A12167:154
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.
Again, another foundation of this Marriage between Christ and us, is Consent; he works us by his Spirit to yield to him, there must be consent on our part, which is not in us by nature, but wrought by his spirit, &c. We yield to take him upon his own terms; that is,1 that we shall leave our fathers house, all our former carnal acquaintance, when he hath wrought our consent, then ⟨p. 48⟩the marriage between him and us is struck up.
Againe, another foundation of this Marriage betweene Christ and us, is Consent; he workes us by his Spirit to yeeld to him, there must be consent on our part, which is not in us by nature, but wrought by his spirit, &c. We yeeld to take him upon his owne tearmes; that is,1 that we shall leave our fathers house, all our former carnall acquaintance, when he hath wrought our consent, then ⟨p. 48⟩the marriage betweene him and us is strooke up.
- 1How Christ must be taken of us.
Some few resemblances will make the consideration of this the more comfortable. 1. The Husband takes his wife under his own name, she loosing her own name is called by his. So we are §2called Christians of Christ. 2. The Wife is taken with all her debt, and made partaker of the honours, and Riches of her Husband. Whatsoever he hath is hers, and he stands answerable for all her debts, so it is here, we have not only the name of Christ upon us, but we partake his honours, 1