A12167:138
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.
To know this we shall not need to pull him from heaven,1 we may know it in the Word and Sacraments and in the Communion of Saints; 2for, these are the conveyances whereby he manifests himself, together with the work of his own gracious Spirit in us: for, as we need not take the Sun from Heaven to know whether or not it be up, or be day: which may be known by the light, heat, & fruitfulness of the creature, and as in the Spring, we need not look to the Heaven to see whether the Sun be come near us or not; for looking on the Earth we may see all green, fresh, lively strong and vigorous. So it is with the presence of Christ, we may know he is present, by that light which is in the soul, convincing us of better courses to be taken, of a spiritual life, to know heavenly things, and the difference of them from earthly and to set a price upon them. When there is together with light, a heat above nature. The ⟨p. 41⟩affections are kindled to love the belt things, and to joy in them.
To know this we shall not need to pull him from heaven,1 we may know it in the Word and Sacraments and in the Communion of Saints; 2for, these are the conveyances whereby he manifests himself, together with the work of his own gratious Spirit in us: for, as we need not take the Sunne from Heaven to know whether or not it be up, or be day: which may be knowne by the light, heate, & fruitfullnes of the creature, and as in the Spring, we need not looke to the Heaven to see whether the Sunne be come neere us or not; for looking on the Earth we may see all greene, fresh, lively strong and vigorous. So it is with the presence of Christ, we may know he is present, by that light which is in the soule, convincing us of better courses to be taken, of a spirituall life, to know heavenly things, and the difference of them from earthly and to set a price upon them. When there is together with light, a heate above nature. The ⟨p. 41⟩