A12167:362
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.
Now leaving the Churches notice of the voice of Christ, We come to Christs carriage towards her. 1. He knocketh, and then we have, 2. His Patience in that Carriage. My head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, &c. Here is Patience, and Mercy to endure this indignity at the Churches ⟨p. 136⟩hand, to stand at her courtesy to come in, besides 3. the Compellation, afterwards to be spoken of, The general observation from Christs carriage, is this,
Now leaving the Churches notice of the voice of Christ, We come to Christs carriage towards her. 1. Hee knocketh, and then wee have, 2. His Patience in that Carriage. My head is filled with dew, and my lockes with the dropps of the night, &c. Here is Patience, and Mercie to indure this indignitie at the Churches ⟨p. 136⟩hand, to stand at her courtesie to come in, besides 3. the Compellation, afterwards to be spoken of, The generall observation from Christs carriage, is this,
That Christ still desires a further and further communion with his Church.1
- 1Obser.
Even as the true soul, that is touched with the Spirit desires nearer and nearer communion with Christ. So he seeks nearer and nearer communion with his Spouse, by all sanctified means; Christ hath never enough of the soul; he would have them more and more open to him, our hearts are for Christ, who hath the heaven of heavens, and the soul of a believing Christian for himself to dwell in, he contents not himself to be in heaven alone, but he will have our hearts. He knocks here, waits, speaks friendly and lovingly with such sweet words, My Love, my Dove, &c. We had a blessed Communion in the state of innocency, and shall have a glorious communion in heaven, when the marriage shall be consummated; but now the time of this life is but as the time of the contract, during which there are yet many mutual passages of love between him and his Spouse, a desire of mutual communion of either side. Christ desires further entertainment in his Churches heart and affection, that he might lodge, and dwell there: And likewise there is the like desire in the Church, (when she is in a right temper,) So that if any strangeness be between Christ, and any mans soul, that hath