the heart of sin so it opens the heart to Christ unbelief bolts the door against him but Faith unlocks it Christ could not do many mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief away then with all sinful fears Though we have many misgivings within us yet lament them with bitterness and cry out I believe Lord help my unbelief Mind that blessed promise Mat. 2l 22 Whatsoever you ask believing it shall be given you 7. Lastly get your hearts warmed with the grace of Love though they are cold by nature yet beg a spark of this Heavenly fire from Heaven Love is of a dilating and widening nature it makes room in the heart for Christ read Joh. 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my word and my Father will come to him and we will dwell with him Can we possibly bolt the door and keep out him whom we love no the love of God will constrain us to let him in and entertain him 2 Cor. 5.14 The word there used signifies to streighten or to keep in but that is from other things as from sin and the world that so the soul may be the more free for God Oh then that the measure of our love to Christ might be beyond measure this one rule if practised would do the work for all God never parts from that soul where there is but love to entertain him Vse 6. Lastly its matter of unspeakable comfort to as many as with Lydia have their hearts opened Oh what heavenly peace and security what rivers of spiritual pleasure and joy should overflow our hearts as soon as God hath opened them Hath God opened thy heart know that God hath brought Heaven into thy heart now and the same God will bring thee into Heaven shortly When Lydia's heart was opened how was her joy increased and her affections enlarged we read she sought acquaintance with the Apostles she could no longer be a stranger to them who had been the instruments of her Conversion but besought them earnestly saying If you have judged me faithful to the Lord come into my house and abide there and she constrained us Her heart could not hold her comfort but must now impart some of it to them from whom she had received it If any of us have shared with Lydia in the Grace of the Gospel make a little room more in these narrow hearts of yours to entertain some part of her comforts also Q. You will tell me you would willingly but you doubt whether your heart be opened or no A. For your resolution you may know that your heart is opened by God If you find your love and your affections carried out to God above all things in Ezek. 44.2 where the Prophet describes the New Jerusalem We read the Lord brought him to the East-gate of the Sanctuary and said unto him This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entered by it This gate is a figure of the heart which being once opened to God must be opened to nothing else We may know then that our heart is opened to God when 't is shut to all vanities in the world God will have all the heart or none nothing must share with him a heart possessed by God loves nothing but God or for God 2. If our heart be opened to God it will cast out all sin as when the graves were opened at Christs death we read they sent forth their dead the dead bodies arose as soon as the graves were opened so 't will be in a soul that is opened to Christ it will cast out all dead works works of sin and darkness If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin 3. A heart opened to Christ will send forth all sorts of spiritual Graces duties and performances as 't is with the Earth while it lies bound up and frozen in the Winter it 's barren and brings forth nothing but as soon as the spring warms it with the Sun and opens it it sends forth all sweet herbs and flowers even thus we may know that Christ is within us by the Graces and gracious performances that are without Christ is a living root a root that never ceases but like Aaron's rod is always blooming and blossoming 4. Where the heart is opened to Christ all is opened all the parts and powers of the whole man God is so entertained into one part that he is kept out of none 't is all suitable where God hath opened the heart A taste you may have in these Particulars 1. There 's an open ear to hear the Word of God till God hath taken possession of the heart we are like the deaf Adder that stop our ears to the voice of Gods sweet charmers Isa 29.18 In that day shall the deaf hear the words of this Book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and darkness 1 The blind and deaf Gentiles shall in the days of the Gospel be both enlightned and enlivened with saving knowledg whensoever God commands men to return from iniquity he openeth their ears to discipline Job 36.10 Gods Word comes with authority and makes its own way to make room for Christ when once he hath taken hold of the heart 2. There 's an open eye to see the will and mind of God we are all by nature as well blind as deaf in things that are spiritual but God makes the eyes of the blind to see as well as the ears of the deaf to hear Isa 35.5 that is God so far enlightens our understanddings that the mysteries of Salvation are revealed and made clear to us Gods Word comes now with a Commission when it goeth forth it gives light and understanding to the simple Gods redeemed shall never miscarry thorow ignorance They have an unction from the holy one and know all things 1 Job 2.20 1 Whatsoever is necessary to Salvation in lesser errors Believers may be intangled but in Fundamentals they shall never If any man be a doer of Gods will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God Job 7.17 3. There 's an open hand to do the work of God such whose hearts God hath opened are not only hearers of the Word but doers also such a one shews his Faith by his Works you may see what such a one is within by what he is without Like Noah's Ark he is pitcht within and without there 's grace within and grace without he shews by a good conversation his works in meekness and wisdom Jam. 3.13 4. Lastly where God hath opened the heart there is also an open mouth to praise God This is added to compleat the work Isa 35.6 God promises to make the tongue of the dumb to sing Such souls whom God hath visited in mercy are not able to conceal either Gods mercies or their own comforts no they must speak of the loving-kindness of God though it be
bar or bolt that by nature is upon our hearts is stubbornness this sticks to our wills man by nature is a way ward and a self-will'd creature our wills are imbondaged to sin and though we have a will to destory our selves yet we have none to save our selves Corrupt minds know no other law but their own lusts and of these they cry out as Israel of their Idols Strangers have we loved and strangers will we follow Jer. 2.25 When Christ comes and knocks at our hearts corruption presently rises to oppose him we will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19.14 But God comes with his key and opens this door also he makes us of an unwilling to be a willing people Psal 110.3 This God doth not by violence and compulsion but in a sweet and a gracious way he perswades Japheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 God reasons us out of our rebellion making use of that excellent gift of reason wherewith he hath adorned his creature And thus debates the case with him What reason have you to forsake me who am a fountain of living water for broken cisterns that will hold no water Why will you die O house of Israel When all was well between God and you was it not better with you than now Turn you turn you therefore from your evil ways Thus God treats man as a reasonable creature and takes the hint of his own gifts wherewith he bath endowed his creature 3. There 's one lock or bolt more which God opens and that is the Affections Man by mature cannot delight in God nor love him but when God woes in earnest he wins our hearts and engages all our affections to himself so that we love nothing but God or for God for when once the Will is won all is won For the Will among other perfections of the Soul hath the dominion over all the other faculties and affections when therefore it hath fixt the desires or some good that is proportionable to the wideness of the heart it useth its liberty for the choosing of such means as are most proper for the attaining of that good and imploys all the inseriour faculties for the execution of these means In short as soon as the Soul becomes ravisht with the apprehension of that infinite goodness that is in God it 's earnestly drawn out to desire union with him and participation of his glory So that now God is the adequate object of all our love joy and desire and that this is no other but Gods work see Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul c. But this is more directly our next work 3. The third thing proposed is to prove that 't is Gods work to open mans heart He that made the heart can only open it men may knock but there 's none can open and enter but God alone We read in the Acts when the Exorcists undertook to cast out unclean spirits the Devils answered Jesus we know and Paul we know but who are ye Act. 19.15 'T is so here longer than God owns his messengers and stands by them Sin and Satan tell us God he knows and Jesus he knows but who are you A lively abridgment of Gods dealing with his people in this case we have in Cant. 5. where Christ comes wooes his Church and lays her open ver 2. but see what silly and sinful excuses she makes to put off Christ ver 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on But Christ had a purpose to enter and therefore we read ver 4. He put in his hand by the hole of the door and then her heart was affectioned toward him What is this hand or finger of Christ but the efficacy of his Spirit whereby he puts back the boult or unlocks the door of her heart before she could come and entertain him Christ first bores and digs thorough the heart and makes a passage for himself to enter and then comes in and takes possession The arguments for proof follow of which the first is this Res 1. Our hearts by nature are all possest by Satan and strongly fortified against God and Christ whence Christ thus frames his argument That the strong man armed keeps the house till a stronger than he comes and bind him Mat. 12.29 Satan hath the possession and will not leave his hold until he be over-powered so much that Scripture imports Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the powers of darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath delivered us by force so strong are his chains that nothing can break them but the hand of Omnipotency but Oh here is the happiness of Christ's redeemed that stronger is he that is in them than he that is in the world Thanks be to God who hath made us conquerors thorough our Lord Jesus Christ I Joh. 4.4 Res 2. If God come into the heart he enters the right way he doth not climb up the walls nor creep in at the windows such an entrance is not for the honour of the King of Saints and therefore he bids us open the everlasting doors c. Psal 24. as when a King enters a City the gates are set wide open or thrown off their hinges to congratulate the Kings coming and ta shew their joyful entertaining of their lawful Soveraign such an entrance is Christs God makes no forcible entry doth not break the house or enter against his peoples will no he sweetly subdues us as he that opens with a key now none but God hath a key to open those doors Rev. 3.7 The Angel to the Church of Philadelphia c. Thus saith he that hath the key of David which openeth and no man shutteth 'T is wonderful to see the strongest hold and most impregnable castle that from outward force is free and invincible yet 't is but the turning of a key that presently opens it and gives entrance without blood or blows so 't is here God oyls the lock and turns the key and the Soul opens Res 3. All heart-work in order to Salvation if it be effectual is ascribed to God Take a few Instances 1. God searches the heart Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart and try the reins he only knows it that made it even he whose eyes are like a flame of fire that pierce to the bottom of hell The wiles and wickedness the depths and deceits of this member are so many that the Prophet cried out Who can know them Jer. 17.9 Who none but an Omniscient God before whose eyes all things are naked and bare 2. God opens our hearts to our selves so much as we know of them savingly Deut. 8.2 God minds Israel of the tedious and tiresom travel of theirs thorow the Wilderness forty years which was to humble them and prove them to know what was in their
6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drinks his blood you have no life in you Carnal reason knew not how to understand this Mysterie and therefore presently suggests this incredulous question how can this man give us his flesh to eat and what a sad effect followed on this mistake we read v. 66. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with Jesus 3. There must be a faithful retaining or remembrance of it our memories are false and slippery like hour-glasses no sooner filled at one end but they run out at the other riven and chinky vessels that leake out the Water of life strive we all we can to make them Treasuries of Divine Truth and lay up the Word of God in them as in a store-house Thy word have I hid in my heart saith the Psalmist that I might not sin against thee To promote this Work we should do as a man that hath hid a treasure he goes often and sees whether it be safe so should we often turn in upon our memories and ask them as Christ the disciples do you not remember the five Loaves c. and the rather because we have a dangerous and subtile enemy who watches where we keep our treasures and unless we watch it narrowly will steal it from us 4. We must entertain it with love 2 Thes 2.10 Because they received not the truth in the Love thereof therefore God shall give them up to suffer strong delusions want of Love to the Word is the first step to Apostacy See a Soul seasoned with this Grace of Love in Jeremy Chap. 15.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them and they were unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart God makes his appear to the Conscience of the experienced Christian Mic. 2.7 Are not my words good to him that walketh uprightly Yes Lord so good that the Soul that tastes and digests them confesses they are sweeter than hony or the hony-comb If the mysteries of the Gospel are so sweet and sacred that the Angels themselves desire to pry into them how dearly then should dust and ashes love them Oh that we could say as the Psalmist How do I love thy Law all the day long is my study in it 5. The Word must be heard with Faith every hearer is not a profitable hearer As hearing distinguishes Professours from the Profane so believing distinguisheth the upright from hypocrites Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them that heard it because it was not mixt with faith and again 'T is the Power of God to salvation but to them that do believe Rom. 1.16 Though it be true that without the Word there can be no Faith for Faith cometh by hearing yet withal without Faith the Word hath no power As the Brasen Serpent was of no use to them that did not look on it so 't is in this case Look therefore unto me and be you saved when we come to hear we should all think that we hear God speaking to us as he did to Ezekiel Son of man eat that thou findest Ezek. 3.1 Faith is the life of the Soul As there heat in a dead-mans mouth never doth good no more doth the Word in a faithless hearer 'T is Faith that makes every part thereof powerful and effectual its precepts to direct us its threatnings to terrifie us its promises to comfort us Take but one instance in Jonah 3.5 we read that the men of Nineveh believed God 1 upon hearing Jonah his sermon and then they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth Faith is that living womb into which when the seed of the Word falls it becomes a fruitful mother of all spiritual Graces 6. Lastly to a saving attention there is required a universal obedience and a hearty resignation of our selves This was the Apostles Crown and Joy that his Romans had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that they had received Rom. 6.17 and this is Gods end in giving you his Word that it should bring every thought into the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 We should take heed of hearing with uncircumcised ears and stubborn hearts The sence of Gods mercy in revealing his Will and the Conscience of our duty to obey it should make us so ready to every thing that he commands that a little child should lead us Isa 11.6 Vse 1. Hence first is condemned that visible listlessness and supine negligence that many discover in this duty of hearing Can we chuse but tremble to hear that curse that is threatned against every one that doth Gods work negligently Isa 48.10 and yet alas how many of us hear as if we did not hear and mind no more the word of life than if we were hearing art Idle tale The Church hath ever been pestered with such professors God complains of them Ezek. 33.32 Son of man this People come and sit before thee as my People use to do c. Oh hear once more and tremble at that dreadful sentence which Christ breathed against incredulous and refractory hearers in Joh. 12.48 He that refuseth me and heareth not my words hath one that judgeth even the word that I have spoken the same shall judg him Sure it will be a double damnation to be condemned by the Gospel yet thus it will be if it be not the saviour of life to life it will be the Saviour of death to death And what greater equity than this do not such judg themselves unworthy everlasting life that leave their hearts behind them when they come to hear it doth not that malefactor deserve to dye when his pardon is sent him freely that has it read as if he were a-sleep These messengers that were sent by Benhadad to make peace with Ahab when distressed by him will rise in judgment against such drousy hearers We read the men took diligent heed if they could catch any word of him that they might take hold of for their hope and they did so for when they arrested him thus Thy servant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me live the King of Israel answered is he yet alive he is my brother and they took hold of that word and ecchoed it back to him saying thy brother Benhadad Vse 2. Attend then as Lydia did that you may be saved as Lydia was whatsoever you do saith the Preacher do it with all thy might Eccles 9.10 Judg of the importance of the duty by the earnest injunction of the great God of heaven settle it in your hearts Luk. 21.14 and why for the water of life will run out or run besides us if we do not hear with a holy heedfulness Heb. 2.1 Wherefore we ought to give diligent heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we let them slip The Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies either to run besides as water that flows besides a place or else it signifies to run thorough a thing as
from our reins 2. Learn hence next That there is nothing lost by giving Christ entertainment No 't is the gain of a Christian as God blessed Obed-edom for entertaining the Ark so doth he much more bless Believers for entertaining his Son Christ What glorious guests had just Lot when he entertained two Angels a much more glorious guest hath every one that entertains Christ Jesus he brings Salvation with him and so salutes the heart that receives him as he did Zachens This day is salvation come to thy house 3. Learn next what a mystery or rather miracle there is in the actings of saving Faith in that it unites Christ and the soul and brings them to dwell together Wonder we may that though Christ in regard of his humane nature be in Heaven and we on Earth yet Faith easily narrows this wide distance and in an instant possesses the soul with its beloved Jesus As the soul by vertue of sight inlightned with the Sun doth joyn it self with the body of the Sun and touch it after a manner so the eye of Faith inlightned with the beams of the Spirit which come from the Sun of righteousness doth joyn and unite it self with Christ Jesus Vse 2. The next is a use of Trial. If it be so great a blessing to have Christ Jesus dwelling in our hearts it concerns us all to try whether he dwell in our hearts or no. Now the tokens of his presence or evidences of his co-habitation with us may be these 1. The heart in which Christ dwells is an humble heart Isa 57.15 Christ was a pattern of Humility himself Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of spirit And Christ delights to be no-where but in a heart that is like himself The richer the Ship is laden the more water it draws and the lower it sails so 't is here that heart that carries Christ is laden with more than a golden mine it carries him in whom are hid all spiritual treasures and all such souls sail low Abraham calls himself dust and ashes David a worm and no man great Paul the chiefest of sinners though every Saint that is his successor contend still for that title The most hard-hearted sinner so Mr. Bradford subscribed his Letter 2. The heart where Christ dwells is inflamed with the love of God In cold frozen spirits or hearts that are luke-warm like Laodicea Christ likes not to be as the Sun begets heat on inferiour bodies by shining on them so doth Christ the Sun of Righteousness when he ariseth on a soul though he find our hearts cold yet he makes them by his spiritual presence burn within us as it fared with them with whom he journeyed to Emaus Luk. 24.32 The soul burns with love and burns with desire to Christ Jesus that is once united to him Read Joh. 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As when Christ comes he comes willing so where he comes he comes welcome Mary entertained Christ and she loved him much and this love discovered it self in spending that costly Oyntment on his sacred body There 's nothing too dear for Christ in his account where Christ dwells but such a one says with the Martyr He is glad he hath any thing to lose for Christ or with the Church whatever good thing he hath he keeps it only for him Cant. 7.13 2ly With love to our Brethren If we love one another God dwelleth in us 1 Joh. 4.12 God loves to be where love is One observes That where the Devil dwells all is in peace much more where God dwells who is the God of peace If then we find our hearts filled with malice and hatred toward our brethren we may confidently conclude God is not in this place the Lamb of God will never lie in a Lions den We read in Judg. 9.23 God sent an evil spirit between the house of Abijam and the men of Shechem a spirit of hatred enmity and division This is an evil Spirit from the Devil not from God where Satan dwells he sets all on fire not with fire that warms but consumes And when we give place to wrath we give place to the Devil Ephes 4.27 3. The heart wherein Christ dwells is a holy heart as no unholy thing shall for ever dwell with him so neither will Christ dwell with it The heart is a Temple 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost now we know Temples are holy consecrated things That which is lawful to be done in another place is not lawful to be done in a Temple we read Mark 11.16 Christ would not suffer a vessel to be carried thorow the Temple Neither will he have the hearts of believers made a rode for sin no If any man defiles the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3.17 4. The heart where Christ dwells lives in a sweet subjection to Christ and his Laws His commands are not grievous but his yoke is easy and his burden light Christ dwells no-where but where he is acknowledged and serves as a King for God hath appointed him both for a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5.31 The Government is laid by God upon his shoulders and he makes every thought to stoop and come into subjection to himself Well then where men serve not the Lord but their lusts set up their corruptions and cry down Christ in such hearts Christ never dwells But a Soul possest by Christ sets Christ in the Throne and cryes up Christ as the Jews did Caesar We have no King but him 5. The heart in which Christ dwells is a tender heart Such as tremble at Gods Word Isa 57.15 A hard sensless heart is a dead heart And as the Angels to the Women that sought Christ in the sepulchre So we may say in this case Why seek ye the living among the dead Christ is a Spring and a Fountain of life to every believing Soul Because I live ye shall live also Now where there is life there is sense dead men nor fear any thing nor feel it but living men do both they feel the least guilt and fear the wrath and anger of God they are sensible of every miscarriage and their heart smites them on the commission of the least sin as David did when he cut off but the lap of Sauls garment Such a heart shews who is in it to wit that Christ dwells in 't such a heart we read was in good Josiah whose heart was so tender that he wept but at the reading of the Law 2 Kings 22.19 Vse 3. This should cheer the hearts of all believers what unspeakable comfort doth this bring to every one whose heart is a habitation for Christ Jesus how doth Christ honour you that when the World scorns you Christ crowns you when men shun you the Son of God dwells in you Surely this blessing affords matter