A12167:512
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.
And thus every one as their state and condition is, they have several pretences and excuses. Those that are young, their excuse is, we have time enough for these things hereafter. Others as those that were negligent to build the second Temple,1 The time is not yet say they; when as the uncertainty of this life of ours, the weightiness of the business, the danger of the custom of sin, the engaging of our hearts deeper and ⟨p. 214⟩deeper into the world, makes it a more difficult thing to be a Christian. It more and more darkens our understanding the more we sin, and the more it estrangeth our affections from good things the more we have run out in an evil course. Time is a special mercy, but then thou hast not time only but the means, good company, and good motions, thou mayest never have such a gale again, thy heart may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Again, who would want the comforts of Religion for the present, (as Austin saith) I have wanted thy sweetness too long. What folly is it to want the sweetness and comfort of Religion so long as we may have it.
And thus every one as their state and condition is, they have severall pretences and excuses. Those that are young, their excuse is, we have time enough for these things hereafter. Others as those that were negligent to build the second Temple,1 The time is not yet say they; when as the uncertainty of this life of ours, the weightinesse of the businesse, the danger of the custome of sinne, the ingaging of our hearts deeper and ⟨p. 214⟩deeper into the world, makes it a more difficult thing to be a Christian. It more and more darkens our understanding the more we sinne, and the more it estrangeth our affections from good things the more wee have run out in an evill course. Time is a speciall mercy, but then thou hast not time onely but the meanes, good company, and good motions, thou mayest never have such a gale againe, thy heart may be heardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Againe, who would want the comforts of Religion for the present, (as Austin saith) I have wanted thy sweetenesse too long. What folly is it to want the sweetenesse and comfort of Religion so long as we may have it.