A choice, Bed of Spices. us with many fins that confcience is not privy to ; fometimesiP111.19 'tis put for the memory, Pia/. i 9. 1.1. Thy word have I hid in my heart-; that is, in my memory. So Luke 2. 19. But here 'tis taken comprehenfively for the whole fo 1, with all its powers, noble faculties and endowments, together with their feveral operations ; all which are to be watched over With all diligence; or as the Hebrew runs, With all keep- ing. The Hebrew word 1Cnj Shamar fignifies, to keep with watch and ward. A Chriftian is to keep a perpetual guard about his heart. A Lapide notes, that the Hebrew word is borrowed from military affairs. We fhould keep our hearts as foldiers keep a Garrifon, with watch and ward. Lmater jumps with him, and tells us, that the word Sh4mar is taken from a befieged Garrifon, begirt by many enemies without, and in danger of being betrayed by treacherous Citizens within ; in which danger the foldiers upon pain of death are commanded to watch. funim reads the word thus, Keep thy heart ; Supra omnem cuflodiam, -above all keeping. So Hierom reads, Pra omni cultodial above all keeping keep thy heart ; that is,keep, keep, watch, watch,&c. So Rh,dolphus reads it, Pra omni cult odia ; and fo we read it in the Margin of our Bi- bles. And the Syietek reads it in the fame manner that our Engliih loth. Cum onsni cautione, with all caution and wars- refs we are to keep our hearts. 0, what guards and double 0 ouards!, 0, what watches, and double watches fhould men put upon their hearts ! Thefe words keeping, keep, import both a univerfal watchfulnefs over the heart, and a diligent watchfulnefs over the heart, and a conflant watchfulnefs over the heart ; and thrice happy are thofe perfons who keep filch a watch upon their hearts. A man is to keep his eye, and keep his mouth, and keep his feet ; but above all keeping, he is to keep his heart. 'Tis a duty incumbent upon every Chriftian to keep his own heart; Keep thy heart, Thy felf ; thou mayeft make another thy Park-keeper, or thy Houfe- keeper, or thy Shop -keepers, or thy Cafh-keeper, or thy Hoffe-keeper, or thy Nurfe-keeper ; but thou mat be thy E e owns 3. Cato, Cicero, Se- nec a, Socratesond others, have Lid clown eNcellent rules for the go- vernment of tire outward man; but none for the f,7,o- vernment of the heart.
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