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

2 And therefore our duty is well and narrowly to consider the answer made unto the spouse by him himself, who alone, to speak properly, speaketh in verity & truth, seeing it is he who is truth it self, and who never forsaketh those who are his in their need. After a preface therefore first made, to encourage and to comfort her, calling her the fairest among women, he answereth his spouse in this sense, It is true indeed that thou art a poor wandering stray, and therefore black and sun-burnt, but yet thou leavest not for all that to be fair and beautiful in mine eye, yea adorned with such a beauty as none besides thy self can vaunt and boast of. This is the very stile which the Lord himself useth by his Prophets, adding always a consolation and comfort after his threats and judgements, as is expressly spoken and in the same sense by the Prophet Isaiah saying, Come my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut the doors after thee, and hide thy self a little while until my anger be passed over. Isaiah 26.20. the Church having said before unto him in the eight verse, ô Eternal we wait for thee in the way of thy judgements. Now the foundation of this comfort and consolation consisteth in two points: both of them grounded upon the singular mercy of God. The first is, that the Lord never suffereth the ground Articles and points of true religion to be abolished in his Church, though they be in divers sorts both within and without disguised and bastardized: and that sometimes this truth remain but among a few, as we see it came to pass in Israel in the time of Elijah, in Judah in the time of the captivity of Babylon, in Jerusalem it self then when the Lord came in person. The other point is, that the Lord considereth not his Church simply according unto his graces and blessings which shine in her, which are sometimes most dark and obscure in the eyes of men, but respecteth her always in the truth of his covenant, and in him in whom she is indeed not only without spot or wrinkle, Coloss. 1.22. but which is more, clothed with ⟨p. 143⟩the perfect righteousness of the reconciler, Phil. 3.9.

2 And therefore our duty is wel and narrowly to consider the aunswere made vnto the spouse by him himselfe, who alone, to speake properly, speaketh in verity & truth, seeing it is he who is truth it selfe, and who neuer forsaketh those who are his in their neede. After a preface therefore first made, to encourage and to comfort her, calling her the fayrest among women, hee aunswereth his spouse in this sense, It is true indeede that thou art a poore wandring stray, and therefore black and sunne-burnt, but yet thou leauest not for all that to be fayr and beutifull in mine eye, yea adorned with such a beuty as none besides thy selfe can vaunt and boast of. This is the verie stile which the Lord himself vseth by his Prophets, adding alwaies a consolation and comfort after his threats and iudgementes, as is expreslie spoken and in the same sense by the Prophet Esaie saying, Come my people, enter into thy chambers, and shutte the doores after thee, and hide thy selfe a little while vntil my anger bee passed ouer. Esay 26.20. the Church hauing said before vnto him in the eight verse, ô Eternal we wait for thee in the way of thy iudgementes. Nowe the foundation of this comfort and consolation consisteth in two pointes: both of them grounded vpon the singular mercie of God. The first is, that the Lord neuer suffereth the ground Articles and points of true religion to be abolished in his Church, though they be in diuers sorts both within and without disguised and bastardized: and that sometimes this truth remaine but among a few, as we see it came to passe in Israel in the time of Elias, in Iuda in the time of the captiuity of Babylon, in Ierusalem it selfe then when the Lord came in person. The other point is, that the Lord considereth not his Church simply according vnto his graces and blessings which shine in her, which are sometimes most darke and obscure in the eies of men, but respecteth her alwaies in the truth of his couenant, and in him in whom shee is indeede not onely without spot or wrinckle,