A12167:690
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.
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 ⟨p. 291⟩in our souls to stir up desire of seeking him, he prevents us with desires and answers us in some sort before we pray, when he gives us a spirit of prayer, it is a pledge to us, that he means to answer us. 4Therefore it is a spiritual deceit when we think Christ is not in us and we are neglected of him, because we have not all that we would have. Among many other deceits that Christians deceive themselves with in this kind these be two.5
Heere wee must answer one objection before wee leave the words.1 This seemes to contradict other Scriptures, which promise that those that seeke shall find. 2It is true they that seeke 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 meanes. Some doe not find, because they seeke in one meanes and not in another, they seeke Christ in reading and not in the ordinance of hearing, in private meditation, but not in the communion of Saints; wee must goe through all meanes to seeke Christ, not one must bee left. Thus if wee will seeke him, undoubtedly hee will make good his promise. Nay in some sort, hee is found before hee is sought, for hee is