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 POINTE.

CONSIDER that the poore Le∣per had found by a longe and painfull experience, that there was noe hope of cure by the power of man; all his owne, and others endeuours, prouing vneffectuall: and ther∣for he wisely resolued, in an humble confi∣dence to haue recourse to him, whom he knew by faith, to be able to doe all that he would in heauē, and in earth. By adoration he acknowledges him to be God: and by his words, he publishes him to be all power∣full. He came and adored him sayinge: Lord, If thou wilt thou canst: and the present ef∣fects proue that his faith is powerfull and gratefull to Christ, who graciously replyes I will. Be thou made cleane: and forth with his leprosie was made cleane.

[Affection.] Our great and good Lord, my soule, neither wants power, nor good will, to cure all our infirmites, if we aske as we ought. If he some tyme delaye vs; it is but the better to trye vs and more eui∣dently to acquainte vs with our owne want of abilitie; till he putt his powerfull hand to the worke; for then our leprosie is forth with cured. If he delaye vs, and some∣tyme permitt vs for a longe space to lan∣guish, and euen to be ouerspredd with our leprosie, it is but the more perfectly to humble vs, and throughly to cure the more dangerous desease of pride. Finally, if he delay the cure till we waxe more des∣paratly sicke, it oblidges vs, being at length cured, the more highly to magni∣fie his mercy, and publish his power, to all men.