A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

But the first temptation did entice him to adhere to an inferior good, for the pleasing of his flesh, and the advancement of him self to a carnal kind of felicity in himself, that he might be as God in knowing good and evil. And thus man was suddenly taken with the Creature as a means to the pleasing of his carnal self, and so did depart from God his true felicity; and retired into himself in his estimation, affection, and intention; and delivered up his Reason in subjection to his sensuality, and made himself his Ultimate End.

But the first temptation did entice him to adhere to an inferiour good, for the pleasing of his flesh, and the advancement of him self to a carnal kind of felicity in himself, that he might be as God in knowing good and evil. And thus man was suddenly taken with the Creature as a means to the pleasing of his carnal self, and so did depart from God his true felicity; and retired into himself in his estimation, affection, and intention; and delivered up his Reason in subjection to his sensuality, and made himself his Ultimate End.

With this sinful inclination are we all born into the world; so that every man according to his corrupted nature doth terminate all his desires in himself: and what ever he may notionally be convinced of to the contrary, yet practically he makes his earthly life and the advancement and pleasure which he expecteth therein, to be his felicity and end.

Self-denial now is the cure of this: It carrieth a man from himself again, and showeth him that he was never made to be his own felicity or end; and that the flesh was not made to be pleased before God; and that it is so poor, and low, and short a felicity, as indeed is but a name and shadow of felicity, and when it pretends to that, a mere deceit. It showeth him how unreasonable, how impious and unjust it is, that a Creature and such a Creature, should terminate his desires and intentions in himself: And this is the principal part of self-denial.