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

5 To come now unto the speech of our spouse, knowing this, she desireth both hands, that is to say the power and virtue of her Bridegroom to make that wine and those Apples profitable to her, and by this means to cause her spirits to come again unto her. Secondly she therefore desireth this, because she knoweth ⟨p. 235⟩that if the second grace accompany not the first, and the third the second, and so on unto the end, nothing would be perfected and effected in us, and we would incontinently vomit up again the meat and drink we received, with how good an appetite so ever we first savoured and ate it: and so our latter estate and condition should be worse then the first, and from sounding we should fall into an utter fainting and giving up the ghost. And therefore if we will be this true Church, there is no thinking of our selves proper and able men straight way, when we have received a little, and so content our selves with that measure of faith we have, though we had an hundred thousand times more then we have: but we must have a perpetual appetite, desiring that which we have already, to the end it may be still continued & increased in us: craving of God new strength, and that it would please him not to lead us into tentation: but continue to sustain and hold up with one hand our weak and heavy head, & embracing with the other hand our hart and our will altogether fainting and languishing, nay for the most part of time, rebelling against him: to the end that being fortified in all the faculties and actions of the body and soul, and so strengthened throughly in body and soul, we may end our course happily and receive the crown which he hath prepared for us.

5 To come now vnto the speach of our spouse, knowing this, she desireth both hands, that is to saie the power and vertue of her Bridegroom to make that wine and those Apples profitable to her, and by this meanes to cause her spirits to come againe vnto her. Secondlie shee therefore desireth this, because shee knoweth ⟨p. 235⟩that if the second grace accompanie not the first, and the third the second, and so on vnto the end, nothing would bee perfected and effected in vs, and we would incontinentlie vomit vp againe the meate and drinke wee receiued, with how good an appetite so euer wee first sauoured and ate it: and so our latter estate and condition should bee worse then the first, and from sounding wee should fall into an vtter fainting and giuing vp the ghost. And therefore if we wil be this true Church, there is no thinking of our selues proper and able men straight way, when we haue receiued a little, and so content our selues with that measure of faith we haue, though we had an hūdred thousand times more then wee haue: but we must haue a perpetual appetite, desiring that which wee haue alreadie, to the end it may be stil continued & encreased in vs: crauing of God new strength, and that it would please him not to lead vs into tentation: but continue to sustaine and hold vp with one hand our weake and heauie head, & embracing with the other hand our hart and our wil altogither fainting and languishing, naie for the most part of time, rebelling against him: to the end that beeing fortified in all the faculties and actions of the bodie and soule, and so strengthened throughlie in bodie and soule, wee may end our course happilie and receiue the crowne which he hath prepared for vs.