Matthew Poole and continuators on Acts 16:14

14 ¶ And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

So called from the Country of that name, she being born in Thyatira.

A City therein; and now lived with her Family at Philippi.

Being a Proselyte, and one of them who had left the Heathenish Idolatry, and owned the one, only, and true God; but as yet unacquainted with the Gospel of his Son our Saviour.

Hear[illegible: 1 letter], in Scripture-sense, signifies both the Understanding and the Will: thus with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, Rom. 10.10. Her understanding was enligh[illegible: 1 letter]ned, her heart changed; she now loved what she before hated, and hated what before she loved.

This was the Lords work: according unto what our Saviour himself had said, Iohn 6.37, 44▪ No man can come unto [illegible: 1 word] except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him. [illegible: 1 span] we may in a sense open our hearts, by using such means [illegible: 1 word] God hath promised to succeed for that purpose, Revel. 3.20. and especially when in a sense of our inability and necessity, we implore the free Grace of God, and engage him to work in us according unto all his good pleasure. Otherwise creating a clean heart within us, as 'tis called, Psal. 51.10. is beyond the power of Nature.

Hearing is an instructive sense, and Faith cometh by it, Rom. 10.17. but it must then be accompanied with attention.