A12167:1129
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 Christ being ours, God the Father and the Holy Spirit and all things else in the world, the rich promises are ours: for in Christ they are all made, and for him they shall be performed,1 for indeed he is the chief promise of all himself, and all are yea and amen in him. Can we want righteousness, while we have Christs Righteousness, is not his garment large enough for himself and us too? is not his obedience enough for us? shall we need to patch it up with our own righteousness? he is ours, therefore his obedience is ours.
And Christ being ours, God the Father and the Holy Spirit and all things else in the world, the rich promises are ours: for in Christ they are all made, and for him they shall be performed,1 for indeed he is the chiefe promise of all himselfe, and all are yea and amen in him. Can we want righteousnesse, while we have Christs Righteousnesse, is not his garment large enough for himselfe and us too? is not his obedience enough for us? shall we need to patch it up with our owne righteousnesse? he is ours, therefore his obedience is ours.
And this should be a ground likewise of contentation in our condition and state whatsoever,1 Christ himself is ours.2 In the dividing of all things, some men have wealth, honours, friends and greatness, but not Christ, nor the love of God in Christ; and therefore they have nothing in mercy: but a Christian he hath Christ himself, Christ is his by faith and by the Spirits witness, therefore what if he want those appendencies, the lesser things, he hath the main, what if he want a riveret, a stream, he hath the spring, the ocean, him in whom all things are, and shall he not be content. Put case a man be very covetous, yet God might satisfy him, what should anxious thoughts disquiet us. When we have such bills, such obligations from him who is faithfulness it self, when a Christian cannot say, honour favour, or great persons are his, yet he can say, he hath that that is worth all, more then all, Christ is his.