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

5 For example we may and ought to say that God hath at this day prepared us a goodly soft bed, and given us rest both here & in many other places, whether we respect that which is the principal, I mean, the purity of doctrine, & some kind of order in the Church together with the means of being instructed in learning and good letters, or whether we regard our civil liberty and freedom opposed to the miserable condition of a great part of the world besides. This is a goodly bed which God hath himself made us by little and little in this world, & which he hath curtained and kept close for us about these 60. years, notwithstanding the infinite resistances of our enemies to the contrary, which is as much as if he should have built his nest in the middest of the impetuous waves of the main Ocean. If hereupon every man fall asleep in his bed, and let the preachers preach what they list, they will care for nothing but for their temporal profits and commodities: briefly, if we make but an accessory or a by-work of that which should be the principal, what will come thereof in the end but this, that at length the principal will be clean neglected and forgotten? And this is the cause why God hath given us some small lashes with his rod, and namely the last year, to awaken us thereby: but who hath been the better by them? And therefore let us take heed he lay not down his rod and take up a whip, and in the end a bar of iron, not to awake, but to quell them who are so fast and so heavy asleep in time of their peace and quiet. Now if but to occupy our minds a little ⟨p. 313⟩in those commodities which the Lord granteth us, be a thing so dangerous, as it became to be to Solomon himself, what shall become of them who have settled their minds so far on them, as that they utterly forget the giver? What shall I say then unto you ye rich-misers, who either have inherited houses full of wealth, or whose labours God hath so plentifully blessed, to you I speak, who put your confidence in your riches and think on nothing else, but how to pinch and spare and scrape and scratch together, and never make any reckoning how or where to employ them well, you I say, who have no other god but your belly: in a word all you who have received such a largess of gods blessings, and think on nothing less then how to use them to his honour and glory.

5 For example we may and ought to say that God hath at this day prepared vs a goodly soft bed, and giuen vs rest both here & in many other places, whether we respect that which is the principall, I meane, the purity of doctrine, & some kind of order in the Church together with the meanes of being instructed in learning and good letters, or whether wee regard our ciuil liberty and freedome opposed to the miserable condition of a great part of the world besides. This is a goodly bed which God hath himselfe made vs by litle and litle in this world, & which he hath curtained and kept close for vs about these 60. years, notwithstāding the infinit resistāces of our enimies to the cōtrary, which is as much as if he should haue built his nest in the middest of the impetuous waues of the maine Ocean. If hereupon euerie man fall asleepe in his bed, and let the preachers preach what they list, they wil care for nothing but for their temporall profits and commodities: briefly, if we make but an accessarie or a by-woorke of that which should be the principall, what will come thereof in the end but this, that at length the principall will be cleane neglected and forgotten? And this is the cause why God hath giuen vs some smal lashes with his rod, and namely the last yeare, to awaken vs therby: but who hath beene the better by them? And therefore let vs take heed hee laie not downe his rod and take vp a whippe, and in the end a barre of iron, not to awake, but to quell them who are so fast and so heauie asleepe in time of their peace and quiet. Now if but to occupy our mindes a litle