A12167:408
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.
The Church as she takes notice of the voice of Christ, so she doth also of the means he useth, and seeth his love in them all. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, open to me, &c. Here is also an other distinguishing note of a sound Christian from an unsound, A sanctified spirit sees Christ in the means, this is, says the heart, the word of Christ, and this the, mercy of Christ to take such pains with my soul, to send his Ministers, to provide his ordinances,1 to give gifts to men, and men to the Church. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh.
The Church as she takes notice of the voice of Christ, so shee doth also of the meanes he useth, and seeth his love in them all. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, open to mee, &c. Here is also an other distinguishing note of a sound Christian from an unsound, A sanctified spirit sees Christ in the meanes, this is, sayes the heart, the word of Christ, and this the, mercie of Christ to take such paines with my soule, to send his Ministers, to provide his ordinances,1 to give gifts to men, and men to the Church. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh.
But we must especially understand it of the Ministerial voice,1 whereby Christ doth chiefly make way for himself into the heart, and that ⟨p. 161⟩by all kind of ways dispensed therein: as gifts of all so•ts, some rougher, some milder, all kind of Methods and ways in the Ministry to make way for himself, First of all by the threatenings of the Law, and by terrors, as John was sent before Christ, and as the storm, went before the still and calm voice,