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

3 She speaketh unto the daughters of Zion, that is to say, unto them whom God hath vouchsafed this favour to send unto them the message of salvation, whether they receive it as they ought, to become as it were members of this spouse who calleth them, which is the assembly and mystical body of the believing: or whether they make themselves unworthy of the grace which God offereth them. This is signified unto us in the parable of the banquet, Luk. 14.14. in which we must note that which is there said that all they who were invited began with one accord to excuse themselves, though they took diverse excuses, to show us that there is also aswell a false Catholic Church, that is to say a Church general agreeing in that which is ill, though they be divided in opinions, as there is one true and only Catholic Church, hearkening unto with one accord this only & true bridegroom. And this is the cause why I said before that there are two sorts of daughters of Zion, so called because the terrestrial Jerusalem was the mother City of the people of God. The one sort therefore were as it were the waiting gentle-women of this spouse, to enter in after her by order, and together ⟨p. 389⟩in company unto the marriage banquet, as it is said, Ps. 45.15. The other were in the church but not of the church, & being there as it were only to behold what was done there, or otherwise to do their own business, of which sort I would to God we saw not so many of the like examples amongest us.

3 She speaketh vnto the daughters of Syon, that is to say, vnto them whom God hath vouchsafed this fauour to send vnto thē the message of saluatiō, whether they receiue it as they ought, to become as it were members of this spouse who calleth thē, which is the assembly and mysticall bodie of the beleeuing: or whether they make themselues vnworthy of the grace which God offereth thē. This is signified vnto vs in the parable of the bāquet, Luk. 14.14. in which we must note that which is there said that all they who were inuited began with one accord to excuse themselues, though they tooke diuerse excuses, to shew vs that there is also aswell a false Catholique Church, that is to say a Church generall agreeing in that which is ill, though they be diuided in opinions, as there is one true and only Catholike Church, hearkening vnto with one accord this only & true bridegrome. And this is the cause why I saide before that there are two sortes of daughters of Syon, so called because the terrestriall Ierusalem was the mother Cittie of the people of God. The one sort therefore were as it were the waiting gentle-women of this spouse, to enter in after her by order, and together