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

Idolatry should be no sin, but the principal Law; for self would be set up as the Idol of the world: will-worship would be no sin; men would he held guiltless that take the name of God in vain: The Lords day should be a day of mirth and carnal pleasure: every Subject ⟨p. 21⟩would be the Sovereign; and every Inferior the Superior; Revenge would be made lawful for themselves, though not for others: Fornication and Adultery would be no mortal sin; Stealing would be made tolerable to themselves; it should be lawful to them to do any wrong to the name and reputation of another: in a word, every man would do what he list, and his will should be his Law, and himself should be his own Judge; a gentle tender Judge no doubt. Thus would self Rule.

Idolatry should be no sin, but the principal Law; for self would be set up as the Idol of the world: will-worship would be no sin; men would he held guiltless that take the name of God in vain: The Lords day should be a day of mirth and carnal pleasure: every Subject ⟨p. 21⟩would be the Soveraign; and every Inferiour the Superior; Revenge would be made lawful for themselves, though not for others: Fornication and Adultery would be no mortal sin; Stealing would be made tolerable to themselves; it should be lawful to them to do any wrong to the name and reputation of another: in a word, every man would do what he list, and his will should be his Law, and himself should be his own Judge; a gentle tender Judge no doubt. Thus would self Rule.

But sanctification brings men to Deny this self; and to lay down the Arms of Rebellion against God; and to see how unfit we are to Rule our selves; that we are too foolish, and sinful, and partial to make Laws, and too partial also and tender to execute them; and that as we were made to obey, so obey we must, and come again into our ranks, and willingly subject our selves to the Sovereign of the world. Self denial teacheth a man to have his own Carnal wisdom and reasonings that rise up against the Laws of God; and to Love them the worse because they are thus his own; and to love the Laws of God the better, because they are God's, and because they are against his Carnal self. The stamps of God on them doth make them currant with him, when if they had but the private stamps of self, he would disown them as counterfeit or treasonable. He hath indeed a flesh that is restrained by Gods Laws, and striveth against them; but he thinks never the worse of the Law for that, but approveth and liketh it in the inner man: and if he might have his choice, he would not blot out one Commandment, nor one Direction, nor one Article of Faith, nor a tittle of the Law, because that self is not the Chooser in him; but he hath learned to submit to the will and wisdom of the Lord.