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

9. Consider also that selfish Carnal men deal worse with God, than they do with the Devil and sin it self. God offereth them Christ and pardon, and eternal life if they will but deny themselves in a thing of nought, and they will not be ruled or persuaded by him: The Devil offereth them but the delights of the flesh, and the pleasures of sin for a season, and they will deny ten thousand sold more for this. They will deny God their Maker and Redeemer, their Lord and Judge, their Preserver and their hope: though he have the only Title to them, and their lives and souls be in his hand: They will for the sake of a filthy lust, or of a short and miserable life, deny him that never did them wrong, nay that hath always showed them kindness, even all the kindness that ever they received; and that when they know that their everlasting state must stand or fall according to his judgement. They will deny the Lord Jesus the Redeemer of their souls: They will deny and resist the holy spirit of God: They will deny his Laws, his Gospel-promises, and all his Mercies: They will deny his Ministers and all their persuasions and daily labours: They will deny their dearest Christian friends, and deny their own Consciences and Convictions; and deny themselves the Peace and Joy which they might find in a holy walking with God: Yea they will deny themselves everlasting life, and the favour of God, and cast themselves into endless misery; and all this for a thing that is ten thousand times worse than nothing, or for a very sensual brutish Pleasure. And yet these men cannot deny themselves in ⟨p. 397⟩life, or liberty, in gain, or honour, no nor in the filthiest lusts, for the sake of Christ and their own salvation: Even when they may know that they most deny themselves when they will not deny themselves. They deny themselves eternal glory, because they will not deny themselves in temporal vanity. Heaven and earth will witness against such sottish and unrighteous dealing as this, if true Conversion do not prevent it. Hath God, hath Christ, hath your own salvation deserved no better at your hands than this? O miserable souls! All things can be easily denied save sin and Carnal self, and these cannot be denied. God can be denied, Christ and Scripture and Heaven it self can be denied, for flesh and sin; and flesh and sin cannot be denied for God and for eternal Glory.