A12167:413
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.
This is an undoubted conclusion, our blessed ⟨p. 163⟩Saviour giveth such means and motions of his Spirit to the vilest persons in the Church, that their own hea•ts tell them, they have more means and spectre motions, then they yield to, a•d that the sentence of condemnation is not pronounced upon them for merely not knowing of Christ, but upon some grounds of rebellion, in that they go not so far as they are provoked, and put on by the Spirit of God, they resist the holy Spirit.1 There can be no resistance where there is not a going beyond the desire and will of him whom he resisteth. A man doth not resist, when he gives way as far as he is moved. There is no wicked man in the Church, that gives so much way as he is moved and stirred to by the Spirit and word of God.
This is an undoubted conclusion, our blessed ⟨p. 163⟩Saviour giveth such meanes and motions of his Spirit to the vil•st persons in the Church, that their owne hea•ts tell them, they have more meanes and ••ecter motions, then they yeeld to, a•d that the sentence of c•nd•mnation is not pronounced upon them for meerely not knowing of Christ, but upon some grounds of rebellion, in that they goe not so farre as they are provoked, and put on by the Spirit of God, they resist the holy Spirit.1 There can bee no resistance where there is not a going beyond the desire and will of him whom hee resisteth. A man doth not resist, when hee gives way as farre as he is mooved. There is no wicked man in the Church, that gives so much way as he is mooved and stirred to by the Spirit and word of God.