A12167:497
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.
Verse. 3. I have put of my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
Verse. 3. I have put of my coate, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feete, how shall I defile them?
Here is an ingenious confession made by the Church of her own untowardness, notwithstanding all Christs heavenly Rhetoric and persuasion that he did use; yet she draws back, and seems to have reason so to do. I have put my coat, how shall I put it on again to let thee in, I have washed my feet, &c. It is a phrase taken from the custom of those hot countries, wherein they used to wash their feet. I have washed my feet, •ow shall I defile them to rise and open the door to thee? There is a spiritual meaning herein, as if she had said, I have some ease by this sleepy profession, some freedom from evil tongues, and some exemption, and immunity from some troubles I was in before. I was then perhaps too indiscreet, now wilt thou call me again to those troubles, that I have wisely avoided? No, I have put of ⟨p. 209⟩my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? I affect this estate very well; I am content to be as I am without further troubling of my self; Thus the Church puts of Christ. This I take to be the meaning of the words,1 That which is observable is this: That it is not an easy matter to bring the soul & Christ together into near fellowship. We see here how the Church draws back, for, the flesh moves either not to yield at all to duty, or to be cold, uncertain, and unsettled therein. The flesh knows that a near communion with Christ cannot stand with favouring any corruption, & therefore the flesh will do something, but not enough, it will yield to something, but not to that that it should do, to that communion and fellowship that we ought to have with Christ. To instance in some particulars, as a rule and measure to somewhat of which we should be.