Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A94063
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Lydia's heart opened: or, divine mercy magnified in the conversion of a sinner by the Gospel Being the sum of several sermons preaced lately by James Strong, M.A. and Minister of the Gospel.
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Strong, James, 1618 or 19-1694.
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1675
(1675)
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Wing S5993; ESTC R232916
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38,722
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113
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to the sick-man Mat. 9.2 â—on be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Christ can speak such Words as never man spake the Words which he speaks are Spirit and life 'T is storied of a Peer of this Kingdom that he dyed with joy of an unexpected pardon how great then is the joy that possesseth a Soul that receives a pardon from God! Such pardoned ones are bid to be glad and shout for joy Psal 32.11 And all others flatly forbid to meddle with this joy Hos 9.1 Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other People for thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God 3. The sweetness and closness of that intimacy which we have with Christ by vertue of his dwelling in us appears by this that we have all things common with Christ Christ calls nothing his own that may do us good all lour fresh Springs are in him if we are Christs all is ours Paul Apollo Cephas life and death c. All Christ's offices and efficacies his life death blood merit Spirit all his advantage to us yea death it self is gain to believers Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to dye is gain The Church keeps all her choice presents for Christ Cant. 7. vlt. And Christ bestows all his rarities on his Church 3. Christ dwelling in us implies his abiding or continual residing in us in Isa the 57.15 God is said to inhabit eternity 1 who only is eternal wherever Christ dwells he takes up his residence for ever he saith this is my rest for ever here will I dwell c. Though men may be weary of their dwelling how-ever accommodated both for necessity and delight yet Christ is never That 's the promise he makes his People 1 Kings 6.13 I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my People Israel 5. Christs dwelling in us implies his preservation of us every man is bound to repair and preserve his own house where he dwells so is Christ Christ's dwelling doth not look like the house of the sluggard that drops thorow no what-ever storms beat on it it stands and is impregnable That 's remarkable in Psal 6.7.2.3 At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling at Sion There brake he the arrows of the bow c. That place is sure of safetie and protection where God dwells as on the contrary Gods departing makes way for destruction We read that the Heathens have placed their Security in the presence of their idol-Gods Tacitus reports of the Tyrians when they were besieged by Alexander bound Hercules with a golden chain that he should not depart And the Romans were wont by some verses to call off the Tutelary gods out of the Cities which they did besiege God hath bound himself to us by a Covenant better than a golden chain that he will never leave us nor forsake us Q. 3. The third Query is how Christ dwells in the heart by faith A. The answer is this 'T is the office of Faith to receive Christ Jesus Christ knocks by his Word and Spirit and Faith makes haste to open and let him in it gives Christ the free and full possession of the Soul and delivers up all into his hand and to his use For can two walk together unless they are agreed We read in Gen. 30.6 When Lot and Abraham had multiplied their substance they could not dwell together and there was strife between their herdsmen Christ and we could never have dwelt together had there been any strife between us there is no agreement between Christ and Belial But when Christ comes and dwells in us he comes like Noah's Dove he brings us news of peace purchased by the blood of his Cross The Psalmist admires the happiness of such as dwell together in unity though but natural brethren Psal 133.1 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is c. How good then and pleasant must it be for Christ and us to dwell together This is our happiness Christ says of every believing soul as of Sion This is my rest for ever here will I dwell c. Psal 132.14 Res 2. Such in whom Christ dwells shall never lose their interest in God by sin or backsliding for Christ himself will be a continual spring or fountain of life and grace within us Joh. 4.14 The water that I shall give you shall be in you a well of living water Can we ever die with thirst when we have a fountain within us no fear of forfeiting our title to that great and glorious inheritance if Christ be in us he will keep both it for us and us for it he will preserve us by his grace unto his heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.18 Res 3. If Christ dwell in us he will defend and protect us from all dangers death and hell have nothing to do where Christ the Lord of life dwells When Lazarus was dead his sister told Christ Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died Joh. 11.21 Christs presence is his peoples security from hat second death Satan may bring up his black Legions and storm the Castle but shall never take it Hear ye whose hearts are habitations for the Lord Christ what your Redeemer saith Joh. 14.30 The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me that is in me mystical neither id head nor members Res 4. If Christ dwell in us we shall never want either counsel or comfort his Spirit shall supply us with both If we want counsel we shall hear a voice behind us saying this is the way walk in it He whose name is Counsellor hath not his name for nothing in our greatest perplexities this great Counsellor will advise and direct us for he is made of God to be wisdom to his redeemed Again if we want comfort he 'l revive the drooping spirits of his contrite ones Isa 57.15 The Church out of her experience cries but that his mouth is as sweet things Cant. 5.16 And the words that he speaks are as life to despondent and dying souls Reas 5. But one thing more Christ will never leave his dwelling till he bring us to a dwelling-place with himself in glory This was purchased to us by his death and prepared for us by his Ascension Joh. 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you No sooner shall these earthly houses be dissolved but Christ is presently ready to receive us into everlasting habitations Vse 1. The Application follows and let the first Use be of Information And 1. It discovers the vain delusion of all hypocrites and formalists who admit Christ into their mouths but shut him out of their hearts this was the Religion of the Pharisees whose falsity in matters of Gods Worship Christ Jesus reprehends Mat. 15.8 Well did Isaias prophesie of you saying this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but have removed their hearts far from me 'T is sad when Christ is neer in our mouths but far
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