A12167:1112
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.
Again,1 these words, I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine, imply a mutual care that Christ and the soul have one of the good of another, of each others honour and reputation, as Christ hath a care of our good; so a Christian soul (if it can say with truth and sincerity I am Christs) it must needs have care of Christs good,2 of his children, Religion and Truth. What? will such a soul say, shall Christ care for my body, soul and salvation, and stoop to come from Heaven to save me, and shall I have no care for him and his glory? he hath left his truth and his Church behind him, ⟨p. 449⟩and shall not I defend his truth and stand for the poor Church to the utmost of my power against all contrary power? shall not J stand for Religion? shall it be all one to me, what opinions are held? shall I pretend he cares for me, and shall I not care for that I should care for; Is it not an honour to me that he hath trusted me to care for any thing that he will be honoured by my care, Beloved it is an honour for us that we may speak a good word for Religion, for Christs cause, for his Church against maligners and opposers, and we shall know one day that Christ will be a rewarder of every good word: where this is said in sincerity, that Christ is mine and I am Christs, there will be this mutual care.
Againe,1 these words, I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine, imply a mutuall care that Christ and the soule have one of the good of another, of each others honour and reputation, as Christ hath a care of our good; so a Christian soule (if it can say with truth and sincerity I am Christs) it must needs have care of Christs good,2 of his children, Religion and Truth. What? will such a soule say, shall Christ care for my body, soule and salvation, and stoope to come from Heaven to save me, and shall I have no care for him and his glory? hee hath left his truth and his Church behind him, ⟨p. 449⟩