A12167:217
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.
The means to procure an appetite. We are first to be sensible of spiritual wants and misery. The Passover Lamb was eaten with sower herbs: so Christ crucified relisheth best to a soul affected with bitterness of sin: whilst men are rich in their own conceit, they go empty away; the duties and performances they trust too, are but husks, windy empty chaff; swelling is not kind nourishment.
The meanes to procure an appetite. We are first to be sensible of spirituall wants and misery. The Passeover Lamb was eaten with sower herbes: so Christ crucified relisheth best to a soule affected with bitternesse of sin: whilst men are rich in their owne conceipt, they goe empty away; the duties and performances they trust too, are but husks, windy empty chaffe; swelling is not kinde nourishment.
That which hinders the sharpness of the stomach are, could defluxions, that dull and flat the edge of it. So upon plodding upon the world, cold distillations drop upon the soul, and take away the savour and desire of heavenly things. These things fill not. There is both a vanity of emptiness, and a vanity of short continuance in them.1 Why should we lay out our money, spend our time, our wits, our endeavour so much about ⟨p. 75⟩them; this makes so many starvelings in Religion.
That which hinders the sharpnesse of the stomacke are, could defluxions, that dull and flat the edge of it. So upon plodding upon the world, cold distillations drop upon the soule, and take away the savour and desire of heavenly things. These things fill not. There is both a vanity of emptinesse, and a vanity of short continuance in them.1 Why should we lay out our money, spend our time, our wits, our endeavour so much about