A12167:228
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.
Eat O friends.
Eate O friends.
Christ out of the largeness of his affections multiplieth new titles and compellations [Beloved and friends] Christ provides a banquet, and invites his friends not his enemies. Those good things that neither eye hath seen,1 nor care hath heard, that are above our conceit to apprehend, these are provided for those that love him, not that hate him:2 he mingles an other cup for them, a cup of wrath, and they are to drink up the very dregs of it. Friendship is the sweetness, intimateness and strength of love. In our friends our love dwells and rests it self. Conjugal friendship is the sweetest friendship. All the kinds and degrees of friendship meet in Christ towards his Spouse: it is the friendship of a husband, of a brother, and if there be any relation in the world wherein friendship is, all is too little to express the love of Christ.
Christ out of the largenesse of his affections multiplieth new titles and compellations [Beloved and friends] Christ provides a banquet, and invites his friends not his enemies. Those good things that neither eye hath seene,1 nor care hath heard, that are above our conceipt to apprehend, these are provided for those that love him, not that hate him:2 he mingles an other cup for them, a cup of wrath, and they are to drinke up the very dregs of it. Friendship is the sweetnesse, intimatenesse and strength of love. In our friends our love dwells and rests it selfe. Conjugall friendship is the sweetest friendship. All the kinds and degrees of friendship meete in Christ towards his Spouse: it is the friendship of a husband, of a brother, and if there be any relation in the world wherein friendship is, all is too little to expresse the love of Christ.