Selected quad for the lemma: head_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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of Spiritual ravishment to every Soul that has given Christ Jesus entertainment Wise Solomon admired both Gods mercy and his Peoples happiness at once upon this very reason 2 Chron. 6.18 Is it true indeed that God will dwell with man on earth what infinite Majesty fall in love with misery God dwell with man heaven and earth meet in one Person ye righteous let it not deject you that your excellency is not conspicuous in the Worlds eye The Churches beauty is within and herein she is like her beloved Christ himself to outward appearance was but a root out of a dry ground no form or comeliness was in him therefore he was despised and rejected of men Your life is a hidden life like in this to the Ark that without was covered with skins sullied and weather-beaten with storms and tempests but within was stored with gold and rich rarities God seeth not as man seeth there 's a time at hand when God will turn your in-side out and though now you ly among the pots yet shall ye be covered with silver-Wings and your feathers like gold Vse 4. Lastly Be exorted to the Apostles Prayer to add your own practise This is the one thing necessary with what holy zeal and diligence should we do this work and drive this great design how restless should we be in this pursuit to get Christ to dwell in us Q. But how A. I shall only Answer this query and conclude And here several things must be done both for the getting Christ into the heart and the keeping of him there 1. The heart must be prepared for ChristW Mal. 2.1 The Prophet speaking of John Baptist saith that he should prepare the way for him And Isa speaking of the same Messenger adds Every mountain shall he brought low and every vally be filled up and every crooked thing shall be made plain Isa 43.4 All this must be done as a preparation for Christ As where Princes are expected the highways are cleered and all passages are facilitated that they may pass both with ease and honour so we must prepare for Christ Jesus 1. Mountains must be brought low that is the lofty heart must be abased and every high thought must stoop and be made subject to the scepter of Christ we must be vile in our own eyes learn to abhor out selves with Job loath our own sins and our own righteousness also and count it dung and loss to win Christ Christ designs his own Glory in condescending to dwell with sinful men and Christ's Glory and the creature's cannot be set up together 2 Vallies must be filled some hearts are too low for Christ they mind earthly things and therefore are unfit for the receiving of so glorious a guest Lift up therefore your heads O ye gates and then the King of Glory shall come in Psal 24. as the Church is described in Rev. 12. with the moon under her feet and then she is cloathed with the Sun and hath a Crown of twelve Stars on her head so must every member of the Church trample upon all earthly and sublunary vanities and set our hearts on heaven where our true Treasure is It were a disparagement to divine blessings should they be bestowed on them that prize nothing but earthly trifles such pearls do not use to be cast before swine 3. Crooked things must be made straight we must have no crooked aimes nor close designs in the Service of God The sons of Jacob must be all like their Father plain-hearted men our studies strength time and state must be all dedicated to the Lord Such as turn aside to crooked ways the Lord threatens to lead them out with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 4. Lastly rough ways must be made plain the oyle of Grace must supple the rough and rugged temper of our Spirits 'T is said of Nabal he was so churlish a man could not speak to him such hearts are not fit for Christ Christ by Grace sweetens the Temper of out Souls takes off that fierceness and austerity that is in them by nature The Lion and the Lamb ly down together and there 's nothing shall destroy or hurt in all his holy mountain If we would have Christ dwell in our hearts we must keep our hearts pure for a nasty lodging is lothsome to him With what care do we keep our Temples cleansing them continually that there be no filth found in them These Spiritual Temples must never be sullied with sin nor defiled with iniquity This is the condition upon which Christ promises to dwell in us 2 Cor. 6.17 Touch no unclean thing and then I will dwell in you 3. Take heed of grieving the Spirit of God by resisting it's motions or crossing the sweet and saving operations thereof There 's a sad Scripture in Mat. 12.44 When the unclean Spirit is cast out and returneth c. He brings with him seven other Spirits worse than himself and they enter in and dwell there Oh deal courteously with Christ offend your own Souls rather than offend him study we must to comply with his commands and carry our selves so exactly that in nothing we grieve his Spirit nor make him weary of his habitation 4. Lastly sith Christ dwells in the heart by Faith labour to prize this precious Grace for the procuring of which these several rules should 1. Acquaint your selves with your own hearts and you will find such a stock of infidelity in them as may for ever confound us Though God who is faithfulness it self hath infinitely stoopt to lost man and for his security hath ratified the Covenant by his Word his Oath and Seals yet alas there is in us all by nature a heart of unbelief Heb. 3.12 So that upon experience we shall find we are no more able by nature to believe the Gospel than to obey the Law Alas we fear no more than we feel and believe no more than we see when we come to seize on Christ and take hold of the promise Oh with what a faint and trembling hand do we receive them 2. Labour to see the rare excellency and efficacy of Faith what is it but a Christians life while he is below without it we cannot move one foot heaven ward whatsoever is not of Faith is sin This is that which brings in Christ into the Soul it makes us one with Christ now and the union that is made by Faith between Christ and the Soul now shall never be dissolved till we enjoy him in glory For the end of our Faith is the Salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 3. Bind your selves to a constant and conscionable attendance to the Word and Ordinances of God For Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 As death first entered by this door so doth life hear and your Soul shall live this is that Manna on which we must live till we come to Canaan As Gideons Fleece was wet when the ground about it was dry so God usually waters the Souls