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

You must pray that the Will of God may be done. But self hath a Will that is contrary to Gods Will; and every carnal man would be a Lawgiver to himself, and ⟨p. 358⟩unto others, and had rather have his Own will done, than Gods. O• else whence come all the sins of your lives, which are nothing but the doing of your own wills, and the not doing the Will of God!

You must pray each day for your daily bread, as children that live not on their own provision, but on their Fathers love and bounty, and have their address to him for all they want, desiring but such supplies as are necessary or useful to them for his service. But self desireth more than daily bread, & desireth not so much to strengthen you for Gods service, as to delight and gratify the flesh; and had rather have its stock in its own possession, than daily to fetch it as you use it from God.

You must pray each day for your daily bread, as children that live not on their own provision, but on their Fathers love and bounty, and have their address to him for all they want, desiring but such supplies as are necessary or useful to them for his service. But self desireth more than daily bread, & desireth not so much to strengthen you for Gods service, as to delight and gratifie the flesh; and had rather have its stock in its own possession, than daily to fetch it as you use it from God.

You must pray daily for the forgiveness of your sins, as people that are grieved for them, and weary of them, and hate them, and are sensible of the want and worth of pardon, and of the abundant Grace of Christ that purchased it, and the preciousness of the Gospel-promises that convey it, and of your own Unworthiness by reason of this sin. But self is not easily so far abased as to be heavy-laden, and sick of sin; nor is it easily drawn to value Grace, or feel how much you are unworthy of it, or need it; nor easily driven to renounce all sufficiency and conceits of a Righteousness of your own, and wholly to go out of your selves to Christ for life: Self cannot spare sin: for it is its darling and play-fellow, its food, its recreation and its life.