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

3 It remaineth we speak of his office of mediatorship, whereupon we ought generally to note, that the son of god being come in flesh, to purchase this spouse by the blood of himself, he is so jealous of her, that he can never be brought to quit any one point of this amity and love of his to an other, nay he hath often taken her again unto him, how lewdly soever she had behaved her self, Jerem. 3.1. The better to understand this, and that in the quality of his mediatorship, and of that which he hath done for his spouse, he hath no companion, we will, as the author of the epistle to the Hebrews doth▪ refer the whole unto three points, namely to his dignity Royal, his state Prophetical, & his Priesthood: in respect of which three points we may and ought truly to say, that he hath, to speak properly, no companion, albeit he hath as it were his officers and servants, with whom in certain points and after a certain sort he serveth himself. In which thing many very great and pernicious abuses are committed, as we will by gods help afterwards declare. Jesus Christ therefore is only king, not only in that he is creator and governor of the world in sovereign degree with God his father & with the holy ghost: ⟨p. 115⟩but specially King of a Kingdom, which is not of this world, concerning the conscience, being spiritual and eternal, in such sort, that unto him alone it appertaineth, to command and to forbid, Joh. 13.13. to judge and to absolve, 1. Cor. 5.4. having the keys to open and to shut, Apocalypse 3.7. So that neither hath it been, nor is, nor may be lawful at any time for any besides, no, not for the Angels themselves, to make a Law to bind the conscience, nor to establish, in any point concerning the substance thereof, the government of the Church. The reason hereof is most just, and most evident. Most just, because sith this government surpasseth the order it self and nature of this world, there is none capable thereof but he which is true God, and together also man endowed with a wisdom and power surpassing even that of the Angels. Most evident also, because that if it be forbidden to add to, or diminish any thing from the commandments of this Law-giver, Deutr. 4.2. and 12.32. much more is it inhibited to make new ordinances. And therefore it is said by Isaiah, Who required these things at your hands? Isaiah.