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

6. As man had his Being and well-being from God, so is it God only that can preserve and continue them. Innocent man understood this, and therefore lived in a Dependence upon God; looking to his hand for the supply of his wants, and casting all his care upon him, and trusting him wholly with himself, and all, and not distracting his own mind with cares and distrustful fears, but quieted and contented his mind in the Wisdom, Goodness, and All-sufficiently of God.

6. As man had his Being and well-being from God, so is it God only that can preserve and continue them. Innocent man understood this, and therefore lived in a Dependance upon God; looking to his hand for the supply of his wants, and casting all his care upon him, and trusting him wholly with himself, and all, and not distracting his own mind with cares and distrustful fears, but quieted and contented his mind in the Wisdom, Goodness, and All-sufficienly of God.

But when man was fallen to himself from God, he desired presently to have his portion or stock in his own hands, and grew distrustful of God, and began to look upon himself as his own preserver; (in a great measure) and therefore he fell to carking and caring for himself, and to studious contrivances for his own preservation and supplies. He searched every Creature for himself, and laboured to find in it some good for himself, as if the care of himself had been wholly devolved on himself. I have been as much troubled to understand that Text in Gen. 3. 22. as any one almost in the Bible, being somewhat unsatisfied with some ordinary expositions; and yet it is too hard for me. But this seems to me the ⟨p. 12⟩most probable Interpretation; that in his estate of innocency Adam was as a Child in his Fathers house, that was only to study to please his Father, and to do the work that he commanded him, but not to take any thought or care for himself: for while he was obedient, it was his Fathers part to preserve him and provide for him, to keep off death and danger, and supply all his wants. And therefore though man had the faculty or power of knowing more perfect than we have now, yet he did not need to trouble himself about these matters of Self, because they belonged to God: and consequently had not the actual consideration of knowledge of them: for that would have been but a vain and troublesome knowledge and consideration to him: For though the knowledge of all things Necessary to be known, was part of his perfection, yet the actual knowledge of many things unnecessary and vexatious or tempting, may be part of a mans infelicity and misery. And so he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow,