Part 1 › Chapter 4 › Part 5 › Signs of the worst part of PRIDE against GOD., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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§. 16. Sign 6. Pride setteth up the wisdom of a foolish man against the infinite wisdom of God: It¹ makes men presume to judge their Judge, and judge his Laws, before they understand them, and to² quarrel with all that they find unsuitable to their own conceits; and say, How improbable is this or that? and how can these things be? He that cannot undo a pair of Tarrying Irons, or unriddle a Riddle till it be taught him, which afterwards appeareth plain, will question the truth of the Word of God about the most high unsearchable mysteries. Proud men think they could mend Gods Word, and they could better have ordered matters in the world, and for the Church, and for themselves, and for their friends, tha then providence of God hath done.

§. 16. Sign 6. Pride setteth up the wisdom of a foolish man against the infinite wisdom of God: It¹ makes men presume to judge their Judge, and judge his Laws, before they understand them, and to² quarrell with all that they find unsuitable to their own conceits; and say, How improbable is this or that? and how can these things be? He that cannot undo a pair of Tarrying Irons, or unriddle a Riddle till it be taught him, which afterwards appeareth plain, will question the truth of the Word of God about the most high unsearchable mysteries. Proud men think they could mend Gods Word, and they could better have ordered matters in the world, and for the Church, and for themselves, and for their friends, tha then providence of God hath done.

1Sign 6.
2La•rt. saith that Pythagoras first called himself a Philosopher, Nullum enim hominum, sed s•lum Deum esse sepiente• asserit: Antea [Greek or Hebrew] dicta, quae nu•c Philosophia: & qui hanc profitebantur [Greek or Hebrew] appellati: Quicunque ad summam animi virtutem ex•reverunt, hos nunc honestiore vocabulo, authore Pythagora Philosophos appellamus. pag. 7.La•rt. saith that Pythagoras first called himself a Philosopher, Nullum enim hominum, sed s•lum Deum esse sepiente• asserit: Antea 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 dicta, quae nu•c Philosophia: & qui hanc profitebantur 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 appellati: Quicunque ad summam animi virtutem ex•reverunt, hos nunc honestiore vocabulo, authore Pythagora Philosophos appellamus. pag. 7.

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§. 25. Sign 5. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to¹ be above his due, though it be to the injury of God. He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth, though they sin in doing it. He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him; nor for reverencing or honouring him too much; nor for setting him too high, or for giving or ascribing too much power to him, nor for obeying him before God himself: He careth not how much love, and honour, and praises, and thanks he hath: when a humble soul saith as Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory: And as the Angel to John that would have worshipped him, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant. They² know God will not give his glory to another, Isa. 42. 8. In his Temple every one speaketh of his glory, Psal. 29. 9. But of themselves they say, I am a worm and no man: I am less than the least of all thy mercies; less than the least of all Saints: the chiefest of sinners: How unfit am I for so much love, and praise, and honour?

§. 25. Sign 5. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to¹ be above his due, though it be to the injury of God. He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth, though they sin in doing it. He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him; nor for reverencing or honouring him too much; nor for setting him too high, or for giving or ascribing too much power to him, nor for obeying him before God himself: He careth not how much love, and honour, and praises, and thanks he hath: when a humble soul saith as Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory: And as the Angel to Iohn that would have worshipped him, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant. They² know God will not give his glory to another, Isa. 42. 8. In his Temple every one speaketh of his glory, Psal. 29. 9. But of themselves they say, I am a worm and no man: I am less than the least of all thy mercies; less than the least of all Saints: the chiefest of sinners: How unfit am I for so much love, and praise, and honour?

1Sign 15.
2Psal. 22. 6. Gen. 32. 10. I•ph•l 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15.

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§. 29. Sign 19. A proud man is discontented with his Degree, especially if it be low: He would be¹ higher in power, and honour, and wealth: yea, he is never so high but he would fain be one step higher. If he had a Kingdom, he would have another: and if he had the Dominions of the Turkish or Tartarian Emperor, he would desire to enlarge them, and to have more; and would not be satisfied till he had all the world: Men feel not this in their low condition: They think, If I had but so much or so much, I would be content: But this is their ignorance of the insatiable Pride that dwelleth in them. Do you not see the greatest Emperors on Earth still seeking to be greater: Every man naturally would be a Pope, the Universal Monarch of the world: And every such Pope would have both Swords, and have Princes and people wholly at their will: And when they have no mind to hurt, they would have power to hurt; that all the world might hold their Estates, and Liberties, and Lives, as by their clemency and gift, and they might be as God to other men: And if they had attained this, Pride would not stop, till it had caused them to aspire to all the prerogatives of God, and to depose him and dethrone him of his Godhead and Majesty that they might have his place.

§. 29. Sign 19. A proud man is discontented with his Degree, especially if it be low: He would be¹ higher in power, and honour, and wealth: yea, he is never so high but he would fain be one step higher. If he had a Kingdom, he would have another: and if he had the Dominions of the Turkish or Tartarian Emperour, he would desire to enlarge them, and to have more; and would not be satisfied till he had all the world: Men feel not this in their low condition: They think, If I had but so much or so much, I would be content: But this is their ignorance of the insatiable Pride that dwelleth in them. Do you not see the greatest Emperours on Earth still seeking to be greater: Every man naturally would be a Pope, the Universal Monarch of the world: And every such Pope would have both Swords, and have Princes and people wholly at their will: And when they have no mind to hurt, they would have power to hurt; that all the world might hold their Estates, and Liberties, and Lives, as by their clemency and gift, and they might be as God to other men: And if they had attained this, Pride would not stop, till it had caused them to aspire to all the prerogatives of God, and to depose him and dethrone him of his Godhead and Majesty that they might have his place.

1Sign 19.