A12167:496
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.
Again, •ince he accounts us undefiled, because he means to make us so,1 and now looks on us, as we shall be▪ In all our •oyles, and infirmities, let us comfort our selves, it shall not thus be always with us. O, this […] of mine shall fall and fall still, and shall d••ay as Sauls house, and the Spirit at the last shall conquer in all this. I am not chosen to this beginning, to this conflicting course of life: I am chosen to triumph, to perfection of Grace, this is my comfort. Thus we should comfort our selves, and set upon our enemies, and conflict in this hope of victory, I shall […] the […] of my self at the last. Jm•erfection should not discourage, but comfort us in this world; we are chosen to perfection; L•t us still rejoice in that we are chosen to Sanctification, which is a little begun, being an earnest of other blessings; let us not rest in the pledge or in the earnest, but labour for a further pledge of more strength, and grace; For […] have the Spirit of Christ, will strive to be as much unspotted, and as heavenly as they can; To fit themselves for that heavenly Condition as much as may be; when, because they canno• be in heaven, yet they will converse there, as much as they can; and because they cannot be with such company altogether, they will be as much as may be, labouring as they […] to ⟨p. 208⟩be that which they shall be hereafter. Imperfection contents them not; and therefore they pray still in the Lords prayer, Thy kingdom come. While there is any imperfection, their hearts are enlarged more and more, nothing contents them but perfection. And indeed God accounts us thus u•spotted for this end, because he would encourage us, Where he sees the will and endeavour he gives the title of the thing desired.
Againe, •ince hee accounts us undefiled, because hee meanes to make us so,