A12167:1172
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.
Indeed there is reason for this exhortation, for all earthly things, they are all vain and empty things, there is an emptiness in whatsoever is in the world (save Christ) therefore we should not set our affections too much upon them; A man cannot be wise in loving any thing but Christ, and what he loves for Christ. Therefore let us follow that counsel, to draw our selves from our former company, acquaintance, pleasures, delights, and vanities, we ⟨p. 476⟩cannot bestow our love and our affections better then upon Christ. It is a happiness, that we have such affections, as joy, delight and love planted in us by God, and what a happiness is it, that we should have such an excellent object to fill those affections, yea to transcend and more then satisfy them. Therefore the Apostle wisheth that they might know all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ, there is a height,1 breadth, length, and depth of the love of God.
Indeed there is reason for this exhortation, for all earthly things, they are all vaine and empty things, there is an emptinesse in whatsoever is in the world (save Christ) therefore we should not set our affections too much upon them; A man cannot be wise in loving any thing but Christ, and what he loves for Christ. Therefore let us follow that counsell, to draw our selves from our former company, acquaintance, pleasures, delights, and vanities, wee ⟨p. 476⟩cannot bestow our love and our affections better then upon Christ. It is a happinesse, that we have such affections, as joy, delight and love planted in us by God, and what a happinesse is it, that wee should have such an excellent object to fill those affections, yea to transcend and more then satisfie them. Therefore the Apostle wisheth that they might know all the demensions of Gods love in Christ, there is a height,1 breadth, length, and depth of the love of God.