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

It will fill the soul with an everlasting indignation against it self to consider that it hath cast it self wilfully into such misery! that, when Satan could not, and men could not, and God would not, if he had not done it himself, he should be so witless and graceless as to be the chooser of sin, the refuser of holiness, and his own undoer. So that the experience of all the world telleth you, how unsafe man is in his own hands: the experience of those in Hell may tell us, whither it is that self would lead us, if we follow its conduct. Whither did self lead Adam when he hearkened to it, but to sin and death? what work hath it made over all the earth? Do we not see a whole world of people, not one excepted, wounded, and slain, and brought into so low and sad a state, and all this by themselves! and yet shall we go on in selfishness still? Of all the enemies you have in the world, pray God to save you from your selves; scape your selves and you scape all. You will never miscarry by any other hands. The Devil and wicked men will do their worst; but without you they can do nothing. Never will you come to Hell if you run not your selves thither: Never will ⟨p. 370⟩you be shut out of Heaven if you run not from it by your own neglect, and prefer not the prosperity of the world before it. And therefore you see that we are nowhere more unsafe than in our own hands. Gods Will is good, and would make a good choice for us: but our wills are bad, and will make a bad choice for themselves. God is unchangeable, and the same for ever; but we are giddy and uncertain, and if we are in a good mind to day, are in danger of being in a bad to morrow. God is able to secure us against all the subtlety, and rage, and power of Earth or Hell: but we are silly impotent worms, and unable to defend our selves, or to accomplish our own desires. So that our safety consisteth in forsaking our selves and cleaving to the Lord. The more of your happiness lieth on your own hands, the greater is your danger: and the more of it is on the hands of God, the greater is your safety. Fly therefore from your selves to God, as you would fly out of a torn or sinking Vessel into the strongest ship; or as you would haste away from a tottering House that is ready to fall upon your heads: so haste away from self to God. Study his Love, and fall in Love with him;

It will fill the soul with an everlasting indignation against it self to consider that it hath cast it self wilfully into such misery! that, when Satan could not, and men could not, and God would not, if he had not done it himself, he should be so witless and graceless as to be the chooser of sin, the refuser of holiness, and his own undoer. So that the experience of all the world telleth you, how unsafe man is in his own hands: the experience of those in Hell may tell us, whither it is that self would lead us, if we follow its conduct. Whither did self lead Adam when he hearkened to it, but to sin and death? what work hath it made over all the earth? Do we not see a whole world of people, not one excepted, wounded, and slain, and brought into so low and sad a state, and all this by themselves! and yet shall we go on in selfishness still? Of all the enemies you have in the world, pray God to save you from your selves; scape your selves and you scape all. You will never miscarry by any other hands. The Devil and wicked men will do their worst; but without you they can do nothing. Never will you come to Hell if you run not your selves thither: Never will