--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: O what hardness of heart mayst thou see…" description: "\"O what hardness of heart mayst thou see in every corner whither thou goest, and where thou preachest, most part being as unconcerned as the very stones..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/thomas-boston-15917_alluring_o-what-hardness-of-heart-mayst-thou-see_1794525.jpg" --- # O what hardness of heart mayst thou see in every corner… ![“O what hardness of heart mayst thou see in every corner whither thou goest, and where thou preachest, most part being as unconcerned as the very stones of the wall; and say what thou wilt, either by setting before them alluring promises or dreadful threatenings, yet people are hardened against…” quote by Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/thomas-boston-15917_alluring_o-what-hardness-of-heart-mayst-thou-see_1794525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/thomas-boston-15917_alluring_o-what-hardness-of-heart-mayst-thou-see_1794525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/thomas-boston-15917_alluring_o-what-hardness-of-heart-mayst-thou-see_1794525.jpg) > “O what hardness of heart mayst thou see in every corner whither thou goest, and where thou preachest, most part being as unconcerned as the very stones of the wall; and say what thou wilt, either by setting before them alluring promises or dreadful threatenings, yet people are hardened against both, none relenting for what they have done, or concerned about it.” [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People become indifferent and resistant to both promises and threats, showing hardened hearts regardless of actions taken. **In simple terms:** Hearts become hardened, indifferent to both good and bad. Key Takeaway Recognize and address indifference in others. Themes indifference hardness morality Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - preaching - political speeches - personal counseling Key Concepts human nature resistance ethical persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How can we soften hardened hearts? - What motivates genuine concern? A Different Perspective People may still resist despite sincere attempts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alluring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alluring/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corners/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Goest Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goest-thou-813233/) [Hardened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardened/) [Hardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardness/) [Hardness Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardness-heart-904138/) [Hardness of heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardness-of-heart/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Hardened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-hardened-1976978/) [Preachest Unconcerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preachest-unconcerned-1976977/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Settings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settings/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Thou Preachest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-preachest-1976976/) [Threatening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatening/) [Unconcerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconcerned/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing has saddened me so much in life as the hardness of heart of educated people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nothing-has-saddened-me-so-much-in-life-as-the-hardness-of-heart-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Hardness of heart is a dreadful quality, but it is doubtful whether in the long run it works more damage than softness of head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/hardness-of-heart-is-a-dreadful-quality-but-it-is-doubtful-whether-in/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [You can get numbed. People can get hardened. It's not their fault; they just get hardened. News media get hardened. Proprietors get even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/you-can-get-numbed-people-can-get-hardened-it-s-not-their-fault-they/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [“ROM2.21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?  ROM2.22 Thou that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rom2-21-thou-therefore-which-teachest-another-teachest-thou-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/whither-thou-goest-i-will-go-and-where-thou-lodgest-i-will-lodge-thy/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Wherever thou goest, whatever thou dost at home, or abroad, in the field, or at church, do all in a desire of union with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-law/wherever-thou-goest-whatever-thou-dost-at-home-or-abroad-in-the-field/) [William Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-law/) > [Look what thy soul holds dear, imagine it To lie that way thou goest, not whence thou com'st. Suppose the singing birds musicians, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/look-what-thy-soul-holds-dear-imagine-it-to-lie-that-way-thou-goest/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Wither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/wither-thou-goest-i-will-go-and-where-thou-lodgest-i-will-lodge-thy/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Whither thou goest, I will go; Where thou diest, will I die And there will I be buried: The Angel do so to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/whither-thou-goest-i-will-go-where-thou-diest-will-i-die-and-there/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [You say, "Where goest Thou?" I cannot tell, And still go on. But if the way be straight I cannot go amiss: before me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/you-say-where-goest-thou-i-cannot-tell-and-still-go-on-but-if-the-way/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“A hardness to change reveals a hardness of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rohrmayer/a-hardness-to-change-reveals-a-hardness-of-heart/) [Gary Rohrmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rohrmayer/) > [“I do not like hardness of heart, but neither do I like softness of head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-do-not-like-hardness-of-heart-but-neither-do-i-like-softness-of-head/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-think-there-is-only-one-quality-worse-than-hardness-of-heart-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“The motions of Grace, the hardness of heart; external circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-motions-of-grace-the-hardness-of-heart-external-circumstances/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“If you always tend to avoid disappointment, at least you have two issues to be dealt with: The first is to soften the hardness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-always-tend-to-avoid-disappointment-at-least-you-have-two/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) ## More by Thomas Boston > [Many a lash in the dark doth con science give the wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/many-a-lash-in-the-dark-doth-con-science-give-the-wicked/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [The natural man cannot but resist the Lord's offering to help him; yet that resistance is infallibly overcome in the elect, by converting grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/the-natural-man-cannot-but-resist-the-lord-s-offering-to-help-him-yet/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [Saving faith is the faith of God's elect; the special gift of God to them, wrought in them by his Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/saving-faith-is-the-faith-of-god-s-elect-the-special-gift-of-god-to/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [Again, the glory of one attribute is more seen in one work than in another: in some things there is more of His goodness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/again-the-glory-of-one-attribute-is-more-seen-in-one-work-than-in/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [As the corruption of our nature shews the absolute necessity of regeneration, so the absolute necessity of regeneration plainly proves the corruption of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/as-the-corruption-of-our-nature-shews-the-absolute-necessity-of/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [The believer is sensible of his infirmities, for it is supposed that he is wrestling under them. 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