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 Sanctification teacheth men that self-denial which ⟨p. 15⟩according to its measure, doth heal them of this disease. Though some actual knowledge of good and evil, and some care of our natural selves be now become a necessary duty, as suited to our lapsed state, which yet had never been but through sin: Yet that which is sinful, self-denial doth destroy. It showeth man that he is every way insufficient for himself, and that he is not the fountain of his own felicity: nor doth it belong to him, but to God, to preserve him and secure his welfare. He seeth what a folly it is to depart from the tuition of his Heavenly Father, and as the Prodigal Son to desire to have his portion in his own hands. Experience tells him with smart and sorrow that he hath not been so good a preserver of himself, nor used himself so well as to desire to be in the same hands any longer that have so abused him: Yea he knoweth that it was God that indeed preserved him, while he was over Solicitous about it himself, and would needs have the managing of his own affairs. He now believes that he can be no where safe but in the hands of God, and no way sufficiently provided for but by his wisdom, love and power: Nor dare he trust himself hereafter with himself or any Creature! He finds that he hath but turmoiled and distracted his mind by undertaking the management of his own preservation: and that he hath brought himself into a wilderness, and lost himself and ravelled his own affairs: when if he had committed himself to God, and been satisfied in his Wisdom, Love, and Power, all had been kept safe and sound, and man had not been lost, nor his estate thus shattered and overthrown. And therefore the returning self-denying convert is brought to an utter distrust of himself, and resolved hereafter to trust himself upon nothing below All-sufficiency and Infinite Love. He is so offended with himself for his former self-destruction, and for undoing himself so foolishly, that he calls ⟨p. 16⟩himself to account and into judgement for it, and condemneth himself as a Traitor to God, and a Murderer of himself, and will no more be in the hands of so treacherous a delinquent: But as the eyes of a servant are on the hand of his Master, so are his eyes on God for all supplies.

But Sanctification teacheth men that self-denyal which ⟨p. 15⟩