Monday, April 18, 2011

How a Heart Is Hardened

“…You that were tender, and used to melt under the word, under afflictions, will grow as some have profanely spoken, 'sermon-proof and sickness-proof.'

"…Your soul and your sin shall be spoken of and spoken to, and you shall not be at all concerned, but shall be able to pass over duties, praying, hearing, reading, and your heart not in the least affected. Sin will grow a light thing to you; you will pass it by as a thing of naught; this it will grow to…Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble, to think of being brought into that estate wherein he should have slight thoughts of sin?

"Slight thoughts of grace, of mercy, of the blood of Christ, of the law, heaven, and hell, come all in at the same season. Take heed, this is that [which] your lust is working toward – the hardening of the heart, searing of the conscience, blinding of the mind, stupefying of the affections, and deceiving the whole soul.”

– John Owen (The Nature of Mortification; Chapter 10)

No comments: