Acts 2:37
A Tender Heart—Timothy Cruso
Tenderness of heart supposes deep conviction, as that which must go before, in order to the producing of such a frame. The sword in Christ’s mouth must pierce (as it were) between the joints and marrow, divide the soul and spirit asunder, and make such kind of wounds as the regardless sinner never felt before.
Where the word does not enter thus, the heart will remain hard still, and wonderfully insensible both of sin and duty. A sound which only passes by the ear signifies nothing more than a feather drawn over the skin, until the commandment comes with power, for the raising of men’s stupid faculties out of their deep sleep.
Christ told Judas that he had a devil, and would betray Him, yet conscience never stirred, so as to execute its office to any purpose. So long as people are alive and vigorous, cheerful and confident (as Paul was once in his natural condition [Rom.7:9]) without the law, this disposition of holy tenderness is not likely to spring up in them, and they may be truly said to be without the law, though they have the outward dispensation of it, so long as they are not thoroughly convinced and humbled by it.
Such high mountains, as our hearts natural are, like vast heaps of filth cast up in the way of the Lord, will not slow down at any presence but His. None is able of these stones to rise up believing children, spiritual seed, to Abraham, but only He. He against whom sin is committed, must give saving repentance for sin; He that pressed under us metaphorically must also cause us to feel the load of our own defilements really; the God in whose sight we are most abominable, must bring us to loath ourselves.
He fashioned the heart at first and He can turn it which way He pleases. It was formed by His hand originally, and it is in His hand still, that is, it is under His sovereign power, which He can successfully exert in any case.
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
A Tender Heart—Timothy Cruso
Tenderness of heart supposes deep conviction, as that which must go before, in order to the producing of such a frame. The sword in Christ’s mouth must pierce (as it were) between the joints and marrow, divide the soul and spirit asunder, and make such kind of wounds as the regardless sinner never felt before.
Where the word does not enter thus, the heart will remain hard still, and wonderfully insensible both of sin and duty. A sound which only passes by the ear signifies nothing more than a feather drawn over the skin, until the commandment comes with power, for the raising of men’s stupid faculties out of their deep sleep.
Christ told Judas that he had a devil, and would betray Him, yet conscience never stirred, so as to execute its office to any purpose. So long as people are alive and vigorous, cheerful and confident (as Paul was once in his natural condition [Rom.7:9]) without the law, this disposition of holy tenderness is not likely to spring up in them, and they may be truly said to be without the law, though they have the outward dispensation of it, so long as they are not thoroughly convinced and humbled by it.
Such high mountains, as our hearts natural are, like vast heaps of filth cast up in the way of the Lord, will not slow down at any presence but His. None is able of these stones to rise up believing children, spiritual seed, to Abraham, but only He. He against whom sin is committed, must give saving repentance for sin; He that pressed under us metaphorically must also cause us to feel the load of our own defilements really; the God in whose sight we are most abominable, must bring us to loath ourselves.
He fashioned the heart at first and He can turn it which way He pleases. It was formed by His hand originally, and it is in His hand still, that is, it is under His sovereign power, which He can successfully exert in any case.
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
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