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

5. The sensitive Appetite by reason of its inordinacy, is grown a Rebel against God and Reason; and an enemy to him and to our selves. And no man should unnecessarily please or feed so dangerous an enemy. Sin doth most make its entrance this way; and most men lie in sin before our eyes, by pleasing their senses: And shall we run our selves on such a great and visible, danger, against the warning of so many experiences? Yea we know that we have been often this way overtaken our selves, and that abundance of sin hath crept in at these passages; and yet shall we plead for liberty to undo our selves? The godly are so conscious of their weakness and proneness to sin, that they are jealous of themselves; and therefore it beseemeth not such to do any thing needlessly that may tempt them to it, and is so likely to prove a snare. If Paul must beat and tame his body to bring it into subjection, lest when he had preached to others, he should be cast away himself, (1 Cor. 9. 27.) much more have we need to be watchful that are more weak. We are commanded expressly to make no provision for the flesh, to satisfy the lusts (or desires) thereof, Rom. 13. 14. And therefore they that eat, or drink, or do any thing else for the mere satisfaction of the desires of the flesh, and for its delight, do break this express command of God. And how is it said, that they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts or desires thereof, if they may use the Creatures merely to delight and please the flesh? This is not Crucifying its affections and desires, Gal. 5. 24.

5. The sensitive Appetite by reason of its inordinacy, is grown a Rebel against God and Reason; and an enemy to him and to our selves. And no man should unnecessarily please or feed so dangerous an enemy. Sin doth most make its entrance this way; and most men lie in sin before our eyes, by pleasing their senses: And shall we run our selves on such a great and visible, danger, against the warning of so many experiences? Yea we know that we have been often this way overtaken our selves, and that abundance of sin hath crept in at these passages; and yet shall we plead for liberty to undo our selves? The godly are so conscious of their weakness and proneness to sin, that they are jealous of themselves; and therefore it beseemeth not such to do any thing needlesly that may tempt them to it, and is so likely to prove a snare. If Paul must beat and tame his body to bring it into subjection, lest when he had preached to others, he should be cast away himself, (