A12167:78
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
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.
Hence we see also,1 That, Where once God ⟨p. 21⟩begins, he goes on, and delights to add encouragement to encouragement,2 to maintain new setters up in Religion: and doth not only give them a stock of grace at the beginning, but also helps them to trade; He is not only Alpha, 3but Omega unto them: The Beginning and the Ending. He doth not only plant graces, but also watereth and cherisheth them; where the Spirit of Christs, it is an encouraging Spirit. For, not only it infuseth grace, but also stirs sit up, that we may be ready prepared for every good work, otherwise, we cannot do that which we are able to do, the Spirit must bring all into exercise, else, the habits of grace will lie asleep; we need a present Spirit to do every good: not only the power to will, but the will it self: and not only the will, but the deed is from the Spirit. Which should stir us up to go to Christ, that he may stir up his own graces in us, that they may flow out.
Hence we see also,1 That, Where once God ⟨p. 21⟩begins, he goes on, and delights to add incouragement to incouragement,2 to maintaine new setters up in Religion: and doth not onely give them a stocke of grace at the beginning, but also helpes them to trade; He is not onely Alpha, 3but Omega unto them: The Beginning and the Ending. He doth not onely plant graces, but also watereth and cherisheth them; where the Spirit of Christs, it is an incouraging Spirit. For, not onely it infuseth grace, but also stirres sit up, that we may be ready prepared for every good worke, otherwise, we cannot do that which we are able to do, the Spirit must bring all into exercise, els, the habits of grace will lie asleep; we need a present Spirit to do every good: not only the power to will, but the will it selfe: and not onely the will, but the deed is from the Spirit. Which should stirre us up to go to Christ, that he may stirre up his owne graces in us, that they may flow out.