A12167:206
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.
Therefore as we have in Christ a feast for variety, so for sufficiency of all good. No man goeth hungry from a feast. It was never heard for any to famish at a feast. In Christ there is not only abundance, but redundance, a diffusive and a spreading goodness. As in breasts to give milk, in clouds to drop down showers, in the sun to send forth beams: as Christ is full of grace and truth, so he fully dischargeth all his offices. There is an overflowing of all that is good for our good. He that could multiply bread for the body, he can multiply grace for our soul.1 If he giveth life, he giveth it in abundance. If he giveth water of life, 2he giveth rivers, not small streams. If he giveth peace and joy, he giveth it in abundance, his scope is to fill up our joy to the full. As he is able, so is he willing to do for us far more abundantly then we are able to think or speak. 3Where Christ is present he bringeth plenty with him. If wine be wanting at the first, he will rather turn water into wine, then there should be a fail.
Therefore as we have in Christ a feast for variety, so for sufficiency of all good. No man goeth hungry from a feast. It was never heard for any to famish at a feast. In Christ there is not onely abundance, but redundance, a diffusive and a spreading goodnesse. As in breasts to give milke, in clouds to drop downe showers, in the sun to send forth beames: as Christ is full of grace and truth, so he fully dischargeth all his offices. There is an overflowing of all that is good for our good. He that could multiply bread for the body, he can multiply grace for our soule.1 If he giveth life, he giveth it in abundance. If he giveth water of life, 2he giveth rivers, not small streames. If he giveth peace and joy, he giveth it in abundance, his scope is to fill up our joy to the full. As he is able, so is he willing to doe for us farre more abundantly then we are able to thinke or speake. 3