A12167:617
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.
Let us esteem as slightly as we will of sins of omission, 1and carelessness; they are enough to bring men to hell if God be not the more merciful. It is not required only that we do no harm, and keep our selves from outward evils, but we must do good in a good manner, and have a care to be fruitful, and watchful, which if we do not, this temper will bring grief, shame, and sorrow afterwards; As here even for sinews of omission, deadness, and dullness, we see the Church is left by Christ; and her bowels are turned in her: For careless neglect, and omission of duty to God, is a presage, and forerunner of some downfall and dejection. And commonly it is true, when a man is in a secure and careless estate, a man may read his destiny, (though he have been never so good) nay the rather, if he be good, Such a one is in danger to fall into some sharp punishment, or into some sin; for of all states and tempers, God will not suffer a Christian to be in a secure, lazy, dead state, when he cannot perform things comfortably to God, or himself, or to others, a dead secure estate is so ⟨p. 266⟩hateful to him, (decay in our first love, this lukewarm temper) that he will not endure it, it either goes before some great sin, cross, affliction, or judgement.
Let us esteeme as slightly as we will of sinnes of omission, 1and carelessenesse; they are enough to bring men to hell if God be not the more mercifull. It is not required onely that we doe no harme, and keepe our selves from outward evills, but we must doe good in a good manner, and have a care to be fruitfull, and watchfull, which if wee doe not, this temper will bring griefe, shame, and sorrow afterwards; As here even for sinues of omission, deadnesse, and dullnesse, wee see the Church is left by Christ; and her bowells are turned in her: For careles neglect, and omission of duty to God, is a presage, and forerunner of some downfall and dejection. And commonly it is true, when a man is in a secure and carelesse estate, a man may read his destiny, (though he have beene never so good) nay the rather, if hee be good, Such a one is in danger to fall into some sharpe punishment, or into some sinne; for of all states and tempers, God will not suffer a Christian to be in a secure, lazy, dead state, when he cannot performe things comfortably to God, or himselfe, or to others, a dead secure estate is so