A12167:392
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.
Again, where Christ comes, Assistance comes there. When Christ was borne, all Jerusalem was in an uproar, so when Christ is borne in the soul, there is an uproar, corruption arms it self against Grace, there is a combat betwixt flesh and Spirit, but Christ subdues the flesh by little and little. Gods image is stamped upon the soul where Christ is, and if we have opened unto the Lord of Glory, he will make us glorious.
Againe, where Christ comes, Assistance comes there. When Christ was borne, all Ierusalem was in an uproare, so when Christ is borne in the soule, there is an uproare, corruption armes it selfe against Grace, there is a combate betwixt flesh and Spirit, but Christ subdues the flesh by little and little. Gods image is stamped upon the soule where Christ is, and if we have opened unto the Lord of Glory, hee will make us glorious.
Christ hath never enough of us, nor we have never enough of him, till we be in heaven, and therefore we pray, Thy Kingdom come, and till Christ comes in his Kingdom, he desires his Kingdom should come to us, Open (saith he) Stupenda dignatio, &c. (as he cries out) it is a stupendous condescending, when he that hath Heaven to hold him, Angels to attend him, those glorious creatures; he that hath the command of every Creature, that do yield presently homage when he commands, the Frogs, and Lice, and all the Host of Heaven are ready to do his vvill! for him to condescend, and to entreat us to be good to our own souls, and to beseech us to be reconciled to him, as if he had offended us, who have done the wrong and not he, or as if that we had power, and riches to do him good; Here Greatness beseecheth Meanness, Riches Poverty, ⟨p. 150⟩[…] ⟨p. 151⟩[…] ⟨p. 152⟩All-sufficiency Want, and life in self, comes to dead drowsy souls. What a wondrous condescending is this? Yet notwithstanding, Christ vouchsafes to make the heart of a sinful, sleepy man to be his House, his Temple. He knocks, and knocks here, saying, Open to me, &c.