A12167:547
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, To have our hearts warmed with love to him; this Grace of the Spirit will make us pass through all discouragements, for, it hath a constraining power:1 The love of Christ constrains us (saith the Apostle) If our hearts once be warmed with the love of Christ, this will make us to think nothing too deer for Christ, and will cut of all excuses and pretences whatsoever, which come from coldness of affection.2 Love is strong as death as we have it in this Book, Much water cannot quench it. All oppositions and discouragements whatsoever, all the water which the Devil and the world hath or useth, cannot quench the heavenly fire of love, when it is kindled in any measure. What carried the blessed Saints and Martyrs of God in all times through the pikes of all discouragements? The Spirit of God, by the Spirit of love, from a spirit of Faith, and heavenly conviction of the excellency and truth of the things: they saw such a light which wrought ⟨p. 240⟩upon their affections, and carried them amain against the stream, (contrary to the stream of the times wherein they lived) that the worse the times were, the better they were.
So, To have our hearts warmed with love to him; this Grace of the Spirit will make us passe through all discouragements, for, it hath a constraining power:1 The love of Christ constraines us (saith the Apostle) If our hearts once bee warmed with the love of Christ, this will make us to thinke nothing too deere for Christ, and will cut of all excuses and pretences whatsoever, which come from coldnesse of affection.2 Love is strong as death as we have it in this Booke, Much water cannot quench it. All oppositions and discouragements whatsoever, all the water which the Divell and the world hath or useth, cannot quench the heavenly fire of love, when it is kindled in any measure. What carried the blessed Saints and Martyrs of God in all times through the pikes of all discouragements? The Spirit of God, by the Spirit of love, from a spirit of Faith, and heavenly conviction of the excellency and truth of the things: they saw such a light which wrought