A12167:400
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 then consider of it, The greater means, the greater judgement afterwards, if we be not won by them. Therefore let us labour to hold Christ, to entertain him, let him have the best room in our souls, to dwell in our hearts, let us give up the keys to him, and desire him to rule our understandings, to know nothing but him, and what may stand with his truth, Not to yield to any error, or corruption; let us desire that he would rule in our wills, and affections, sway all, give all to him; for that is his meaning; when he says, Open to me, so that I may rule, as in mine own house, ⟨p. 157⟩as the husband rules in his family, and a King in his Kingdom, he will have all yielded up to him, And he comes to beat down all whatsoever is exalted against him, and that is the reason men are so loath to open unto him. They know if they open to the Spirit of God, he will turn them out of their fools Paradise, and make them resolve upon other courses of life, which because they will not turn unto, they repel the sweet motions of the Spirit of Christ, and pull away his Graces, building bulwarks against Christ,1 as lusts, strange imaginations, and resolutions. Let the Ministers say what they will, and the Spirit move as he will, thus they live, and thus they will live. Let us take notice therefore of all the means that God useth to the state, and to us in particular, and every one labour to amend one. Every soul is the Temple, the House Christ should dwell in, let every soul therefore among us consider what means Christ useth to come into his soul to dwell with him, and to rule there.
Let us then consider of it, The greater meanes, the greater judgement afterwards, if we be not won by them. Therefore let us labour to hould Christ, to entertaine him, let him have the best roome in our soules, to dwell in our hearts, let us give up the keyes to him, and desire him to rule our understandings, to know nothing but him, and what may stand with his truth, Not to yeeld to any errour, or corruption; let us desire that hee would rule in our wills, and affections, sway all, give all to him; for that is his meaning; when hee saies, Open to mee, so that I may rule, as in mine owne house, ⟨p. 157⟩as the husband rules in his familie, and a King in his Kingdome, hee will have all yeelded up to him, And hee comes to beate downe all whatsoever is exalted against him, and that is the reason men are so loath to open unto him. They know if they open to the Spirit of God, hee will turne them out of their fooles Paradice, and make them resolve upon other courses of life, which because they will not turne unto, they repell the sweet motions of the Spirit of Christ, and pull away his Graces, building bullwarkes against Christ,