A12167:486
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.
In choosing us, what did God aim at? Did he aim at these imperfect beginnings to rest there? No, we were elected and chosen to perfection; For as it is in this natural life, God purposed that we should not only have all the limbs of men, but grow from infancy to activeness and perfection; As God at first intended so much for our bodies, no question he intends as much also for the soul, that we should not only have the lineaments of Christianity, a sanctified judgement with affections in part renewed; But he hath chosen us to perfection by degrees. As the seed first lies rotting in the ground, then grows to a stalk, and ⟨p. 201⟩then to an ear; So Gods wisdom shines here by bringing things by degrees to perfection, and undefilednesse. His Wisdom will have it thus, or else his Power might have it otherwise, because he will have us to live by Faith, to trust his mercy in Christ, and not to the undefilednesse that is begun in us, but to admire that which we have in Christ himself.
In choosing us, what did God ayme at? Did hee ayme at these imperfect beginnings to rest there? No, we were elected and chosen to perfection; For as it is in this naturall life, God purposed that we should not onely have all the limbes of men, but grow from infancie to activenesse and perfection; As God at first intended so much for our bodies, no question hee intends as much also for the soule, that we should not onely have the lineaments of Christianity, a sanctified judgement with affections in part renewed; But hee hath chosen us to perfection by degrees. As the seed first lyes rotting in the ground, then growes to a stalke, and ⟨p. 201⟩then to an eare; So Gods wisedome shines here by bringing things by degrees to perfection, and undefilednesse. His Wisedome will have it thus, or else his Power might have it otherwise, because he will have us to live by Faith, to trust his mercy in Christ, and not to the undefilednesse that is begunne in us, but to admire that which wee have in Christ himselfe.