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 VI. MEDITATION.

We must ryse with Christ. I. POINT.

[CONSIDER:] that as we haue ende∣uored to dye with Christ in his Pas∣sion by compassion, diligently to seeke him, ioyfully to finde him, and happily to ryse with him in newnesse of life, so must we especially striue to make that new life become a perfect imitation of the life of Christ, that that of the great Apostle may be verifyed in vs, and by our actions appeare to the eyes of others, to Gods glorie: I liue I, now not I, but Iesus Christ liueth in me. That is, I am moued to what I doe by his grace, according to his exam∣ple, and for his loue.

[Affection.] For this, my soule, it is, that we liue; for this, we beare the name of Christians, that we might imitate what wee worshipp. In vaine doe we celebrate the feasts of Christ, if we striue not to imi∣tate the life of Christ. If we haue hither∣to then expressed the image of our earthly father, by adhearing to earth, let vs now

expresse our heauenly father, by aspiring to heauen. Lets then shew his impassibili∣tie by our eauennesse, as well in prosperi∣tie as aduersitie; his claritie, by making the light of our good actions shine before men: our agilitie, by our prompt obedien∣ce and feruent charitie; finally, our sub∣tilitie by peircing heauen with our harts, by feruent prayer.

II. POINT.

CONSIDER what kind of life Christ ledd, which brought him to this new life, this impassible life, this life of glorie. And we shall finde it was in pouertie, hu∣militie, and abiection, in his birth. In la∣bours, in temptations, watching, fasting, prayer, from his youth. At his death, in extreamities, contempts, thornie crow∣nes, infamous Crosses, withdrawings of all comforts, absolute abandonements by heauen and earth.

[Affection.] We all pretend, my soule, to be followers of Christ; must we not then resolue to take the same waye he tooke? wee ayme at noe lesse then to haue a part of his glorie, and can we wisely hope to attayne to it by other meanes then those

that wisedome made choice of in his owne person, and left vs to imitate? Can we iud∣ge it reasonable, or decent, my soule, that while the Master is in labours, the seruant should liue at his ease? the Master in pouer∣tie, and the seruant in plentie? the Master in the middest of contumelies, and the ••eruant in honours?