A12167:380
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.
Thus we see what means Christ useth here; ⟨p. 146⟩His voice, Works, and Word, works of Mercy and of Correction, his Word together with his Spirit, and the Conscience, that he hath planted to be (as it were) a God in us, which together with his Spirit may move us to duty. This Augustine speaks of when he saith,1 Deus in me, &c. God spake in me oft, and I knew it not; He means it of Conscience together with the Spirit, stirring up motives to leave his sinful courses. God knocked in me, and I considered it not. J cried, modò and modò, sine modo. I put of God, now I will, and now I will, but I had no moderation, I knew no limits. And whilst Christ thus knocketh, all the three Persons may be said to do it. For as it is said else where, that God was and is in Christ reconciling the world, 2&c. For whatsoever Christ did, he did it as anointed, and by office, And therefore God doth it in Christ,3 and by Christ, and so in some sort God died in his humane nature, when Christ died. So here the Father beseecheth, when Christ beseecheth, because he beseecheth that is sent from him, and anointed of the Father. And God the Father stoops to us, when Christ stoops, because he is sent of the Father, and doth all by his Fathers command,4 and commission. So besides his own bowels, there is the Father and the Spirit with Christ, who doth all by his Spirit, and from his Father, from whom he hath commission. Therefore God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost knock at the heart. Open to me, my love, my dove, my ⟨p. 147⟩undefiled, but Christ especially by his Spirit, because it is his office.
Thus we see what meanes Christ useth here; ⟨p. 146⟩His voice, Works, and Word, works of Mercie and of Correction, his Word together with his Spirit, and the Conscience, that he hath planted to be (as it were) a God in us, which together with his Spirit may moove us to dutie. This Austine speakes of when he saith,