A12167:539
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.
We pray in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven, great desires, and which should be the desires of all our hearts. But herein we play the Hypocrites, whilst we pray thus that the Kingdom of God may come, that Christ may rule in our hearts over lusts and desires: yet notwithstanding we pretend this and that excuse, whereby we may be led with this and that lust, we cross our own prayers: yet it showeth what pitch we should aspire to, To sanctify the Lord in our hearts, to delight in him, and trust in him above all. When we do not this, we fall short of our own prayers. And when we cannot bring our hearts to suffer, and to do what God would have us to do, but are led away with our own wills, we are not as we should be; our wills ⟨p. 235⟩should be conformable to Christs in all things, It is our prayer, and therefore we should aim at it. Now, when flesh and blood sets up a pitch of Religion, I am well enough: and yet pray, Hollowed be thy Name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, &c. Such a man is an hypocrite; for his prayer leads him further and further still till he come to Heaven, where is all perfection: until when, our life is a life of endeavour and progress. Though we be never so perfect, yet Christ may more rule and set up his Kingdom yet more in the heart, and further bring our will to his in all things: when flesh and blood sets up cavils against this, we play the hypocrites with God and cross our selves. Therefore, Let us justify a measure of Religion beyond our present pitch whatsoever it is, justify it more and more still. Think we are never as we should be till we be in Heaven; and never bless our selves, but think that we should always be on the growing hand, and whatsoever excuse comes to hinder us from zealousness and earnestness (though it carry a show of reason in the profession of Religion:) account it to come from our corrupt hearts.
We pray in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdome come, thy will bee done in earth as it is in Heaven, great desires, and which should be the desires of all our hearts. But herein we play the Hypocrites, whilst wee pray thus that the Kingdome of God may come, that Christ may rule in our hearts over lusts and desires: yet notwithstanding we pretend this and that excuse, whereby we may be led with this and that lust, we crosse our own prayers: yet it sheweth what pitch we should aspire to, To sanctifie the Lord in our hearts, to delight in him, and trust in him above all. When wee doe not this, wee fall short of our owne prayers. And when we cannot bring our hearts to suffer, and to doe what God would have us to do, but are led away with our owne wills, wee are not as wee should be; our wills