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

3 I say the same touching the whole estate of the house of the bridegroom, namely, that by these same Apostles he hath fully set up & appointed both the vocations & charges thereto belonging, as also the exercise of them in that which concerneth the substance of the government of his family: in such sort that it is more lawful to change, diminish, or ad any thing in these vocations then in the doctrine, the application & execution only of the said charges and vocations, being only left free, according unto the circumstance of places, times & persons, which cannot be ordered always after one fashion, because of the necessary diversity of them. So did Moses order himself as a faithful servant in the house of God, having done nothing but according to the pattern which he had seen in the mount, Heb. 3.2. & 8.5. In which afterward nothing was changed or taken away by the true Prophets, but when it pleased god to erect his temple, & to set up the whole building & ordering of the ecclesiastical charges thereof: which was ordained by the Lord by the mouth of David & effected by Solomon, & yet this estate was not to endure, but until the coming of the Lord & master of the house, Heb. 3.6. who afterward by his holy spirit led his Apostles into all truth, Joh. 16.7. who withhold & hid nothing thereof, but have declared and opened all the counsel of God, Act. 20.27. ⟨p. 364⟩yea left in writing to continue unto the end and consummation of the world. Whereupon it followeth, that that which is customarily, and commonly alleged, to wit, that the master holdeth it for done, which is done by his workmen, cannot have any place in this matter, I mean, neither in the doctrine, nor in the general, and fundamental estate of the house of God, to attribute thereby unto the successors of the Apostles, any power and authority, of changing, adding unto, or diminishing any thing, either in the one, or in the other. The reason is, because the Apostles have left nothing to be set up by their successors, but have themselves taught and established all things, having left nothing to the Pastors, Doctors, Elders, Deacons, but to govern them-selves, and their flocks, according unto this rule and foundation,