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

I let pass so many superstitions, at which, a man may presuppose that Satan himself laugheth. All this notwithstanding, if a man will believe our adversaries, behold the beauty of the Christian Church: yea verily, if a shameless thing, painted and diapered by her lovers, may be this chaste and modest spouse of Jesus Christ, which hath neither within her nor upon her any thing save that which it hath pleased her Bridegroom to give her, & which contenteth herself altogether with the garments, which the true and faithful workmen of the Lord, I mean his Apostles, have cut forth and fitted for her. The more then the Church is decked after the Apostolic fashion, the more fair she is, whatsoever the minions and bawds of the false painted Church say to the contrary. And if the poor ancient Church brought in here by the holy ghost, hath had just occasion of complaining, that she was as it were disfigured by them, either which plucked from her the ⟨p. 82⟩outward ornaments she received of her Bridegroom, or which loaded and disguised her with profane trimmings & tifflings up of her, which darkened and obscured her shining beauty, according as the Prophets in many places speak thereof: alas upon how much more just occasion, may and ought the Christian Church to complain of them, who under colour that they would deck and trim her, and make her more fair and beautiful then her spouse had made her, have arrayed her so ill? And so hath she indeed already made her complaint hereof unto her Bridegroom, who hath begun in our time to hear her, and hath put it into the minds of good Christian Princes and Magistrates to disburden her of those stinking and defiled gauds to restore her unto her native beauty▪ in which thing, God of his goodness inspire them farther, and guide them with his favour more and more, to the end that we may soon see the accomplishment of that which hath been hereof foretold, Apocal. 21. It remaineth we now speak of the second kind of blackness, proceeding as hath been said from the afflictions and incommodities which concern the state of this present life. This blackness happeneth unto the Church, according unto the providence of God for diverse reasons:

I let passe so many superstitions, at which, a man may presuppose that Sathan himselfe laugheth. All this notwithstanding, if a man wil beleeue our aduersaries, behold the beutie of the Christian Church: yea verily, if a shamelesse thing, painted and diapred by her louers, may be this chast and modest spouse of Iesus Christ, which hath neither within her nor vpon her any thing saue that which it hath pleased hir Bridegrome to giue hir, & which cōtenteth hirselfe altogither with the garmentes, which the true and faithful woorkmen of the Lorde, I meane his Apostles, haue cut forth and fitted for her. The more then the Church is decked after the Apostolicke fashion, the more faire shee is, whatsoeuer the minians and bawdes of the false painted Church say to the contrary. And if the poore auncient Church brought in here by the holy ghost, hath had iust occasion of complaining, that shee was as it were disfigured by them, either which plucked from her the