Horrid Arrogance: Richard Baxter

Continuation in posting the writings of various Puritans.

By Richard Baxter from the Book, The Puritans, Edited by Randall J. Pederson

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Acts 8:22

When you find it in the Word of God that you must either be saved or damned, and so it will be, do you think yourselves fit to contradict this Word? Will you call your Master to the bar, and examine His word upon the accusation or falsehood? Will you set upon Him, and judge Him by the law of your conceits? Are you wiser, and better, and more righteous than He? Must the God of heaven come to you to learn wisdom? Must infinite wisdom learn of folly? and infinite Holiness be corrected by a selfish sinner that cannot keep himself and hour clean?

Must the Almighty stand at the bar of a worm? O! horrid arrogance of senseless dust! Shall every mole, or clod, or dunghill, accuse the sun of darkness, and undertake to illuminate the world? Where were you when the Almighty made these laws, that He did not call you to His counsel? Surely He made them before you were born, without desiring your advice! and you came into the world too late to reverse them. If you could have done so great a work, you should have stepped out of your nothingness, and have contradicted Christ when He was on earth, or Moses before Him, or have saved Adam and his sinful progeny from the threatened death, that so there might have been no need of Christ!

And what if God withdraw His patience and sustentation, and let you drop into hell while you are quarreling with His Word? Will you then believe that there is no hell?