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

1. Consider what a dangerous sign it is of a graceless hypocritical heart, where Pride of Gifts doth much prevail. It is as inseparable from a child of God, to be humble and little in his own esteem, as from a newborn Child to be really lesser than men at age. No more sincerity, than humility in any.

2. Consider, what cause of deep humiliation you carry about you in every duty! Besides all the wants and loathsome corruptions of your souls, which follow you wherever you go, the very sins of your duties, one would think, should humble you. Oh to have such low conceptions, such dull apprehensions, such heartless, unreverent poor expressions of such a God, such a Christ, such a glory, and such holy truth, should make us ashamed to open our Lips before the Lord, and ⟨p. 301⟩wonder that he doth not tread us into hell, instead of regarding us or our services, and that fire doth not come forth from his jealousy and consume us! It should make us so far from glorying in our performances, that it should drive us to Christ in every duty, to take him with us to shelter us from the flames of holy jealousy; so that we should not dare to go any further than he goes before us, and stands between us and the wrath of God, nor to speak a word but in his name, nor to expect any welcome but on his account. Shall a wretch be Proud of that performance whose failings deserve everlasting torments! Must you be beholden to Christ to save you from the Hell that the sins of your performances deserve, and yet dare you be proud of them? Let a Papist run that desperate path, that rails at us for saying that our best duties are mixed with sin, and that this sin deserves the wrath of God; Let them refuse a Physician that think not themselves sick; and let them tell Christ they will not be beholden to him for a pardon for the sins of their prayers and other duties: but for shame let not us be guilty of this, who profess to be better acquainted with our infirmities.

2. Consider, what cause of deep humiliation you carry about you in every duty! Besides all the wants and loathsom corruptions of your souls, which follow you wherever you go, the very sins of your duties, one would think, should humble you. Oh to have such low conceptions, such dull apprehensions, such heartless, unreverent poor expressions of such a God, such a Christ, such a glory, and such holy truth, should make us ashamed to open our Lips before the Lord, and