A12167:359
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.
And mark what the Church saith moreover It is the voice of my Beloved, 1she acknowledgeth Christ to be beloved of her; though she were asleep. So then here is a distinction, between the sleep of a Christian, and the dead sleep of ⟨p. 135⟩another natural man, The one when he sleeps, His heart doth not only wake, but it is awake to discern the voice of Christ, it can relish in reading what is spiritual and good, what is savoury, and what not. And likewise take a Christian at the worst, when he is asleep, he loves Christ, he will do nothing against him. I can do nothing (•aith Paul) against the truth, but for the truth; 2he will do nothing against the cause of Religion, there is a new Nature in him, that he cannot do otherwise, he cannot but love, he cannot sin with a full purpose, nor speak against a good cause, because he hath a new nature, that leads him another way, Christ is her Beloved still though she sleep.
And marke what the Church saith moreover It is the voice of my Beloved, 1shee acknowledgeth Christ to be beloved of her; though shee were asleepe. So then here is a distinction, betweene the sleepe of a Christian, and the dead sleepe of ⟨p. 135⟩another naturall man, The one when he sleepes, His heart doth not onely wake, but it is awake to discerne the voice of Christ, it can relish in reading what is spirituall and good, what is savourie, and what not. And likewise take a Christian at the worst, when hee is asleepe, he loves Christ, he will do nothing against him. I can doe nothing (•aith Paul) against the truth, but for the truth; 2hee will doe nothing against the cause of Religion, there is a new Nature in him, that hee cannot doe otherwise, he cannot but love, hee cannot sinne with a full purpose, nor speake against a good cause, because hee hath a new nature, that leads him another way, Christ is her Belovsds still though she sleepe.