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

This is then the comfort and consolation whereof mention is made in this place, and that which we must learn to answer them, who so impudently and shamelessly begin our churches, from those great personages the faithful servants of God, raised up of his great mercy and grace about seventy years ago, not to build a new Church, as they falsely call it, but to gather together the poor silly sheep which were strayed among the wolves, which the spouse calleth here false companions of Jesus Christ, as we have above expounded the same: the Bridegroom therefore passing farther, addeth If thou knowest it not, as if he said, is it possible my spouse that thou hast utterly forgotten that which thou askest of me, namely where my pasturing place is, and where I cause my sheep to rest in the heat of the noon day? Which he speaketh not so much unto the spouse in way of reproach or to grieve her or make her sad, as to awaken her and to make her bethink her self better: as if to warn him who seemeth to have little courage, we should give him to understand, that if he think well on himself, he is stronger then he takes himself to be. We see here therefore the inestimable and admirable goodness of God towards his Church, teaching us, that we must take heed of two contrary ⟨p. 145⟩extremes, namely that we presume not too much of our own forces as Saint Peter did who after found himself in very bad case thereby, and on the other side also that we consider well of the gifts we have received of God, that we make them profitable to our selves and others by our courageous usage of them, as the Apostle most diligently warneth his Disciple Timothy, 1. Tim. 4.14. whereas it falleth out often, that for want of courage, which we think is not so, we suffer that to fall away which we have received, making our selves in the end utterly unworthy thereof.

This is then the comfort and consolation whereof mention is made in this place, and that which we must learne to answere them, who so impudently and shameleslie begin our churches, from those great personages the faithful seruants of God, raysed vp of his great mercy and grace about seuentie yeares agoe, not to build a new Church, as they falsely cal it, but to gather togither the poore seelie sheepe which were strayed among the wolues, which the spouse calleth here false companions of Iesus Christ, as wee haue aboue expounded the same: the Bridegroome therefore passing farther, addeth If thou knowest it not, as if hee said, is it possible my spouse that thou hast vtterly forgotten that which thou askest of me, namely where my pasturing place is, and where I cause my sheep to rest in the heate of the noon day? Which he speaketh not so much vnto the spouse in way of reproch or to greeue her or make her sadde, as to awaken her and to make her bethink her selfe better: as if to warne him who seemeth to haue little courage, wee shoulde giue him to vnderstand, that if he think wel on himselfe, hee is stronger then he takes himselfe to be. Wee see here therefore the inestimable and admirable goodnesse of God towards his Church, teaching vs, that we must take heede of two contrary