Bowels Opened, Title page – Table of contents
BOWELS OPENED, OR, A DISCOVERY OF THE Neere and deere Love, Vnion 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.
CANT. 4. 10.
Thou hast ravished my heart, my Sister, my Spouse: thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, and with one chaine of thy necke.
LONDON. Printed by G. M. for George Edwards in the Old Baily in Greene-Arbour at the signe of the Angell, MDCXXXIX.
HONORATISSIMO DOMINO, DOMINO EDVARDO VICE-COMITI MANDEVILLE QVEM, VT VERAE NOBILITATIS DELICIAS CANDORIS NIVEM, IN RES CHRISTI, ET ALIORVM COMMODA EFFVSISSIMVM SUSPICIMUS, COLIMUS; VNAQVE CONCIONES HAS IN CANTICA POSTHVMAS IN AMORIS GRATIAM QVO AVTHOREM IPSE COMPLEXUS EST NOSTRAEQVE IN DNEM ILLIVS MERITISSIMAE OBSERVANTI…E TESTIMONIVM
D. D.
THOMAS GOODWIN. PHILIPPVS NYE.
both to the understanding of that dark and mo…t divine Scrip ure, and also to kindle in the heart all heavenly affections unto Iesus Christ.
It is well knowne how backward I am, and ever have been to cumber the Pr…sse, but yet … would not be guilty in depriving the deare children of God of the spirituall and sweet consolations, which are heere very plentifully offered unto them.
An the whole frame of all these Sermons, is carried with such Wisdome, Gravity, Piety, Iudgment and Experience, that it commends it self unto all that are godly wise: and I doubt not but that they shall finde their temptations answered, their fainting spirits revived, their understandings inlightned, and their graces confirmed, so as they shall have cause to praise God for the worthy Authors godly and painfull labours. And thus desiring the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort, to blesse this work to the consolation & edification of those that seek his favour and desire to feare his holy Nam…, …rest
Thine in Iesus Christ I. Dod.
A Table of the chiefe heads and Contents of the following Sermons in this Booke.
THE Introduction, pag. 1.
There is the same regard of the whole Church and of every particular member, in regard of the chiefest priviledges and graces that accompany Salvation, pag. 5.
All creatures stand in obedience to Christ, pag. 7.
The courses that Christ takes with his Church may seeme contrary, but by a wise ordering all agree in the wholesome issue, pag. 8.
In what respects the Spirit of God is compared to wind, pa. 9.
In what respects we need the blowing of the Spirit, pag. 12.
In what respects the Church is compared to a Garden, pag. 13.
Christians should walke as men of a fevered condition from the world, pag. 16.
Christians planted in Gods Garden should bee fruitfull, pag. 17.
God cares for and protecteth his Church, pag. 13.
We need not onelyonly grace to put life into us at the first, but likewise grace to quicken and draw foorth that life we have, pag. 19.
It is not enough to be good our selves but our goodnesse must flow out, pag. 20,
Where once God begins he goes on, and adds inc…uragement to incouragement, to mantaine new setters up in Religion, pa. 21.
Wheresoever grace is truely begun there is still a further desire of Christs presence, pag. 22.
Why the Church is so earnest in desiring the presence of Christ, pag. 22.
A gratious heart is privy to its owne grace when it is in a right temper: and so farre as it is privy, is bold with Christ in a sweet and reverend manner, p. 24.
It is the duty and disposition of the Church of Christ to please her husband, p. 25.
The Church gives all to Christ, pag. 26.
Comfort in the wants and blemishes of our performances, pag. …7.
The resolution of the whole fift Chapter of Canticles, pag. 28.
The order of Gods hearing his Church, pag. 31.
God makes us good, stirrs up holy desires in us, and then answers the desires of his Spirit in us, pag. 31.
Why G…d heares our Prayers, pa. 32.
Cases wherein one is unfit to pray, pag. 35.
How to know when God heares our Prayers, pag. 37.
Christ vouchsafes his gratious presence to his children upon their desire of it, pag. 38.
The Church is carried from desire to desire after the presence of Christ, pag. …9.
How to know that Christ is present in us, page 40.
Where Christ is present, there Heaven is in some degree, pag. 41.
Having Christs presence we need feare nothing, p. 42.
Christ is our Brother, pag. 44.
The Churches royall descent, pag. 46.
The Church is the Spouse of Christ. pag. 47.
Resemblances betwixt the temporall and spiritual marriage, pag. 48.
The comfort of Christ being our husband, page 50.
Christians being the Spouse of Christ should labour for chaste judgements and affections, pag. 51.
Our affections are as their objects, pag 51.
How to know whether we be espoused to Christ or not, pag. 52.
Incouragement and direction to those who are not yet in Christ, pag. 53.
God accepts of the graces of his children and delights in them, pag. 55.
Incouragement to be much in holy duties, pag, 57.
Our care must be to preserve our selves in a good estate free from the guilt of any sinne, pag. 58.
Christ when he comes to a soule comes not empty, pag. 59.
Exhortation to have communion with Christ, pa. 60.
We ought to rejoyce in the comforts and graces of others, and of our selves, pag. 61.
There is a mutuall feas…ing betwixt Christ and his Church, pag. 67.
Resemblances betwixt corporall feasts and the feast Christ maketh us of himselfe, pag. 68.
What we should bring with us to the feast Christ makes us, pag. 73.
The meanes to procure an appetite to Christ, p. 74.
All kinds and degrees of friendship meet in Christ towards his Church, pag. 79.
All the requisits to make up true friendship are found in Christ, pag. 79.
Friendship of Christ is sweet and constant, p. 81.
The state of the Church and every Christian is subject to spirituall alterations, pag. 82.
Where corruption is not thorowly purged and a carefull watch kept over the soule, there after a recovery wil follow a more dangerous distemper, pa. 83.
It is the disposition of Gods chil…ren to be ingenious in opening their state to God, pag. 84.
A gratious soule is abased for lesser d…fects, p. 86.
What meant by the sleepe of the Church, pag. 88.
The resemblances betweene bodily and spirituall sleep in their causes, effects, and dang…rs, pag. 88.
Security and sleepinesse of the Church in Constantines time, pag. 93.
… …udgements of best men cannot alwaies bee sa…ely r…l…ed on, pag. 94.
… of the Church in these latter ages, p. 95.
… of a sleepy estate, pag 96.
Motives against sleepines, pag. 99.
A Christian may know how it is with himselfe, though he be mixed with flesh and Spirit, pag. 106.
We should as well acknowledge that which is good, as that which is evill in our hearts, pag. 10….
The good that the Church retained in her sleepy condition, pag. 108.
Gods children never totally fall from grace, p. 111.
A Christian is what his heart and inward man is, pag. 14.
Difference betweene a Christian and an Hypocrite, pag 115.
A waking state is a blessed state, pag 116.
Meanes how to preserve our soules in a waking condition in drowsy times, pag. 116.
Christians must especially be watchfull in the use of liberty and such things … in themselves are lawfull, pag. 124.
The excellency of a wak…ng Christian, pag. 125.
True Christians are discerned by a spirituall taste in hearing Gods Word, pag. 130.
Papists objection, How shall we know that the Word is the Word of God, answered, pag. 132.
Why so many Apostatize, pag. 133.
A Christian is sensible of all blessed helps he hath to salvation, pag. 134.
The difference betweene the sleepe of a Christian and dead sleepe of naturall men, pag. 134.
Christ still desires a further and further communion with his Church, pag. 1…6.
The cause of Christs strangenesse to us is in our selves, pag. 137.
Christ takes not advantage from the sinnes of the Church to leave them altogether, but makes further and further love to them, pag. 138.
How Christ is said to kn…cke at our hearts, p 140.
Why Christ knocks when he hath power to open to himselfe, pag. 147.
The heart of a Christian is the house and Temple of God, pag. 149.
How Christ can come into the soule, pag. 150.
How we may know whether Christ dwells in our hearts, pag. 151.
We are to cherish all the good conceits we can of Christ, pag. 152.
The woefull estate of those who entertaine not Christ knocking at the doore of their hearts, page 153.
That Christ hath used all kinds of knockings to this nation, pag. 155.
Considerations enforcing us to entertaine Christ, pag. 157.
That Christs knocking is especially by the Ministery of the Word, pag. 160.
There are none in the Church but have been allured at some time or other to come in, pag. 162.
Incouragement to pray for the Church, pag. 164.
Christ hath never enough of his Church till hee hath it in Heaven, pag. 165.
The sufferings of Christ in himselfe and Ministers, pag. 167.
Christs patience to us should make us patient under Gods corrections, and in our dealing with others, p. 169.
The Church of God is Christs Sister and Spouse, pag. 1…0.
The grounds of Christs speciall love to his Church and children, p…g 172.
No saving love out of the Church, pag. 174.
Properties of Christs love to his Church, pag. 175.
Whether Christ cannot see matter of weaknes and sinnefulnesse in his Church, pag. 175.
How to know Christ loves us in a peculiar manner, p…g. 178
Reproofe of those who love not Gods children, p. 180.
Why Christ calls his Church his love, pag. 183.
An argument to prove the stability of the Saints and the soules immortality, pag. 186.
How trasc…ndent majesty and infinite love dwelt together in Christ, p…g. 186.
Why the Holy Ghost appeared in the shape of a Dove at Christs Baptisme, pag. 188.
Church why compared to a Dove, pag. 189.
Properties of a Dove resembled to the Church, p. 189
What defence Gods Church hath when it is persecuted, p. 194.
That Gods Church hath alwayes a refuge in God in the worst times, pag. 195.
How the Church is said to be undefiled, pag. 196.
How Christs righteousnes not being in the Church may yet be said to be the Churches, pag. 197.
How we being sinners may yet be said to be undefiled, pag. 198.
Christs love to us should make us love him again, pag. 20…
Direction how affl…cted in conscience are to judge of themselves, pag. 204.
Christians are not to wrong themselves with false judging of their estates, pag. 206.
It is not an easie thing to bring the soule and Christ together into …eare fellowship, pag. 209.
False reasons, excuses, and pretences hinder communion with Christ, pag. …10.
Excuses of the flesh to hinder our communion with Christ, answered, pag. 211.
Excuses of worldlings to hinder their communion with Christ, answered, pag. 213.
Causes of the false pretences and excuses which hinder many from holy duties, pag. 216.
Helps to keep us from putting off and delaying holy duties by false reasons and excuses, p. 222.
That Christ doth use sometimes to leave his Church and children, p. 245.
Ends why Christ leaves his children, p. 246.
Christians wanting comfort are not to be censured p. 2…0.
We are to prepare for desertion, p. 251.
The cause of Christs with drawing comfort from us rests in our selves, p. 251.
Christ never altogether leaves the Church, page 254.
Christs grace is the cause of our grace, page 255.
We finde experience of the grace of Christ especially when we stirre up our selves to endeavour, p. 256.
Gods graces are sweet, p. 257.
Outward meanes without the Spirit of Christ are ineffectuall, p. 259.
Christ alwayes leaves some grace before he offers to depart, p. 260.
Sinnes of omission bring griefe and shame, p. 264.
Christ hath our affections in his government, pa. 266.
Christ is wonderfull in his Saints and in his goodnesse towards them, p. 268.
Truth of affection will discover it selfe in outward expressions, p. 271.
The Word of Christ though for the present it bee not effectuall, yet afterwards it will be, page 273.
Christ so leaves his children sometimes that their hearts faile them for want of his presence, page 274
Causes of the fainting of Christian soules, page 275.
The difference betweene the true child of God and others, p. 277.
Christ is many times present with the Church when she finds and feels it not, p. 281.
How we are to judge of our selves in a dead estate, pag. 283.
We should depend upon Christ when he seemes absent from us, pag. 283.
How to know God heares our prayers, pag. 28….
Directions how to carry our selves when we pray without successe or in any state of desertion, pa. 288.
It is no easie thing to be a sound Christian, pag. 292.
Governours of the Church and state compared to Watchmen, pa. 293.
Reasons why God useth Watchmen, pag. …9….
How the Church was wounded by the Watchmen, p…g. 295.
How the Churches vaile is taken away, pag 295.
Why the Watchmen are the wounders of the Church, pag. 296.
We are not to thinke the worse of any for the disgraces of the time, pag 298.
True grace growes up with difficulties, pag. 303.
If we find not comfort in one means we must have recourse to another, pag. 30….
Resemblances betweene Hierusalem and the Church, pag. 305.
How to know we are daughters of Hierusalem, pa. 306.
We are to desire the prayers of ot…ers, pag. 309.
…ove… sicke what it is, pag. 3…0.
How to know we are sicke of love to Christ, p. 31….
How is the Church said to be the fairest among woemen, pag. 322.
In what respects the Church cals her selfe black, p. 324.
There is a wondrous force in the examples of Christians to stirre up one another, p. 328.
The excellent use of holy conference, p. 331.
Christians should be …n…uisitive, p. 334.
Whence comes the Churches fairenesse under such seeming foulenesse and disgrace, page 339.
How we are to judge of Gods people under seeming disgraces, page 340.
Christians are to improove the gifts of others by Questions, pag. 342.
Our endeavours must be to make Religion lovely, 343.
There is no envy in spirituall things, pag. 344.
Christ is a most beautifull person, pa. 34….
Christ as he is beautifull and good, so he is beyond all comparison good, page 348.
Christ onelyonly was King, Priest, and Prophet, pag. 350.
Christs transcendent excellencies serve to draw those that are not yet in Christ unto him and to comfort those that are in Christ, p. 357.
The desperate f…lly of most men who choose base transitory things and refuse Christ, p. 358.
Christians ought to make Christ the rule of their choise in other things, p. 363.
Meanes to enable us rightly to value Christ and highly to esteeme of him, page 364.
There is somewhat of God in every creature, page 372.
Why the Church is so exact in particularising her Beloved, pag. 374.
Why Christ is set out by an head of gold, p. 378.
Christians should be suteable to Christ their head, pag. 379.
Why Christ is said to have Doves eyes, pag. 381.
The manifestation of Christ to his children by his Spirit in any of his ordinances is a sweet and delightfull manifestation, p. 384.
Christs doctrine is sweet and sound, pag. 388.
All Christs actions are precious, pag. 389.
The best discovery of our state in grace is by our affection to the Word of Christ, pag. 392.
Christ every way considered is altogether lovely, p. 396.
Christ in his lowest abasements for us was most lovely, pag. 397.
We are to rest upon Christs obedience and righteousnesse, pag. 398.
Our best affections ought to be set upon Christ, p. 399.
How to know whether we love Christ, pag. 401.
Meanes whereby we may be enabled to love and highly esteeme of Christ, pag. 40….
Ends why the Church in generall and particular sets foorth the excellencies of Christ, pag. 413.
Grace though it be never so small at the first yet it is growing still, pag. 422.
Vsually God works with the meanes, pag. 424.
How to be happy instruments to convert others, p. 426.
That which most stirs up holy affections to search after Christ, is the large explications of his excellencies, pag. 428.
In what respects Christians are compared to Lillies, pag. 432.
Comfort to Gods people against all their ill censures and wants, pag. 434.
Christ will not be long absent from his Church, p. 438.
We are to waite and never to give …ver seeking of Christ, pag. 439.
There mus… be union of persons to Christ before there can be communion with him, pag. 443.
From the union of our persons to Christ comes communion of all other things, pag. 444.
What these words imply, I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is m…ne, pag. 446.
Causes why God absents himselfe from his children, pag 45….
Wh…n usually Christ returnes after desertion, pa. 452.
How Christ comes to be ours, pag. 454.
The riches of a Christian that has Christ to be his portion, pag. 4…4.
Christians having Christ for their portion should be content…d with their outward condition what soever it is, pag. 455.
Why sometimes we want outward things being in Christ, pag 456.
How we are Christs Beloved, pag 457.
Sufferings of the Church are to conforme her to Christ her Husband, pag 459.
The sweetest communion with Christ is under the greatest crosses, pag. 460.
Our giving our selves to Christ is a sure evidence that we are Christs, p. 461.
How … answer Satan when he tempts us to sin or despaire, pag 463.
Reasons why Christ must be given to us before we can give our selv…s to him, pa. 466.
D…rection how to be enabled to say, … am my Beloveds and my B…lo…ed is mine, pag. 472.
The excellency of a Christian walking in divine light above …ther men, page 478.
Exhortation and incouragement for those who are not yet in Christ to come in, pag. 478.
Those who have given themselves up to Christ ought not to b… discouraged for their infirmities, pa. 4…0.
We must labour to comprehend the love of Christ to us which will enable us to suffer willingly and cheerefully, pag. 481.
Christ feeds his Church and people in fat pas…ures, pag. 482.
Christ feeds as well as breeds, pag. 485.
Reasons of the necessity of our continuall feeding in Christianity, 486.
Christ feeds his people plentifully and sweetly, p. 487.
Happinesse of these times wherein there is such plenty of spirituall food, pag. 488.
The sweetnes of our lives is not lost by becomming religious. pag. 489.
How to get hungry appetites to the Sacrament, pa. 494.