A12167:688
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 11 › I called but he gave no answer &c.Sermon 11 › I called but hee gave no answer &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.
And as the remembrance of former experiences serve to excite endeavour, so to stir up Hope. I hope it shall be as it was, because God is Immutable. I change but Christ alters not, the inferior elementary world changes, here is fair weather and foul, but the Sun keeps his perpetual course; and as in the gloomiest day that ever was there was light enough to make it day and to distinguish it from night, (though the Sun did not shine) So in the most disconsolate state of a Christian soul, there is light enough in the soul to show that the Sun ⟨p. 290⟩of Righteousness is there, and that Christ hath shined upon the soul,1 that it is day with the soul and not night.
And as the remembrance of former experiences serve to excite endeavour, so to stirre up Hope. I hope it shall be as it was, because God is Immutable. I change but Christ alters not, the inferiour elementary world changes, heere is faire weather and foule, but the Sunne keepes his perpetuall course; and as in the gloomiest day that ever was there was light enough to make it day and to distinguish it from night, (though the Sunne did not shine) So in the most disconsolate state of a Christian soule, there is light enough in the soule to shew that the Sunne ⟨p. 290⟩of Righteousnesse is there, and that Christ hath shined upon the soule,1 that it is day with the soule and not night.
5. And learn when we are in this condition to wait Gods leisure, for he hath waited ours. It is for our good, to prepare us for further blessings, to mortify and subdue our corruptions, to enlarge the capacity of the soul that the Lord absents himself, therefore Bernard saith well, Tibi accidit &c. Christ comes and goes away for our good, when he withdraws the sense of his love, the soul thereupon is stretched with desire, that it may be as it was in former time, in the days of old. Thus much for that, I sought him but I could not find him, I called but he gave me no answer.