A12167:615
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
Sermon 9 › My bowels were moved in me, &c.Sermon 9 › My bowels were mooved in mee, &c.
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 usually say, cold diseases must have hot and sharp remedies; It is most true spiritually, security, which is a kind of lethargy, (a cold disease) forgetting of God, and our duty to him, must have a hot and sharp cure; And the lethargy is best cured by a Burning Ague. So Christ deals here, he puts his finger in at the hole of the door, and leaves grace behind to work upon the bowels of the Church, to make her grieve and be ashamed for her unkind dealing. Thus he cures security by sorrow. This is the best conclusion of sin.
We usually say, cold diseases must have hot and sharp remedies; It is most true spiritually, security, which is a kind of lethargy, (a cold disease) forgetting of God, and our duty to him, must have a hot and sharpe cure; And the lethargy is best cured by a Burning Ague. So Christ deales here, he puts his finger in at the hole of the doore, and leaves grace behind to worke upon the bowels of the Church, to make her grieve and be ashamed for her unkind dealing. Thus he cures security by sorrow. This is the best conclusion of sinne.
And we may observe withal,1 That even sins of omission they bring grief, shame, and sorrow, And in the issue through Christs sanctifying them, these which they breed, consume the Parent, that is, sin brings forth sorrow, shame, and grief, which are a means to cure sin. Security breeds this moving of the bow's; which moving helps security. Would we therefore prevent sorrow, shame, and grief, Take heed then of security the cause that leads to them; yea of sins of omission, wherein there is more danger, then in sins of commission. The sins of carnal wicked men, are usually sins of commission, most which break out outrageously, and thereby taint themselves ⟨p. 265⟩with open sins. But the sins of Gods people (who are nearer to him) are for the most part sins of omission, that is negligence, coldness, carelessness in duty, want of zeal, and of care they should have in stirring up the graces of God in them, as the Church here, which did not give way to Christ, nor shook of security.