A12167:1118
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.
But for a more full answer, in […] of feeling of the love of Christ in regard of that measure we would (for there is never altogether a ⟨p. 452⟩want of feeling) there is so much as keeps from despair alway, yet if we carry a constant love towards him, mourn to him and seek after him as the Church here: if the desire of our souls be after him, that we make after him in the use of means, and are willing to speak of him, as the Church here, feel or feel not we are his, and he will at length discover himself to us.
But for a more full answer, in 〈…〉 of feeling of the love of Christ in regard of that measure we would (for there is never altogether a ⟨p. 452⟩want of feeling) there is so much as keepes from despaire alway, yet if we carry a constant love towards him, mourne to him and seeke after him as the Church here: if the desire of our soules be after him, that we make after him in the use of meanes, and are willing to speake of him, as the Church here, feele or feele not we are his, and he will at length discover himselfe to us.
Let such drooping spirits consider, that as he will not be long from us, nor wholly: so it shall not be for our disadvantage that he retires at all, his absence at length will end in a sweet discovery of himself more abundantly then before,1 he absents himself for our good, to make us more humble and watchful for the time to come, more pitiful to others, more to prize our former condition, to justify the ways of God more strictly, to walk with him, to regain that sweet communion which by our negligence and security we lost, when we are thus prepared by his absence, there ensues a more satisfying discovery of himself then ever before.