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

4. And the selfish man is no good student in the Laws of God; even when he readeth the letter, he doth not mind or savour the spirit of them. Rom. 8. 5. [For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the spirit, the things of ⟨p. 85⟩the spirit.] A fair world it would be, if every Collier should judge the Privy Council and the Judges of the Land! or if every thief should sit upon his accuser and his Judge, and every traitor should judge the Prince. And a thousand-fold more insufficient is self to judge the Word of God.

4. And the selfish man is no good student in the Laws of God; even when he readeth the letter, he doth not mind or savour the spirit of them. Rom. 8. 5. [For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the spirit, the things of ⟨p. 85⟩the spirit.] A fair world it would be, if every Colliar should judge the Privy Council and the Judges of the Land! or if every thief should sit upon his accuser and his Judge, and every traitor should judge the Prince. And a thousand-fold more insufficient is self to judge the Word of God.

And yet as insufficient as it is, it is exceeding arrogant, and steps up into the judgment-seat, at every Chapter that is read or heard: and if this blind and malicious Judge be unsatisfied, forsooth the Scripture must be dark or contradictory, or what he pleases. This horrible presumptuous arrogancy of self is it that hath opened so many mouths against the blessed Doctrine of Salvation, and made so many wretched Apostates in the world, and cast so many others into doubtings of that word by which at last they must be judged, and which should have been the ground of their faith and hope.