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

Do you fight against it as for the life of your souls, & yet are you afraid lest death should hurt it or break it down? Have you fought your selves friends with it, that you are so tender of it? when you are the greatest friends to it, it will be the most dangerous enemy to you. And do not think that it is only sin, and not the body, that is the flesh, that is called your enemy in Scripture. For though it be not the body as such, or as obedient to the soul, yet is it the Body as inclining to creatures, from which the sinful soul cannot restrain it; & it is the body as having an inordinate sensitive appetite and imagination, and so distempered, as that it rebels against the Spirit, and casteth off the rule of Reason, and would not be curbed of its desires, but have the rule of all it self. Was it not the very flesh it self that Paul saith he fought against, and kept under, and brought into subjection, lest he should be a cast a-way? 1 Cor. 9. 26, 27. Why should sin be called [Flesh and Body] but that it is the Body of Flesh that is the principal-seat of those sins that are so called. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body, ye shall live, Rom. 8. 13. If ye sow to the flesh, of the flesh ye shall reap corruption, Gal. 6. 8. That which is first in Being, is first in sin: But it is the Flesh or Embryo endued with sense that is first in being. Be not therefore too tender of that which corruption hath made your prison and your enemy: Many a time you have been put to resist it, and watch and strive against it; and when you have been at the best, it hath been hindering you to be better; and when the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak: And quickly hath it caused ⟨p. 253⟩your cooling & declension. Many a blessed hours communion between God & your souls, that flesh hath deprived you of. And therefore though still you must love it, yet you should the less grieve or be troubled at its sufferings, seeing they are but the fruits of its sin, and a holy contentedness should possess your minds, that God should thus castigatorily revenge his own quarrel & yours upon it.

Do you fight against it as for the life of your souls, & yet are you afraid lest death should hurt it or break it down? Have you fought your selves friends with it, that you are so tender of it? when you are the greatest friends to it, it will be the most dangerous enemy to you. And do not think that it is only sin, and not the body, that is the flesh, that is called your enemy in Scripture. For though it be not the body as such, or as obedient to the soul, yet is it the Body as inclining to creatures, from which the sinful soul cannot restrain it; & it is the body as having an inordinate sensitive appetite and imagination, and so distempered, as that it rebels against the Spirit, and casteth off the rule of Reason, and would not be curbed of its desires, but have the rule of all it self. Was it not the very flesh it self that Paul saith he fought against, and kept under, and brought into subjection, lest he should be a cast a-way?