A12167:136
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.
It doth not content the Church, 1to have a kind of spiritual presence of Christ; but, It is carried from desire to desire, till the whole desire be accomplished. For, as their are gradual presences of Christ, so their are suitable desires in the Church which rise by degrees. Christ was present 1 by his gracious Spirit. And then 2 more graciously present in his Incarnation, the sweetest time that ever the Church had from the beginning of the world until then. It being the desire of nations: for the description of those who lived before his coming, is from, the waiting for the consolation of Israel, that is, for the first coming of Christ. And then there is a third and more glorious presence of Christ, that all of us wait for, whereby we are described to be such, as wait for the coming of Christ: for the ⟨p. 40⟩soul of a Christian is never satisfied until it enjoy the highest desire of Christs presence, which the Church knew well enough must follow in time. Therefore she especially desires this spiritual presence, in a larger and fuller measure, which she in some measure already had. So then, Christ is graciously present in his Church, by his holy Spirit.2 I will be with you (saith he) unto the end of the world. It is his promise, when I am gone my self; I will not leave you comfortless, but leave with you my Vicar-General; 3(the Holy Spirit the Comforter) who shall be alway with you. But
It doth not content the Church, 1to have a kinde of spirituall presence of Christ; but, It is carried from desire to desire, till the whole desire be accomplished. For, as their are graduall presences of Christ, so their are sutable desires in the Church which rise by degrees. Christ was present 1 by his gracious Spirit. And then 2 more gratiously present in his Incarnation, the sweetest time that ever the Church had from the beginning of the world untill then. It being the desire of nations: for the discription of those who lived before his comming, is from, the waiting for the consolation of Israel, that is, for the first comming of Christ. And then there is a third and more glorious presence of Christ, that all of us wait for, whereby we are described to be such, as waite for the comming of Christ: for the