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 the use of suffering the Afflictions of this life, will make you hardy, and make death seem a smaller matter. For when you thus Die Daily, you will the more easily die once.

Besides, Death is half disarmed when the Pleasures & Interests of the flesh are first denied. For the leaving of fleshly contents and pleasures, is much of the reason of mens unwillingness to die. And therefore when these are denied before-hand, the Reasons of your unwillingness are taken away. If you pull down the Nest, the Birds will be gone. Men that are loth to leave their Country, would willingly be gone, if their houses were fired, or they were turned out of doors, and their ⟨p. 278⟩friends and goods were all sent away. This is it that makes men so unwilling to die, because they practise not Mortification in their health, but contrarily study to live as Pleasingly as may be to the flesh, and think it part of their Christian Liberty, thus making Christ a carnal Saviour as the Jews conceive of their expected Messiah; and taking up with a carnal false salvation, not purchased by Christ, but given by Satan in the name of Christ, and assumed by themselves. They make it their business to have buildings, and lands, and meats, and drinks, and honours, and all things as pleasing as may be to the flesh, and then they complain that they are unwilling to die: and I easily believe him: it is no wonder! They make it the work of their lives to feather their nests, and make Provision for the flesh; and then complain, that they are loth to leave those nests that they have been feathering so long, and loth to scatter all the heap and treasure which they have been gathering. And did you think that gathering it was the way to make you willing to leave it? Men load themselves with the lumber and baggage of the world, and then complain that they cannot travel on their journey, but had rather sit down. They fall a building them habitations in their way, when they should have none but Inns or Tents; and when they have bestowed all their time, and cost, and charges on them, they complain of their hearts for being loth to leave them. Such mad doings as these are not the way to be willing to die: To provide for self and flesh in your Life-time, is not the way to Deny your Lives. Sirs, the way is this, if you will learn it, and stick not at the cost and trouble: Self must be here stripped naked of all its carnal comforts, so that it shall have nothing left o fly to or trust upon, nor nothing lest tat it can take delight in, & then it will away.