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

They fret and fume at the Sermon, and go home with passion in their hearts and reproaches in their mouths against the Ministers: And are of the mind of the desperate Sodomites, Gen. 19. 9. that said to Lot when he exhorted them, [Stand back: This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a Judge: now will we deal worse with thee than with them] what, say they, can he not preach and let me alone? hath he none to rebuke before the Congregation but me! And thus will every ungodly person reject the Word as they are selfish, and self must be let alone in all. But why must you be let alone? will you be ever the safer or better for that! will God let you alone if we should let you alone? No, he will not be frightened from dealing with you as you are: whatever his word hath said against you, he will certainly make good, though you should never more be told of it by Ministers. You have not silenced your Judge, when you have silenced his Messengers. He will handle you in another manner than Ministers do. O how easy is it to hear a Preacher threatening the everlasting wrath, in comparison of hearing the sentence of the Judge and feeling the execution! If we should yield to your desires, and let you alone, God would neither let you nor us alone; you would but go the quietlier to hell; and your blood will be required also at our hands, Ezek. 33. 6, 7, 8, 9. and then what would become both of us and you?

They fret and fume at the Sermon, and go home with passion in their hearts and reproaches in their mouths against the Ministers: And are of the mind of the desperate Sodomites, Gen. 19. 9. that said to Lot when he exhorted them, [Stand back: This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a Judge: now will we deal worse with thee than with them] what, say they, can he not preach and let me alone? hath he none to rebuke before the Congregation but me! And thus will every ungodly person reject the Word as they are selfish, and self must be let alone in all. But why must you be let alone? will you be ever the safer or better for that! will God let you alone if we should let you alone? No, he will not be frightened from dealing with you as you are: whatever his word hath said against you, he will certainly make good, though you should never more be told of it by Ministers. You have not silenced your Judge, when you have silenced his Messengers. He will handle you in another manner than Ministers do. O how easie is it to hear a Preacher threatning the everlasting wrath, in comparison of hearing the sentence of the Judge and feeling the execution! If we should yield to your desires, and let you alone, God would neither let you nor us alone; you would but go the quietlier to hell; and your blood will be required also at our hands,