A12167:1053
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.
From the first question, what is thy beloved, here is a second (upon better information) Whither is thy beloved gone, that we may seek him with thee. Nothing is less then grace at the first, nothing in the world so little in proportion The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a grain of mustard-seed,1 that is, the work of grace in the heart, as well as in the preaching of the Gospel, in the beginning is little. It is true of the work of grace, as well as of the word of grace, that is like a grain of Mustard-seed at first, what is thy beloved enquires the Church at first, but when she hears of the excellency of Christ; then whither is thy beloved gone. Grace begets grace, there is a connection and knitting together in Religion, good things beget good things: it is a strange thing in Religion, how great a matter ariseth of a little beginning. The woman of Samaria had but a small beginning of grace, and yet she presently drew many of her neighbours to believe in Christ. So Andrew, John 1. As soon as he was converted he find• his brother ⟨p. 423⟩Simon and tells him that he had found the Messiah, and so brings him to Christ, and Philip as soon as he had got a spark of Faith himself, he draws also Nathaniel to come to Christ. Paul speaks of his bonds,2 how the noise of them was in Caesars Court, and many believed the very report, which howsoever it is not a working cause, yet it may be a preparing, inducing, leading cause to such things from one thing to another, till there follow this change and full conversion.3 You see here the daugh•••s of Jerusalem growing, Therefore let us labour to be under good means. Some of the Romists and others which are ill affected and grounded in that point, they think that the efficacy of grace is, as we call it from the congruity, fitness, and proportion of the means to the heart and will of man, and thereupon God converts one and not another, because there is a congruous and fit offering of means to him, when he is fitly disposed, and another is not fitly disposed, therefore there follows not upon it effectual calling, so that the virtue of the means offered depends upon suitableness and fitness in the party to whom the means are offered, and not upon the power and blessing of God, verily this is plausible, and goes down very roundly with many weak persons: