N01911:161
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a preface by Dr. Owen.Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a praeface by Dr. Owen.
Boston: printed by John Allen for John Edwards, 1721
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Quest. But how shall we entertain Christ?
Answ. 1. Go to Christ that he would open the door of your hearts: You cannot open them your selves, then do not shut them, but go to Christ, and pray him to open to them: He hath the key of every heart in his hand, he openeth, and none can shut, Rev. 3.7. Pray to him then, that he would put his hand in at the hole of the door, Cant. 5.4. There is the hand of Christs Power, and of his Spirit, pray to him that these may open thy shut-up heart: When Christ knocketh, do you knock too, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened, Mat. 7.7. Blessed shall be the man that heareth him, watching daily at his gates, waiting at the posts of his door, Prov. 8.34.
2. Away with sin. Christ will not come in, except sin go out; And therefore as ever you desire Christs company, away, away forever with your vile lusts, and secret haunts after sin. Oh thou sinner, thou dost shut the King of Glory out of doors: As it is said, Who is the King of Glory? so I say, Where is the King of Glory? Is he in thy heart? No such thing, if sin be willingly entertained there; wherever he be, to •e sure he is not in that heart of thine, […] ⟨p. 113⟩any unmortified lust abide there,