Harden not your hearts
My dear brethren, harden not your hearts. You have too long shut your eyes against the light. Open them now before it is too late, before you are cast into outer darkness. Let not any temporal consideration weigh with you: for eternity is at stake. You have run before you were sent (Jeremiah 23:21). O go no farther. Do not persist to damn yourselves and those who hear you! You have no fruit of your labors. And why is this? Even because the Lord is not with you. But can you go this warfare at your own cost (1 Corinthians 9:7)? It cannot be. Then humble yourselves before him. Cry to him out of the dust, that he may first quicken your soul: give you the faith that works by love (Galatians 5:6): that is lowly and meek, pure and merciful, zealous of good works; rejoicing in tribulation, in reproach, in distress, in persecution for righteousness' sake. So shall the Spirit of glory and of Christ rest upon you (1 Peter 4:14), and it shall appear that God has sent you. So shall you indeed do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of your ministry (2 Timothy 4:5). So shall the word of God in your mouth be a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces (Jeremiah 23:29). It shall then be known by your fruits that you are a prophet of the Lord, even by the children whom God has given you. And having turned many to righteousness, you shall shine as the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3)!
1771 text
14. My dear brethren, harden not your hearts. You have too long shut your eyes against the light. Open them now before it is too late; before you are cast into outer darkness. Let not any temporal consideration weigh with you: for eternity is at stake. Ye have run before ye were sent. O go no farther. Do not persist to damn yourselves and them that hear you! You have no fruit of your labours. And why is this? Even because the Lord is not with you. But can you go this warfare at your own cost? It cannot be. Then humble yourselves before him. Cry unto him out of the dust, that he may first quicken thy soul: give thee the faith that worketh by love: that is lowly and meek, pure and merciful, zealous of good works; rejoicing in tribulation, in reproach, in distress, in persecution for righteousness sake. So shall the Spirit of glory and of Christ rest upon thee, and it shall appear, that God hath sent thee. So shalt thou indeed do the work of an Evangelist, and make full proof of thy ministry. So shall the word of God in thy mouth be an hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces. It shall then be known by thy fruits, that thou art a prophet of the Lord, even by the children whom God hath given thee. And having turned many to righteousness, thou shalt shine as the stars for ever and ever!
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 32 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 7:15-20.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.