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T H E By J O H N.B U N Y A N. L O N D O N, Sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgates, 1692. |
[How to keep the heart tender.]
UEST. But what should a Christian do, when God has broke his heart,
to keep it tender?
ANSW. To this I will speak briefly. And, first, give you several cautions; secondly,
several directions.
[First, Several cautions.]
1. Take heed that you choke not those convictions that at present do break your hearts,
by labouring to put those things out of your minds which were the cause of such convictions;
but rather nourish and cherish those things in a deep and sober remembrance of them.
Think, therefore, with thyself thus, What was it that at first did wound my heart?
And let that still be there, until, by the grace of God, and the redeeming blood
of Christ, it is removed.
2. Shun vain company. The keeping of vain company has stifled many a conviction,
killed many a desire, and made many a soul fall into hell, that once was hot in looking
after heaven. A companion that is not profitable to the soul, is hurtful. 'He that
walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed'
(Prov 13:20).
3. Take heed of idle talk, that thou neither hear nor join with it. 'Go from the
presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge'
(Prov 14:7). 'Evil communications corrupt good manners. And a fool's lips are the
snare of his soul.' Wherefore take heed of these things (Prov 18:7; 1 Cor 15:33).
4. Beware of the least motion to sin, that it be not countenanced, lest the countenancing
of that makes way for a bigger.[14] David's eye took his heart, and so his heart
nourishing the thought, made way for the woman's company, the act of adultery, and
bloody murder. Take heed, therefore, brethren, 'lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin' (Heb 3:12, 13). And remember, that he that will rend the
block, puts the thin end of the wedge first thereto, and so, by driving, does his
work.
5. Take heed of evil examples among the godly; learn of no man to do that which the
word of God forbids. Sometimes Satan makes use of a good man's bad ways, to spoil
and harden the heart of them that come after. Peter's false doing had like to have
spoiled Barnabas, yea, and several others more. Wherefore take heed of men, of good
men's ways, and measure both theirs and thine own by no other rule but the holy Word
of God (Gal 2:11-13).
6. Take heed of unbelief, or atheistical thoughts; make no question of the truth
and reality of heavenly things: for know unbelief is the worst of evils; nor can
the heart be tender that nourisheth or gives place unto it. 'Take heed, therefore,
lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God' (Heb 3:12). These cautions are necessary to be observed with all diligence,
of all them that would, when their heart is made tender, keep it so. And now to come,
[Second], to the Directions.
1. Labour after a deep knowledge of God to keep it warm upon thy heart; knowledge
of his presence, that is everywhere. 'Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?'
(Jer 23:24). (1.) Knowledge of his piercing eye, that it runneth to and fro through
the earth, beholding in every place the evil and the good; that his eyes behold,
and his eyelids try the children of men (Prov 15:3). (2.) The knowledge of his power,
that he is able to turn and dissolve heaven and earth into dust and ashes; and that
they are in his hand but as a scroll or vesture (Heb 1:11, 12). (3.) The knowledge
of his justice, that the rebukes of it are as devouring fire (Heb 12:19). (4.) The
knowledge of his faithfulness, in fulfilling promises to them to whom they are made,
and of his threatenings on the impenitent (Matt 5:18, 24:35; Mark 13:31).
2. Labour to get and keep a deep sense of sin in its evil nature, and in its soul-destroying
effects upon thy heart; be persuaded, that it is the only enemy of God, and that
none hate, or are hated of God, but through that. (1.) Remember it turned angels
into devils, thrust them down from heaven to hell. (2.) That it is the chain in which
they are held and bound over to judgment (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). (3.) That it was
for that that Adam was turned out of paradise; that for which the old world was drowned;
that for which Sodom and Gomorrah was burned with fire from heaven; and that which
cost Christ his blood to redeem thee from the curse it has brought upon thee; and
that, if anything, will keep thee out of heaven for ever and ever. (4.) Consider
the pains of hell. Christ makes use of that as an argument to keep the heart tender;
yea, to that end repeats and repeats, and repeats, both the nature and durableness
of the burning flame thereof, and of the gnawing of the neverdying worm that dwells
there (Mark 9:43-48).
3. Consider of death, both as to the certainty of thy dying, and uncertainty of the
time when. We must die, we must needs die; our days are determined, the number of
our months are with God, though not with us; nor can we pass them, would we, had
we them, give a thousand worlds to do it (2 Sam 14:14; Job 7:1, 14:1-5). Consider
thou must die but once, I mean but once as to this world; for if thou, when thou
goest hence, dost not die well, thou canst not come back again and die better. 'It
is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' (Heb 9;27).
4. Consider also of the certainty and terribleness of the day of judgment, when Christ
shall sit upon his great white throne, when the dead shall, by the sound of the trump
of God, be raised up; when the elements, with heaven and earth, shall be on a burning
flame; when Christ shall separate men one from another, as a shepherd divideth his
sheep from the goats; when the books shall be opened, the witnesses produced, and
every man be judged according to his works; when heaven's gate shall stand open to
them that shall be saved, and the jaws of hell stand gaping for them that shall be
damned (Acts 5:30-31, 10:42; Matt 25:31, 32, 34, 4; Rev 2:11; 1 Cor 15:51; Rev 20:12,
15; 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12; Rom 2:2, 15, 16; Rev 22:12).
5. Consider, Christ Jesus did use no means to harden his heart against doing and
suffering those sorrows which were necessary for the redemption of thy soul. No;
though he could have hardened his heart against thee in the way of justice and righteousness,
because thou hadst sinned against him, he rather awakened himself, and put on all
pity, bowels, and compassion; yea, tender mercies, and did it. In his love and in
his pity he saved us. His tender mercies from on high hath visited us. He loved us,
and gave himself for us. Learn, then, of Christ, to be tender of thyself, and to
endeavour to keep thy heart tender to God-ward, and to the salvation of thy soul.
But to draw to a conclusion.
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