Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

Answ. Thereby the Heart is signified. Hence the Scripture speaketh of opening the heart: It is said of Lydia, that she was one whose heart the Lord opened, Acts 16.•4: The words are a Metaphor from the opening of a Door. The Door is that by which men enter into the House. So it is by the Heart, that the Lord enters into a man to take possession of his soul. A Christian is compared to an House; now the Heart is the Door of that House. Moreover, the Doors or Gates of Cities in old times, were the strength thereof, So is the Heart of a man his ⟨p. 89⟩strength. The Gates were places of Authority, men were wont to sit in Judgment in the Gate; so the Heart bears Authority over the whole man. And Gates were for Consultation; so is the Heart, therefore we read of the Counsels of the Heart. The Heart is the Counsel, Strength, Authority of the whole man. Hence it is that if Christ hath not the Heart, he hath nothing: Though he should have a mans Judgment, Tongue, Conscience, Estate, if he hath not his Heart, he is kept out of Doors still.

Doctr. That when Chri•• doth stand and knock at the Door of the hearts of men, it is, as their duty, so their interest, and will be their happiness, to hear and open to him; or, That it is the great interest of men, to hear and open to Christ, when he stands and knocks at the door of their Souls.

In the Doctrinal prosecution of this Point, four things may be attended; 1. To show what is implied in Christs standing at the door and knocking. 2. How or by what means Christ knocketh. 3. What is implied in hearing Christ's Voice, and opening to him. 4. How it doth appear that they are happy that receive Christ; or that it is the interest of men so to do. To all these briefly.