Keeping the Heart

<p><em>Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.</em> (Proverbs 4:23)</p><p><strong>The heart of man is his worst part before it is regenerated and the best part afterward.</strong> It is the seat of principles and the fountain of actions. </p><p>The greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart <em>to</em> God. The greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart <em>with</em> God. Direction and help in this great work are the scope of the text wherein we have:</p><ul><li>An exhortation: <em>Keep thy heart with all diligence.</em></li><li>The reason or motive enforcing it: <em>For out of it are the issues of life.</em></li></ul><p>In the exhortation we'll consider:</p><ul><li>The <em>matter </em>of the duty.</li><li>The <em>manner </em>of performing it.</li></ul><p><em>For out of it [the heart] are the issues of life.</em> In other words the heart is the source of all vital operations; it is the origin of both good and evil just as the spring in a watch that sets all the wheels in motion. The heart is the treasury the hand and tongue are but the shops. The heart contrives and the members execute: <em>for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh </em>(Luke 6:45)<em>.</em></p>