A12167:1188
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.
You have (to give light to this place) a phrase somewhat like this, where he follows the point more at large,1 Cant. 1. 7. the Church there prays to Christ. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon. Those that are coming up in the Church desire to know with whom they may join, and what truths they may embrace. Tell me where thou feedest and where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: that is in the greatest heat and storm of persecution, as at noon day the Sun is hottest: For why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of thy companions? that is, by those that are not true friends, that are false shepherds, why should I be drawn away by them? I desire to feed where thou feedest among thy sheep. Why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of those that are Emulators to thee? as Antichrist is to Christ: thus the Church puts forth to Christ, whereunto Christ replies, verse 8. If thou know not O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the Shepherds tents: that is, if thou know not, go thy way forth, get thee out of thy self, out of the world, out of thy former course, put thy self forward, stay not complaining, go on, put thy self to endeavour, go thy way forth, whither? in the footsteps of the ⟨p. 484⟩flocks, see the steps of Christians in the best times of the Church in former times, tread in the steps of those that lived in the best ages of the Church; feed thy kids, thy Christians, besides the Shepherds tents, the best shepherds; mark where the Apostles and Prophets fed their sheep, there feed thou, and mark the footsteps of the flock that have lived in the best times, for of all times since the Apostles and Prophets, we must follow those Virgin best times. All Churches are so far true Churches as they have Consanguinity with the Primitive, Apostolical and Prophetical Churches.
You have (to give light to this place) a phrase somewhat likethis, where he followes the point more at large,1 Cant. 1. 7