Master Bezaes sermons upon the three chapters of the canticle of canticlesMaster Bezaes sermons vpon the three chapters of the canticle of canticles

7 And what may I say hereupon? even thus much in few words, that albeit the Lord by a more then admirable continuing of his graces and singular patience to invite, to draw, to summon us, us, I say, of this City, yea crying so loud and so shrill, that this voice of his hath been hard in all corners and quarters of the world: yet notwithstanding I dare not say that there are found any runners amongst us, but too many idle, too many deaf, too many lame, too many cold, yea too many which draw back. I speak it to my great regret & grief, con paring the time which I have seen, in the which there was so great zeal to the word of God, that the pastors and teachers were not sufficient to furnish men therewith, & that not without goodly and great fruits, both in respect of the good order observed in the state public, & in private families, which did ring of Psalms and praises of God: one neighbour warned & instructed another, open scandals and offences were not hidden and dissembled, the strangers forgot their oaths, and other their evil manners, as soon as they entered but the gates of Geneva: to be short in comparison of the time wherein we now are, men did not go, but did run unto God, and God did bless ⟨p. 63⟩them, withholding & staying the fury & rage of their greatest enemies, during their greatest fiery zeal & courage. And now what? Hardly do we retain the name of that, of which before we had the true substance, and our fire is a fire of chaff. And therefore it is unto us, that that reprehension made by the Apostle to the Galatians pertaineth, that having begun in the spirit, we end in the flesh: Galat. 3.3. Every one is given unto himself, covetousness and distrust have possessed every mans hart, there are no laws which can bridle our pomps and superfluities, in such a time, when we should be rather clad in sackcloth and ashes, as neither the gamings, fornications, and adulteries of some amongst us. In a word in steed of going forward we go backward, every man doing so, as if a man to run would charge himself with a furred and heavy coat, instead of putting himself into his doublet, yea into his shirt if our clothes did hinder us. Every man foldeth & wrappeth him self in the cares and thoughts of this world, instead of meditating and putting that in ure, which retireth and plucketh us from the world, that we perish not with it.

7 And what may I say hereupon? euen thus much in fewe words, that albeit the Lord by a more then admirable continuing of his graces and singuler patience to inuite, to drawe, to summon vs, vs, I say, of this Citty, yea crying so loude and so shril, that this voice of his hath beene hard in al corners and quarters of the world: yet notwithstanding I dare not say that there are found any rūners amongst vs, but too many idle, too many deaffe, too many lame, too many cold, yea too many which draw back. I speake it to my great regret & griefe, cō paring the time which I haue seen, in the which there was so great zeale to the word of God, that the pastors and teachers were not sufficient to furnish men therewith, & that not without goodly and great fruits, both in respect of the good order obserued in the state publick, & in priuate families, which did ring of Psalmes and praises of God: one neighbour warned & instructed another, open scandals and offences were not hidden and dissembled, the straungers forgate their othes, and other their euil maners, assoone as they entered but the gates of Geneua: to be short in cōparison of the time wherein we now are, men did not go, but did run vnto God, and God did blesse