p. 204 | KEEP THY HEART by A. S. Hutchins

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 18, 1858

KEEP THY HEART.

By A. S. Hutchins

SAYS Solomon, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. iv, 23. As the heart is the seat both of all good and of all evil, the injunction of this text is one of vital importance; one that all should carefully heed.

Let the heart be given unreservedly to the Lord; let it be brought into subjection to his righteous will, and kept with all diligence; and an inestimable treasure of good things will ever be found there.

But neglect the heart; let it be devoted to self and the love of the world; suffer not the love of God to enter there; crowd out the influences of the Holy Spirit; and it becomes the fountain of evil, the center of all wickedness.

Says the Saviour, "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Matt. xii, 34, 35. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Ib. xv, 19.

"My son give me thine heart," is the language of inspiration. But how reluctantly, how sparingly do men give to God their hearts, while its avenues are made large and opened widely for this world, for a treasure of dust and of dross. Oh what folly! Oh how wretched the choice made by the great majority of the children of men!

But how is it with us, professing to walk in the light of the last message of mercy? Do we keep a diligent watch of our hearts? Are we buying the gold tried in the fire? Shall we be found with the

white raiment on, when the last sound of mercy for the sinner dies away? Shall we anoint our eyes with eye-salve, and be prepared to behold the King in his beauty and majesty, when he appeareth? O, my dear brethren and sisters, "examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves."

Watch the heart, keep it with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Let your light shine. It will shine if the heart is right. "A city set on an hill cannot be hid." Our "lips and lives" are constant and unimpeachable witnesses of the condition of the heart. They speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Their testimony is convincing, conclusive. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

"So let our lips and lives express, The holy gospel we profess; So let our works and virtues shine, To prove the doctrine all divine. "Thus shall we best proclaim abroad, The honors of our gracious Lord, When the salvation reigns within, And grace subdues the power of sin."

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil." Prov. iv, 23–27.

A. S. HUTCHINS.