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 FIRST MEDITATION FOR THE TENTH SVNDAY AFTER WHITSVNDAY.

The Pharisie standing prayed thus with himselfe Luc. 18.

CONSIDER in this Parable the true discription of a proud Pe∣titioner, or rather of one that goes not so much to the Church to pray

as to prayse himselfe. He gaue God than∣kes indeede, but with taking a vaine com∣placeance in his giftes, esteeming himsel∣fe so rich that he asked noe more, nay he euen insulted at the poore publicane who asked. He is not like the rest of men (excepting none) extortioners, vniust, adulterers: nor is he like that publican, wherin he addes rashe iudgement to his pride. In fine halfe the lawe is but decli∣ning from euill, and all that, if you be∣leeue him, he has performed.

[Affection.] Beware, my soule, of this proud prayer, which prouokes Gods wroth vpon vs. What haue we of grace or nature which we haue not receiued? and if they be Gods gifts why doe we vainely glorie in them, as though we had not receiued them? Why doe we glorie in them, and preferre our selues before poore sinners, whom we looke upon with disdaigne, who are, happly farre better then we in the sight of God. Let such as stand looke that they fall not. Let our eyes be fixed vpon our owne defects, leauing God to iudge our neighbour, to whom he stands or falls.

THE SECONDE POINTE.

I fast twice a weeke, I giue tythes of all I possesse &c.

CONSIDER that pride still ascends, and gaynes ground. The Pharisie had alreadie, in his owne esteeme, freed him∣selfe from all stayne of sinne, what rests for his pride but to preach his owne ver∣tues, that so Christian iustice might ap∣peare accomplished in him. I faste twice a weeke, saith he, I giue tithes of all I possesse, not of the fruites of the earth onely, ac∣cording to the prescript of the lawe, but euen of all without exception.

[Affection.] Looke vpon this vaine boa∣sting, my soule, with horrour, and care∣fully striue to auoyde that dangerous shel∣fe of presumption, vpon which so many apparently deuoute soules perish. What euer good workes we doe: how vertuous resolutions soeuer we make; finde we ne∣uer so much feruour, facilitie, and spiri∣tuall delight in the practise of vertue and goodnesse, let vs still distruste in our sel∣ues, hartily acknowledging that we are nothing, we haue nothing, we can doe

nothing of our selues, not so much as thinke one good thought, but all our suf∣ficiencie is from God: hauing all-wayes in our mouthes with the holy Church: Deus in adiutorium meum intende: Domine ad adiunandum me festina.