A12167:987
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.
His Countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars.
Lebanon was a goodly forrest lying on the north side of Judea, wherein were excellent plants of all kinds, especially Cedars. Christ his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, that is his presence is goodly, stately and majestical, so it is and will be when he shows himself indeed for the vindicating of his Church, then the enemies thereof shall know that his presence is as Lebanon, and excellent as the Cedars.
Lebanon was a goodly forrest lying on the north side of Iudea, wherein were excellent plants of all kindes, especially Cedars. Christ his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, that is his presence is goodly, stately and majesticall, so it is and will bee when he shewes himselfe indeed for the vindicating of his Church, then the enemies thereof shall know that his presence is as Lebanon, and excellent as the Cedars.
The Children of God are like to Cedars too,1 for they are Christ mystical. Other men are as shrubs to them, men of no value, but they are Cedars, and grow as Cedars in Lebanon, from perfection to perfection, bearing most fruit in their age. Wicked men sometimes are Cedars too and are said to grow and flourish as the Cedars in Lebanon:2 But look a while and you shall see their place no more,3 they have no good root, no good foundation, A Christian is a Cedar set in Christ the chief Cedar, he is a plant that grows in him, he hath an eternal root and therefore he flourisheth eternally.