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

Item that we must satisfy God in this world, or in the other. Item that because the perfection of every estate consisteth in unity, there must be one general head in the administration and government of the catholic Church, or other like conclusions of theirs who forge and devise a religion after their own fancy, taking their humane discourse (a very bad rule and squire) to rule and squire out their building by. The second kind consisteth in gross superstitions, and such as are manifest unto all, except it be to them, which are altogether blind and so will be. Such have been from all time infinite manners of fancied things & doings, by which men have dreamed, first that their sins were thereby done forth, and finally that God himself was indebted unto them for them, as are at this day in the Church of Rome holy water, holy wax, paternosters or beads, going on pilgrimage, certain signs of the cross, certain kinds of weeds & attires & other such babbles, in which there is neither sense nor reason, neither with God nor with men.

Item that we must satisfie God in this woorlde, or in the other. Item that because the perfection of euerie estate consisteth in vnity, there must bee one generall head in the administration and gouernment of the catholique Church, or other like conclusions of theirs who forge and deuise a religion after their own fansie, taking their humane discourse (a very bad rule and squire) to rule and squire out their building by. The second kind consisteth in grosse superstitions, and such as are manifest vnto all, except it bee to them, which are altogither blinde and so will bee. Such haue beene from all time infinite maners of fancied things & doings, by which men haue dreamed, first that their sinnes were thereby done forth, and finally that God himselfe was endebted vnto them for them, as are at this daie in the Church of Rome holy water, holy waxe, paternosters or beades, going on pilgrimage, certaine signes of the crosse, certaine kinds of weeds & attires & other such bables, in which there is neither sense nor reason, neither with God nor with men.

The third sort was in the Apostles time of them, which yet held and retained the Judaical ceremonies, willing to mingle them with Jesus Christ. In the room of this have succeeded at this day the traditions of men, and an infinite number of devotions, by which not only the commandments of God are taken away and abolished, and Christians brought into a most miserable servitude and bondage: but the grace also of Jesus Christ himself is utterly made void and of none effect, and there is nether doctrine nor sacrament remaining uncorrupted. Now all this is nothing else but to run in vain after strange Gods, although a man give them not this name but that all this is disguised under these fair words of serving of God, of the authority of the Church, of Antiquity, and of good Meaning. But in lieu of all this we are sent here unto Jesus Christ alone, and consequently to his holy and only word preached, and