A12167:1189
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.
Therefore we are now to go out by the footsteps of the flock. Mark the footsteps of former Christians, Abraham, Atoses, and David, and in Christs time, of John, Peter, and the rest, blessed Saints, walk as they walked, go their way, and feed your selves by the shepherds tents: mark the shepherds where they have their tents. So these words have reference to the Prophetical, especially to the Evangelical times, whereunto we must conform ourselves, for the latter times are Apostate times, after a certain season the Church kept not her purity, which the Scriptures foretold directly, that we should not take scandal at it, the Church did fall to a kind of admiration of Antichrist, and embraced doctrines of devils;1 therefore now we must not follow these companies that lead into by paths, contrary to the Apostolical ways, but see wherein our Church agrees with the Apostolical ⟨p. 485⟩Churches and truth, and embrace no truth for the food of our souls, but that we find in the Gospel. For Antichrist feeds his flocks with wind, and with poison, and with empty things. For what hath been the food in Popery? sweet and goodly titles, as if they poor souls had the best Pastors in the world, when as they administer to them nothing but that which will be the bane of their souls, full of poison and fraud. This is spoken to unfold that place which gives light to this, spoken off the pastoral care of Christ, he feeds his flock among the Lilies, plentifully and sweetly. From hence may be briefly observed, first,
Therefore we are now to goe out by the footsteps of the flock. Marke the footsteps of former Christians, Abraham, Atoses, and David, and in Christs time, of Iohn, Peter, and the rest, blessed Saints, walke as they walked, goe their way, and feed your selves by the shepheards tents: marke the shepheards where they have their tents. So these words have reference to the Propheticall, especially to the Evangelicall times, whereunto we must conforme ourselves, for the latter times are Apostate times, after a certaine season the Church kept not her purity, which the Scriptures foretold directly, that we should not take scandall at it, the Church did fall to a kind of admiration of Antichrist, and embraced doctrines of divels;1 therefore now we must not follow these companies that lead into by paths, contrary to the Apostolicall wayes, but see wherein our Church agrees with the Apostolicall