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

6 She complaineth therefore that the sons of her mother, suffered her not to be maintained in the possession of her own vineyard where she might have been well brought up and preserved under covert, in her beauty. And if a man demand the question wherefore she called not rather them of whom she complaineth, sons of her father or her brethren, then sons of her mother; I answer, that this was therefore, because she meant by this means so to spare her mother and her half brethren, by a modesty very sitting and beseeming the person under which the true Church is here represented unto us, that notwithstanding she would not keep it silent, that her mother had forgotten herself, I mean this very same Church considered as it were in an other person, the mother of her, which here complaineth, to wit, inasmuch as she ordered and ruled herself well at the beginning, but after that she had brought forth this we here speak of unto the Lord, she was turned aside afterwards after strange gods in all manner of outrageous dissolution, as the Prophets so oft and in so many places upbraid her. She confesseth therefore that those of whom she complaineth, that is to say, the wicked governors and false pastors, are indeed issued and descended from her mother, but not in true and lawful wedlock, as is at large handled by Ezekiel in his 16. Chapter above alleged, and under the names of two sisters representing the two kingdoms of Israel and of Judah, Chapter 23. and by the other Prophets. This is then as much, as if she called ⟨p. 96⟩them in plain terms bastards, as in the Psalm 144.11. but that, as I said before, this manner of speaking is more mild and modest, which David also in the person of Christ useth, Psalm 69.8.

6 Shee complaineth therefore that the sonnes of her mother, suffered her not to bee maintained in the possession of her owne vineyard where shee might haue beene well brought vp and preserued vnder couert, in her bewty. And if a man demaund the question wherefore shee called not rather them of whom shee complaineth, sonnes of her father or her bretheren, then sonnes of her mother; I answere, that this was therefore, because she meant by this meanes so to spare her mother and her halfe brethren, by a modesty verie sitting and beseeming the person vnder which the true Church is here represented vnto vs, that notwithstanding shee would not keepe it silent, that her mother had forgotten herselfe, I mean this very same Church considered as it were in an other person, the mother of her, which here complaineth, to wit, in asmuch as she ordered and ruled herselfe well at the beginning, but after that shee had brought forth this we here speake of vnto the Lorde, shee was turned aside afterwardes after straunge gods in all manner of outragious dissolution, as the Prophets so oft and in so manie places vpbraide her. She confesseth therfore that those of whō shee complaineth, that is to say, the wicked gouernours and false pastours, are indeede issued and descended from her mother, but not in true and lawfull wedlocke, as is at large handled by Ezechiel in his 16. Chapter aboue alleadged, and vnder the names of two sisters representing the two kingdomes of Israell and of Iuda, Chapter 23. and by the other Prophetes. This is then as much, as if shee called