A12167:1036
Bowels Opened
Bowels opened, or, A discovery of the near and deer love, union and communion betwixt Christ and the Church, and consequently betwixt Him and every believing soul Delivered in divers sermons on the fourth fifth and sixth chapters of the Canticles. By that reverend and faithful minister of the Word, Doctor Sibs, late preacher unto the honourable society of Gray's Inn, and Master of Katharine Hall in Cambridge. Being in part finished by his own pen in his life time, and the rest of them perused and corrected by those whom he entrusted with the publishing of his works.Bovvels opened, or, A discovery of the neere and deere love, union and communion betwixt Christ and the Church, and consequently betwixt Him and every beleeving soule Delivered in divers sermons on the fourth fifth and sixt chapters of the Canticles. By that reverend and faithfull minister of the Word, Doctor Sibs, late preacher unto the honourable societie of Grayes Inne, and Master of Katharine Hall in Cambridge. Being in part finished by his owne pen in his life time, and the rest of them perused and corrected by those whom he intrusted with the publishing of his works.
London: printed by George for George Edwards, 1639
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And next in the fourth place, the Church is thus large and shuts up all with a repetition,1 this is my beloved, To enlarge her own affections and to feed her own love. For love feeds upon this fuel (as it were) upon expressions and meditations of the person or thing loved.2 Love is as it were wages of it self, the pains it takes is gain to it self, to the Church here it is an argument pleasing, she dilates upon a copious Theme. I may truly say there is no greater comfort to a Christian, nor a readier way to enlarge the affections after Christ, then to speak oft of the excellencies of Christ, to have his tongue as the pen of a ready writer furnished this way,3 this is my beloved, &c.
And next in the fourth place, the Church is thus large and shuts up all with a repetition,1 this is my beloved, To inlarge her owne affections and to feed her owne love. For love feedes upon this fuell (as it were) upon expressions and meditations of the person or thing loved.2 Love is as it were wages of it selfe, the paines it takes is gaine to it selfe, to the Church here it is an argument pleasing, she dilates upon a copious Theame. I may truly say there is no greater comfort to a Christian, nor a readier way to inlarge the affections after Christ, then to speake oft of the excelleccies of Christ, to have his tongue as the pen of a ready writer furnished this way,3 this is my beloved, &c.
- 1To enlarge her own affections.To enlarge her owne affections.
- 2That love is wages to itselfThat love is wages to itselfe