A12167:661
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 10 › My soul failed when he spake.Sermon 10 › My soule failed when hee spake.
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.
The presence felt, 1is when Christ is graciously present and is withal pleased to let us know so much, which is a Heaven upon Earth: the soul is in Paradise then, when she feels the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and the favourable countenance of God shining upon her, then she despiseth the world, the devil and all, and walks as if she were half in Heaven already, for she finds a presence and a manifestation of it, a more glorious state then the world can afford.
The presence felt, 1is when Christ is graciously present and is withall pleased to let us know so much, which is a Heaven upon Earth: the soule is in Paradice then, when she feeles the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and the favourable countenance of God shining upon her, then she despiseth the world, the divell and all, and walkes as if she were halfe in Heaven already, for she finds a presence and a manifestation of it, a more glorious state then the world can afford.
- 1His presence •elt.
But, There is a presence of Christ that is secret, 1when he seems to draw us one way, and to drive us another, that we are both driven and drawn at once: when he seems to put us away and yet notwithstanding draws us; when we find our souls go to Christ, there is a drawing power and presence, but when we find him absent here is a driving away. As we see here in the Church and in the Woman of Canaan, 2we see what an answer she had from Christ, at first ⟨p. 282⟩