Part 3 › Question 100: Quest. 100. How far is it lawful, needful or unlawful for a man to afflict himself by e…, A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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6. The greatest difficulty is, Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due; which is answered by¹ what is said already: None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful. But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin, and a hatred of sin, and loathing of our selves for it: And to judge, condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves, which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord, and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves. On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow, fasting, course clothing (as Sackcloth) and denying our selves the pleasures of this world, as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty. And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms, exceeded other men in their austerities, and self-afflictings, we cannot condemn them of superstition, unless we more particularly knew more cause for it. But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to² such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection, fit for others, is superstition indeed. And •o think as many of the Melancholy do, that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge, is a heinous sin, and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous.

6. The greatest difficulty is, Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due; which is answered by¹ what is said already: None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful. But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin, and a hatred of sin, and loathing of our selves for it: And to judge, condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves, which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord, and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves. On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow, fasting, course cloathing (as Sackcloth) and denying our selves the pleasures of this world, as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty. And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms, exceeded other men in their austerities, and self-afflictings, we cannot condemn them of superstition, unless we more particularly knew more cause for it. But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to² such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection, fit for others, is superstition indeed. And •o think as many of the Melancholy do, that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge, is a heinous sin, and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous.

1Psal. 69. 10. Lev. 16. 29, 31. & •3▪ 27, 32. Numb. 29. 7 . & 30. 13. Ezra 8. 21.
2Isa. 58. 5.

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3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their diet; Flesh for Fish, Fruit, Sweetmeats, &c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous: Most poor labourers, and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying diet, and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent, or on their fasting days. And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear, e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years, to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts, and their Clergy call him voracious, and carnal, and an Epicure, and plead for fasting as holy mortification, who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day, as Calvin did in three feasting days; and drink as much Wine in a Lent, as he in twenty years? Sure I am I know many such on both sides: Some that eat but a small meal a day, and never drink Wine at all, and others that drink Wine daily, and eat of many dishes at a meal, and that to the full, and of the sweetest, as Fish, Fruits, &c. yet rail at the former for not fasting as they do. So delusory are the outward appearances, and so false the pretensions of the carnal sort!

3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their dyet; Flesh for Fish, Fruit, Sweetmeats, &c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous: Most poor labourers, and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying dyet, and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent, or on their fasting dayes. And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear, e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years, to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts, and their Clergy call him voracious, and carnal, and an Epicure, and plead for fasting as holy mortification, who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day, as Calvin did in three feasting dayes; and drink as much Wine in a Lent, as he in twenty years? Sure I am I know many such on both sides: Some that eat but a small meal a day, and never drink Wine at all, and others that drink Wine daily, and eat of many dishes at a meal, and that to the full, and of the sweetest, as Fish, Fruits, &c. yet rail at the former for not fasting as they do. So delusory are the outward appearances, and so •alse the pretensions of the carnal sort!