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

8 Every faithful soul therefore in the person of the spouse (by whom is understood all the company of the faithful,) being yet here below, having received the power to will & to do, is here invited to show himself, & to speak unto his Bridegroom, that is to say, to make the effects of his grace, which he hath received of his regenerator, to appear both within & without. This is that which was figured under the Law, by that commandment of God, that every male child should present himself before the Lord thrice a year at the least in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple; as if God, who is every where and seeth all, had said unto them, you are dispersed here and there throughout the country and in your synagogues, & therefore are as it were absent from me, who have chosen this place, as it were for mine house and habitation. Now I would see you and hear you, and therefore you shall come and visit me and do me homage thrice a year, to the end that you may rejoice in my presence, and I with you. And whom would not the consideration of such kindness and bounty ravish & astonish, & cause him to say, O Lord, thou art not contented to have shown me so great favour, unto me I say altogether unworthy thereof, nay worthy of thy curse and malediction: but which more is, knowing my heaviness and laziness, and that if by adding grace upon grace, thou shouldest not form in me a desire and power to be thankful unto thee therefore, and to honour thee, I would continue grovelling still on the ground & bury the memory of thy benefits, thou prickest me forward, ⟨p. 284⟩and invitest me to present my self before thee, and to cause thee to see by effect what thou hast wrought in me, vouchsafing of a third grace of thine, to like and accept of my works, considering them not as they come from me, who am yet soiled with sin, but inasmuch as thou acknowledgest in me thy work and new creation. That then which the Bridegroom saith in this place is the same which is said, Psal. 50.23. And in deed, as David saith, Psal, 116.12. What can we render unto the Lord for so great benefits of his, but this reknowledgement, presenting our selves before his face with the confession of the mouth, speaking of the abundance of the heart?

8 Euery faithful soule therefore in the person of the spouse (by whom is vnderstood al the company of the faithfull,) beeing yet here belowe, hauing receiued the power to will & to do, is heere inuited to shew himselfe, & to speake vnto his Bridegroome, that is to say, to make the effects of his grace, which hee hath receiued of his regenerator, to appear both within & without. This is that which was figured vnder the Lawe, by that commaundement of God, that euery male childe should present himselfe before the Lord thrise a year at the least in the tabernacle, and afterwarde in the temple; as if God, who is euerie where and seeth all, had said vnto them, you are dispersed here and there throughout the country and in your synagogues, & therefore are as it were absent from me, who haue chosen this place, as it were for mine house and habitation. Now I would see you and heare you, and therefore you shall come and visit me and doe me homage thrise a year, to the end that you may reioice in my presence, and I with you. And whom would not the consideration of such kindnesse and bounty rauish & astonish, & cause him to say, O Lord, thou art not contēted to haue shewen me so great fauor, vnto me I say altogether vnworthy thereof, nay worthy of thy curse and malediction: but which more is, knowing my heauinesse and lazinesse, and that if by adding grace vpon grace, thou shouldest not forme in mee a desire and power to be thankfull vnto thee therefore, and to honour thee, I would continue groueling stil on the ground & burie the memorie of thy benefits, thou prickest mee forward,