A12167:1180
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.
Christ doth not match with you,1 because you are good, but to make you good, Christ takes you not with any dowry, all that he requires is to confess your beggary and to come with emptiness. He takes us not because we are clean, but because he will purge us, he takes us in our blood when he first takes us,2 Let none despair either for want of worth or of strength,3 Christ seeth that for strength we are dead, and for worth, we are enemies, but he gives us both spiritual strength and worth, takes us near to himself and enricheth us. Let none therefore be discouraged, it is our office, thus to lay open and offer the riches of Christ, if you will not come in, but love your sinful courses more then Christ, then you perish in your blood, and we free our hands, and may free our souls from the guilt thereof, therefore as you love your ⟨p. 480⟩own souls, come in at length and stand out no longer.
Christ doth not match with you,1 because you are good, but to make you good, Christ takes you not with any dowry, all that hee requires is to confesse your beggery and to come with emptinesse. He takes us not because we are cleane, but because he wil purge us, he takes us in our bloud when hee first takes us,