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

6 The spouse therefore speaking unto these, and calling them Daughters of Jerusalem, because that Jerusalem should be especially the City of God, setteth before them, first of all, the grace that God bestowed on them, if they could use it well, and secondly upbraideth them, and that worthily with their carelessness, as if she should say: And you the rest which I see here about me, and yet are not of my train, of whom is it long, that you are not, having received this grace of God to be born not Philistines, nor Edomites, but citizens of this city of God? I see what the matter is. You think me not fair, because my hew is Sun-burned and black, in comparison of you who have so fresh & so fair an hew. Now I confess that I am indeed black, but yet notwithstanding, I have a fair and pleasant beauty, which you see not. For as, if you behold me outwardly, I am as black & as tanned, as if I had been brought up under the skins and Cabins of these Moors and Arabians: so if you consider of my beauty through this blackness, there is no pavilion or tent of Solomon that rich & mighty king so fair, and so glittering as my self. Afterward she addeth, that this tanned hew of hers is not natural, but that it hath happened unto her, as unto a young maiden driven by her naughty and wicked brethren out of her fathers house, where she should have lived and continued at her ease, driven I say, far and wide, and made to endure abroad the parching of the Sun and other injuries of the weather. Now for the understanding of this speech which is altogether allegorical, as also this whole Canticle or Song, we must first of all note, that whereas ordinarily by the colour of black is understood every sad and unpleasant thing, as contrariwise by white joy and pleasure is signified: notwithstanding by blackness in this place, which the spouse confesseth to be in her, is not meant our natural foulness & blackness, which is indeed more then filthy & detestable, in which this spouse was found at the ⟨p. 77⟩beginning as Ezekiel hereof speaketh Ezech. 16. For, as touching this uncleanness the Bridegroom had already washed this spouse of his, with his most pure and clean waters Isaiah. 1.55.

6 The spouse therefore speaking vnto these, and calling them Daughters of Ierusalem, because that Ierusalem should be especially the Citie of God, setteth before them, first of all, the grace that God bestowed on them, if they could vse it wel, and secondly vpbraideth them, and that worthilie with their carelesnesse, as if she should saie: And you the rest which I see here about me, and yet are not of my traine, of whom is it long, that you are not, hauing receiued this grace of God to be born not Philistines, nor Edomites, but citizens of this city of God? I see what the matter is. You thinke me not fayre, because my hew is Sun-burned and blacke, in comparison of you who haue so fresh & so fair an hew. Now I confesse that I am indeed black, but yet notwithstanding, I haue a faire and pleasaunt beuty, which you see not. For as, if you behold me outwardlie, I am as black & as tanned, as if I had been brought vp vnder the skinnes and Cabbins of these Moores and Arabians: so if you consider of my beuty through this blacknes, there is no pauillion or tente of Salomon that rich & mightie king so faire, and so glittering as my selfe. Afterward she addeth, that this tanned hew of hers is not natural, but that it hath happened vnto her, as vnto a yong maiden driuen by her naughty and wicked brethren out of her fathers house, where shee should haue liued and continued at her ease, driuen I say, far and wide, and made to endure abroad the parching of the Sunne and other iniuries of the weather. Now for the vnderstanding of this speech which is altogither allegorical, as also this whole Canticle or Song, wee must first of al note, that whereas ordinarilie by the colour of black is vnderstoode euerie sad and vnpleasant thing, as contrariwise by white ioy and pleasure is signified: notwithstanding by blacknes in this place, which the spouse confesseth to bee in her, is not meant our natural foulnes & blacknes, which is indeed more then filthy & detestable, in which this spouse was found at the