A12167:918
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.
Again,1 if we would have a right judgement §2and esteem of Christ, Let us labour to wean our affections as much as may be from other things. Fleshly hearts that have run so deeply into the world and vanities of this present life, It is in a sort an extraordinary task for them to be drawn away, and pulled from the world (as a child from a full breast) which they have sucked so long. Now for sweet affections that are tender, it is an excellent advantage they have to consider betimes that there is that in Religion and in the Gospel which is worth their best and prime affections, the flower and marrow of them,2 let them begin with young Timothy, Daniel and Joseph to love Christ from their childhood.3 It is a desperate folly on the other hand to put off the regard of good things till after when we shall be less fit, when the understanding will be darkened, and the affections blunted, when we shall not have that edge, nature being decayed and the world having taken such possession of the soul, that we shall not value this excellency. Therefore let us begin betimes to make up the marriage between Christ and the soul, no time indeed is too late, but it were to be wished that those that are young would be thus wise for their souls betimes.
Againe,1 if we would have a right judgement §2and esteeme of Christ, Let us labour to weane our affections as much as may be from other things. Fleshly hearts that have runne so deepely into the world and vanities of this present life, It is in a sorte an extraordinary taske for them to be drawne away, and pulled from the world (as a child from a full brest) which they have sucked so long. Now for sweet affections that are tender, it is an excellent advantage they have to consider betimes that there is that in Religion and in the Gospell which is worth their best and prime affections, the flower and marrow of them,2