A12167:863
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 14: THE FOURTEENTH SERMON.Sermon 14: THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON.
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.
The visible Church hath terms of excellency put upon it sometimes, but it is in regard of the better part.1 As gold unrefined is called gold because gold is the better part: And a heap of wheat unwinnowed is called wheat, though there be much chaff in it, the body of Christ it self hath always excellent terms given it, O thou fairest among women.
The visible Church hath tearmes of excellency put upon it sometimes, but it is in regard of the better part.1 As gold unrefined is called gold because gold is the better part: And a heape of wheate unwinnowed is called wheate, though there be much chaffe in it, the body of Christ it selfe hath alwaies excellent tearmes given it, O thou fairest among woemen.
- 1Simile.
Those that look upon the Church with the spectacles of malice can see no such beauty in her,1 though to espy out faults, as the Devil could in Job, 2to quarrel, to slander, they are quicksighted enough, but we see here the Church in the judgement of the daughters of Jerusalem, that she is the fairest among women.
Those that looke upon the Church with the spectacles of malice can see no such beauty in her,1 though to espy out faults, as the Divell could in Iob, 2to quarrell, to slander, they are quicksighted enough, but we see here the Church in the judgement of the daughters of Ierusalem, that she is the fairest among woemen.