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 ...

How the kinges were called to Iesus. II. POINT.

CONSIDER how the kinges came, and we shall presently find that our attentions are stopt by the Euangelist, with a word inciting to admiration. Ecce, behold, saith S. Matthew, there came sages from the cast to Hierusalem. Nor is it with∣out wonder indeede, that wise men should leaue their countrie, to come a greate iorney, to a forraigne land which had nothing common with them. And yet their errand seemes more strange. They came &c. saying: where is he who is borne the kinge of the Iewes? A demande, which,

in likelyhoode, might haue cost them their liues. And yet their motiue seemes most strange of all; for, say they, we haue seene his starre in the east. Should wise men, and Kinges, leaue their Kingdomes, vpon the onely sight of a starre, to looke out one borne the Kinge of the Iewes, and that in the midst of Iewrie, where another Kinge alreadie raigned?

[Affection.] O my soule, what can we find here but admirations with S. Paule? O the highnesse of the riches of the wisdome, and knowledge of God? How incomprehensible are his iudgements, how inscrutable are his wayes! What doe we find, I say, but effects of Gods great mercy strangly and strongly working? For certainly, their iorney, their demande, their motiue, appeare litle lesse then madnesses in the eyes of men; while yet, in the eyes of God they are effectes of grace, and heauenly wis∣dome. For the starre which they saw ex∣teriourly, was seconded by the grace which they felt interiourly: and thence they vndertooke the iorney; the grace of the holy Ghost knowing noe sluggish de∣layes. The grace which they felt was a powerfull and conquering grace, and

thence they feared not to aske for the kinge of the Iewes, euen in the face of the Tyrant. The starre which they saw, was the light of faith, and thence they giue for their reason, a thinge which reason is not acquainted with, an obscure, yet con∣uinceing argument, of thinges which appea∣re not.