A12167:484
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 Conscience knows its own imperfection, so it is defiled,1 and accuseth of sin: And as it looks to Christ so it sees it self pure, and purged from all sin; Here is the conquest, fight, and the victory of Faith in the deepest sense of sin, pollution and defilement in our selves; at the same time to see an absolute, and perfect Righteousness in Jesus Christ. Herein ⟨p. 199⟩is even the triumph of Faith whereby it answers God. And Christ who sees our imperfections, (but it is to purge and cleanse them away, not to damn us for them;) at the same time he sees us in his own love, clothed with his Righteousness, as one with himself endowed with whatsoever he hath, his satisfaction and obedience being ours, as verily as any thing in the world is. Thus he looks on us, and thus faith looks upon him too, and together with the sight, and sense of sin, at the same time, it apprehends Righteousness, perfect Righteousness, and so is undefiled. This is the main point in Religion, and the comfort of Christians to see their perfection in Christ Jesus, And to be lost in themselves (as it were) and to be only found in him, not having their own Righteousness, but the Righteousness of God in him. 2This is a mystery which none knows but a believing soul; none see corruption more, none see themselves freed more, they have an inward sight to see corruption, and an inward faith to see God takes not advantage at it. And surely there can be no greater honour to Christ then this, In the sense of sin, of wants, imperfections, stains, and blemishes, yet to wrap our selves in the righteousness of Christ Godman, and by faith being thus covered with that absolute Righteousness of Christ, with boldness to go clothed in the garments of this our elder Brother, to the throne of grace, This is an honour to Christ, to attribute so much ⟨p. 200⟩to his Righteousness, That being clothed therewith, we can boldly break through the fire of Gods justice, and all those terrible attributes, when we see them all (as it were) satisfied fully in Christ. For Christ with his righteousness could go through the justice of God, having satisfied it to the full for us. And we being clothed with this his Righteousness and satisfaction may go through too.