A12167:865
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 Papists have a painted beauty, for their Catholic Church, but here is no such beauty ⟨p. 341⟩It becomes a whore to be painted, to be as fair as her hands can make her, with feigned beauty. But the Church of Christ hath a beauty from her husband, a real spiritual beauty not discerned of the world.
The Papists have a painted beauty, for their Catholique Church, but here is no such beauty ⟨p. 341⟩It becomes a whore to be painted, to be as faire as her hands can make her, with feighned beauty. But the Church of Christ hath a beauty from her husband, a reall spirituall beauty not descerned of the world.
This should be of use to Gods children themselves,1 to help them in the upbraidings of conscience (as if they had no goodness in them) because they have a great deal of ill. 2Christians should have a double eye, one to set and fix upon that which is ill in them, to humble them, and another upon that which is supernaturally gracious in them, to encourage themselves, they should look upon themselves as Christ looks upon them, and judge of themselves as he judgeth of them, by the better part. He looks not so much what ill we have, for, that shall be wrought out by little and little, and be abolished, it is condemned already, and it shall be executed by little and little till it be wholly abolished. but he looks upon us in regard of the better part,3 so should we look upon our selves, though otherwhiles upon our black feet (our infirmities) when we are tempted to pride and haughtiness, but always let the mean thoughts we conceive of our selves, make us to fly to Christ.