A12167:514
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.
These, and a thousand such like discouragements men frame to themselves. My health will not serve: I shall endanger my life; There is a Lyon in the way, 1(saith the sluggard) who with his excuses thinks himself wiser, 2then the wisest in the City; There is none so wise as the sluggard; for belly policy teacheth him a great many excuses, which he thinks will go for wisdom; because by them he thinks to sleep in a whole skin; He is but a sluggard for all that, and though he plead Yet a little while, Poverty, not only outward, but spiritual poverty and barrenness of soul will come upon him, as an armed man, and leave him destitute of grace and comfort, when he shall see at the last what an evil course of life he hath led, that he hath yielded so much to his lazy flesh to be drawn away by discouragements from duties, that he was convinced were agreeable to the word. Now, what may be the grounds and causes of these false Pre••noes and Excuses, which hinder us from holy duties. There be many causes.
These, and a thousand such like discouragements men frame to themselves. My health will not serve: I shall indanger my life; There is a Lyon in the way, 1(saith the sluggard) who with his excuses thinks himselfe wiser, 2then the wisest in the Citty; There is none so wise as the sluggard; for belly pollicie teacheth him a great many excuses, which he thinks will goe for wisedome; because by them he thinks to sleepe in a whole skinne; Hee is but a sluggard for all that, and though hee plead Yet a litle while, P•vertie, not onely outward, but spirituall poverty and barrennesse of soule will come upon him, as an armed man, and leave him destitute of grace and comfort, when he shall see at the last what an evill course of life hee hath led, that hee hath yeelded so much to his lazy flesh to be drawne away by discouragements from duties, that he was convinced were agreeable to the word. Now, what may bee the grounds and causes of these false Pre••noes and Excuses, which hinder us from holy duties. There be many causes.