Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. -Matt. 6:24
(5) Take heed of the least sin against conscience. Sins that are committed against conscience darken the understanding, deaden the affection, and take away life; so that one has not the least strength to withstand the least temptation. For the heart at first being tender, will endure nothing, but the least sin will trouble it. As water, when it begins to freeze, will not endure anything, not so much as the weight of a pin upon it, but after a while will bear the weight of a cart; even so at the beginning, the heart being tender, trembles at the least sin; but when it once gives way to sins against conscience, it becomes so frozen, so hard, that it can endure any sin.
(6) Take heed of spiritual drunkenness; that is, that you be not drunk with setting your love too much upon outward things. The immoderate use of any earthly thing takes away spiritual sense; for the more sensible the soul is of outward things, the less it is of spiritual. When the heart is filled with the pleasures of this life, it is not sensible of any judgment that hangs over the head. As in the old world, 'they ate and drank, they married and gave in marriage, they bought and sold, while the flood came upon them and swept all away' (Matt. 24:38, 39). When a man sets his love upon the creature, the very strength of his soul is lost. In the Scripture, God joins prayer and fasting both together (Matt. 17:21); that when he would have our hearts raised up to heaven, we should have all use of earthly things taken away. Talk of religion to a carnal man, whose senses are lost with love of earthly things, he has no ear for that; his sense is quite lost, he has no relish or savour of anything that is good. Therefore, we are bidden to take heed that our hearts be not overcome with the cares of this life, for these will make a man to be insensible of spiritual things (Luke 21:34).
(6) Take heed of spiritual drunkenness; that is, that you be not drunk with setting your love too much upon outward things. The immoderate use of any earthly thing takes away spiritual sense; for the more sensible the soul is of outward things, the less it is of spiritual. When the heart is filled with the pleasures of this life, it is not sensible of any judgment that hangs over the head. As in the old world, 'they ate and drank, they married and gave in marriage, they bought and sold, while the flood came upon them and swept all away' (Matt. 24:38, 39). When a man sets his love upon the creature, the very strength of his soul is lost. In the Scripture, God joins prayer and fasting both together (Matt. 17:21); that when he would have our hearts raised up to heaven, we should have all use of earthly things taken away. Talk of religion to a carnal man, whose senses are lost with love of earthly things, he has no ear for that; his sense is quite lost, he has no relish or savour of anything that is good. Therefore, we are bidden to take heed that our hearts be not overcome with the cares of this life, for these will make a man to be insensible of spiritual things (Luke 21:34).
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Josiah's Reformation, pp. 18-20 [14-16]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Josiah's Reformation, pp. 18-20 [14-16]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
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January
One Thing (1)One Thing (2)Our Thoughts and Desires Reveal Who We AreThe Christian's Desire for God's House (1)The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)What the Soul Was Made ForGod Makes the Heart TenderMaintaining a Tender Heart (1)Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)Maintaining a Tender Heart (3)Maintaining a Tender Heart (4)Test to See if Your Heart is TenderHow to Recover a Tender HeartBenefits of a Tender HeartKings Must Humble Themselves Before GodHow to Humble Ourselves (1)How to Humble Ourselves (2)How to Humble Ourselves (3)Proneness to PrideHumilityTrue versus False Humility (1)True versus False Humility (2)True versus False Humility (3)Both Outward Devotion and Inward AffectionWeeping for the ChurchWeeping and Rejoicing Mixed (1)Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)God Hears Our Prayers--His PartWhen It Seems God Doesn't HearThe Privilege of PrayerGod Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
February
Death Is a Gathering (1)Death Is a Gathering (2)The Righteous Preserve their NationGod's Righteous JudgmentThe Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (1)The Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (2)Abundance Is Not an Accurate Sign of God's LoveRun to GodChristian UnityChrist In Us (1)Christ In Us (2)Christ In Us (3)Christ In Us (4)Christ In Us (5)Christ the Servant: the MediatorThe Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (1)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (2)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (3)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (4)God Knows Our FrameLittle at First (1)Little at First (2)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (1)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (2)Avoiding Unnecessary RulesThe Weaker BrotherExtend Grace to One AnotherThe Covenant of GraceThe Light of God Compared to Fire (1)
March
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