A12167:1102
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.
The words themselves are a passionate expression of long looked for consolation. Affections have eloquence of their own beyond words fear hath a proper expression, love vents it self ⟨p. 443⟩in broken words, & sighs, delighting in a peculiar eloquence suitable to the height and pitch of the affection, that no words can reach unto, so that here is more in the words breathed from such an inflamed heart the• in ordinary construction can be picked out (I am my Beloveds, &c) coming from a full and large heart, expressing the union and communion between Christ & the Church (especially after a desertion) I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine.1
The words themselves are a passionate expression of long lookt for consolation. Affections have eloquence of their own beyond words feare hath a proper expression, love vents it selfe ⟨p. 443⟩in broken words, & sighs, delighting in a peculiar eloquence suitable to the height and pitch of the affection, that no words can reach unto, so that here is more in the words breath'd from such an inflamed heart the• in ordinary construction can bee pickt out (I am my Bel•veds, &c) comming from a full and large heart, expressing the union and communion between Christ & the Church (especially after a desertion) I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine.1
- 1That there must be union of persons, before union and communion of graces with Christ.
First, (I say) the union, viz. the union of persons which is before all comfort and communion of graces, I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine, Christs person is ours, and our persons are his: for as it is in marriage, if the person of the husband be not the wives, his goods are not hers, nor his titles of honour; for these come all to her, because his person is hers, he having passed over the right of his own body and of his person to his wife, as she hath passed over all the right of her self to her husband so it is in this mystical marriage that that entitles us to communion of graces is union of persons between Christ and his Church, I am my Beloveds and my Beloved himself is mine; And indeed nothing else will content a Christians heart, he would not care so much for Heaven it self, if he had not Christ there the Sacrament, Word, and Comforts why doth he esteem them, as they come from Christ and as they lead to Christ, it is but an adulterous and base affection to love any thing severed from Christ.