A12167:336
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.
Let us especially watch over ourselves, in the use of liberty and such things as are in themselves lawful. It is a blessed state, when a Christian carries himself so in his liberty, that his heart condemns him not for the abuse of that which it alloweth and justly in a moderate use. Recreations are lawful, who denies it? To refresh a mans self, is not only lawful, but necessary. God knew it well enough: Therefore hath allotted time for sleep, and the like. But we must not turn Recreation into a Calling, to spend too much time in it.
Let us especially watch over ourselves, in the use of liberty and such things as are in themselves lawfull. It is a blessed state, when a Christian carries himselfe so in his liberty, that his heart condemnes him not for the abuse of that which it alloweth and justly in a moderate use. Recreations are lawfull, who denies it? To refresh a mans selfe, is not onely lawfull, but necessary. God knew it well enough: Therefore hath allott•d time for sleepe, and the like. But we must not turne Recreation into a Calling, to spend too much time in it.
Where there is least fear, there is most danger always. Now because in lawful things there is least fear, we are there in most danger. It is true for the most part, Licit is perimus omnes, more men perish in the Church of God by the abuse of lawful things, then by unlawful, more by meat, then by poison; Because every man takes heed of poison, being he knows the venom of it, but how many men surfeit, and dye by meat? So many men, die by lawful things, they eternally perish in the abuse of their liberties, more then in gross sins. Therefore let us keep awake, that we may carry our selves so in our liberties, that we condemn not our ⟨p. 125⟩selves in the use of them. We will conclude this point with the Meditation of the Excellency of a waking Christian,1 when he is in his right temper, he is an excellent person, fit for all assays, he is then impregnable, Satan hath nothing to do with him, for he (as it is said) is then a wise man and hath his eyes in his head; he knows himself, his state, his enemies, and adversaries, the snares of Prosperity, and Adversity, and of all conditions, &c. Therefore, he being awake, is not overcome of the evil of any condition, and is ready for the good of any estate. He that hath a waking soul, he sees all the advantages of good,