A12167:884
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.
Now the consideration of what a gracious Spirit is in Christ, must needs be a lodestone of love, and make him beautiful. Therefore Bernard saith well, When I think of Christ, I think at once of God, full of Majesty and Glory, and at the same time of Man full of meekness, gentleness and sweetness. So, let us consider of Christ as of the Mighty God, powerful, and withal consider of him as a gentle and mild man; that came riding meekly on an Ass (as the Scripture sets him out) He was for all comers and gave entertainment to all:1 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, 2&c. For the most weak and miserable person of all had the ⟨p. 348⟩sweetest entertainment of him,3 He came to seek, and to save that which was lost. Let us I say think of him both as of the great God, and withal as of meek Man: the one to establish our souls, that he is able to do great matters; the other to draw us to him because he loves us. We are afraid to go to God a consuming fire, 4but now let us think we go to bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, to our brother, to one that out of his goodness abased himself of purpose that we might be one with him, who loved us more then his own life, and was contented to carry the curse for us that we might be blessed of God for ever, and to suffer a most painful and shameful death that so he might make us heirs of everlasting life.
Now the consideration of what a gracious Spirit is in Christ, must needs be a loadstone of love, and make him beautifull. Therefore Bernard saith well, When I thinke of Christ, I thinke at once of God, full of Majesty and Glory, and at the same time of Man full of meeknesse, gentlenesse and sweetnesse. So, let us consider of Christ as of the Mighty God, powerfull, and withall consider of him as a gentle and mild man; that came riding meekely on an Asse (as the Scripture sets him out) He was for all commers and gave entertainement to all:1