A12167:1060
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 to see them carried with a spirit of confidence,§3 as if they were well enough advised ⟨p. 426⟩when they deliver this (this is my Beloved) in particular, and then to shut up all in general, This is my beloved, and this is my friend: I say, when there is grace and life in the heart, and earnestness with confidence: this together with the explication of the heavenly excellencies of Christ, and of Religion, it hath admirable success, as here in the Church, the fairest among women, the daughters of Jerusalem, seeing the Church was so earnest, confident and so large in the explication of the excellencies of Christ, see how it works, it draws out this Question with resolution, they join with the Church in seeking Christ. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whether is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with thee? Where by the way observe, as the Church before doubles it, this is my beloved, and this is my friend: so they answer with a double question, whether is thy beloved gone, 1whether is he turned aside, O thou fairest among women, &c. from this appellation note, If we would be happy instruments to convert others, being converted our selves,2 labour to be such as the world may think• to be good and gracious: O thou fairest among women. Fair in the robes of Christ took out of his wardrobe, all the beauty and ornaments that the Church hath, she hath from Christ, let us labour to be such as the world may conceit are good persons. We say of Physicians, when the patient hath a good conceit of them the cure is ⟨p. 427⟩half wrought: So the Doctrine is half persuaded, when there is a good conceit of the speaker.
And to see them carried with a spirit of confidence,§3 as if they were well enough advised ⟨p. 426⟩