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

9. What reason have you to be so tender of the flesh? Is it the greatness of its suffering that you stick at? Why, you put poor Beasts and Birds to as much, and so do the Butchers daily for your use: and they must ⟨p. 251⟩suffer it. And why should the body be so dear to you? for the matter of it, what is it but earth? and wherein is it more excellent than the beasts that perish? I think God hath purposely clothed your soul with so poor a dress, that you should be the less unwilling to be unclothed, and might learn to set more by your souls than by your bodies, and to make more carefully provision for them. It seems he hath purposely lodged you in so poor a cottage, that you should not be at too much care for it, nor be too loth to leave it. You have its daily Necessities and Infirmities and pains, and somewhat of its filth and loathsomeness, to tell you of its meanness: And why should you be so loth that so poor a cottage, so frail a body should be turned to dust? Dust it is, and to dust it is sentenced. When the soul hath left it but a week, men can scarce endure to see it or smell it? And should the breaking of such an earthen Vessel be so unpleasing a thing to you? And for its usefulness, though so far as it is obedient it was serviceable to your souls, and God, yet was it so refractory, ill disposed, and disobedient, that it proved no better than your enemy. Many a temptation it hath entertained and cherished; and many a sin hath it drawn you to commit; Those senses have let in a world of vanity; Those wandering eyes have called in covetousness, and pride, and lust. Those greedy appetites have been so eager on the bait, that they have too oft born down your faith and reason, and drawn you to excess in meats and drinks, for matter or manner, for quality or quantity, or both. Many a groan those sins have cost you, and many a smarting day they have caused you, and a sad uncomfortable life you have had by reason of them, in comparison of what you might have had. And this flesh hath been the Mother or the Nurse of all. You were engaged by your Baptismal Covenant to fight against it, ⟨p. 252⟩when you entered into the Church; and if you are Christians, this combat hath been your daily work, and much of the business of your lives. And yet are you loth to have the victory, & see your enemy under feet?

9. What reason have you to be so tender of the flesh? Is it the greatness of its suffering that you stick at? Why, you put poor Beasts and Birds to as much, and so do the Butchers daily for your use: and they must