A12167:149
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.
My Sister, my Spouse.
The Church is the Daughter of a King, begotten of God,1 the Sister, and Spouse of a King, because she is the Sister, and Spouse of Christ, and the Mother of all that are spiritual Kings; the Church of Christ is every way Royal. Therefore, we are Kings, because we are Christians. Hence the Holy Ghost doth add here to Sister, Spouse: indeed taking the advantage of such Relations as are most comfortable to set out the excellent, and transcendent Relation, that is between Christ, and his Church, all other are not what they are termed so much as glasses to see better things. Riches, Beauty, Marriage, Nobility, &c. are scarce worthy of their names; these are but Titles, and empty things, though our base nature make great matters of them, yet the reality and substance of all these are in Heavenly things. True Riches, are the heavenly Graces, true Nobility is ⟨p. 47⟩to be borne of God, to be the Sister and Spouse of Christ, True pleasures are those of the Spirit, which endure for ever, and will stand by us, when all outward comforts will vanish.2 That mystical union and sweet communion is set down with such variety of expressions, to show, that whatsoever is scattered in the Creature severally, is in Him entirely. He is both a friend, and a Brother, a Head, and a Husband to us, therefore he takes the names of all, whence we may observe further,
The Church is the Daughter of a King, begotten of God,1 the Sister, and Spouse of a King, because she is the Sister, and Spouse of Christ, and the Mother of all that are spirituall Kings; the Church of Christ is every way Royall. Therefore, we are Kings, because we are Christians. Hence the Holy Ghost doth add heere to Sister, Spouse: indeed taking the advantage of such Relations as are most comfortable to set out the excellent, and transcendent Relation, that is betweene Christ, and his Church, all other are not what they are termed so much as glasses to see better things. Riches, Beautie, Mariage, Nobility, &c. are scarce worthy of their names; these are but Titles, and empty things, though our base nature make great matters of them, yet the reality and substance of all these are in Heavenly things. True Riches, are the heavenly Graces, true Nobility is