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

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.

4. Moreover, self must be denied as it stands up against the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ is presented in his wonderful Condescension, in his Incarnation, and mean despised life, and in his ignominious death, Proud self is offended at so low a Saviour, and disdaineth that Humiliation which his own necessities did require, and despiseth Christ because he became despised and a man of sorrows in our stead. When he is propounded as the remedy of a miserable soul, and as our only Life, and Righteousness, and Hope, Self doth seduce the soul to undervalue him: It will not easily be convinced of so much misery as to need such a remedy: it is too well to value such a Physician: it is too righteous to value the righteousness of a Mediator. It hath too much Life and Hope at home, in its own supposed innocency or sufficiency, to set much by the Hopes that Christ hath purchased, and to Live in him.

4. Moreover, self must be denyed as it stands up against the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ is presented in his wonderful Condescension, in his Incarnation, and mean despised life, and in his ignominious death, Proud self is offended at so low a Saviour, and disdaineth that Humiliation which his own necessities did require, and despiseth Christ because he became despised and a man of sorrows in our stead. When he is propounded as the remedy of a miserable soul, and as our only Life, and Righteousness, and Hope, Self doth seduce the soul to undervalue him: It will not easily be convinc'd of so much misery as to need such a remedy: it is too well to value such a Physician: it is too righteous to value the righteousness of a Mediator. It hath too much Life and Hope at home, in its own supposed innocency or sufficiency, to set much by the Hopes that Christ hath purchased, and to Live in him.