A12167:951
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, if Christ be a golden head,1 let us §2his members labour every one to be suitable, though there be difference between the head and the members in many respects, especially in those three formerly named, Eminency, government, and influence, yet for nature they are one, head and members make but one. So tha• as the head of the body is gold, so should every member be: therefore the seven Churches are styled seven golden candlesticks. Every thing in the Tabernacle was gold,2 even to the snuffers, to show that in the Church every thing is excellent. The Tabernacle was gold most of it, though it was covered with Badgers-skins. The Church indeed hath a poor covering as of Badgers-skins, not gilded as hypocrites, but it is precious within; Again, Christ as he is gold, so he is fine gold, whole gold, he hath not only the crown on him, but his head is gold it self. Other Kings their crowns are of gold, but their heads are not so: but there is such a precious treasure of wisdom in him that his head is gold; so let the Church and every Christian labour, not to be guilt but gold, to be thoroughly good, to have the inside as good as the outside, the heart as good as the conversation, the Church is glorious within, Psal. 45. Beloved, Is Christ an excellent golden head and shall he have a base body? Is he fit to be ⟨p. 380⟩united to a golden head that is a common drunkard, a swearer, that is a beast in his life and conversation, is this suitable?
Againe, if Christ be a golden head,1 let us §2his members labour every one to be sutable, though there be difference betweene the head and the members in many respects, especially in those three formerly named, Eminencie, government, and influence, yet for nature they are one, head and members make but one. So tha• as the head of the body is gold, so should every member be: therfore the seven Churches are stiled seven golden candlestickes. Every thing in the Tabernacle was gold,