A12167:533
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.
So also when the flesh moveth us to any backwardness in religious courses, let us have some Scripture ready, or Reasons deducted from ⟨p. 228⟩it. As, From the Dignity of our Profession, from §1the great Hopes we have to be glorious another day. And reason the matter,1 how doth this that I am moved to suite with my Hopes and expectation to come? how furthers it my journey homewards? §2And consider this likewise; That no excuse will serve the turn at the day of judgement,2 but such an one as ariseth from as invincible infirmity, or an unremovable impediment. such an excuse taken from an invincible infirmity, may then serve the turn. As, when we cannot possibly do a thing, from impediments that all the means in the world cannot remove. As a poor man cannot be liberal, &c. Excuses also fetched from impossible impediments, as from invincible weakness may avail, if a man have an infirm body, that he cannot do that which another man can: these excuses, with a gracious God will serve the turn; which are not so much excuses, as a just plea. But otherwise, our untoward excuses will not serve the turn. What hindered them in the Gospel who were invited to the Supper?3 Excuses from Oxen, Wives, &c. Was it not lawful to buy Oxen? and was it not lawful for the married to take content in a wife? another had married a wife; were not all these things lawful? very lawful; The Farm hurts not, if it hinder not, no• the Wife, Oxen nor any thing: but in this case when we regard these things more then the invitation to come to the feast of holy things, here is the malice of the devil, which brings that doleful message; They ⟨p. 229⟩shall never taste of my feast. There is such an infinite disproportion, between the good of Religion, Peace of Conscience, Joy in the Holy Ghost here, and Heaven and Happiness hereafter; and between any thing in this world, that to allege any hinderance whereby we cannot keep a good conscience, and preserve assurance of salvation, is most extreme folly & Atheism. I believe not a better life (the disproportion being so great between the state of this life and a better) if I fetch excuses from the things of this life, to keep me from Religion, the Fear of God, and working out my salvation with fear and trembling. These excuses will not serve the turn, not only with God at the day of judgement: