A12167:780
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.
Soe she did as well as she could,1 but she desired the help of the Church this way also. Sometimes it is so with the Children of God that they cannot pray so well as they should, and as they would do, because the waters of the soul are so troubled, that they can do nothing but utter groans and sighs, especially in a state of desertion, as Hezekiah could but chatter, and Moses could not utter a word at the red sea though he did strive in his spirit, in such cases they must be beholding to the help of others.
Soe shee did as well as shee could,1 but shee desired the helpe of the Church this way also. Sometimes it is so with the Children of God that they cannot pray so well as they should, and as they would doe, because the waters of the soule are so troubled, that they can doe nothing but utter groanes and sighes, especially in a state of desertion, as Hezekiah could but chatter, and Moses could not utter a word at the red sea though hee did strive in his spirit, in such cases they must bee behoulding to the helpe of others.
- 1Answ.
Sometimes a man is in body sick, (as James saith) If any man be sick let him send for the Elders, and let them pray: 1There may be such distemper of body and soul, that we are unfit to lay open our estate to our own content. •t is oft soe with the best of Gods Children, not that God doth not respect those broken sighs and desires, but they give not content to the soul.2 The poor palsy man in the Gospel not able to go himself was carried on the shoulders of others, and let thorough the house to Christ: oft times we may be in such a palsy estate, that we cannot bring our selves to Christ, but we must be content to be