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 III. MEDITATION.

THE FOVRTH MOTIVE Our heauenly Fathers inuitations. I. POINT.

CONSIDER that if we haue the true harts of children we can neuer turne a deafe eare to a louing fathers inuitations (especially where they come home to our owne aduantages) but our heauenly fa∣ther earnestly inuites vs; some tymes by promises of comfort: come vnto me all you that are oppressed and I will refreshe you: some tymes intices by hopes of life euerlasting: he that eates my flesh, &c. shall liue for euer. And sometymes he incites by pressing ne∣cessitie: vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man &c. you shall not haue life in you. We must needs then be carefull to communi∣cate frequently.

[Affection.] Our hartes ake, we are not able to dissemble the sense of our conti∣nuall anxietie, nor yet can we preuayle with our selues, to haue recourse to the milde Lambe who promises solace. Our life runs dayly into decay, we languish

and dye, nor yet can we resolue to run to the foode which giues sure hopes of life euerlasting. We see our necessitie, and cannot find in our hartes to fixe vpon the remedie. To witt we are selfe murtherers, we haue not indeede hartes of children, we are deafe to his inuitations and cryes, and to our owne aduantages and repose. Alas what a miserable senselessenes is this? solace, life, libertie, God himselfe is pre∣sented. And yet wearied, dying, inthra∣led man, lookes vpon that vnspeakable benefite, as a thing oblidging to losse!

THE FIFT MOTIVE. The Saintes example. I. POINT.

CONSIDER that if our absolute ay∣mes and desires be to liue in euerla∣sting ioyes with the Saintes of God in hea∣uen, it were but fitting that we should begin now in earth to honour them, to re∣ioyce them, and to ioy with them; but that can neuer be done more highly, more dearely, more ioyfully, more acceptably, or more honorably, then by offering this Sacrament to God in their honour: with

care and feruour therfor let vs frequently receiue this Sacrament.

[Affection.] Ah my soule, is it placed in our power, by a graciousnesse which the heauens could neuer haue conceiued, to reioyce and make glad the verie Saintes in heauen, and yet can our coldnesse re∣fuse them this comfort and honour, whose prayers we dayly begge? certes we may well conclude that they are blotted out of our Callender, and are as deade to vs, as we to our owne vtilitie. We desire to liue with them in eternall ioyes, and yet hauing the most acceptable, and honora∣ble meanes in our hands, we can haue har∣tes to deney them temporall obseruances may we not iustly feare that we may find them but cold intercessours for vs, to whose accidentall glorie we might so ea∣sily, and yet doe so coldly, contribute?