A12191:58
The riches of mercy In two treatisesThe riches of mercie In two treatises
The riches of mercy In two treatises: 1 Lydia's conversion. 2. A rescue from death. By the late learned, and reverend divine, Richard Sibbs, Doctor in Divinity. Published by the authors own appointment, and subscribed with his own hand to prevent imperfect copies.The riches of mercie In two treatises: 1 Lydia's conversion. 2. A rescue from death. By the late learned, and reverend divine, Richard Sibbs, Doctor in Divinitie. Published by the authors own appointment, and subscribed with his owne hand to prevent imperfect copies.
London: printed by John for Francis Eglesfeild, 1638London: printed by Iohn for Francis Eglesfeild, 1638
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.
God opens the heart.
The second thing is this, that as our hearts are shut and closed up naturally:2 so God, and God alone opens the heart, by his spirit in the use of the means, God opened Lydia's heart.
- 2God alone opens the heart.
God hath many keys, he hath the key of heaven, to command the rain to come down, he hath the key of the womb, the key of hell, and the grave, and the key of the heart, especially, He opens, and no ⟨p. 35⟩man shuts, and shuts and no men opens. He hath the key of the heart, to open the understanding, the memory, the will, and affections. God, and God only hath the key of the heart to open that, it is his prerogative. He made the heart, and he only hath to do with the heart, he can unmake it, and make it new again, as those that make locks can do. And if the heart be in ill temper, he can take it in pieces, and bring it to nothing as it were (as it must be before conversion) and he can make it a new heart again. It is God that opens the heart, and God ⟨p. 36⟩only. All the Angels in heaven cannot give one grace, not the least grace; Grace comes merely from God: it is merely from God: All the creatures in the world cannot open the heart, but God only by his holy spirit: For nature cannot do above its sphere (as we say) above its own power. Natural things can do but natural things. For nature to raise it self up to believe heavenly things it cannot be. Therefore as you see vapours go as high as the sun draws them up and no higher: so the soul of man is lift up to heavenly thngs by the power of