A12167:157
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.
In this sweet Conjunction we must know, that by nature, we are clean otherwise then Spouses for what was Solomons wife Pharaohs daughter? a Heathen, till she came to be Solomons Spouse. And as we read in Moses the strange woman must have her hair cut off, and her nails pared, before she should be taken into the Church, there must be an alteration; so before the Church (which is not Heathenish, but indeed Hellish by nature, and led by the spirit of the world) be fit to be the Spouse of Christ, 1there must be an alteration and a change of nature;2 Christ must alter, renew, Purge, and fit us for himself, the Apostle saith, Ephes. 5. 16, it was the end of his death, not only to take us to Heaven, but to sanctify ⟨p. 50⟩us on Earth, and prepare us that we might be fit Spouses for himself.
In this sweet Conjunction we must know, that by nature, we are cleane otherwaises then Spouses for what was Salomons wife Pharoahs daughter? a Heathen, till shee came to be Salomons Spouse. And as we reade in Moses the strange woman must have her haire cut off, and her nayles pared, before she should be taken into the Church, there must bee an alteration; so before the Church (which is not Hesthenish, but indeed Hellish by nature, and led by the spirit of the world) be fit to be the Spouse of Christ, 1there must be an alteration and a change of nature;2 Christ must alter, renew, Purge, and fit us for himselfe, the Apostle saith, Ephes. 5. 16, it was the end of his death, not onely to take us to Heaven, but to sanctifie ⟨p. 50⟩us on Earth, and prepare us that we might be fit Spouses for himselfe.