A12167:689
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.
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.
5. And learne when wee are in this condition to waite Gods leasure, for hee hath waited ours. It is for our good, to prepare us for further blessings, to mortifie and subdue our corruptions, to inlarge the capacity of the soule that the Lord absents himselfe, therefore Bernard saith well, Tibi accidit &c. Christ comes and goes away for our good, when hee withdrawes the sence of his love, the soule thereupon is stretched with desire, that it may bee as it was in former time, in the daies of old. Thus much for that, I sought him but I could not find him, I called but hee gave me no answer.
Here we must answer one objection before we leave the words.1 This seems to contradict other Scriptures, which promise that those that seek shall find. 2It is true they that seek shall find but not presently.3 Gods times are the best and fittest. They that seek shall find, if they seek constantly with their whole heart in all the means. Some do not find, because they seek in one means and not in another, they seek Christ in reading and not in the ordinance of hearing, in private meditation, but not in the communion of Saints; we must go through all means to seek Christ, not one must be left. Thus if we will seek him, undoubtedly he will make good his promise. Nay in some sort, he is found before he is sought, for he is