Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. I. WHAT IS IT TO KEEP THE HEART? It evidently needs to be kept. It is prone to go astray. 1. The heart is to be kept from all improper objects; every object which has no proper connection with present duty. 2. The heart is to be guarded against all improper affections. When placed upon proper objects, the heart may have very improper affections towards them. II. SHOW HOW THE HEART IS KEPT. 1. Men should always attend to those subjects only with which they are properly concerned. 2. Men must pursue the same method to keep their hearts from improper affections, as from improper objects. They must, therefore, exercise good affections. Love will exclude hatred; faith will exclude unbelief; repentance will exclude impenitence; submission will exclude opposition; humility will exclude pride. Any gracious exercise will exclude any sinful one: only by the exercise of holiness can the heart be kept from sin. III. THE IMPORTANCE OF MEN'S KEEPING THEIR HEARTS WITH THE GREATEST CARE AND CONSTANCY. 1. While they neglect to keep their hearts, all their moral exercises will be sinful. Those who neglect to keep their hearts live in the continual exercise of selfish and sinful affections. 2. While men neglect to keep their hearts, all their thoughts will be sinful. Though bare thoughts have no moral good or evil in themselves considered, yet in connection with the heart they all acquire a good or bad moral quality. No thought is indifferent after the heart has been exercised about it. 3. While men neglect to keep their hearts, all their words will be sinful. Men never speak but of choice, so that their hearts are concerned in all their vain or serious conversation. 4. While men neglect to keep their hearts, all their intentions, purposes, or designs will be evil. Every evil design is first formed in the heart of the projector. 5. Let men pursue what employment they will, whether public or private, high or low, civil or religious, their daily business will become their daily sin, unless they keep their hearts with all diligence. 6. Men must keep their hearts lest they abuse all the blessings of providence with which they are favoured, and all the troubles and afflictions which they are called to suffer.Improvement — 1. Men are never under a natural necessity of sinning. 2. Since men can guard their hearts against evil, they can guard them also against good. 3. Those who neglect the duty enjoined in the text are in imminent danger. 4. None can be sincere in religion who entirely neglect to keep their hearts. 5. The Christian warfare consists in watching, guarding, and keeping the heart. 6. It is both important and helpful diligently to attend the means of grace. (N. Emmons, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.WEB: Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. |
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