, by the greatnesse of this present, the greanesse of the price,

which Heauen putts vpon thee. And doe not sell thy selfe to the earth for an vn∣derualue. Learne by this a holy pride, know that thou art more worth, then any thinge it hath to bestowe. Thou wert told by S. Augustine, that the kingdome of Heauen, being to be sold, was iust worth as much as thou art; but me thinkes, we may add to that rate, since the kinge of Heauen is giuen for thee. Giue thy selfe, and thou shalt haue them both. Ah! make-not away this faire inheritance for a messe of potage, Change not the chaste loues of a heauenly spouse for the bitter Mandragores of the world. The riches of heauen is giuen to thee for thy New yeares gift; giue at least, the pouertie of the earth backe againe. Da teipsum & habebis. Why dost thou stand vpon the price? (striue to haue a good answer to this question) and▪ I hope you will find your selfe forced to con∣clude a good bargaine, to begin the yeare and say▪

[Resolution.] God is my gift, himselfe he freely gaue me.

Gods gift I am, and now but Cod shall haue me.

2. POINT.

Consider that this day,

our blessed sauiour begins to shew in verie deede he is ours, borne for vs giuen to vs; since he begins to shed his pretious bloud for vs: for the eighth day is come and ac∣cording to the law he is to be circūcised. The lawgiuer is not subiect to the law: the sonne of God cannot be lyable to sinne: the sonne of a virgine, cannot be subiect to corruption: innocencie hath nothing to doe with the markes of a sinner. And yet the poore innocent lambe without spott, which comes to take away the sinnes of the word, will be branded with the infa∣mous marke of a sinner; not for his owne, buth for our sinnes, sed omnia propter electos saith S. Bernard.

[Affect.] O my deare Iesus! to what a low degree of humiliation and abiection, and euen scandall of thy selfe, doth loue leade thee? For there will be those, who, while they too clearely reade the a man, by this thy sacred bloud, will deney thy diuini∣tie. There will be those, who knowing punishement, to be still the punishement of sinne, that by seeing thy punishement, will imagine some cryme in thee. There will be those, who beholding thee with an impious eye, will laugh at a bloodie

God; how euer, to pious eyes, it appeares the the greatest misterie and miracle of loue. O heauenly father! this is thyne onely child, in whome thou art so well pleased, who is so innocent, immaculate, vnspotted. Is it for the sinnes of thy peo∣ple thou hast so strucke him? O man! how doth this action confounde thy pride, and discouer thy selfe to thy selfe? we easily committ sinne, euen in the sight of God: but blushe to appeare sinners in the sight of men &c. Or if we chance to haue that humilitie and iustice in vs, as patïently to suffer reprehension, reproche, or punis∣hement, when we see we are in fault; yet, are their any to be found, who knowes what it meanes to suffer, where we either indeede are, or at least, where we appre∣hend our selues innocent? That, euen best, Christians, are content to leaue to Christ alone.

THE SECONDE MEDITATION. For the same day.

II. POINT.

CONSIDER Virgines, consider Christians, old and young, and all

that hope to be saued by the blood of Christ, what these sacred dropes, which fall from our Christ, say to our hartes. What doe they say (vnlesse our harts be of stone) but I will (and begge by this example without example, where noe law obliged, noe debt was due) your patience, your mortification, your resignation, your obedience, your humiliation? You call me Abba pater, father, father; and I am so: show the dutie of children then by following your fathers footstepps. You call me Lord, and I am so: make good then the dutie of seruantes, in accom∣plishing the will of your Lord. I will obe∣dience &c. not will-worshippe; not sacry∣fices of your owne inuention, and choyce. And this irreuocable will and Conuenant of myne, I write downe in letters of myne owne blood, that louinge children may neuer forgett it.

[Affect.] Noe my soule, ther was indeed noe connection betwixt an innocent Sa∣uiour, and the markes of a sinner: noe ne∣cessitie for a God to imploy this paynefull and shamfull meanes (who had a thousand other ways in his wisdome to haue per∣formed the worke of mans redemption)

but to teach vs patience, with what euer might befall vs, seem it neuer so litle sutable to the thoughtes we may haue of our owne innocencie. Mortification, by suffering some corporall payne, be it by our owne, or some other hand; be it by accident, sicknesse, or otherwise. Obe∣dience, whether to our superiours as we are bounde &c. Or euen to euery creature for charities sake, where there appeares noe other obligation. And conceiue we alwayes heare Christ, by this example, say vnto our hartes: what great matter is it &c. if you being but durt and askes, sub∣iect your selues to man, for Gods fake, since I who am omnipotent, became humbly subiect to man for your sakes? O dust, learne of me to obey. Learne of me, ô earth and clay, to humble thy selfe, and caste thy selfe, vnder the feete of all men for my Loue.

[Consider] Yet further that the heauenly dropps of blood which fall from a God, speake more powerfully to pious hartes, then Malachie to the people of Israel, saying: dilexi v••s: I haue loued you. That is, I haue, doe, and shall loue you; since there is neither tyme past, nor tyme to

come, with God. I haue loued you from eternitie, and thence I am come in tyme to saue you. I doe loue you in tyme pre∣sent, and thence I giue the first dropps of my bloud for you. I wil loue you in tyme to come, and will powre out my hartes bloud for you; in earnest wherof I now lay downe these dropps. I haue loued you, and so called you by preuenting grace, while you thought not of it. I doe loue you, and so assiste you by cooperating grace. I will loue you, and so make my subsequent grace accompaignie you to the end; and for assurance of this, I now pay downe these dropps.

[Affec.] O how wonderfully thou hast loued vs, ô heâuenly Father, since for our sakes thou didst not euen spare thyne owne onely sonne! How tenderly didst thou loue vs, ô dearely beloued sonne of the Almightie, who for our sakes, didst not refuse that paynefull imployment, but dost, euen so airely, testifie the ex∣cesse of thy loue, by the loss of thy blood? By which deare pledges, being partes of the price of my Redemption, I appre∣hende it euen neere at hand. Let Israel now say that he is good, that his mercy is for

euer. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy is for euer. Come lets loue him, lets loue him, we that are redeemed by his bloude, because his mercyes are for euer. Let our tongues publish his loue, and mercy; let our hartes loue and prayse him; and let our verie bowels pronounce, ô Lord, who is like to thee! Inable vs, deare Iesus, to vnderstand, descerne, and reuerence, with due honour, this admi∣rable misterie of pietie, which is mani∣fested in the flesh, hath appeared to the Angells, is preached to the gentils, is beleeued by the world, and this day, is signed in bloud, Venite adoremus.