A12167:465
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.
Now that which in a Dove the Scripture aims at,1 We should resemble a Dove in, is his §1meekness especially. 2The Church is meek both to God and Man, not given to murmurings and revengement; meek, that is, I held my tongue without murmuring (as it is in the Psalm) I was dumb, &c.3 which is a grace that Gods Spirit frames in the heart of the Church, and every particular Christian, even to be meek towards God by an holy silence; And likewise ⟨p. 190⟩towards men to put on the Bowels of meekness, as we are exhorted, Collos. 3. 12. As the elect of God put on the Bowels of meekness, and compassion, &c. Hereby we shall show our selves to be Christs, and to have the Spirit of Christ. And this grace disposeth us to a nearer communion with God then other graces: it is a grace, that God most delights in, and would have his spouse to be adorned with, as is showed, 1. Pet. 3. 4. where the Apostle tells women, it is the best Jewell and ornament that they can wear, and is with God of great price. Moses we read, was a mighty man in prayer;4 and a special means to help and fit him thereunto, was because he was the meekest man on earth. And therefore,5 Zeph. 2. 1, 2. Seek the Lord seek meekness. And it fits a man for communion with God. For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the meek and humble. It is a grace that empties the soul of self conceit, to think a mans self unworthy of any thing, and so makes it capacious, low, and fit for God to fill with a larger measure of his Spirit; it takes away the roughness and swelling of the soul, that keeps out God and grace, therefore in that grace we must especially be like this meek creature, which is no vindicative creature, that hath no way to revenge it self.