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How it writhes in wrath, how it grinds its
teeth!
Spurgeon, "The Burden of the Word of the Lord"
The Word of the Lord gives a rebuff to human pride.
The doctrines of the gospel seem shaped on purpose
to bring into contempt all human glory.
Here is a man who is morally of a fine and noble
nature, but we tell him that he is born in sin and
shapen in iniquity.
Here is a man of a grand righteous character
in his own opinion, and we tell him that his
righteousness is filthy rags.
Here is a man that can go to heaven by his
own efforts, so he thinks, and we tell him that
he can do nothing of the sort; that he is dead
in trespasses and sins
Here is a man who hopes that, by strong
resolves, he may change his own nature and
make himself all that God would have him.
But we tell him that his resolutions are so
much empty wind, and will end in nothing.
Man stands a convicted criminal, and if saved
must owe his salvation entirely to the gratuitous
mercy of God. Condemned and ruined, if he ever
escapes from his ruin it must be through the work
of the Spirit of God in him, and not by his own works.
Thus, you see, human nature does not like our
message. How it writhes in wrath, how it grinds
its teeth against the doctrine which humbles man,
crucifies his pride, and nails his glory to the gibbet!
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