A12167:1040
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.
Let us then oft think of the excellencies of Christ for this end, to justify our endeavours and pains we take in the exercises of religion ⟨p. 417⟩and to justify Gods people from the false imputations of the world, that they lay upon them, as if they were negligent in other matters, and were too much busied in spiritual things. You see how large the Church is in setting out the excellencies of her beloved, & then she shuts up all (being able to say no more) justifying our cause, This is my beloved, and this is my friend. Do you wonder that I seek so much after him then: or wonder you at Christians, when they take such pains to keep their communion with Christ in a holy walking with, and depending upon God. These are no wonders, if you consider how excellent Christ is, what he hath done for us, and what he keeps for us in another world, that he will preserve us to his heavenly kingdom, till he put us into possession of that glorious condition that he hath purchased. Le the hearts of men dwell upon the consideration of these things, and then you shall see that Gods children are rather to be blamed that they are no more careful, watchful, and industrious, then to be taxed that they are so much. Our Saviour Christ said, Mat. 11. 19.1 Wisdom is justified of all her children. If you will make good that you are children of wisdom, you must be able to justify the wisdom of God every way, to justify your reading, hearing, your communion of Saints, to justify all the exercises of Religion from an experimental taste and sweetness of them, (as the Church doth here this is my beloved) ⟨p. 418⟩What says Joshua, this choice J have made, do you what you will it matters me not,2 but I and my house will serve the Lord. So Paul makes a voluntary profession of his affection, Rom. 1. 2. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, let the Gospel be entertained in the world as it will, and let others think of me as they will, that I am forward in the preaching of it, I am not ashamed of it, and good reason he had not to be ashamed, for it is the power of God to salvation to all that believe, yea the saving power to us, and have not I cause to stand in the defence of it, and so he saith the